China protests Israeli MK visit to Taiwan

Less than a year after the last diplomatic gaffe between Israel and China, relations are once again being tested as five Knesset members pay an official visit to Taiwan.

The five – MKs Michael Eitan (Likud), Yoel Hasson (Kadima), Matan Vilnai (Labor), Moshe Kahlon (Likud) and Marina Solodkin (Kadima) – left for Taiwan on Thursday and has already held meetings with top Taiwanese officials, including the deputy minister of finance and deputy minister of defense, who provided a comprehensive overview of the tense and complex relationship between Taiwan and China.

"Israel and Taiwan don't have diplomatic relations, but there are trade and commerce ties as well as highly developed culture and science relations," said MK Eitan, who heads the Israel-Taiwan parliamentary friendship group.

But the visit may again prove explosive. Last September five MKs visited Taiwan and created a diplomatic feud between Israel and China.

Chinese embassy spokesman Lu Jing spoke with Ynet about the current delegation and confirmed that the embassy was informed of the delegation. Jing also said that an embassy official met with MK Eitan in an attempt to dissuade the delegation from leaving – but the appeal failed.

In September the Chinese ambassador said in response to the Israeli delegation that if the situation ever repeats itself – "it will be viewed gravely.”

Just like other countries

MK Eitan says he doesn't fear the Chinese response: "We are behaving like many other countries in the world, including the United States and European nations who have the same level of ties with the Taiwanese.

"China itself maintains economic ties with Taiwan. There is nothing that China does itself that Israel should not be able to do. Israel doesn't have diplomatic relations, but it is certainly – and MKs in particular – interested in ties with all of China and all of Taiwan. They will sort their own problems themselves, we aren't interfereing or taking a side," he said in a phone conversation from Taiwan.

The Chinese however are not satisfied with Eitan's explainations. A spokesman for the Chinese embassy told Ynet on Friday: "This is a delegation of Knesset members, state officials, who are leaving for Taiwan. I believe this sends out an incorrecty message to Taiwanese officials who don't see themselves as part of China. These kind of steps should be avoided. I don't believe this is the sort of thing that will help the existing relationship. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was recently a guess in China. Many in China are interested in Israel and Israeli businessmen are interested in breaking into the Chinese market."

China and Taiwan have no diplomatic relations after the two split following a civil war in 1949. Since then, Beijing attempted to use both diplomatic procedures and covert threats in order to rule over the island whose residents declared sovereignty.

In May 2005, China switched gears when it announced it will not hesitate to use military force if Taiwan will actively moves forward with its demand for independence.

The official Beijing policy encourages nations with whom China has diplomatic ties with not to recognize Taiwan. It is because of this that there are only 24 countries in the world with full diplomatic relations with Taiwan.