JERUSALEM, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- The China-Israel relations have been enjoying sound momentum of growth over the years, Chinese Ambassador to Israel Zhan Yongxin has said.
As a result, the political mutual trust has been enhanced and win-win cooperation is flourishing, Zhan said in a speech at the reception he hosted Wednesday evening in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
The reception was attended by more than 600 guests, including Israeli governmental officials, foreign diplomats, heads of organizations and companies, and representatives of Chinese companies and students in Israel.
In 2017, China and Israel announced the establishment of the China-Israel Innovative Comprehensive Partnership, which helps boost the bilateral ties and cooperation, Zhan noted.
The China-Israel trade has grown from 10.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2014 to almost 14 billion dollars in 2018. From 2015 to 2018, the number of Chinese visiting Israel almost tripled from less than 50,000 to 139,000, and it is expected to reach 170,000 this year.
Zhan also highlighted the fundamental changes and great achievements in development gained by China over the past seven decades.
"China is committed to promoting a new model of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation," said the Chinese ambassador.
He added that China is committed to working with all countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind, while upholding the win-win strategy of opening up, the free trade system and multilateralism.
Speaking at the reception, Yoav Gallant, Israeli minister of Aliyah and Absorption, spoke highly of the enormous progress of the China-Israel relationship since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992.
The relationship has been improving and the innovation committee created in 2014 serves as a platform for mutual understanding and dialogue between the governments and for the promotion of a wide variety of projects between the two countries, said Gallant.
"China today is Israel's second largest trade partner in the world and the largest in all of Asia," said Gallant, adding that one of the major goals for the two countries will be further increasing the bilateral trade ties with the signing of a free trade agreement as soon as possible.
Hagai Shagrir, head of Asia and Pacific Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, said he appreciated the achievements made by China in the last 70 years and the good relationship between China and Israel since they established diplomatic ties.
"I am a long friend of China. I know China for many years, so I see every year the pace of China's development," Shagrir told Xinhua, adding that the good partnership between the two countries benefits both sides.
"Compared with my first visit to China in 1996, when I look now at what happens in China, sometimes I feel that I am in a dream. The Chinese people have made an amazing change in all aspects," said Isaac Liebreich, founder and president of the Soli Ltd., an Israel-based farm-tech company specializing in vegetable seeds, greenhouses and nurseries.
Liebreich, whose company has cooperation with China in the agri-tech field, told Xinhua that he saw how Chinese farmers are getting rich with new houses, roads, crops and technologies.
"I can't remember how many times I was in China. China for me is a second home," said Liebreich.
