China watches as ties grow between Taiwan, Israel

Taiwan's Tien Kung (sky bow) surface-to-air missile was modeled on Israel's Gabriel missile, the reports said.

"Israel is good at converting warplanes, electronics warfare, early-warning systems and UAV [unmanned aerial vehicles]. But no-one knows if we have military contacts with Israel," said Tang Feng, director of the Economic Ministry's Industrial Cooperation Program Office.

But China is watching closely, fearing that Israel's export of weapons or defense technology could embolden Taiwan to seek formal independence.

In 1995, former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) planned to make a secret visit to Israel, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which all have diplomatic ties with China. He only visited Jordan and UAE because Israel canceled his visit under pressure from China.

Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu (in office from 1996-1999) planned to visit Taiwan in 2001 to promote trade ties, but canceled the visit without giving a reason.

In the book, The Taiwan Issue in China's Foreign Relations (published in 2002), Chinese foreign affairs expert Tong Fei summarized Beijing's worries over Taiwan's diplomatic offensive in the Middle East.

Tong Fei said that Taiwan's expanding ties with Middle Eastern nations was to secure its oil supply, and sea and air passages to Central Asia and Europe, as well as to open trade ties and to upgrade these ties to official or semi-official levels.

But China has instructed its diplomatic allies to embrace the "one China" policy and bars them from launching official ties with Taiwan or allowing visits by Taiwan's leaders.