摘要
This article examines China-Palestine trade,with specific reference to the impact of Chinese imports to the West Bank.It draws upon first hand quantitative(two surveys)and qualitative(semi-structured interviews)data collected in the West Bank in 2016 and 2017.The article discusses three areas.Firstly,a contextual introduction to China-Palestine trade,both before formal ties were established but specifically in the period following the signing of the Protocol on Economic Relations(PER)in 1994 between the State of Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization(PLO).Secondly,an exploration of the traders who have enabled this economic exchange,primarily wholesalers in the immediate postPER period to retailers since the early-mid 2000s.Thirdly,some of the negative repercussions of this trade are analysed,with specific reference to the Palestinian manufacturing sector.The article recommends that account be taken of the impact which Israel’s formal and informal policies towards Palestine have on Palestinian life,and how this in turn affects Chinese imports and other forms of external trade.
