BICOM

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced yesterday that Israel and China will complete a free trade deal next year. He also said that China plans to invest heavily in Israeli infrastructure, including new ports and a light rail network.

Netanyahu made the announcement as he and Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan co-chaired the fourth meeting of the Israel-China Joint Committee on Innovation Cooperation.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said the Chinese Government’s decision to send Qishan, a close confidant of President Xi Jinping, to co-chair “reflects the growing ties between our countries, our economies, our peoples”. Qishan praised Israel as an innovation hub that China hopes to learn from as it modernises its expanding economy. “China is still striving to achieve modernisation,” he said.

Eight joint agreements were signed in science and technology, life sciences, innovation, digital health and agriculture. The innovation conference 2018-2021 action plan was also signed between the two leaders.The innovation committee meets annually and advances cooperation between government officials from Israel and China, joint projects involving the private sector, joint research in science and industry, and grants scholarships for Israeli and Chinese students. It is held either in Jerusalem or Beijing.

On Tuesday Qishan visited Ramallah and met Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. He also laid a wreath on the grave of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and toured Bethlehem’s Nativity Church. In Jerusalem he met President Reuven Rivlin, who said: “The relations between China and Israel are excellent — based on mutual respect, a shared past and a promising future,” noting the relations between the two people began as early as the 10th century with the Jewish community of Kaifeng.