With Palestinian deal and Ukrainian foreign minister’s visit, China shows its rising influence

In consecutive days this week, China brokered a deal between rival Palestinian factions and hosted Ukraine’s foreign minister at a moment when pressure is mounting on the country to negotiate an end to the grinding war there.

While it’s unclear if the agreement between Hamas and Fatah will succeed where others have failed and there is little concrete progress towards peace in Ukraine, China emerged a winner, further cementing its role as a diplomatic force on the global stage, not just an economic powerhouse.

As Beijing and Washington vie for influence around the world, China is increasingly playing a role that had previously been the domain of world powers like the U.S. and Russia. Earlier this month, Western countries called some of China’s activities worrying and labeled Beijing a troublemaker. But the events of this week — and the China-brokered deal last year to reestablish relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia — show that international players are seeking Beijing’s help, an acknowledgment that it is a diplomatic force to reckoned with.

“China is now offering itself as a broker on the global stage, and countries are responding,” said Carla Freeman, a senior expert for China at the United States Institute of Peace. “It’s a recognition — one much sought after by Beijing — that China has international influence and could play a role in improving the outcomes of a diplomatic process.”

On Tuesday, Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah agreed in principle to form a government, the latest attempt at resolving a longstanding rivalry that looms over Gaza’s future after the war with Israel. Previous similar declarations have failed, but even just getting the parties together in a room was an achievement, said Jon Alterman,