How China sees Gaza

A little more than a month before Hamas attacked Israel, China's foreign-policy chief, Wang Yi, hailed a "wave of reconciliation” sweeping the Middle East, and gave the credit to his own country. By way of evidence, Mr Wang cited a Chinese-brokered deal, struck earlier this year, to restore diplomatic relations between the region's great sectarian rivals, Iran and Saudi Arabia. In a call to Iran's foreign minister on August 20th, Mr Wang explained why China's pragmatism makes it an ideal peacemaker. To help the region achieve "good neighbourliness and friendship”, Mr Wang pledged, China would continue to pursue a non-judgmental,…