Smoke rises during an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential tower in Gaza City, on October 7, 2023. Photo: Xinhua

The Israel-Palestine conflict is a morally complex issue. The Palestinians in Gaza are in a pitiful state, suffering arbitrary violence from Israel. However, when it comes to "the right to self-defense," Israel also has its own arguments. It is crucial to acknowledge that Israel holds overwhelming power and has the support of the US, so no matter how intense the international public opinion is, it cannot change the situation. It can be said that double standards prevail in the world, and all parties recognize the basic moral principles, but they prioritize what is beneficial to themselves and set aside what is not. Human civilization still lacks depth, and power, rather than the value judgments of the majority, defines morality.

The US is at the pinnacle of global power, enabling it to lead the Western world and control most of the global public opinion machinery. On the Israel-Palestine issue, the US and Israel stand together to protect the interests of the powerful, defining what is just and what is evil. Their definition only partially aligns with the international community's perspective. Europe, as it is in the same camp as the US, has somewhat compromised its moral stance but still retains some reservations, leading to debate about support for Israel's position.

The Israel-Palestine conflict is relatively distant from China, but our relationship with it has changed significantly. China upholds true justice, which includes promoting urgent humanitarian efforts, opposing any violence, supporting the "two-state solution" endorsed by the majority of UN member states, and helping to maintain a balance between different aspects of justice pursued by various parties. China has no private interest in the Middle East, and the process of promoting justice is also the process of realizing national interests, as China's national interests have always been tied to the fundamental principles of peaceful coexistence, mutual benefit, and equality in human society.

Internationally, there are voices of dissatisfaction with China, mainly from Israel and the hardliners in the US who unconditionally support Israel. However, these voices are not particularly strong. China's stance on the Gaza crisis has overall earned us more respect and understanding in the world, which is definitely a positive outcome for us.

Within China's domestic public opinion, there is a distinct attitude toward both sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Most people sympathize with Palestine and heavily criticize Israel, while a portion of the population has become "die-hard fans" of Israel, supporting its "right to self-defense." These individuals are no different from the hardliners in the US, admiring the "brave spirit of sacrifice" of the Israeli Defense Forces. The majority of prominent public opinions are intense, but together they form a unique "balance," which does not substantially affect China's overall image of justice and fairness.

The turbulent world today is a test for all countries. Israel has been arrogant, but this time it has been bitten hard and retaliated in a chaotic manner. Looking at most European countries, we can easily see that they are all struggling, facing external geopolitical challenges and internal economic stagnation, resulting in strategic confusion. Looking at the world as a whole, from the US to any other country, they are all plagued by problems, and their ways of dealing with problems are mostly simple and impulsive, with many hidden dangers.

In comparison, the Chinese people shouldn't complain too much about their strategic situation. We face challenges, but our country has relatively abundant means and tools to deal with them, and our comprehensive strategic control is strong. Currently, the two wars in the world are relatively far away from us. Whether the situation in East Asia will spiral up or not depends on a series of complex games, and China can take strategic initiative in these games.

We must be very clear that this world has established principles, but these principles are often selectively used, and the world as a whole is still "unreasonable." China has the ability to defend its core interests, but expanding its interests requires great wisdom. We also need to further enhance our own strength, which is the most fundamental thing. Being more powerful is equivalent to taking a step further in our strategic thinking. We will have a clearer understanding of the logic of the world's operation and find a more effective route to safeguard our security in line with global changes.

The author is a Chinese media professional. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn