China to take resolute measures to defend its rights against additional US tariffs: MOFCOM

As the five-day May Day holidays came to an end on Sunday, China welcomed a bustling inbound tourism sector thanks to the country's cost-effective tour products as well as improved measures for foreign visitors, including visa-free policies and optimized payment services.

Experts said that booming tourism during the May Day holidays confirmed the attractiveness of the Chinese market for overseas travelers, and the improving environment for foreigners further showcased the country's commitment to opening-up.

According to a report sent to the Global Times on Sunday, Trip.com said that inbound tour bookings increased by 105 percent year-on-year with the remarkable effect of the visa-free policies. 

Tourists from the 12 countries for which China unilaterally waived visas, along with Singapore and Thailand, which have mutual visa exemptions with China, increased by about 2.5 times year-on-year, read the report. Among Chinese provincial capital cities, inbound tour orders grew faster in Urumqi, Xi'an, Hangzhou, Kunming, Hefei and Chengdu.

Walking on the street, people could see UK tourists wearing traditional Chinese hanfu for travel photos at Beijing's Temple of Heaven. In Dongxing, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Vietnamese tourists took a bus to visit the cultural bazaar, enjoying a different journey involving China-Vietnam border customs.

"During a trip with my friends, I took a leisurely stroll around Jinhai Lake in the Pinggu district of Beijing. It was a breathtaking experience, immersed in the natural beauty of China. Green spaces surrounded the lake, and fresh breezes filled the air, creating a serene atmosphere," Ahmed Abdellah Faris, a journalist from Egypt, told the Global Times on Sunday.

China's mobile payment system is extremely convenient, with WeChat Pay and Alipay offering both ease of use and security. Additionally, Beijing, as an international metropolis, widely accepts Visa payments, providing numerous options for foreigners, he added.

"I also appreciate Beijing's subway system, which is extensive and affordable, with most trains maintained in a clean condition. Subway staff members readily provided directions in English, museum guides offered high-quality English explanations, and restaurant owners inquired whether we followed Muslim dietary restrictions. These thoughtful details made me feel warmly welcome in Beijing," he said.

The development of inbound tourism not only serves as a symbol of China's opening-up, but also marks the country's transition from being a major tourist destination to becoming a power in the global tourism arena, Jiang Yiyi, a vice president of the School of Leisure Sports and Tourism at Beijing Sport University, told the Global Times on Sunday.

In addition to visa-free measures and an array of measures to help foreigners enjoy a hassle-free payment environment, the restoration of international flights is progressing steadily. 

"In the first half of this year, I believe that the country has resumed more than 80 percent of the international routes, compared with pre-pandemic levels," Jiang said.

Outbound trips were also in the spotlight. According to Trip.com, Chinese outbound tours covered nearly 200 countries during these five days, with Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea becoming popular destinations. 

The tourism growth rate for countries in the Middle East such as Oman, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait was higher, with a year-on-year increase of more than three times.

On Saturday, the Cuban government announced that it will adopt a visa-free policy for Chinese citizens holding ordinary passports starting from May, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

"China has been one of the world's biggest outbound tourism markets, making a substantial contribution to global tourism development, particularly in the post-pandemic recovery period. Outbound tourism has played a significant role in promoting economic development and offering job opportunities in many countries," Jiang said.

Steven Alan Barnett, senior IMF resident representative in China, said on April 24 at the launch of the IMF World Economic Outlook in Beijing that China will continue to be the main driver of the global economy, contributing one-quarter to the world's GDP. 

As China's top leader is visiting France, Serbia and Hungary this week, the China-Europe freight train services, a direct reflection of economic and trade ties, have reported significant business growth. Industry insiders said on Tuesday that the train services mirror the need to strengthen and deepen bilateral cooperation, not competition, between China and Europe.

Since the beginning of this year, the intercontinental freight train services have seen robust development, driven by demand. Major transportation hubs from Manzhouli in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, all reported positive growth so far this year.

