Progressive Politics

Agreed, the Iranian oil angle is a good analysis of a material reason for China to support Palestine.

When I say clout, I mean clout as a good actor on the world stage. China has to overcome decades of negative propaganda (some of which is based in truth, most is exaggerated or taken out of context, and some is outright fabricated). Actions like this promote China as an arbiter of peace and as a humane alternative to the naked barbarity of US/Western imperialism.

I don’t see why altruism can’t be a core motive for this move in addition to the strategic value. They are people, after all, who surely suffer as we do in the face of murdered Palestinian children.