![China's response to renewed conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.](https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/china-israel-palestine-hamas-10312023-1.jpg?w=519&h=259&crop=1)
For the past several years, Chinese President Xi Jinping has fundamentally changed the goals and methods of Beijing’s foreign policy, with the Middle East central to its ambitions as a global powerbroker. Given China’s increased relevance in the region, its response to the Israel-Hamas war has been surprisingly underwhelming.