In 2008, the two countries signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of High Technology and set up the China-Israel High-Tech Cooperation Promotion Center, effectively promoting cooperation between their companies in areas like exchanges, reciprocal visits, technology transfer, investments, and mergers and acquisitions.
The main export commodities from China to Israel include mechanical and electrical products, textiles, clothing, footwear, and ceramics. Except potash fertilizer, Israel’s exports to China are all high-tech products, including mechanical and electrical products, medical instruments, and telecommunications products. To date, China has become Israel’s largest trading partner in Asia.
Israel’s investment in China started in the mid-1980s, covering more than ten industries, including agriculture, telecommunication, chemical engineering, health care, environmental protection and water treatment, jewelry and diamonds. As China-Israel economic and trade ties become stronger, an increasing number of Chinese companies have made investments in Israel and launched more and more Chinese products in that market.
Cooperation in agricultural technology is a highlight of technical cooperation between the two countries. The bilateral cooperation in agriculture had started prior to the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992. With the construction of Israeli demonstration farms in China in 1995, a great many Israeli companies began to do business in China, as evidenced by that they introduced advanced agricultural technologies, such as drip irrigation technology, to China’s agricultural sector.
The two governments have carried out student exchange programs since 1993. Seven years later, the two ministries of education signed the Chinese-Israel Education Cooperation and Exchanges Agreement, a document covering student exchange programs, academic exchanges, language teaching, and mutual recognition of academic degrees. Seven major universities in Israel, which offer high-level education and scientific research programs with English as the language of instruction, are among the popular choices for Chinese students to pursue further studies abroad. China and Israel have carried out abundant and profound cultural exchanges. In 1993, the two countries signed the Agreement on Cultural Cooperation and since then, they have signed six enforcement programs, significantly advancing the bilateral exchanges and cooperation in such areas as culture, art, historical relics, film and television programs, and literature.
Starting from March 2016, China and Israel began to issue visas valid for up to 10 years.