Op Eds & Articles
60 years after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Israel-Asia Center speaks to some of the people shaping Israel-China relations in the fields of diplomacy, business, education and culture, on their perspectives of the past – and prospects for the future.
Israel-Asia Center: Of all of your memories from your early years, what stands out?
We lived with the Chinese for many years. Russian Jews lived in China for 65 years. The Chinese never gave us the impression that we were not wanted, even during the toughest days of the Japanese occupation from 1935-45. The Chinese population really cooperated with all the foreigners who were living there, whether they were Russians, Georgians, Ukrainians or Jews. The Jews did plenty of business with the Chinese. For example, only Jews and Chinese dealt in furs, which was one of the biggest exports to the United States, Germany and elsewhere.
IAC: Israel gained independence in 1948. What happened at that point?
Until August 1945, China was occupied by Japan. After Japan lost the war, a civil war started between Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong and lasted until October 1, 1949. When Chiang Kai-shek traveled to Taiwan, or Formosa, the Chinese declared their republic. Our borders, not only the external ones but the provincial ones within China, were opened. At that point there were some 20,000 European Jewish displaced persons and they could travel wherever they wanted. There were also 1,000 Middle Eastern Jews. In total 8,500 people moved from China to Israel. Others traveled to different places. As of 1952, there were fewer than 5-600 Jews in China.
IAC: If relations between the Chinese and Jews were so good, why did virtually everyone leave?
None of the Jews who arrived in China were citizens. They were refugees seeking shelter. So afterwards ,they returned to where they came from or went to other places. Most of the Russian Jews, for example, had a Zionist world view, so they came to Israel. After 1948, they had somewhere to go.
IAC: What influence did these ‘Chinese’ Jews have on the early years of Israel?
Well, the first pioneers emigrated from Harbin to Palestine in 1919. The Chinese immigrants were only a small community within a small population. Nevertheless, several reached heady heights. One of the most famous archeological professors was Haim Tadmor, who was born in Harbin. There was Yaakov Namir, who was a head of the Mossad and an adviser to Golda Meir, and others.
IAC: In January 1950, Israel recognized China, but why did it take until 1992 to establish full diplomatic relations?
Because America objected to anyone who had relations with her also having relations with China. It’s as simple as that. Israel was the first nation to recognize the People’s Republic of China.
IAC: So, eventually in 1992 there were full diplomatic relations. How did that affect trade relations?
There were business ties prior to this for several years. These days, trade flourishes in several sectors. In agriculture, it’s highly developed. In total we export to China $1.5 billion and imports are worth some $4 billion and that makes us a serious partner for the Chinese, despite us being a small country.
IAC: How do you see the relationship developing over the next ten years?
I believe the relationship will develop because China is increasingly becoming a world power and Israel is very interested in technical, commercial and cultural ties with China. There’s a very close relationship in all spheres. If you want to learn Chinese in Israel, all the faculties that teach Chinese are full. Many Jewish students here are studying Chinese. That means they see a future in the relationship.
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