Why Is Chinese Antisemitism Important?

The appearance of antisemitism, “the world’s oldest hate,” in a country that claims to be history’s oldest civilization is thought-provoking. Until modern times, China’s traditional core values have not been influenced by Christianity, Islam, or the Western Enlightenment, which are all inextricably linked with the rise, survival or decline of antisemitism. Analyzing Chinese antisemitism can shed some light on recent Chinese history and current Chinese policies in several areas – foreign and domestic affairs, economics, and culture. Chinese antisemitism is not homegrown. Like elsewhere, it is entangled with other issues.

In recent years, the number of publications and articles on China has risen exponentially. Much global interest focuses on China’s impact on the rest of the world, including the Muslim Middle East. Few works address China-Israel relations, and the number of Chinese-speaking experts on antisemitism in China can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

There are various definitions of antisemitism. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) has proposed a comprehensive definition that is widely used. This paper uses four criteria. The first three appear, formulated differently, in the IHRA text; the fourth, psychological projection, is new. Antisemitism is antagonism to Jews or Israel based on double standards – standards not applied to others. Criticism of Israeli government policies is not antisemitic. But anti-Zionism is antisemitic when it denies the right of the Jews to their own state in their ancient homeland. It is also antisemitic to claim that Jews or Israel wield excessive influence to advance nefarious interests. Finally, comparing Israel to Nazi Germany or projecting onto Jews and Israel the misdeeds the accusers themselves commit are also expressions of antisemitism. All these forms of antisemitism have appeared in China.

Chinese antisemitism, if permanent, is likely to have several potentially harmful domestic and foreign consequences. Universities are among the most influential promoters of Chinese antisemitism. As they train China’s next generation, they risk transmitting current prejudices to some of China’s future leaders. Today, almost all Chinese government leaders and most Communist Party high officials are university graduates, often holding engineering degrees. Antisemitism has begun to erode the unbiased interest in the Jewish people or Israel that existed before in some of China’s reading public, in several universities and in government circles. Bias distorts analytical skills, affects China’s understanding of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and explains why China’s diplomacy in the Middle East has had little effect. In other words, antisemitism is indirectly also China’s loss – it can no longer claim to be the largest or oldest civilization without antisemitism. This was a point of pride for some Chinese, including high officials. Losing this distinction is not irrelevant at a time when China seeks to enhance its “soft power” in the West. On the Israeli side, a decrease of interest in China and the Chinese language has been reported in academia, including greater reluctance to cooperate with Chinese institutions, particularly since October 7, 2023.¹

The dialogue between Chinese and Jewish intellectuals exploring commonalities in their historical experience, culture, and belief systems risks coming to an end. Prof. Ping Zhang of Tel Aviv University mourned: “The foundation of the good relationship built between the two sides over the past three decades has been shattered.”² This outcome was not anticipated when China’s top leaders called for a “dialogue of civilizations.”