Where do China-Israel ties stand after closure of consulate in Chengdu?

Amid recent bilateral friction, Beijing has no intention of maliciously damaging relations with Middle East country, analyst says

Nevertheless, an analyst has downplayed the impact of the news, saying bilateral relations in recent years had already been strained.

In a letter published on Wednesday, Gadi Harpaz called his five years as Israeli consul general in the southwestern Chinese city “the most memorable of his diplomatic career” and said he was parting “with a deep sense of sadness and nostalgia”.

“Although the consulate general is closing, the bridges of friendship, mutual respect and shared memories we built over the last five years will endure,” Harpaz wrote.

Following an initial announcement in June, the consulate in Chengdu officially ceased its operations in July.

Israel currently operates consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, as well as its embassy in Beijing.