HERZLIYA, ISRAEL – The Israel Council on Foreign Relations, which operates under the auspices of the World Jewish Congress, co-hosted Tuesday a symposium on the growing role that China is playing on the world stage, in the Middle East, and in its deepening relations with Israel. In his opening remarks, World Jewish Congress CEO and Executive Vice President Robert Singer underscored the importance of the ongoing and developing ties, and praised China for the hospitality it showed Jews over the centuries.
“This year we mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and China. The cooperation between our two countries has enabled some of the world’s greatest technological and economic developments to come about,” Singer said. “The World Jewish Congress is committed to this relationship, and will continue to assist in strengthening these ties and working for the benefit of Jewish communities worldwide and the State of Israel.”
World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder cannot be here today, but he sends his warm regards and appreciation for the critical and ongoing efforts on both the Israeli and Chinese stage to maintain and develop strategic relations, particularly in today’s complicated geopolitical atmosphere,” Singer said. “The World Jewish Congress also extends its gratitude to China for the warmth and hospitality it has demonstrated to Jews over the centuries, particularly in the darkest hours of the Holocaust, when it gave refuge to so many who would have faced certain death without this support.
“We cannot really discuss Chinese–Israeli relations without reflecting on the Jewish experience in China over the centuries,” Singer added, pointing out that Jewish roots in China extend back to the ninth century, when merchants first arrived in Kaifeng, and continued throughout generations free of anti-Semitism, culminating in the years of the Shoah when Shanghai became known as a refuge for Jews fleeing the horrors of Eastern Europe.
Singer also spoke of the important bond shared by Jewish and Chinese Diasporas as former immigrants and refugees, who contributed enormously to the development of hosting countries, and mentioned that the World Jewish Congress recently signed an agreement with UNESCO for an innovative Holocaust education website to be translated into multiple languages, including Mandarin.
Since the WJC was established in 1936, it has been involved with the Jewish community in China, and in 1948, established its China Section in Shanghai. Efforts to strengthen the community and maintain relations with the government have continued ever since, despite many obstacles. In the 1980s, the WJC managed to establish direct relations, mostly in the academic and cultural realms, primarily through the head of the Australian Jewish community at the time, Isi Leibler. The creation of the Judaic Studies Society in Shanghai is a direct result of these efforts.
In successive years, WJC’s diplomatic contacts with China were intensified, and in 2015, Singer visited Beijing and Shanghai together with WJC’S Deputy CEO for Diplomacy Dr. Maram Stern to meet with members of the political and government elite.
“We are encouraged by the warm welcome we received and look forward to developing even stronger relations as the years go on,” Singer said.
The symposium on Tuesday was a joint initiative of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations, the Institute for Policy and Strategy at IDC Herzliya, and the Sino-Israel Global Network & Academic Leadership (SIGNAL). Greetings were delivered by Singer and the Charge d’Affaires of the People’s Republic of China to the State of Israel, Cai Weiming. An expert discussion followed featuring speakers including: Prof. Aron Shai, Dr. Ariel Levite, Prof. Huang Renwei, Yang Xiyu, Maj. Gen. AMOS Gilead, Amb. Ron Prosor, Caruce Witte, and Prof. YE Hailin.