Israel to Boost Activity in China

the chinese government recently announced a new five-year plan for 2016 to 2021 that has caught the eye of israel’s economy and industry ministry. the plan, which comes on the heels of slower economic growth in china last year, provides for a continuing shift of the chinese population from rural areas to the cities – which should increase demand for food, according to chaim martin ,one of the ministry’s commercial attaches in china.

 

“there are several central points in the five-year plan, the most important of which is the transition from rural residents to the cities and the ability to accommodate 1.5 billion people whose standard of living is rising, along with demand for food,” martin said. “the chinese want to develop smarter agriculture to produce more food and a health care system that will ensure better social support.”

 

the israeli economy ministry, he said, is preparing for this change and boosting its activity in china, where there are currently four israeli offices headed by commercial attaches, with a fifth expected to open soon. “we are now sending more delegations of companies in the field of technology and agriculture to china,” he noted.

 

 “we are in touch with provincial governments in china in an effort to integrate [israeli] agricultural technology in government and civilian projects. at the same time, we are working with the chinese health ministry to integrate medical technologies in the provinces. for this purpose, we are also working with private chinese firms.”

 

for the full article by ora coren for ‘haaretz’ click here