Meanwhile, high value-added goods such as the "new three" products - new-energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products - have been an important part of the trade.

Compared with the same period last year, cargo volume has increased by about 10 percent this year, primarily driven by new and value-added products, Tommy Tan, president of Shanghai EPU Supply Chain Management Co, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Efforts are focused on increasing the transportation capacity and improving service offerings, with the hope of providing more stable options for customers, Tan said.

Tan's company has been operating China-Europe freight trains to multiple European cities, including Lyon in France and Budapest in Hungary. There has also been discussion about establishing services to Serbia, he said, expressing his optimism about the future demand for China-Europe freight trains in these regional countries.

From January 1 to May 5, the port of Manzhouli in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, along with Suifenhe and Tongjiang in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province - the three major transportation hubs for China-Europe freight train services - have reported the delivery of 210,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and the dispatch of 2,000 trains, according to China Railway Harbin Bureau Group Co. This achievement occurred nine days earlier than last year, marking a historic record.

The train traffic at these three ports accounted for about one-third of the nation's total.

There have been more trains dispatched between cities in China and Europe since the launch of the freight train services. For example, when Wuhan launched its first China-Europe freight train service to Lyon in April 2016, which marked the nation's first international freight train service directly to France, there was only one train per week. Now there are one or two per day.

The rapid development of China-Europe freight trains reflects the increasing complementarity and expansion of trade, and economic cooperation between China and Europe, which is truly a demonstration of win-win results that serve the interests of all countries involved, Kang Shuchun, director of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The positive figures also show that China's "new three" products have strong demand in Europe and are expected to become the main exports from China in the foreseeable future, Kang said.

Meanwhile, European agricultural and sideline products, high-tech products and artificial intelligence products are continuously entering the Chinese market, meeting the growing demand of the Chinese people for high-quality goods. The China-Europe freight trains play a "guarantee" role in facilitating these exchanges, said Kang.

In the middle of ongoing global challenges like the Red Sea crisis, cross-border freight train services are receiving widespread praise for their dependability, effectiveness and affordability.

Industry insiders said that since the Red Sea crisis began, there has been a noticeable uptick in the volume of imports and exports facilitated by the China-Europe freight trains. This surge is attributed to a growing number of international traders opting for rail transport due to disruptions in sea shipping.

In terms of efficiency, railways offer a clear advantage over maritime transport. Following a decade of substantial development, China-Europe freight trains now complete their journeys in approximately 12 days, a significant contrast to the typical sea transit time of 35 to 45 days.

As for cost, rail freight is comparable to sea transport, especially considering the diminishing price gap when rerouting via the longer Cape of Good Hope route.

The cross-border cargo train services have become an increasingly important stabilizer and catalyst of the global supply chain. What is behind the positive growth of the train services is the growing need for cooperation, not competition, between the East and the West, Wang Yiwei, a professor at the School of International Relations at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Tuesday, extending his expectations for stronger trade as both sides uphold mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

Although South Korea's semiconductor exports have surged in recent months, the industry, an engine of economic growth in South Korea, is facing stiff headwinds, which suggests that Seoul should do more to prevent US chip restrictions from further squeezing the development space of South Korea's semiconductor industry.

Recent media reports said some South Korean chip companies would sell their stakes in subsidiaries based in China. Against the backdrop of US restrictions on chip supplies, these reports led to speculation among investors as to whether South Korean chipmakers will scale back their operations in China.

We hope the answer is negative. China is an important production base and sales market for South Korean chip enterprises. If Seoul is unable to protect these companies' interests and further exposes them to US economic coercion and bullying, which may prompt these enterprises to reduce their presence in China, South Korea's semiconductor industry will suffer heavy losses.

Citing people familiar with the matter, Reuters reported that the US has revoked licenses that allowed companies including Intel and Qualcomm to ship chips used for laptops and handsets to Huawei. 

