An Advanced Position

Opening of 24th issue of “China in Arab Eyes” News Bulletin
Mahmoud Raya
China holds an advanced position regarding the Iranian nuclear issue or at least, this is Iran’s viewpoint on this matter.
This viewpoint will naturally lead towards believing that the other side – American and European – will regard the Chinese position as very preservative; rather, it will be regarded as a very retarded position, tarrying behind the international stand on a vital issue.
How can the Chinese position “progress” according to the American view?”
The answer is simple; China must submit to the U.S. pressures and go along with the sanctions on Tehran by either participation or by approving the decision of the International Security Council, and perhaps participating in any military war the U.S. administration might be mulling against Iran.
If this is “progressivism” as seen by the U.S., China on the other hand would rather retreat and express decisive positions on all the matters which Washington demands. Beijing stresses on the peaceful solution regarding the Iranian nuclear issue and stresses on the unnecessary approval of new sanctions against Tehran. China is adopting an entirely different direction. It wishes to increase the chances of the mutual economic and commercial exchange between the two countries. Moreover, it wishes to rely on the Iranian oil as a main source of the energy which China requires.
Beijing was not satisfied; it also deployed its foreign minister to Tehran to deliver a clear message, which was received by the Iranian command through a deep friendship with China. This issue was expressed by the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad saying, “The enemies of Iran and China cannot bear the friendly rapport between the two countries.”
China might express a similar position to some extent, but it is also stressing on Iran that it must seriously deal with the international worry regarding its nuclear program. In addition, perhaps China does not wish for the Iranian-Western conflict to take a military form or at least, face a heat wave which might influence the world policy and economy. However, all these issues does not mean that China is confused about which side to take for support, and it will not lose its way identifying the party that it will support during such confrontation.
China has expressed clearly these facts by refraining from attending the six countries meeting that was decided in order to discuss the imposition of sanctions on Iran. Although it referred such refrain to technical reasons, yet anyone could have ignored these “reasons” unlike the Chinese commandment. This was a crystal clear stance of China.
One can say that this issue in its entirety means one thing: China is slapping the U.S. face repeatedly. Washington, receiving these slaps, keeps insisting that China is “retarded” and that it will lead it towards progression.
Therefore, will China be “led” or will its gigantic economic and populated locomotive hold back the U.S. unrestraint rushing train, hence saving the world the gravities of the U.S. heedlessness that exceeds all expectations?

Few Answers

Opening of 24th issue of “China in Arab Eyes”
Mahmoud Raya
The minister who decided to employ the “dealing” policy instead of the “containment” policy with the Chinese giant heard a large number of good words from the Chinese officials and was welcomed with a great reception that suited his position. In addition, he brought along a “hot error” in order to communicate with the Chinese command after a number of misunderstandings over the past years, which could have resulted into an ominous situation.
Anyhow, the U.S. minister with his administration behind remains occupied without any clear answers or tangible steps that will lead to solution. This issue rendered some highly informed people say that the Chinese “sold” to the American that arrived with questions an encyclopedia of incomprehensive Chinese words!
Transparency which the U.S. war minister Robert Gates demanded from the Chinese command on the field of the escalating military expenditure in the recent period was faced with numerous words about comparisons against powers in the region and outside the region such as Japan and France, each of which are spending militarily as much as China. Furthermore, there is the U.S. expenditure level to which no one can ever reach for coming decades.
Talking about the militarization of space by China, which Washington rejects, except for itself, was faced by China with conclusive reassurances. However, the Americans cannot forget the missile which Beijing launched in the last spring in order to destroy an old satellite nor it can forget the arrival of the Chinese probe to moon, especially in these particular days. This issue raised a thousand questions in Washington regarding the Chinese space intentions.
The difficult case which the U.S. minister discussed in Beijing did not reach any compromise regarding the U.S. and Chinese demands with a repetitive explanation from China that its initial stances did not hold any actual movements.
The U.S. minister visited China with his eyes glowing with the Iranian nuclear case, hoping to urge China give up its position that rejects the escalation of the economic sanctions against Iran. Nevertheless, he departed the Chinese capital with a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, calling on Iran to seriously deal with the “international worry” pertaining to its nuclear dossier. There was nothing else he could manage but facing the conclusive Chinese rejection against any escalation of sanctions. Therefore, there was no way for him to bring up any military options?
We must not wonder when we see that the “practical American” is unable to understand anything of the Chinese words that are wrapped with a cover of oriental magic that cannot be calculated by the pentagon computers or even bring clear stances to the surface. The Chinese words are composed of scripts that require great skills to be calculated and recognized in order to understand what the Chinese are saying.
The minister who visited Beijing for the first time seems to lack any experience in this field.

Israeli Failure

China In Arabic Eyes News Bulletin No 023 Opening
By Mahmoud Raya (November 09, 2007)
The Chinese are never conclusive when rejecting a certain issue, this is not their habit, especially when it relates to “The world’s gate into America,” Israel. Rapport with the U.S. cannot be improved without firstly normalizing with Israel.
Despite so, China said clearly that it rejected the “suggestions” that were carried along by the Israeli foreign secretary, while visiting China, on how to deal with the Iranian nuclear case. During her visit, she received one-toned position from the different figures whom she met in the Chinese capital city.
The magnitude of the Israeli failure in reaching the “Chinese mind” regarding this case can be noticed through the uncrowning of the visit of the Israeli official through a meeting with the Chinese president HU Jintao who would never have hesitated receiving the Israeli diplomat had he had anything new for her or had he seen anything new from her.
Besides her work as the foreign secretary, Tzipi Livni is also the deputy prime minister, which means, she represents the top of the reigning pyramid in Israel. Therefore, the Chinese President not meeting with her is a kind of a hidden rejection to her task and a declaration of the failure of the Israeli pressures in a symbolic form. Besides, there was the official declaration that was released by Chinese senior officials concerning the Israeli calls on Beijing to join the Israeli-U.S. plan to blockade Iran.
Along with the U.S. expressed “frustration” because of the Chinese and Russian disapproval of the intensification of the sanctions on Tehran, Israel is also expressing its frustration regarding this issue in particular, but using other indirect methods.
Can we regard the Chinese position regarding this case as a beginning of the emergence of a Chinese “independence” in dealing with the world major issues? This subject indicates to a qualitative leap in magnifying the Chinese geo-strategic role worldwide. Besides, can we say that Livni’s unsuccessful visit to China is a declaration of a “new international China?”
It might be early to look at the issue from this angle. However, there is no doubt that China managed to balance between its interests and has chosen the positions that suited its interests, despite the fact that this position will draw rippling effects on the Chinese rapport with Israel and the U.S.
The Chinese “NO” to Israel on the Iranian issue signals a clear Chinese siding with the East against the West; and none of the future changing stances will be able to affect the fact of this issue or even influence the strategic effects that will touch the area and the world