Over the last few decades, the Middle East has become a magnet for thousands of Chinese businesses, hundreds of thousands of Chinese nationals working and living throughout the region, along with several million Chinese tourists. Traditionally, China's approach to the Middle East has adhered to the principle of non-interference and a neutral position in conflicts. Rising violence targeting Chinese citizens and assets raises domestic pressure for the government to prioritize their safety abroad, posing a potential challenge to China's traditional non-interference policy.

Protecting Chinese Nationals Overseas

Over the last decade, China has undergone a significant shift in safeguarding its residents and workers abroad, actively intervening to assist nationals in disputes in worldwide hotspots. Concurrently, Beijing has bolstered its military, economic, and diplomatic capabilities to support these endeavors. Protecting Chinese nationals overseas has become crucial to China’s global interests and a newfound diplomatic imperative for several reasons. 

Firstly, numerous Chinese businesses invest in high-risk projects overseas, particularly in regions like Africa and the Middle East, driven by their lucrative potential. Secondly, Chinese companies often prefer to deploy skilled workers from China for major projects instead of hiring locals. Concurrently, Beijing has modified its labor laws to protect its workers by promoting workplace safety and regulating employers and working conditions abroad. Thirdly, domestic pressure has intensified to protect citizens overseas. The Chinese public expects the government to safeguard Chinese tourists and businesses worldwide and align with the expectations of other major powers. 

In other words, Beijing takes measures to secure China’s broader overseas interests beyond the Asia-Pacific region. Furthermore, with Chinese citizens having widespread access to cell phones, the internet, and social networks, any violent incident or threat to Chinese nationals instantly captures media and public attention. These combined factors have compelled China’s top leadership to protect Chinese nationals overseas, elevating this commitment into a new foreign diplomacy concern and a domestic policy issue. As China continues its global influence expansion, safeguarding its citizens abroad remains critical to its evolving role on the world stage.

Protecting Chinese Nationals in the Gaza War

Despite the loss of four Chinese nationals, two reported missings, and six injured due to the Gaza War, there is a notable absence of significant internal pressure on the Chinese government to actively ensure the narrative of safeguarding Chinese nationals overseas. An in-depth analysis of Beijing’s official statements and activities, commentaries in state media, and social media narratives around the safety and protection of Chinese citizens abroad reveals a nuanced approach. While China endeavors to present itself as a proponent for safeguarding its residents and workers abroad, akin to other major powers, it remains reluctant to take steps to protect its broader overseas interests.

Chinese official statements express concern for its citizens and urge Israel to protect them. However, China’s actions appear cautious, primarily focusing on evacuation rather than direct intervention. This suggests a desire to balance its commitment to protecting citizens with its traditional non-interference policy in the Middle East. According to the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning, “We mourn deeply for the victims and offer our heartfelt sympathy to their families and those who are injured.” Mao further stated that Chinese diplomatic institutions actively coordinate efforts to save lives, provide medical treatment for the injured, and make appropriate arrangements for the deceased. Beijing has consistently urged relevant parties to take all necessary measures for the search and rescue of missing Chinese individuals and to implement practical steps to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals and institutions.

Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson for the foreign ministry, stated that China would help its citizens leave the war zone “if their safety is guaranteed.” Chinese nationals in the region are advised to maintain a “highly vigilant, strengthen security precautions, prepare for emergencies,” and suggested that they shelter in place. Chinese citizens have been urged not to travel to the region, with advisories warning that those who do may “expose themselves to very high-security risks.” As of the end of 2020, the latest data from China’s commerce ministry indicates that there were at least 8,206 Chinese workers in Israel. In the early weeks of the war, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen counterpart in a phone call, “Israel needs to take effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in the Middle East.”

Many Chinese travel agencies have canceled trips to Israel amid the war escalated, including Tongcheng Travel, GZL International Travel Service, and Spring Tour. In contrast, China’s Hainan Airlines,  the only carrier in China with flights to Israel, has chosen to maintain its operations. The Chinese airline currently operates three direct flights to Israel: Beijing-Tel Aviv, Shanghai-Tel Aviv, and Shenzhen-Tel Aviv, featuring two round-trip flights per week on each route. Hainan Airlines has asserted its commitment to ensuring the safety of regular passenger travel and has decided not to make any adjustments to its flight plan currently. The company has pledged to closely monitor changes in the overseas security situation, assess security risks diligently, adjust the flight plan dynamically, and promptly communicate any modifications.

In Chinese state-owned media and on social platforms such as Weibo, widespread posts, discussions, articles, and news reports, there is a conspicuous lack of emphasis on the narrative surrounding the protection of Chinese citizens abroad. Although more than ten Chinese nationals have been killed, injured, or reported missing as a result of the Gaza war, the distressing incidents have attracted limited public attention. While censorship likely contributes to the muted response to Chinese state-owned media and social media, the absence of a substantial societal reaction and calls for government intervention weakens the prevailing narrative.

The case of Noa Argamani, an Israeli citizen with Chinese parentage who was abducted during the surprise attacks by Hamas, has generated little sympathy on social media. Noa’s mother, a Chinese citizen, appealed to the Chinese government for assistance in securing her release. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said China is against “violence and attacks” against civilians and stated that they “noted the incident” and “tried to verify the information.” Meanwhile, many netizens showed little sympathy for the kidnapped Israeli woman and criticized the mother for presumptuously seeking help from the Chinese government. Despite gaining over 260 million views on Weibo, neither Chinese state media nor official government channels have commented on the situation. This case also suggests that national identity and political context can influence public sentiment toward Chinese citizens overseas.

Masterly Inactivity?

The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict is testing the Chinese government’s commitment to the narrative of the safety and protection of its nationals abroad. China has traditionally adhered to a non-interference policy in the Middle East but is facing increasing acts of violence against Chinese nationals and assets in the region. This has led to growing domestic pressure on the Chinese government to ensure the safety of its citizens abroad. Nevertheless, the limited media attention, muted public reaction, and absence of calls for government intervention indicate a potential weakening of the prevailing government narrative on safeguarding Chinese nationals overseas.

While China publicly affirms its commitment to safeguarding its nationals, its actual actions throughout the Israel-Hamas conflict seem too cautious and restrained. The conflict has exposed tension between China’s commitment to protecting its citizens abroad and its traditional non-interference policy. The limited media attention and the public muted response to the conflict suggest that the “safety of nationals” narrative might evolve, becoming more nuanced and context-dependent. This could affect China’s regional role and broader foreign policy approach.

Dr. Mordechai Chaziza is a senior lecturer at the Department of Politics and Governance and the Multidisciplinary Studies in Social Science division at Ashkelon Academic College (Israel) and a Research Fellow at the Asian Studies Department, University of Haifa, specializing in Chinese foreign and strategic relations.

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