Such efforts fueled a new round of commentary that Washington will further tighten export restrictions on semiconductors and chip manufacturing equipment. South Korea is unlikely to remain unaffected. Seoul should do its utmost to minimize the losses for the South Korean economy.

As for China, it should be noted that Washington-initiated trade war has forced the country to pursue a path of independent innovation and overcome challenges in commercializing chip technologies. With persistent investment, China aims to climb the semiconductor value chain and expand chip production capacity.

If some South Korean companies decide to sell their stakes in subsidiaries to local Chinese enterprises, it is hoped that such sales can facilitate deeper cooperation and interaction between Chinese and South Korean companies, especially in the fields including technology. Amid uncertainty generated by US restrictions on chip supplies, South Korean companies should strengthen their presence in China, one of their most important markets, through various means. Seoul should help companies to resist pressure from the US, offering more space for China-South Korea semiconductor cooperation to grow.

Semiconductors are a key foundation of South Korea's export-driven economy. The South Korean economy is facing headwinds on multiple fronts, including inflation, currency depreciation and a shrinking population. The Financial Times published an article with the headline "Is South Korea's economic miracle over?" Exiting the COVID-19 pandemic, South Korea's economic growth has been relatively slow, standing at 4.3 percent in 2021, 2.6 percent in 2022 and 1.4 percent in 2023, according to the Korea Times.

The semiconductor industry is a key component of the South Korean economy. The South Korean government should prioritize efforts to drive the economy and, in this process, the semiconductor sector is of the utmost importance to the economic recovery.

It's no secret that Washington wants South Korea to further restrict the export of advanced semiconductor technology and tools used for making high-end chips to China, but this is not in line with the interests of South Korean companies. As pressure from the US increases, if Seoul continues to make compromises and is even forced to take sides in Washington's chip war against China, South Korean chip companies will suffer serious losses. The country's economic recovery will also be negatively affected.

In recent times, there have been signals indicating that Seoul wants to further strengthen the US-South Korea alliance and lean more toward the US in political and economic affairs. South Korean policymakers should remain sober to avoid sacrificing the interests of South Korean companies to consolidate the US-South Korea alliance. Otherwise, South Korea's economy is likely to expand at a slower pace as the US forces South Korea to take sides in its tech cold war.

President Xi Jinping left Budapest on Friday, wrapping up his fruitful three-nation Europe visit, which both Chinese and European analysts believe injects momentum into China-Europe relations as well as future multipolarity and global stability.

At a farewell event held by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his wife on Friday, Xi said China is now advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese modernization, and China's high-quality development and opening-up will provide more opportunities for Hungary.

On Thursday, China and Hungary decided to elevate bilateral relations to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era. To enrich the new relationship, the two sides are committed to enhancing synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Hungary's "Eastern Opening" policy, said a joint statement released after Xi's meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

According to the statement, the two sides will further deepen cooperation on finance, encourage financial institutions of both sides to provide financing support and financial services for trade and investment cooperation, further tap the cooperation potential in green finance and other fields, and continue to jointly issue green Panda bonds. They will also strengthen exchanges and cooperation on land and spatial planning, expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, and strengthen coordination and communication on tourism policies.

"In a world clouded by the threat of protectionism and economic decoupling disguised as de-risking, economic and trade cooperation needs a surrounding atmosphere of trust and mutual respect. The now elevated strategic partnership between China and Hungary can generate not only such a solid atmosphere, but also the solid ground for long-term secure investment environment," Zoltan Kiszelly, director for political analysis of the Budapest-based political think tank Szazadveg Foundation, told the Global Times. 

Hungary was the last leg of Xi's Europe visit, which also included France and Serbia. This is the first time in five years that Xi has visited Europe, and each stop during the trip had its own highlights and memorable moments. 

In Serbia, Xi was greeted by thousands of Serbians in Belgrade. President Xi and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic signed a joint statement on the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, making Serbia the first European country to build such a community with China. In the joint statement, the two countries decided to deepen and elevate the China-Serbia comprehensive strategic partnership. 

