[China and Israel]
In 2013, the friendly and cooperative relations between the People's Republic of China and the State of Israel maintained a good momentum of growth, with smooth progress 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, State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, Civil Aviation Administration, State Administration of Grain, the Legislative Affairs Office of the State 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, head of the National Economic Council, visited China in July and August respectively.
The two countries made steady progress 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 first meeting in Beijing. In August, the Civil Aviation Administration of China signed a memorandum of understanding on the arrangements for mutual expansion of freedoms of the air with the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel. The first "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 largest single acquisition deal by a Chinese enterprise in Israel.
The two countries 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 big Israeli cities, including 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.
Editor:Yaling
