#יסראַעל און טשיינאַ צו עפענען פּאָטער האַנדל טאָקס

In a further sign that after decades of focusing most of its diplomatic and trade efforts on Europe and America, Israel is pivoting to Asia, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and China’s Vice Premier Liu Yandong announced in Jerusalem that the two countries have agreed to begin talks on a free trade agreement, which experts say could double bilateral trade.

Yandong is on a two-day visit to Israel, launching this year’s session of the Israel-China Committee for Cooperation in Innovation, an inter-governmental forum launched in 2014.

During a meeting at Israel’s foreign ministry, Netanyahu said "I was delighted to hear from Vice Premier Liu that China is prepared to begin free trade agreement negotiations with Israel. This is a momentous development and we are ready to do so right away."

"There is so much we could do together—in health, distance education, agriculture, aquaculture, information technology, in all fields" said Netanyahu "Cooperation with China could yield major results and we believe Israel can be the perfect partner".

Netanyahu visited China for five days in 2013, underscoring the importance of economic and trade links with China.

Yandong emphasised "We must continue this partnership for the good of both peoples. Israel and China are looking ahead to big, joint projects."

She explained that Beijing hopes to develop transportation infrastructure, telecommunications and other areas and "Our hope is that more Israeli entrepreneurs will undertake projects in China."

אַדווערטייזמאַנט

The free trade talks are expected to include the removal of trade barriers and issues of standardization, regulation and boosting cooperation particularly in economic and technological development.

Israeli business daily Globes reports that a free trade agreement could double the trading volume between Israel and China which currently stands at $8 billion.

During her visit, Yandong has already signed seven agreements to boost academic cooperation between Israeli and Chinese universities, on healthcare, cultural and scientific cooperation.

Israel and China were also set to sign a 10-year multiple entry visa agreement this week, making Israel only the third country to have such an arrangement with Beijing.

"So far, China has 10-year multiple entry visa agreements only with the US and with Canada, so the agreement to be signed this week is a tremendous achievement for Israeli diplomacy" said Hagai Shagrir, the director of the foreign ministry’s Northeast Asia department.

The deal allows Israeli businesspeople and tourists to enter China multiple times with the same visa, which will be valid for a decade. The same will apply for Chinese citizens visiting Israel, an arrangement which Jerusalem hopes will help increase tourism.

Currently, about 30,000 Chinese citizens visit Israel each year, a number Israel hopes to raise to 100,000 within less than three years.

Next month, China's Hainan Airlines will start operating three weekly flights between Beijing and Tel Aviv. Israel's El Al Airlines already operates three weekly flights on the same route.

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