[Bosnjak]

The Strong Chinese-Hamas Intelligence Connection

June 26, 2006, 11:29 AM (GMT+02:00)

A Chinese intelligence officer is engaged in covertly aiding the ruling Palestinian Hamas terrorist group, according to a Paris-based intelligence newsletter picked up by the Washington Post’s Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough on June 19.

They identify Gong Xiaosheng as a Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) official who has worked out of Ramallah since Nov. 2002, first with Yasser Arafat and latterly helping Hamas.

It was Gong who arrianged for Mahmoud al-Zahar to be invited to Beijing shortly after his appointment as Hamas foreign minister.

The report says Gong is a strategic agent “trained in Division 8 of the ministry and also at the China Institution of Contemporary Relatons (CICIR), an MSS think tank. Its Middle East section is headed by Jin Ruikun, a specialist in Palestine and Jordan, and Chen Shuanqing, a specialist on Israeli-Palestinian relations and Israel’s Likud party.

DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources add: The Chinese “strategic agent” was so close to Yasser Arafat that he was among the handful of aides and terrorist chiefs confined with him in two rooms of of the residential apartment of the Palestinian leader’s Ramallah headquarters when it was stormed and besieged by Israeli forces in April and May 2002.

After his death, Gong moved over to Hamas. As far back as 2004, the Chinese MSS pegged the Islamist terrorist group as an up-and-coming force heading for Palestinian rule. The American CIA and Israeli Mossad were far slower in assessing Hamas’ rise to power - even on the eve of the Palestinian election in January, 2006. DEBKAfile’s Palestinian experts were alone in predicting the Hamas win.

Our sources disclose that the Chinese intelligence officer is very close to Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniya, a-Zahar and Muhammed Jaabari, chief of the Hamas armed wing, Ezz e-Din al-Qassam. They habitually consult him for advice. Hamas’s actions and decisions are there not merely influenced by its relations with fellow Palestinian groups, Iran, Syria and other parts of the Muslim world. The Hamas-Gaza, Beijing connection is no less influential. http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=2685

Here a coverage about the Chinese Weapon Supply to hamas:

http://doctorbulldog.wordpress.com/2009 ... -and-cash/




How will this Cooperation affect the Israel-Arab Conflict?

What is about the Chinese-Israeli Relations?

[Oxymoron]

Not suprised, the Chinese are prepared to enter the possible void if the US decides to leave the Middle East as many liberals are demanding.

[Strikeman]

What possible void, Oxy? How does it serve Chinese interests to intervene in the Middle East other than their current policies (weapon sales etc). And there is no way in hell the US is pulling out of the Middle East. I don't think the Chinese or even the Russians for that matter want to get themselves involved in the Middle East, especially after what history has shown and proven.

And as for the article, this doesn't come as any surprise. The US sells to Israel - whereas the Chinese, Russians, Iranians sell to Islamic factions. That's the war economy, and a very prosperous market it is. It does not affect the conflict in any other way than it already has and has been for years.

[Oxymoron]

How does it serve Chinese interests to intervene

Having a sphere of influence in a Oil rich area for a Oil hungry nation = interests.

[jackiecox]

Oh yeah, China really backs the palestinians, with all those munitions able to destroy all those illegal settlements, How many did they murder last year, I heard it was more than 1,500 dead and more than 5,000 wounded just in one settlement, Oh excuse me that was israels murder/wounded rate inflicted on the gaza REFUGEE PRISON. How many hundreds of babies? The figure for the selttlements was 4 and 19 soldiers in the massacre. Israel will probably be giving their civilian army, Kudos ,and ribbons, and trophies. Soon they will finally reach their goal, the beachfront on gaza strip, what a piece of real estate, how much is it for each foot---more than all the palestinians will eat in their short lifespan, on the 3.00- per day. China backs Gaza, overruns israel with 200,000,000 man army, I can see the front page now------on a more realistic viewpoint, if israel confronts the Turks. I will give Israel from a few days to a week until the remaining population heads for NYC, where they came from, The turks have more than firecrckers and rocks to throw at the well armed israelis, and their not weekend warriors, these guys have one of the best armies in the world, Israel would not have a ghost of a chance against a real armed force. Wars are technical, you have to have moxy, owning real estate and factories, that they stole from america and partenered with china on, in the hopes of hiring them as mercinaries. doesn't hold water in a fire fight. Isn't the internet beautiful, you can print the truth and not get destroyed by the rich and hidden

[Tailz]

Could this not just be China cashing in on the flourishing arms trade? We are in a world wide financial crisis, every sale helps.

But I wonder, how would the Chinese fill the gap left if the Americans pulled out of trying to get peace in the Middle East?

[volantpanda]

Israel also has very close military cooperation with China, and it is possible that China has offered its munitions inventory with palestinians to Israel. It is important for a power to connect with all the "stockholders".

But, what should everybody knows is that the China's main nationality does not like Islam.

