Dr. Eli Ofer: The proposal can be seen as a sign of the Chinese side's desire to allow the Israelis to operate in China under preferential conditions due to their recognition of Israel's technological capabilities, and the economic development potential of the two countries through joint ventures
Chief Scientist Dr. Eli Ofer arrived in China as a guest of the Chinese Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Shang Yong, and at their meeting the Deputy Minister proposed to establish a joint Israeli-Chinese Science and Technology Park on Chinese soil. It should be noted that the first working meetings on the subject have already been held in Beijing, in order to examine the implementation of the idea.
Dr. Eli Ofer said that the proposal can be seen as a sign of the Chinese side's desire to allow the Israelis to operate in China under preferential conditions due to their recognition of Israel's technological capabilities, and the economic development potential of the two countries through joint ventures.
The Chief Scientist also met with the Chinese Deputy Minister of Commerce Wei Jianguo and discussed with him ways to promote the establishment of a joint Chinese-Israeli fund to support industrial R&D, which was agreed upon during the last visit of the Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Industry Ehud Olmert in June 2004.
The Economic Attaché at the Israeli Embassy in Beijing notes that significant progress has been made in the negotiations on the issue.
During his visit to Beijing, Dr. Ofer, alongside the Israeli Ambassador to China Dr. Yehoide Haim and the Director General of the Chinese Ministry of Finance, opened the event organized by the Economic Attaché at the Israeli Embassy in China together with the Chinese Ministry of Finance, in cooperation with Iftrik and the Israeli Ministry of Finance to promote the financial protocol between Israel and China. The event was attended by over 300 government decision makers and potential customers from 25 provinces across China.
Amiram Halevi, Director of Asia and the Pacific at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, states that in 2004 the mutual trade with China (not including Hong Kong) amounted to 2.63 billion dollars. Israeli exports including diamonds to China increased by 30% to 765 million dollars in 2004 compared to 591 million dollars in 2003. The main increase was recorded in the export of machines and devices (43% of the total export and 25% increase) medical equipment (20% of the total export and 55% increase) and chemical products (15% of total exports and 60% increase). Diamond exports, on the other hand, recorded a moderate increase of only 16%, therefore the share of diamonds in the total exports continued to decrease and reached 13% of the total exports.
Total imports from China increased by 41% to 1.86 billion dollars. Most of the increase was recorded in the import of machinery and equipment (32% of total imports and 48% increase), textiles (22% of total imports and 34% increase) and chemical products (7% of total imports and 55% increase). The fact that textile imports have become within two years one of the leading industries in imports from China stands out.
In the first quarter of 2005, the trade was about 740 million dollars (an increase of 265 compared to the corresponding period last year). Exports in this box amounted to 167 million dollars (a decrease of 5% compared to the corresponding period last year). Imports during this period amounted to 573 million dollars (an increase of about 40% compared to the corresponding period last year).
