Posted on 11/02/2023 10:11:36 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Hamas may never achieve the objective (or so we pray), but China has reportedly already succeeded in “wiping Israel off the map.” Of course, they’ve only been able to do it in a digital fashion online thus far. As the Wall Street Journal reports, Chinese mapmakers Baidu and Alibaba have altered their maps of the Middle East so that the word “Israel” no longer appears in that region. The borders for the countries north of Egypt still appear largely correct, but the name is missing. The names of Israel’s neighbors also remain intact. These two companies are under the thumb of the Chinese Communist Party, so it’s unlikely they would have made such a decision on their own.
Internet users in China are expressing bewilderment that the name Israel doesn’t appear on leading online digital maps from Baidu and Alibaba, an ambiguity that matches Beijing’s vague diplomacy in the region and contrasts with its attentiveness to maps generally.
Baidu’s Chinese language online maps demarcate the internationally recognized borders of Israel, as well as the Palestinian territories, plus key cities, but don’t clearly identify the country by name. The same is true with online maps produced by Alibaba’s Amap, where even small nations like Luxembourg are clearly marked. Neither company responded to questions on Monday. It is unclear whether the development is new, though it has been discussed by Chinese internet users since war broke out.
China has been, for the most part, relatively silent about the war in Gaza aside from calling for an “end to hostilities.” But they are currently more ideologically aligned with Russia and Iran than either America or Israel, so it’s not difficult to imagine where their sympathies may lie. That doesn’t mean that China is spoiling to get directly involved in another war that wouldn’t profit them very much in the long run, but their influence remains substantial. This could have been a more subtle message than sending direct aid to Gaza or Libya.
This sort of map editing for political purposes is far from new. It’s known as “cartographic propaganda” and it dates back at least to the Middle Ages. In its earliest recorded iterations, colonial powers would frequently alter maps to make their own lands appear larger and better situated than that of their adversaries. Earlier maps also reflected spheres of influence, so British cartographers, for example, would depict India as part of the British Empire.
In the early 20th century, the Germans and later the Nazis would redraw lines reflecting how they wanted the world to perceive their territories regardless of what the occupants of those lands might believe. This was all more than simple propaganda. There were no online resources or satellite data back then and maps were relatively scarce as compared to today, when virtually everyone has Google Maps and Google Earth available with only a few clicks on their phones. Foreign leaders would make decisions based on how powerful they perceived other nations to be and maps could provide significant influence in such affairs.
But that brings us back to China. It’s 2023 and you would have to live under a rock to not know where Israel is or what the name of the nation is supposed to be. So what perceived benefit could come from this? Compared to the earlier eras mentioned above, probably not very much. But it’s still a way of sending a message to Israel and the groups and nations that seek to destroy her. China is watching. And if push comes to shove, they may wind up taking sides.
We have to do what China and Russia tell us.
China is obviously going against God, never a smart thing to do!
That’s one evil nation...
Kinda looks like Biden but without the stupid grin
That’s all you can expect from a government that follows the ravings of an overeducated lunatic who said his “object in life is to dethrone God and destroy capitalism”.
Whenever I see a map of China I draw the border of Tibet back in.
I may start drawing a border around Uyghur territory too. Call it Uyghuristan or Chinasucksastan.
every map of China should show:
occupied east turkestan
occupied tibet
occupied south mongolia
occupied yunnan
occupied manchuria
occupied south china sea islands
It’s East Turkestan.
But...but...he looks so benevalant./sarc
Now you’re talking!
If that leaves anything at all label it Running Dog Commie Bat Virus Zone.
OK. I don’t know much about the history of that region.
Occupied East Turkestan.
British Columbia might also have an identity crisis.
Yes. Exactly. East Turkestan is occupied by Chicoms.
FACTS ON FILE-——China sides w/ Hamas against Israel. As of 2022, China was Israel’s
2nd largest trading partner, with total trade value reaching a whopping $24.45 billion.
Both the Trump and Biden administrations had restricted sensitive technological exports to China. As a result, China turned to cooperative Israel. China’s direct investment in Israel’s IT industry, especially in chips and semiconductors, now has increased.
In 2017, Israeli PM Netanyahu said China accounts for one-third of the investment in Israeli high technology, which includes US military technology the US shares w/ Israel, its strongest ally. In the ’90s, Israel sold military equipment and technologies to China, including the Harpy missile system.
This incident chilled relations between the United States and Israel, with Israel being suspended from its status as Security Cooperative Participant in the Joint Strike Fighter program. However, on 6 November 2005, Israel stated that it has been re-admitted into the program.
The US had to pressure Israel to stop sharing US military technology w/ China. Yet Israel still doesn’t restrict China from acquiring dual-usage technologies that could have military implications against the US.
A succession of US administrations warned Israel about its growing tie with China, sharing concern about China using Israel as a backdoor to access sensitive technologies from the US.
The most vocal objection to Sino-Israeli ties came from the Trump administration. When former Secy of State Mike Pompeo visited Israel in 2019, he warned Israelis that the CCP “engages in spying through its commercial state-owned enterprises and presents risk through its technology systems. Pompeo said China’s actions posed a risk.
Unfortunately, Israel largely brushed aside the warnings. Like many other countries, China’s massive market has enticed Israel. Plus, the Israeli government hopes China’s good relationships with Arab nations may help Israel.
This year, Netanyahu was working on a Sino-Israeli free trade agreement and planned to visit China. But China’s siding w/ Hamas should wake up Israel’s leaders to the reality that Communist China’s relationship with Israel is purely transactional.
How very Islamic of China!
They have to.
They are preparing to join with other countries to come against Israel and get anialiated by God.
Extra broad nose for sniffing girls’ hair.
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