2011-05-30 23:10:51
CRIENGLISH.com Web Editor: Xu
Rafael Barak (right), Director General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, speaks at a press conference in Beijing on Monday, May 30, 2011, the last day of his five-day visit to China which began on May 26. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com]
Israel and China will increase exchanges before next year's 20th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties, a high-ranking Israeli government official said Monday.
Rafael Barak, Director General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, made the statement at a press conference in Beijing during the last day of his five-day visit to China which began on May 26.
He brought a group of diplomats with him for a seminar on deepening China-Israel ties.
"I brought with me a group of 25 Israeli diplomats, who are not dealing with China in their daily life; they are dealing with other continents and other issues," Barak said. "But this was our decision to bring them here to a seminar in which several Chinese personalities will introduce to them what China is today."
Barak also said he made Chin his first stop after taking office earlier this month, because it is the second most important economy in the world after the United States.
Trade between Israel and China hit 7.65 billion U.S. dollars in 2010, a 47.6-percent increase compared with that of 2009.
Barak said he had a busy schedule during his visit with various meetings. His only interaction with locals came during a visit to Beijing's Yaxiu market.
"I had an opportunity to go to the Yaxiu market to buy something for my wife and kids," Barak said. "It was my main interaction with the people, plus the officials and businessmen between the two sides. They were all very interesting."
During his stay in China, Barak exchanged views with Chinese foreign affairs officials on relations between the two countries, bilateral economic cooperation and the Middle East peace process.
He said Israel also looked forward to bolstering cooperation with China in economics and trade, science and technology, culture, education and renewable energy, while consolidating its traditional friendship with the country.
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