BEIJING, Jan 25 (Asia Free Press): Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan with Yair Lapid, Israel’s alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, on Monday via Video link, co-chaired the fifth meeting of China-Israel Joint Committee on Innovation Cooperation (JCIC), what the two sides are pledging to promote cooperation on innovation, according to media reports.
Wang said that, since implementing the China-Israel Innovation Cooperation Action Plan (2018-2021), the two sides have strengthened innovation guidance and institutional guarantees, deepened practical cooperation and promoted personnel exchanges, Xinhua reported.
Speak to the continuous deepening of bilateral relations and cooperation, and the fact that the China-Israel innovative, comprehensive partnership has entered a new stage, Wang called on the two sides to follow the instructions of the two heads of state and view the critical role of the China-Israel JCIC from a strategic perspective, while taking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to enhance political mutual trust and expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
He also expressed hopes that the two sides will promote the implementation of essential consensuses and significant projects, conclude the free-trade negotiations within the year, synergize innovation ideas and resources, and strengthen cooperation in such significant areas.
For his part, Lapid said that Israel is willing to work closely with China to give full play to the role of the JCIC and promote innovation cooperation between Israel and China to benefit the two peoples better.
Wang and Lapid jointly signed the China-Israel Innovation Cooperation Action Plan (2022-2024) and witnessed the signing of seven cooperation agreements in science and technology, health, culture, environmental protection, clean energy and intellectual property rights.
China and Israel have marked 30-year of diplomatic relations this month. In 1950, Israel was the first country in the Middle East to recognize the People Republic of China as the legitimate government of China. However, China did not establish normal diplomatic relations with Israel until 1992.
