The Chinese government has removed online maps showing Israeli borders from its websites and apps in an apparent effort to support the Palestinian cause amid a deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza.
The censorship was first spotted by web users in China on June 10, when the app Baidu Map failed to show any borders in the area. Other map websites, including Autonavi, Google Maps, Tencent Maps and Apple Maps, followed suit shortly afterwards.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. However, The Financial Times reported that Chinese censors had removed information about Israel from the country’s online maps, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.
Chinese President Xi Jinping recently backed a two-state solution to the conflict and expressed Beijing’s support for the Palestinian people. China has been an active participant in decades-long Middle East peace negotiations through the United Nations and other international forums.