On his first day in France, President Xi said during a trilateral meeting in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that China-EU cooperation is "complementary and mutually beneficial" in essence. China-EU relations enjoy a strong endogenous driving force and bright prospects for development, and this relationship does not target any third party, nor should it be dependent on or dictated by any third party, Xi added.

Xi and Macron also held talks at the Elysee Palace. President Xi said that the two sides should stay committed to the spirit that guided the establishment of their diplomatic ties, namely, independence, mutual understanding, long-term vision and mutual benefit, and enrich it with new features of the new era. Xi and Macron also reached agreements to strengthen cooperation among small and medium-sized enterprises.

The next day, amid falling snow in the picturesque mountains in the Hautes-Pyrenees Department in southwestern France, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan were warmly received by Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron at a mountain restaurant for a closed meeting. Experts believe that this personal touch marks a new climax in high-level exchanges that can boost mutual trust and understanding.

Building trust

Despite the EU's definition of China as "a partner for cooperation, an economic competitor and a systemic rival" and voices calling for de-risking, a milder version of the US' "decoupling" rhetoric, President Xi's Europe trip was preceded by a series of visits from European leaders to China this year - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the prime ministers of Belgium and the Netherlands. Serbian President Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Orban both participated in the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation when they held bilateral talks with President Xi.

Zivadin Jovanovic, president of the Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals, who served as the minister of foreign affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia between 1998 and 2000, told the Global Times that President Xi's Europe visit represents continuity of the highest-level dialogue and expression of a mutual interest to reinforce the strategic Europe-China partnership and cooperation.

"The visits to France, Serbia and Hungary, as well as the tripartite meeting between Xi, Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have led to the conclusion of many new agreements for future cooperation and to the removing of unnecessary barriers," Jovanovic said.

Some Chinese experts noted that as intensifying major-power competition and geopolitical rivalry deal a heavy blow to the existing global order, the importance of China-Europe relations is rising, as is the complexity of this relationship. There have been voices from Western media saying that China's boosting of its relations with Europe aims to undermine the transatlantic relationship between Europe and the US and even to undermine the European Union. 

Xin Hua, director and chair professor of the Center for European Union Studies, Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times that this mind-set underestimates Europe's interests.

"China and Europe need each other. In a certain sense, Europe needs China to counterbalance the US, given the contradictions and divergences between Europe and the US. Europe will not shut its door to developing relations with China," said Xin.

"There is no fundamental conflict of interests between China and Europe. For Europe, the real risk would be to do without China," Sébastien Périmony, an expert from the Schiller Institute in France, told the Global Times.

He Zhigao, a research fellow with the Institute of European Studies from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, believes that if China and Europe work together, camp confrontation, bloc politics and a new Cold War will not emerge, and this is related to the future of an equal and orderly multipolarity.

"From the perspective of global economic development, if China and Europe work together to develop, protectionism, decoupling and de-risking will not happen. This is related to the future of inclusive globalization," said He.

Périmony added that it is obvious to any rational person that the only solution to today's problems lies in a multipolar world based on the concept of mutual development, with new agreements in place for a security architecture and win-win growth strategies for all of the world's nations.

In ancient times, shells served as decorations, tools, religious artifacts and currency, as well as canvases for art. However, archaeological evidence of this practice has been scarce, and research in this area has been lacking.

Recently, Chinese scholars for the first time recreated images of shell paintings from over 2,000 years ago, based on findings at an archaeological site dating from the Warring States period (475BC-221BC). 

A paper authored by Professor Luo Wugan and a team from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and several other universities was recently published in the prestigious Journal of Cultural Heritage. It traces the history of shell paintings, a unique art form, back to at least the Warring States period in China.

Observations through three-dimensional video microscopy revealed that the production of the shell paintings began with precise delineation and positioning of images using raised lines. This technique is reminiscent of methods widely used in jade carving. The intricacy and precision of the craftsmanship on such small and fragile shells is highly impressive.

