On November 28-30, the 3rd Round of Negotiation of China-Israel Free Trade Area was held in Israel. Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen and Israeli Vice Minister of Economy and Industry Roy Fischer led their own delegations to attend the negotiation. Both sides launched negotiation on trade in goods, trade in services, rules of origin and customs’ procedures, sanitary and phytosanitary, economic and technological cooperation, e-commerce and dispute settlement. Favorable progress has been made.

Israel is China’s important partner in the Middle East and along the Belt and Road line, having close bilateral trade and economic relations with China. At present, China is Israel’s third largest trade partner. In January-September, 2017, the bilateral trade value amounted to US$9.71 billion, up 13.9% year on year. By the end of 2016, China’s direct investment stock in Israel reached US$4.23 billion and that of Israel in China amounted to US$0.38 billion.