NPR

There's A Growing Sore Spot In Israeli-U.S. Relations: China

China has key investments and trade plans in Israel that worry Washington.
The port of Haifa in northern Israel. The United States is concerned about a deal for China's Shanghai International Port Group to build and control a shipping terminal in Haifa.

The Trump administration has shown unwavering support for the Israeli government, except for one major criticism: China's growing influence in the Israeli economy.

Chinese companies have invested in strategic Israeli infrastructure, from shipping to electricity to public transportation, and they have bought up millions of dollars in stakes in cutting-edge technology startups.

Where Israel sees an opportunity to access the world's second-largest economy, the United States sees security threats posed by its main adversary.

"For us in the United States, the long-term threat from China is the greatest national security threat we face," U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy John Rood told a security conference in Herzliya, Israel, this summer. "China has tremendous ambitions and President-for-life Xi ambitions to be a global power and, over time, replace the U.S. as the preeminent global power."

Some Israeli startups now have begun shying away from attractive Chinese investment offers, afraid that the U.S. could

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