Chinese Military Leader Visits Israel As Relations Between the Two Countries Look to Soften
- Posted on August 14, 2011 at 8:19pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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After years of rocky relations, Israel welcomed China’s military chief Sunday for the first such visit, giving the Jewish state an opportunity to increase its profile with the economic giant that is seeking to strengthen its foothold in the Middle East.
The two countries have infuriated each other in the past decade — Israel has canceled arms sales to China under U.S. pressure, and China has warmed up to Iran, Israel’s chief adversary — making the visit a high-stakes meeting with potential to make amends and find new pathways toward military cooperation and trade.
Chinese chief of staff General Chen Bingde was greeted with a full honor guard. In his brief visit, he is set to tour the Israeli military’s urban warfare training center, observe training exercises, and hold security briefings with the Israeli military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, and Israeli security officials.
The visit is unlikely to yield any major sales of military hardware, say Israeli experts in Chinese affairs.
It follows Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s trip to China two months ago — the first visit of an Israeli defense minister in a decade — and some say it could help improve relations between the two countries.
“The mere fact that he is coming is great breakthrough,” said Aron Shai, a rector at Tel Aviv University and a China expert.
According to a Chinese Defense Ministry statement, Chen is visiting Israel to “deepen understanding, enhance friendships, expand consensus and promote cooperation” with the army. Chen is also visiting Russia and Ukraine.
Diplomatic relations between China and Israel were established in 1992, and they traded military technology heavily for nearly a decade. The United States cut that cooperation short in 2000, when it pressured Israel to cancel its sale of sophisticated reconnaissance aircraft to China, which it regards as a potential long-term adversary. The canceled deal infuriated China, cost Israel hundreds of millions of dollars and frayed ties between the two.
Then, in 2005, the U.S. persuaded Israel not to service spare parts for unmanned aircraft drones already sold to China, concerned that it would upgrade China’s airborne anti-radar capability.
Israel has since taken a wary approach to any kind of trade with China that could be deemed questionable by U.S. standards — limiting its exports of goods that could be seen as giving China a military advantage, including the state-of-the-art surveillance equipment and homeland security technologies that have made Israel a leader in that field.
The American embassy in Israel had no comment on the visit.
China and Israel may try to “find loopholes” in U.S.-imposed limits on Sino-Israeli military relations, though there would not be any breakthroughs, said Yitzhak Shichor, a political scientist and China specialist at the University of Haifa.
Despite the restrictions, China is Israel’s third largest trading partner, following the United States and Germany. In 2010, trade levels reached $6.7 billion, a growth of 44 percent from the previous year.
Military technology will undoubtedly be discussed during the chief of staff’s visit, though no major sale is expected, said Yoram Evron, an Israeli professor of Asian studies at the University of Haifa and a research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies.
China has held recent joint military exercises with Turkey, has sent ships to the Gulf of Aden to fight pirates there, and has pledged a large number to the peacekeeping force in Lebanon, making it one of the largest contributors to the multinational force dispatched in the aftermath of the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas.
The visit could also give Israel a forum to raise its own concerns with the Chinese military chief. Israel suspects some Chinese-made rockets have gotten into the hands of Palestinian militants in Gaza. Israel is also concerned about China’s ties with Iran and its vetoing of sanctions on Tehran at the United Nations. Israel considers Iran a strategic threat because of its nuclear and missile programs.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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Comments (40)
Slowman101
Posted on August 15, 2011 at 1:49amObama bows before our enemies. This is the end result. 2012 can’t come quick enough!
Report Post »pwatkins
Posted on August 15, 2011 at 1:48amI read this and pray that Ron Paul will not ever be the POTUS. I really don’t think he has a chance anyway, bc he is one that tells it like he wishes it was, not like it is. He is a cool guy, but that is all I see when he speaks. I hope we soon get leadership that is blessed by God. We still stand with you Israel. God Bless America.
Report Post »cantbelieveallthisgarbagecouldhappenwhodoislap
Posted on August 15, 2011 at 1:43amI dont know what to say,2012 nov ,
Report Post »rightwinglefty
Posted on August 15, 2011 at 1:16amThis disturbs me for one reason. Israel and other countries are no longer seeing the U.S. as a world leader. China is emerging and has a strong economy and military. They may be the only super power left.
Report Post »Thatsitivehadenough
Posted on August 15, 2011 at 1:24amAnd there are two major reasons why this worries me: China hates belief in God (religion), and capitalism. And Israel is as strong as it is because of these two things that make Israel what it is.
Israel shouldn’t trust China one inch. And Israeli’s should keep a close watch on just which people in Israel China connects best with. I think it‘s more than likely going to be Israel’s 5th column of leftists/communists/progressives.
Report Post »philipzhao
Posted on August 15, 2011 at 5:51amNo, superpower is no longer a monopoly as every nation including Iran is striving to become one.
Report Post »AmeriCat
Posted on August 15, 2011 at 12:46amSo the Chinese are meeting with Obama’s Jewish-American patrons…
Well of course they get along.
Report Post »Remember the Mao Christmas ornament that was on Obama’s White House “Holiday” tree?
psst
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 11:31pmWhat’s w/ this site? I posted about 3 times this am. then I just posted 3 times on different stories in the last few minutes.
Report Post »Then I come to make a post on this story and when I do, it keep saying I must be logged on.It does so frequently. So I have to open another Blaze window and then log on again, even though I am logged on.
