Report comes after a major power shuffle in the Palestinian Authority aimed at ending the Israel-Gaza war.

Special envoy Li Hui’s latest mission to Europe was met with scepticism, and could be seen as ‘signalling’ to the Global South that China is a responsible power.

‘China’s goal is to enjoy the fact that the US is getting bruised here, but also to use the conflict in Gaza as a way to rally the Global South against the United States,‘ one says.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds calls with counterparts from Iran and Saudi Arabia, vowing Beijing will work to avoid escalation.

Energy-related trade between China and the Middle East is likely to increase significantly and reshape the sector globally in the wake of the Saudi-Iran peace deal brokered by China last year, according to Swiss bank UBS.

Yuval Waks, deputy head of the mission to Beijing, said the country had been ‘hoping for stronger condemnation’ from the Chinese foreign ministry.

Seven-day tour includes closed-door forums in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen to seek potential partners for the ambitious urban-development project.

Chinese embassy warns citizens in Iran to take precautions after Tehran fires missiles and drones in ‘spillover’ of Gaza conflict, but analysts say attack is unlikely to have substantial impact on Beijing’s ties with the two Middle Eastern countries.

The CEO of Neom – a US$500 billion futuristic, zero-carbon megacity under construction on the country’s northwest coast – is scheduled to host a half-day event on April 19 inviting investors to back the ambitious development.

Beijing says ‘the security of diplomatic institutions cannot be violated’ after the attack on diplomatic buildings in the Syrian capital Damascus.

Global South’s growing willingness to organise exhibitions outside Western influence on display at Beijing shows, according to observers.

Chinese diplomat’s comments at ICJ appear to endorse armed struggle against Israel in what analyst calls an ‘unanticipated shift’ in stance, but others deny this marks a radical departure, noting Beijing still favours two-state solution.

Joint exercises in Gulf of Oman focus on rescuing hijacked merchant ships and feature Chinese and Iranian special ops teams and PLA guided-missile destroyer.

A water desalination plant in the United Arab Emirates highlights China’s ongoing move towards the Middle East amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Maritime Security Belt – 2024 is second time China has conducted joint drills in Indian Ocean following Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel and start of Gaza war.

Liao Liqiang, the country’s ambassador to Egypt, told a panel discussion in Beijing that attacks on shipping ‘had a real impact on us’.

Beijing is unlikely to bring an end to trade route attacks as it maintains its neutral position on the Israel-Gaza war, analysts say.

China told Hague court Palestinians have a right to self-determination ‘by all available means, including armed struggle’ – to the dissatisfaction of Israelis.

The initiative is the latest effort to forge closer links between the two countries following a series of economic and security initiatives.

The moves underscore Saudi Arabia’s commitment to transform itself from an oil-dependent economy to a powerhouse that makes money on everything from tech to metals, mining and tourism.

In this issue of the Global Impact newsletter, we look at Beijing’s response to the Israel-Gaza war and the Red Sea crisis following attacks by Houthi rebels that have disrupted global shipping.