Subsequent comprehensive analysis using X-ray fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy revealed the various pigment components used in the colored decorations of the shell paintings: the vibrant red pigment was sourced from cinnabar, the fresh green hue was attributed to malachite, and the deep, mysterious black color derived from the use of charcoal.

Technological archaeological research on shell paintings also indicates that this distinctive art form seemed to flourish in northern China during the Warring States period, with its influence extending into the Han dynasty. These shell paintings also exhibit a rich variety of subjects, with lifelike characters and sophisticated compositions, making them of immense historic, scientific and artistic value.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay state visits to France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5 to 10, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Monday.

China's Ministry of State Security has released two departmental regulations, namely the "Administrative Law Enforcement Procedures of the National Security Agencies" and the "Criminal Case Handling Procedures of the National Security Agencies."

The ministry said in Friday's announcement that the promulgation of the two departmental regulations is a strong measure taken by the national securities authorities to implement the CPC Central Committee's overall strategy of governing the country according to law. It is an important basis for regulating the law enforcement and judicial activities of the national security agencies, and is of great significance for lawfully combating illegal activities that risk national security, safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of individuals and organizations, and enhancing the level of legal governance in national security work. 

The two regulations were promulgated in the departmental orders signed by the Minister of State Security Chen Yixin on Friday, and will be implemented from July 1, 2024. 

According to the ministry, the "Administrative Law Enforcement Procedures of the National Security Agencies" consists of seven chapters and 140 articles, including general principles, prevention guidance, investigation and evidence collection, expropriation and compensation, administrative penalties, periods and service, and supplementary provisions. 

The "Criminal Case Handling Procedures of the National Security Agencies" consists of 11 chapters and 360 articles, including general principles, jurisdiction, avoidance, participation of lawyers in criminal proceedings, evidence, coercive measures, filing and withdrawal of cases, investigation, execution of penalties, special procedures, and supplementary provisions. 

The ministry stated that moving forward, national security agencies at all levels will conscientiously implement the two departmental regulations, always adhere to strict, standardized, fair, and civilized law enforcement, voluntarily accept social supervision, and ensure that every case can withstand scrutiny from the law, the Chinese people and history.

China's Ministry of State Security earlier released 10 typical espionage cases in a special documentary film aired ahead of the ninth National Security Education Day that falls on April 15, including the cases of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig. In the documentary, various methods of infiltration, theft and incitement by foreign spy and intelligence agencies are exposed, and awareness of anti-espionage is expected to be established among the people.

The European Parliament on Tuesday approved rules to ban goods produced by the so-called forced labor, which does not refer to but is believed to target China, thus casting a shadow on China-EU trade.

Chinese analysts said on Wednesday that such a move, despite representing some China hawks within the bloc, cannot dominate the major trend of "stabilizing China-EU relations" and will face strong opposition in member states which maintain a pragmatic China policy. 

The US enacted a similar law in 2021 to ban products from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region unless the a US company doing business with China can prove no forced labor is involved. The EU first mulled the ban in 2022. 

Authorities of EU member states or the European Commission will be able to investigate suspicious goods, supply chains, and manufacturers. Preliminary investigations should be wrapped up within 30 working days, Reuters reported Tuesday. 

Products "deemed to have been made using forced labor" will be banned in the EU market and shipments will be intercepted at EU borders.

The law still needs approval from EU countries to enter into force - a final step that is usually a formality which approves laws with no changes, according to Reuters. EU countries need to apply it within three years. 

Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the European Parliament has been playing a disruptive "clown" role in China-EU relations in recent years, but its acts cannot represent the real major trend of the bilateral ties. 

As the 27-member bloc is not a monolithic whole, such rules will face great opposition in countries having close cooperation with China, Zhao said.

