China, Israel discuss cooperation in trade, technology

JERUSALEM - China and Israel discussed boosting cooperation in fields including trade, technology and e-commerce in a recent official meeting in Jerusalem, a source from China's Ministry of Commerce said on Friday night.

The third round of negotiation on China-Israel Free Trade Area (FTA), led by Wang Shouwen, China's vice commerce minister, and Roey Fisher, Israel's deputy minister of economy and industry, concluded on Thursday.

The meeting also covered issues including customs procedures, as well as sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

In March 2016, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu jointly announced the starting of China-Israel FTA negotiation.

China and Israel have seen an increase in bilateral trade and a substantial progress in economic ties in recent years.

China is now the biggest trade partner of Israel in Asia and the third largest worldwide. In 2016, the bilateral trade stood at a total of $11.36 billion.