The European Brought a Century of Humiliation to China - Why Is It Not Standing Up for Palestine?
The Deafening Silence of China: A Betrayal of Anti-Colonialism?
As Israel continues its brutal assault on Palestinians, much of the world remains disturbingly passive. This includes China - a nation that should understand the evils of colonization better than most.
China suffered immensely under Western imperialism and colonialism. The so-called "century of humiliation" inflicted tremendous physical and psychological wounds that still shape China's worldview today. From the Opium Wars to the Unequal Treaties to the bloody suppression of the Boxer Rebellion, China was subjected to the same racist colonial practices that Palestinians now endure.
Yet despite this history, China has failed to take meaningful action against Israeli apartheid and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. Their response has amounted to little more than rhetorical platitudes about restraint and false equivalence between oppressed and oppressor.
As Prof. Noura Erakat explained in a recent interview, Israel's genocide in Gaza could not happen without US support. However, she cautions that even if America withdrew its patronage of Israel, China could step in as an "imperial patron" in its place.
Indeed, Israel is already courting China and deepening economic ties. It appears China is willing to betray its anti-colonial origins and solidarity with oppressed peoples for closer relations with Israel's apartheid regime. This exposes a glaring double standard between China's rhetoric of South-South "mutual prosperity" and its complicity in Palestinian suffering.
— If some Chinese would be better educated on their own history, they would not side with those who resemble their ancestors’ oppressors.
China knows the horrors of settler colonialism and subjugation all too well. But it seems power and self-interest now override principle. The parallels between China's past humiliation and Palestine's ongoing Nakba should be obvious. Yet China remains shockingly apathetic about Israel's abuses, preserving profit over human rights.
The message is clear: colonized peoples cannot depend on China for meaningful support against imperialism. Despite its history, China appears unwilling to actively counter settler colonial projects like Zionism today. For all its global influence, China has disgracefully abdicated its responsibility to challenge Israeli apartheid. Its betrayal reveals where true solidarity must come from - the grassroots, not self-interested governments.