Top countries China and Israel are keeping their strong economic ties as many Chinese investors are doing business in Israel, as well as Israel investors, keep doing business in China.
Many say that this partnership is quite bizarre as these two nations are completely opposite with each other. China is the second largest country in the world and the biggest exporter internationally. Israel, on the other hand, is only placed 45th in the global export industry. Also, Israel is known as a staunch ally of U.S. which is China's greatest competitor.
Despite on some disparities, some experts cited that the differences in the national characteristics of both nations complement each other.
"The Chinese are known for long-term planning, and being conservative and hierarchical - unlike the commonly recognized Israeli mindset of fast, innovative, flexible and having a lack of respect for authority," said Peggy Mizrahi, a Chinese citizen who currently lives in Israel.
Some experts also said that China wants the way Israelis handle technology development, making Israel as a well-established leading center of technological development.
"The Chinese are leveraging Israeli tech to fuel their economy, Israel is held in high esteem as a hub of innovation," said Hagai Tal of Taptica, a leading mobile advertising company in Israel.
The interest of China to Israel's technological advancements is based on its plan to restructure China's economic platform which is from manufacturing to technology development. China is set to upgrade its industrial base which was adversely affected by its decreasing export industry due to the global financial crisis.
In 2011, Chinese investment in Israel was pegged at around $15-billion. The first relevant Chinese investment in Israel was when the Chinese National Chemical Corporation in bought in 2011 the Israeli Makhteshim Agan Industries, an Israeli manufacturing company for agrochemicals. It was rebranded later on to Adama.
In May 2018, billionaire Jack Ma of Alibaba went to Israel and expressed his plans to put investment at the Start-Up Nation. Also, the famous Chinese mobile company Huawei has already established a Research and Development Center in Israel.
China's endeavor for its Belt and Road Initiative has also paved way for The Chinese government to make stronger ties with Israel.
In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jin-Ping unveiled the Belt and Road Initiative wherein it sets China's expansion of land and sea routes in Asia to The Middle East and across Europe. Israel is with strategic importance over this initiative as a stable and strong economy in the Middle East.
