Israeli Prime Minister Makes First State Visit to China
Bilateral Trade and Middle East Peace to Top the Agenda
(Jan. 8, 2007) Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is in Beijing this week, hoping to strengthen Sino-Israeli economic ties as well as address Middle East peace concerns—particularly Israel’s ongoing unease with Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Prime Minister Olmert’s visit to China aims to deepen and develop the friendly relations and cooperation between China and Israel,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at a press conference Friday.
As one of five permanent members on the U.N. Security Council, China helped pass a U.N. resolution last month that imposed minor sanctions on Iranian imports related to nuclear materials and technologies.
China depends on Tehran for about 12 percent of its crude oil and has consistently stressed that the conflict over Iran’s nuclear program be resolved diplomatically. Trade between China and Israel last year reached $3 billion.
Please pray for God’s wisdom to be present in the meetings this week between Prime Minister Olmert and Chinese President Hu Jintao, and over all their future dealings. “In the time of My favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land” (Is. 49: 8, NIV).
China’s support for sanctions against Iran in December can be seen as an attempt to strike a balance in the region between China's economic interests and its responsibilities as a growing world power.
We believe that Israel and China …will benefit the peace process in the Middle East by strengthening [communication],” said Liu, adding that this year marks the 15th anniversary of Chinese-Israeli relations.
Olmert agrees, despite anxieties raised last year by Beijing’s welcoming of the Palestinian-elected Hamas government.
Anything China can contribute to facilitate the political dialogue is something Israel will always welcome,” Olmert told China’s Xinhua news agency last week.
Interestingly, China holds a special association for Olmert because his parents, after escaping persecution in Russia, found refuge in China’s most northeastern province of Heilongjiang in the 1930s.
They spoke Chinese,” Olmert said. “They grew up in China, and the Chinese culture is part of my heritage. So China is not another country for me. … We have great love for the Chinese people.”
Previous Posts
The content found on this Web site may not be published, rewritten, broadcast or redistributed without the expressed permission of the publisher. For rights and permissions, please email charisma@strang.com.
