China, Israel vow more cooperation

Wang Qishan says Beijing will play constructive role in Middle East

JERUSALEM－Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan wrapped up a fruitful visit to Israel on Thursday with a reaffirmed commitment from both sides to further boost bilateral innovation cooperation for mutual benefits.

During his four-day stay, Wang met Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and co-chaired with the latter the fourth meeting of the China-Israel Joint Committee on Innovation Cooperation.

In his meeting with Netanyahu, Wang recalled that Israel was the first country in the Middle East to recognize the People's Republic of China, and bilateral ties have enjoyed steady and healthy development since the two countries established diplomatic ties.

The China-Israel innovative comprehensive partnership, set up during Netanyahu's visit to China in 2017, accurately reflects the prominent features and future direction of bilateral cooperation in the new era, Wang said.

China and Israel, he suggested, should implement the important consensus reached by their leaders in order to push forward bilateral innovation cooperation to achieve more win-win results.

As a friend of both Israel and Palestine, China hopes for the two sides to coexist peacefully, and stands ready to play a constructive role in achieving peace between the two neighbors and maintaining stability in the region, Wang added.

Netanyahu agreed with Wang's comments and proposals on bilateral ties, saying that the two nations both boast long history and splendid culture, and they have always admired and respected each other.

Over recent years, two-way trips between the two countries have been increasing, practical cooperation has grown steadily, and bilateral relations have advanced continuously, the prime minister said.

Israel, he said, is willing to actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, and enhance the synergy between its strength in science and technology and China's advantages in market and production capacity, in order to translate their partnership into more benefits for both nations and the world.

Israel welcomes Chinese companies in its infrastructure construction and hopes to further boost trade and investment cooperation with China, Netanyahu said.

He also said that Israel is willing to work with the Palestinian side to achieve peace in the region, and values China's positive role in the Middle East peace process.

When meeting with Rivlin, Wang said Israel's development in the past 70 years has shown that the core of modernization is the modernization of humanity.

China, he said, has listed innovation as the first of its five major development concepts, and is speeding up its transformation into an innovative nation.

Noting that the two countries have a strong will and robust foundation for innovation cooperation, which has been remarkably productive, Wang said China stands ready to join hands with Israel to further deepen their innovative comprehensive partnership.

For his part, Rivlin said the Israeli people will never forget the helping hand the Chinese people extended during World War II, and is greatly impressed by China's tremendous development achievements.

With the two countries having established an innovative comprehensive partnership, Israel is willing to build on the momentum and enhance bilateral exchanges and cooperation in fields such as science and technology, agriculture, education, healthcare and culture, the Israeli president added.

Noting that both Israel and China are innovative nations, Netanyahu said the two sides should expand their innovation cooperation into new areas and carry out new projects.

The two leaders signed an action plan for bilateral innovation cooperation from 2018 to 2021 and witnessed the signing of seven other documents.

Xinhua