An Israeli delegation headed by a senior government official will go to China shortly to sign an agreement for cooperation in agriculture and energy between Israel and the People’s Republic of China, Israel Television reported Wednesday.
It would be the first official accord between the two countries, although agreements already exist between Israeli and Chinese companies. Israel Radio reported Tuesday that Avraham Tamir, Director General of the Prime Minister’s Office, is presently in Paris for talks with unidentified Chinese officials.
Chinese scholars and scientists are interested in developing technical and scientific cooperation with Israel, according to Prof. Josef Singer, president of the Haifa Technion, who returned from an 11-day visit to China this week at the invitation of the Chinese authorities.
Singer, who is president of the International Council of Aeronautical Science (ICAS), said that Chinese academicians and engineers will attend the next ICAS convention to be held in Israel in August 1988. But according to Singer, while China wants to develop ties with Israel in various technical fields, the Beijing government is not prepared to establish formal diplomatic relations with Israel at this time.
Beijing is moving cautiously even with respect to non-official contacts. A Chinese delegation scheduled to attend the Agritech-86 agricultural machinery and technology fair in Tel Aviv this week cancelled at the last minute. The fair’s organizers were informed that the delegation would not come because of prior publicity given their planned visit in Israel.
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