Palestinian Ambassador Jawad marked his first Lunar New Year in China by hosting embassy staff and serving traditional Palestinian dishes alongside his family, using the holiday’s symbolism to underline a warming relationship with Beijing. He noted that his name—meaning “steed” or “fine horse” in Arabic—made the Year of the Horse feel especially auspicious, a personal touch that doubled as cultural diplomacy during a season when communal rituals and family ties are most visible in China.
Jawad’s greetings were delivered against a wider diplomatic backdrop: 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of China’s relations with Arab states and will see Beijing host the second China–Arab States Summit. He highlighted Beijing’s recent pledge of $100 million for Gaza reconstruction and what he described as sustained high-level coordination with Chinese leaders, framing these moves as evidence of China’s growing role in supporting Palestinian rights and pursuing a two-state solution grounded in international law.
The ambassador also pointed to domestic Chinese developments as relevant to bilateral cooperation. He framed the decisions emerging from the Chinese Communist Party’s recent plenary session as signalling a new stage of stable, higher-quality development in China, and said Palestine hopes to align its partnership with China to that strategic trajectory. Jawad emphasized practical areas for expanded cooperation—capacity building, healthcare, education and cultural exchange—that could accompany political support.
Taken together, the tone and timing of the greetings illustrate how symbolic moments—festivals, anniversaries and summits—are being used to cement ties and build goodwill. Cultural exchange, routine diplomatic statements of support and targeted humanitarian financing form a package through which Beijing can extend influence across the Arab world, while partners like Palestine gain resources and international diplomatic leverage.
This matters beyond ceremonial niceties. China’s active engagement on Palestinian issues and its convening role for Arab states signal a deliberate effort to deepen political and economic links in the Middle East even as Washington and other Western capitals retain military and diplomatic primacy. Beijing’s positioning as a mediator and financier of reconstruction projects offers Arab partners an alternative supplier of funding and diplomatic backing, and it increases Beijing’s stake in regional stability and reconstruction outcomes.
For now, Beijing’s approach is pragmatic and calibrated: public support for Palestinian rights and pledges for Gaza reconstruction coexist with careful management of relations with Israel and other regional actors. The test will be whether the forthcoming China–Arab summit and pledges of assistance translate into sustained projects and institutional mechanisms that produce visible benefits on the ground—and whether such gains bolster China’s long-term influence in the region without provoking new diplomatic frictions.
Jawad closed his New Year message with traditional well-wishes for the Chinese people and reiterated Palestine’s support for the summit in Beijing. The domestic warmth of a family meal and the public gesture of cooperation point to a broader diplomatic playbook in which cultural affinity and practical assistance are combined to deepen strategic partnerships between Beijing and Arab capitals.