Israel-Hamas war upends China’s ambitions in the Middle East but may serve Beijing in the end

By DIDI TANG
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Hamas attack on Israel has put China’s ambitions in the Middle East to the test. In June, Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted the Palestinian president in Beijing and invited the Israeli prime minister for an official state visit. Benjamin Netanyahu accepted, and China was on track for a bigger role in the region. Then came the Hamas attack, which has made Netanyahu’s trip uncertain. China’s stated neutrality on the war has upset Israel, but experts say Beijing may gain in the long run by forging closer ties with Arab countries.