So ya want to run w/ the big dogs(other sites) then act like a big dog.
psst
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 11:27pmIn case some may not realize this, Bibi IS playing hardball w/ Soetoro.
Report Post »Soetoro invited him to the WH and left him to hang out w/ low level gofers and went upstairs to have supper or lunch. A slap in the face so to speak.
Bibi gave the Chicom full honor guard.I’m sure he did not leave him w/ low echelon folks while he went to grab a bite to eat.
We (US government)are the only ones pretending the Chicoms are our friends. Everyone knows we are adversaries.Our government /Soetero uses them to borrow $$ to waste,and they use US to sell their slave labour stuff. They are getting the better of the arrangement, and the richer, whilst we go around the Globe begging for loans.
This is high stakes politics being played out. Bibi/Israel sees Soetero/US siding w/ his Moslem radical bretherens against Israel, so why shouldn’t Israel cozy up to the Chicoms.
Bibi is showing Soetor two can play at this game.
ashestoashes
Posted on August 15, 2011 at 12:36am@PSST Yea…it’s just to bad taht Ockmed is our leader..It’s so wonderful being saddled up with a bunch of losers.
Report Post »Bedford
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 11:22pmBut Pork Lo Mein isn’t hardly kosher, is it?
Report Post »philipzhao
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 11:13pmThe rapprochement between Israel and China is a sign that US is no longer the BOSS !!
Report Post »psst
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 11:38pmBingo.Ya nailed it.
Report Post »In the area where Israel resides, one must try to have as many powerul friends as one can get.Find them wherever you can.
Of course both Israel and China are mutually using each other to take a shot at US.
Soetero deserves getting this burr put under his saddle.
Though Soetero is US right now. Hopefully, only until next election.
Fiona333
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 10:41pmPerhaps China will ask to tour Israel’s sensitive military sites, just like they got the grand tour here – thanks to our Beloved Chairman Obama. After all, the Chinese are just peace-loving folk – never meaning any future harm.
Report Post »CogsbMe
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 10:39pmShocker. The Chinese steal most of their technology.
Report Post »BQI
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 10:29pmTHIS IS NOT GOOD. I believe this visit will provide fodder to the uber left in Israel to pressure a more conservative government like B. Netanyahu‘s to make concessions to China’s friends the Palestinians via Iran. If Israel becomes more dependent on trade with China it could put them in a very vulnerable position of China dependency.Remember in Revelations the Kings of the East will attack Israel. Who is the biggest “dog” king of the east….China, a country that can boast a 200 million man army.
Conservative Blog: blackquillandink.com. Monday’s featured article: The Black Psyche
Report Post »1TrueOne55
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 10:46pmThat is not the King of the East that is being talked about. Directly “East” of Israel is the King of Persia or the Aryan Nation of Iran. And yes Aryan is the Persian word for Iran. Makes you think about where Hitler got the title Aryan Nation of his third reich….
So don’t confuse China with the King of the East since it was not until the Mongol Horde of Genghis Kahn made his run to Europe that any of history has shown that China or its people had any knowledge of the Countryside past their horizons.
Report Post »llotus
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 10:26pmIsrael needs to have a friend or two over there. Maybe the muslims will think twice about doing anything big to Israel with a country that has that big of army on friendly terms with them. This administration has been no friend. God Bless America and Israel. Lotus.
Report Post »sooner12
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 11:32pmYeah, the Chinese could lose a few billion and still out-man the muslims.
Report Post »big leroy
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 10:20pmWhat could possibly go wrong? The Bible says GOD will bless the nation that blesses Israel and curse the nation that doesnt. Where do you stand,Obama and USA?LOVE GOD ,HATE SIN!
Report Post »Just in time
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 10:18pmI was not fond of the idea that China was holding so much of our debt. But now that they are. It may leave the door open to Israel. For more protection from the PA. This is delicate though
Report Post »Carol Ingian
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 10:11pmIt would be nice if China has good intentions… but in contemplating who China is friendly with, I hope that they are not just there to get the lay of the land…
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 10:07pmI am not surprised; this administration is very busy making enemies out of friends and groveling before our enemies.
and the senate will not impeach him….
Report Post »mr anarchy
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 10:02pmdo you know what is written on the great wall within these walls lie the children of magog-and gog
Report Post »Dr. Klahn
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 9:39pmAs Captain Kirk said of the Klingons, “DON’T trust them.”
Whether the Chinese are your friends or not, they ARE friends with your enemies: Iran, Russia, Egypt, and Lebanon.
Oh, hell, let’s all go bake cookies together…
Report Post »sooner12
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 9:30pmI can’t really say I blame Israel since how Obozo has treated the Israelis, which is a crying shame. We will not survive another four years from this group of traitors.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 9:12pmChina looking to fill the void made by BO
Report Post »4liberty4all
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 9:12pmAu heck, the US is busy getting ‘fundamentally transformed’ so why not.
Report Post »This_Individual
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 9:02pmCan you feel the love? This almost makes me want to hug a polititian.
Report Post »QuantumVerp
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 8:43pmThe more we‘re all in this together the more likely all’s well that ends well. Not that anything is ending is it?
Report Post »Marlin2009
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 8:34pmThat’s exactly what I said before: Israel should make more friends even include China. China might not be as strong as U.S., but China might be a more reliable friend.
I think it’s good for Israel.
Report Post »