[volantpanda]

The report says Gong is a strategic agent “trained in Division 8 of the ministry and also at the China Institution of Contemporary Relatons (CICIR), an MSS think tank. Its Middle East section is headed by Jin Ruikun, a specialist in Palestine and Jordan, and Chen Shuanqing, a specialist on Israeli-Palestinian relations and Israel’s Likud party.

I just scanned the CICIR's website, and the leader's name of Middle East section is Li Rong...

[Tailz]

Welcome to the forum VolantPanda. Make yourself at home, the coffee pot it over there, the fridge is on the other side, help yourself. By the way, your avatar picture needs to be black and white and of a person face. I already tried to get away with a Red Panda in my Avatar image. Best to change yours before the Forum moderators change it for you.

But, what should everybody knows is that the China's main nationality does not like Islam.

Because China already has problems with its own Muslim minority?

[volantpanda]

Thank tailz's suggestion and I have changed the avatar..

The "Muslim" problem has continued for a long time, but describing it as a "independence" problem is more accurately. The religion is not a big problem in China's society. Actually,most of Chinese people do not care what a person's religious faith, neither Catholicism, nor Islam. But, few of extremists(Muslims) have sought for independence through violence ways---what they called jehad, and supported partly from al-Qaeda. Thus, this is why Chinese people don't like Muslims, especially the Uigurs who make up the main force of extremists.

[Tailz]

Thank tailz's suggestion and I have changed the avatar..

You might want to check the URL to the image as it seems to be broken.

The "Muslim" problem has continued for a long time, but describing it as a "independence" problem is more accurately. The religion is not a big problem in China's society. Actually,most of Chinese people do not care what a person's religious faith, neither Catholicism, nor Islam. But, few of extremists(Muslims) have sought for independence through violence ways---what they called jehad, and supported partly from al-Qaeda. Thus, this is why Chinese people don't like Muslims, especially the Uigurs who make up the main force of extremists.

I think the problem is a bit more complex to it than that, but I don’t know enough about it to say too much. I think the Chinese Government blaming Al-Qaeda is just the Chinese government jumping on the “War Against Terror” band wagon to get away with some draconian measures to control civil populations without the West complaining too much about pesky human rights for minority groups – Muslims, whom the West is also having trouble with.

[volantpanda]

I think the Chinese Government blaming Al-Qaeda is just the Chinese government jumping on the “War Against Terror” band wagon to get away with some draconian measures to control civil populations without the West complaining too much about pesky human rights for minority groups – Muslims, whom the West is also having trouble with.

In my option, the Chinese government does not enjoy less complaints on its "poor" human rights records through its support for "War Against Terror". Furthermore, terrorism and human rights are irrelevant issues, Chinese people hate terrorism and terrorist as the other people of the world do. Terrorists killing of innocent civilians simply because of different beliefs, and in China they have another reason---independence. There are dozens of nationalities believe in Islam in China, most of them are moderate, but only Uigur, be more exact, few of Uigurs, fulfill such a extreme ideology.

As for "pesky human rights for minority groups", there is example that if a baby's parents come from different nationalities and the parents must decide the nationality of the baby belonging to. So, how to choose? the majority (the Han nationality)? Or the minority group? In most cases, the latter. Because the country give lots of benefits to minority groups, such as add additional free 20 scores to your SAT results. It is not the pesky human rights for minority groups, for majority group.

[Bosnjak]

China should improve the situation in Thibet and East-Turkestan (more autonomy), or it risks that the US could use this conflicts as Proxywar...

I met at a trade fair many muslim Han, they saw only oppression against ethnic Minorities.








China has no interess to be a Imperial Power, chinese do not need millitary to get Oil Contracts

CNPC has launched work on a $3 billion old field development project at the Al-Ahdab oilfield in Iraq's eastern province of Wasit. This is really a revival of an old project that was negotiated when Saddam still ruled the country. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Worl ... 934179.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Worl ... 934179.cms

[Tailz]

In my option, the Chinese government does not enjoy less complaints on its "poor" human rights records through its support for "War Against Terror". Furthermore, terrorism and human rights are irrelevant issues, Chinese people hate terrorism and terrorist as the other people of the world do. Terrorists killing of innocent civilians simply because of different beliefs, and in China they have another reason---independence. There are dozens of nationalities believe in Islam in China, most of them are moderate, but only Uigur, be more exact, few of Uigurs, fulfill such a extreme ideology.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but most Islamic groups around the world are pushing for Islamic independence from secular or non-Islamic regimes. The common goal that unites all Islamic resistance movements is the desire to install Islamic law and governance upon the state. It is this element that has permitted Al-Qaeda to become a figurehead organisation by pushing for a set of basic goals that are in common with most localised Islamic resistance movements that were originally agitated over local issues and seek Islam as a method of changing those issues – out of some mythical perception that under Islam everything will be milk and honey.

