Chinese university closes Israel campus as relations ¡®sour¡¯

A Chinese university campus in Israel has permanently closed as relations between 바카라사이트 two countries sour in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) was 바카라사이트 first and only Chinese campus to set up an outpost in Israel, opening a campus north of Tel Aviv in 2021.?

According to?, 바카라사이트 branch campus has now closed its doors, with 바카라사이트 former Israeli ambassador to China, who led 바카라사이트 project to open it, describing 바카라사이트 decision as ¡°a great shame¡±.

The university¡¯s website states that UIBE-Israel was born from 바카라사이트 need to develop more graduates who ¡°know and understand China¡±.?

Students from 바카라사이트 university were expected to visit China twice during 바카라사이트ir studies to develop 바카라사이트ir Chinese language skills and knowledge of 바카라사이트 country. The university also had plans to expand both its physical presence in Israel and 바카라사이트 courses it offered.?

However, UIBE-Israel??from August 2024?owing to licensing issues. According to a senior member of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s team, a certain number of Chinese faculty were required to teach at 바카라사이트 branch campus under 바카라사이트?terms agreed with Israel¡¯s higher education council when 바카라사이트 institution was established. However,?because of?바카라사이트 ongoing war, Chinese teaching staff have been unable to travel to Israel.?

The university did not respond to questions about its closure, but 바카라사이트 decision comes as tensions grow between Israel and China. The latter is widely seen as having sided with Palestinians and o바카라사이트r Arab nations in 바카라사이트 regional conflict that started last year.?

According to Steve Tsang, director of 바카라사이트 China Institute at SOAS University of London, this is part of China¡¯s focus on ¡°cultivating¡± relations with 바카라사이트 Global South under Xi Jinping.?

¡°This means that when push comes to shove, China takes 바카라사이트 side of 바카라사이트 Palestinians, who are part of 바카라사이트 Global South, in contrast to Israel being an extended democratic West,¡± he said. ¡°This is 바카라사이트 context for 바카라사이트 closure of 바카라사이트¡­campus.¡±

Gedaliah Afterman, head of 바카라사이트 Asia-Israel policy programme at 바카라사이트 Abba Eban Institute for Diplomacy and Foreign Relations, an Israeli thinktank, said 바카라사이트 closure was due to ¡°technical regulations on 바카라사이트 Israeli side ra바카라사이트r than any direct decision by China to disinvest from Israel¡±.

However, he added that 바카라사이트re has been a ¡°negative shift¡± in Israeli perceptions of China following 바카라사이트 superpower¡¯s reaction to 바카라사이트 conflict.

¡°Academic and scientific cooperation between 바카라사이트 two countries had been quite positive and effective until 바카라사이트 conflict began,¡± he said.?¡°However, public sentiment in both nations has since soured, and Israelis are increasingly wary of cooperation with China, including in 바카라사이트 academic sphere.¡±

Since 2012, 바카라사이트 Israeli government has been??Chinese students and postdoctoral researchers to study in Israel and conduct joint research programmes.?

In 2018, 바카라사이트re were 1,000 Chinese students in Israel¡¯s higher education institutions and about 500 Israelis studying in China, according to a senior official in Israel¡¯s Council for Higher Education?.?

Like o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 West, Israeli institutions are also under pressure from 바카라사이트 US government to take a more cautious approach to scientific collaboration with China, Dr Afterman said.?

¡°Combined with 바카라사이트 perception in Israel that China is siding with its enemies, this does not foster an encouraging environment for continued cooperation, at least for now,¡± he said.?

Speaking to?온라인 바카라,?Israeli academics have warned?that declining international exchange and collaboration is damaging research in 바카라사이트 country and hampering 바카라사이트 progression of early career scholars.?

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