BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 434, March 27, 2017
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu visited
Beijing on March 20-21, 2017 – his second visit to China during the term
of China’s current president, Xi Jinping. The trip was the product of
an invitation from Xi, a point emphasized by Netanyahu’s office to
deflect criticism over the frequency of his foreign junkets. The
official reason for the visit was the marking of the twenty-fifth
anniversary of diplomatic relations between the countries, but it could
represent an opportunity for Israel to play a more prominent role on the
international scene.
The prime minister’s office has stated that beyond marking the
anniversary of the Chinese-Israeli bilateral relationship, PM
Netanyahu’s visit to China this month had primarily a financial
objective. The main goals were to continue building up the countries’
financial relationship, enhance cooperation, draw Chinese investment to
Israel, and open the door for more diverse Israeli investment in the
Chinese market. In addition, the trip was intended to continue an
ongoing dialogue about establishing a free trade agreement between China
and Israel, as well as mutual participation in the third Innovation
Conference. During his visit, the prime minister met with President Xi
Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, and the heads of the largest corporations
in China.
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