China does in essence get less flak over its treatment of the Islamic minority groups as compared to the Tibetan minority. This was clearly seen by the level of media coverage of the crack down in Tibet as compared by the same crack down on Uigurs during the same period. In Western Media the Tibetan crackdown was covered with very minimal coverage of the crack down against Uigurs. And China has used the “War on Terror” to legitimise harsh repression, while the issues of the Muslim Chinese has largely been ignored as the Western World is already got enough crazy Muslims with their Islamic demands to deal with – thus China is left to do as it pleases – which is counter to the case with Tibet. Which is seen by Western Media as peaceful Buddhist priests being beaten by Han Chinese totalitarian storm troopers.

As for "pesky human rights for minority groups", there is example that if a baby's parents come from different nationalities and the parents must decide the nationality of the baby belonging to. So, how to choose? the majority (the Han nationality)? Or the minority group? In most cases, the latter. Because the country give lots of benefits to minority groups, such as add additional free 20 scores to your SAT results. It is not the pesky human rights for minority groups, for majority group.

I’ll have to ask some of my friends in China about the benefits given to minority groups – as I don’t personally know.

[muzioler5]

The Chinese foreign policy, with the exceptions of Japan/Taiwan/US, are almost purely based on economic practicality. The Chinese don't have a player in the game unless it involves economics and trade. They don't seem to judge countries or people based on their background, only on how many resources they can provide and what markets they have that can be opened. Many people in the West seem to think that China is in some big race against us and will be playing power politics like the Soviet Union did. That's not true. If the Chinese are helping the Palestinians it isn't due to the struggle or due to counteracting the US, it would be because the Palestinians have something of value for the Chinese. To my knowledge, the Palestinians don't have anything and therefore I doubt that the Chinese really care that much.

As for the Uighurs and ethnic minorities in China... while it is true that ethnic minorities do receive many benefits regarding child birth and education levels, they also are forced to homogenize themselves with the Han. This is the problem that the Tibetans have and same with the Uighurs. The situation in the Xinjiang province is quite parallel to what happened in Chechnya; a distinct ethnic minority wanted some separation, the powerful country didn't let it, and therefore the people became more fundamental in their religion. The only difference is that even now, the Uighurs aren't that Muslim... the Chinese only use it as an excuse to firm their control over the region.

[Voltaire]

Not suprised, the Chinese are prepared to enter the possible void if the US decides to leave the Middle East as many liberals are demanding.

America may leave Iraq certainly, however they would never let the oil fields be put under another powers control. Especially because if China controlled the middle eastern oil fields, they would almost have complete control over our economy. This can be seen in history when Saudi Arabia enacted the Oil Embargo towards U.S, right in the middle of the Vietnam war. We were perfectly ready to send troops and take total control over the fields. This was obvious in the January 1980 state of the Union adress by Carter. " Let out position be absolutely clear. An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the USA, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force." This quickly became known as the "carter doctrine" and has been embraced by every presidential administration since.

[volantpanda]

Actually, the biggest Muslin group in China is not Uigur, but the Hui nationality. There are 10 million Uigurs, 12 million Huis in China, and most of them living in Xinjiang, Gansu(bordering on Xinjiang) and Ningxia. Have anyone ever heard that the Huis want to separate from China?
China is a multi-ethnic country but 92% of the population is Han, about 1.3 billion. No doubt that many policies which made by Han are relative unacceptable in minority regions or communities, and I concede that the Chinese government dealing with minority groups' issues better during 1949-1969 than recent years.

As for Tibet, I think plenty of discussions, either in or out China, are overlook a essential fact that the average altitude of Qnghai-Tibet Plateau is over 4,000m that makes where is unfit for human habitation, only south of the Plateau (relative lower altitude, with water source) can hold limited population. The margin cost of population is much higher than plain's and the natives increasing year by year, to say nothing of the inland people, most of whom are Hans, have entered the Tibet for business, settlement and tour (some argue that the tour polluted the vulnerable natural environment). Thus, even if do not consider the religion and race issues the conflicts between natives and outcomers are inevitable. Also, the situation in Xinjiang is as the same as the Tibet's where locating the second largest desert of world---Taklamakan Desert. The oasises as a pearl necklace circling the desert which are well know as Silk Road. So, as my view, the harsh natural environment is the fundamental reason for these conflicts, admittedly, the roles of religion, race and wrong policies can not be regardless, while due to the information sources and following judgements are different, it hardly to identified which one is more reasonable, but the open discussion.

[Strikeman]

Having a sphere of influence in a Oil rich area for a Oil hungry nation = interests.

And exactly my point. It isn't necessary for the Chinese to fill any void since they are already in a good position and have considerable good influence over the Middle East.

[Noelnada]

China is a multi-ethnic country but 92% of the population is Han, about 1.3 billion.

The ethnic question is a politic question, ethnicity somehow is a social construct, so how do you precisely distinguish between Han and the rest ?