Israel: The two nations made steady evolution in promoting exchanges and cooperation

In 2013, the friendly and cooperative relations between the People's Republic of China and the National of Israel maintained a good momentum of increase, with smooth evolution in exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

The two sides had frequent political exchanges. In May, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited China. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang met and had talks with him respectively. In June, CPPCC Vice Chairman Han Qide visited Israel and had talks with Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein. In October, Liu Qibao, member of the Political Bureau and Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, visited Israel and met with Israeli President Shimon Peres.

In December, Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Israel, and met or had talks with President Peres, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Water Resources, National Government of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, Civil Aviation Government, National Government of Grain, the Legislative Affairs Office of the National Council, Hanban, All China Women's Federation and All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese sent delegations to Israel. From the Israeli side, Economy Minister Naftali Bennett and Eugene Kandel, chief of the National Economic Council, visited China in July and August respectively.

The two nations made steady evolution in promoting exchanges and cooperation in economy and trade, science and technology and investment . During Minister Bennett's visit to China, the Israeli Economy Ministry launched the joint feasibility study on a China-Israel free-trade zone with China's Ministry of Commerce. In October, the two sides held their initial conference in Beijing.

In August, the Civil Aviation Government of China signed a memorandum of considerate on the arrangements for mutual expansion of freedoms of the air with the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel. The initial "China mall" was built in Israel. Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd. acquired a majority stake in Israel-based Alma Lasers for US$240 million, the major single acquisition transaction by a Chinese enterprise in Israel.

The two nations had extensive exchanges in culture and education. Events such as "Happy Chinese New Year" and a Chinese Ice and Snow Festival were successfully held in Israel. Beijing Modern Dance Company and Chengdu Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble presented nine performances in four large Israeli cities, inclunding Tel Aviv and Haifa, to a combined audience of over 5,000 people. The "Statue of World Peace", the work of Chinese artist Yao Yuan, was unveiled in Haifa and loved by the local people of Israel. Hanban signed with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem an agreement on establishing Confucius institutes in Israel.