US Secretary of State asks Netanyahu to limit Chinese investment in Israeli infrastructure projects, points out Chinese support for Iran.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on the Israeli government to cool down its relations with China over its support for Iran during his visit to the Jewish State this week, Axios reported.
According to the report, Pompeo made the request during his meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu on Monday. Among the concerns the Secretary of State raised was the continued involvement of Chinese companies in Israeli infrastructure projects.
Pompeo asked Netanyahu to sign a memorandum of understanding to ban Chinese companies from participating in 5G communications infrastructure projects and to improve its oversight of Chinese investments in Israel.
US envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, told Axios that “China has made its bed with Iran. We think it is important to not let China have it both ways. They can’t strengthen Iran, which chants ‘Death to Israel,’ and have a business as usual relationship with Israel. We have been very clear about that. I am sure Israel will do the right thing on China.”
Hook warned that China voted against the extension of the international arms embargo on Iran because it wants to sell weapons to the Islamic Republic.
“People need to recognize that China is not a friend of the region. China does not share Israel’s security interests or those of our Gulf partners. It is important that we work together to counter China’s efforts to strengthen Iran,” he said.
(Arutz 7).