Citing European leaders, including Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who paid visits to China one after another since the start of 2024, Zhao said that countries will act in line with their own interests rather than listen solely to the European Parliament's anti-China bugles.  

Such a ban may greatly increase the production costs of European companies and ultimately, it will be enterprises and consumers in the EU who will have to foot the bill, analysts said.

The upcoming European Parliament elections are also fueling anti-China moves and rhetoric as politicians seek to expand their influence, Zhao said, predicting that more hawkish signs could emerge before the elections in June.

Zhao said that China stands ready to listen to EU countries' concerns in regard to bilateral trade and other matters, and to negotiate to push forward cooperation, but will not allow biased political slogans and groundless slander. 

The EU have imposed, or are mulling to impose restrictive policies on Chinese products ranging from electric vehicles (EVs) to wind turbines to medical devices. The US-fabricated "overcapacity" fallacy has been a focal point in recent weeks. 

The EU has frequently resorted to economic toolboxes and trade remedy measures, sending protectionist signals, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at Wednesday's routine press briefing.

Wang urged the EU to fulfill its commitment to open markets and fair competition, abide by the WTO rules and stop using various excuses to unreasonably suppress Chinese companies. 

Though China and Europe have competition and frictions, they can and should be managed properly so that cooperation can carry on and develop further, Zhao said.

Both sides should have the strategic wisdom not to mix political and economic issues, and allow the resilience of the bilateral relationship to overcome areas of conflict, Zhao said.

With sounds of explosions reverberating around central Iran on Friday morning, concerns of an all-out war in the Middle East are growing all over the world, as media reported that it was Israel that launched the strike, just a few days after Iran's first direct attack in retaliation to Israel's bombing of its diplomatic mission in Syria on April 1. 

Israel was still silent on the incident as of press time, while Tehran seemingly downplayed it. Despite announcing sanctions on Iran, the Biden administration has distanced itself from the attack.

Analysts said although all parties seem to be avoiding escalation tacitly while maintaining their seeming toughness, the spillover effect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to ferment. Furthermore, US favoritism toward Israel makes it increasingly difficult for Washington to achieve its goal of controlling the Middle East through pursuing a strategic balance in the region.

ABC News earlier quoted an anonymous senior US official as saying that Israel had launched a missile attack against Iran. Quoting an Israeli official, the Washington Post said that it was Israel's military that carried out strikes inside Iran "in response to the Iranian retaliatory assault on April 13."

After the incident, Iran suspended flights in several areas including at Tehran and Isfahan airports, and activated its air defense, according to Iranian media. However, flight restrictions were lifted hours later, according to media reports. 

Explosions were also found in a radar battalion in southern Syria and in the Al-Imam area of Babel, Iraq. 

Lin Jian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said at Friday's press briefing that China has noted the relevant reports and stressed that it opposes any action that further escalates tensions.

More and more countries called for restraint and de-escalation on Friday. G7 foreign ministers urged "all parties" to "work to prevent further escalation" in the region during a meeting in Italy, according to Al Jazeera. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on Iran, Israel and their allies to refrain from escalation in the Middle East.

Countries including France, Germany, UK, Russia, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan and Sweden have also expressed their concerns and called for de-escalation.  

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that "it is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation" in the Middle East.

Tacit agreement

In contrast to what US and Israeli officials claimed was a "drone and missile attack," the Iranian side is seemingly downplaying the incident. 

Iran's Fars news agency said on Friday that "three explosions" were heard near the Shekari army airbase near Isfahan. The Iranian state-owned news network Press TV reported that there was "no sign of explosion or damage" at a nuclear site near the city of Isfahan.

Iran's space agency spokesperson Hossein Dalirian said on X that several drones "have been successfully shot down by the country's air defense, there are no reports of a missile attack for now."

Iranian state-run media IRNA news agency said on Friday that "reports indicate there was no major damage or large explosions caused by the impact of any air threat," which was also confirmed to state media by senior commander of Iran's Army Siavosh Mihandoust.

