As international relations between countries become ever more important, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York called on Chinese President Xi Jinping to support Israel in a controversial move over the weekend. Schumer, a Democrat, was joined by several bipartisan US senators in urging Xi to stand up against an international effort meant to delegitimize Israel.
“The mistreatment that Israel faces in the United Nations and in international bodies is unacceptable,” Schumer said. “China has the power to influence these organizations and needs to work with us to see the U.N. and other initiatives that are fair and just towards Israel,” he added.
This plea from Schumer to Xi came shortly after China issued a stark warning that relations between the US and China will determine the future of humanity. In a sharply worded statement, the Chinese state media said that US-China relations had reached a “critical juncture” and urged the United States to take steps to “stabilize” the bilateral relationship.
The statement went on to add that the US-China relationship currently showed signs of deteriorating. Despite recent US attempts to improve relations, such as the so-called “Phase One” trade deal, China had not seen “substantive progress,” the statement said.
The statement ended with an appeal. “We hope that the United States cherishes the outcomes of hard-won cooperation over the past years, keeps its promises and works with China to strive for a future of peace and prosperity for all of humanity,” it read.
It is unclear if Xi will heed Schumer’s request and support Israel in the face of mounting international pressure. What is clear, however, is that the US-China relationship will be a crucial factor in determining the future of not just both countries involved, but also the entire world.