BICOM

Israel’s Prime Minister was welcomed by his Chinese counterpart in Beijing yesterday as several bilateral agreements were signed between the two countries.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu started his three-day official visit to China by meeting China’s Prime Minister Li Keqiang in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People. Netanyahu said that although there is “a great deal of convulsion in the world, including in our part of the world,” he hoped that Israel and China could “cooperate together for the advancement of security, peace and stability, and prosperity”.

China’s Li said: “The Chinese people and the Jewish people are both great peoples of the world.”

During their working meeting, Netanyahu and Li agreed to speed up the establishment of a free-trade zone between Israel and China and advance a fast track for Israeli and Chinese investors.

Several agreements were also signed between the two countries, including those by Economy Minister Eli Cohen and Science Minister Ofir Akunis, who are among those accompanying Netanyahu. The agreements cover aviation cooperation, establishment of joint laboratories and an agreement on foreign workers.

Netanyahu also met the heads of 11 of the largest Chinese corporations, telling them that “ Israel is open for business with China”.

The Prime Minister called the potential economic relations between the two countries a “marriage made in heaven”.

Addressing Chinese and Israeli business leaders, Netanyahu outlined Israel’s expertise in a number of areas, particularly cyber security and automotive technology, highlighting Intel’s multi-billion pound purchase last week of Israeli company Mobileye.

He said: “There is an extraordinary capacity for China to assume its rightful place, as it’s doing, on the world stage. We are your perfect junior partner for that effort.”

He added that “we are eager to work with you” and said that more agreements would be signed soon.