Moreover, a senior Iranian official, told Reuters on condition of anonymity, "We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more toward infiltration than attack." According to the official, the Iran side has "no plan" for immediate retaliation, and the external source of the incident has to be confirmed. 

In a one-word post, Israeli security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is regarded as far-right, wrote "Feeble!" on X, after Iranian military expert Ali Ahmadi described the attack as "far more limited than many expected" during a Friday interview with Al Jazeera. 

According to Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, the latest attack reportedly launched by Israel was more symbolic than substantive.

Compared to Iran's retaliation against Israel's deadly bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus earlier this month, the latest strike has less intensity and scale, Liu said. 

Wang Jin, an associate professor at the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at Northwest University in Xi'an, said that Israel's target was not a nuclear site, but the airbase related to Iran's previous missile and drone attack, which makes it more likely that Israel's intention was to warn Iran by flexing its muscles over its military strike capability. 

"Israel wants to show toughness without raising the stakes too high. There was no immediate offensive response from Iran either, and it even downplayed the incident," said Liu, "It's clear that both sides are curbing the conflict from escalating into all-out war through some tacit agreement."

While the situation is not yet out of control, experts also warned of the risks under the new pattern. 

There are no direct channels of communication between Iran and Israel, said Wang, noting that the way the two countries understand each other's strategic intentions comes more from the practice of "you punch me, I kick you."

In a highly hostile situation, such a pattern could easily lead to the conflict spiraling out control when there's no international push for de-escalation, Wang said. 

According to Liu, it was more of a covert war between Israel and Iran in the past that was not always seen in public. However, the latest round of clashes has become a direct military conflict between the two countries, highlighting a trend of escalation. 

In addition, this round of conflict between Israel and Iran has extended the scope of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from the eastern Mediterranean region to the eastern Persian Gulf region, which will affect the geopolitical stability there, Liu added.  

If Iran decides to launch a counterattack later, there are basically two possibilities, according to Wang. One would be a direct long-range strike on Israeli soil, and the other would be what was most commonly used in the past, harassing Israel in border areas through Hezbollah, Houthis and Shia forces in Iraq and Syria. 

A long-range strike on the Israeli mainland is unlikely to be adopted by Tehran as a countermeasure, as neither side wants the situation to spiral out of control and head toward a larger war, Liu said. 

US' Mideast dilemma

Before the reported Israeli attack against Iran, the US and UK announced sanctions on Tehran in response to its missile and drone attack on Israel. According to Al Jazeera, the sanctions targeted 16 people and two entities related to drone productions and five companies that provide materials for steel production in Iran.

It also imposed travel restrictions on Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. 

However, analysts believed the sanctions are more of a symbolic gesture that will have very little substantial effect, and are only meaningful in pacifying Israel. 

According to CNN and NBC, citing sources familiar with the matter, the US received advance notification on Thursday of an intended Israeli strike, but Washington did not endorse or play any part in the operation. 

The Biden administration is facing mounting pressure from the international community to curb its support for Israel in the Gaza war, especially after Washington's representative once again and unsurprisingly vetoed the Palestinian request for full UN membership at Thursday's UN Security Council meeting. 

The US wants to demonstrate its support for Israel by sanctioning Iran, while at the same time distancing itself from Israel and not wanting to get involved in a potential regional war triggered by the Israeli-Iranian conflict, Liu said, "It is a sign of deepening rifts between the US and Israel on specific issues."

According to Liu, Washington had been contemplating a strategic retrenchment in the Middle East, and did not even exclude the possibility of resuming nuclear negotiations with Iran. But with the latest escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its spillover, none of this is possible anymore.

US favoritism toward Israel makes it increasingly difficult for Washington to achieve its goal of controlling the Middle East through pursuing a strategic balance in the region, Liu said.

The Biden administration is attempting to draw a red line for Israel to avoid bringing the whole region into war, but at this point, the US has virtually no way of effectively dictating the actions of all parties, Wang said.