Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom agreed to enhance Sino-Israeli ties and expand cooperation in talks yesterday in Beijing.

Shalom, also Israeli deputy prime minister, is on a five-day official visit in China, which started on Friday.

China and Israel have made smooth progress with bilateral relations since diplomatic ties were forged, and are both keen to deepen their friendship, Li said.

Li said China is ready to keep expanding ties in compliance with the principle of mutual benefits and seeking common development.

Li said China is following changes in the Middle-east region, and hopes the conflict between Israel and Palestine will be halted for peace talks to resume as soon as possible. "The Chinese side is willing to continue to play a constructive role in bringing about peace in the area," he said.

Shalom said he believed the two sides have a lot in common and have maintained sound cooperation in areas like trade, agriculture, culture and education.

After the meeting, Shalom attended a signing ceremony to agree an extension of cooperation in Israel-China agricultural training.

The Sino-Israeli International Centre for Training in Agriculture was set up in 1993 by the China Agricultural University and the Centre for International Cooperation of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The centre offers 58 high-level courses of modern agriculture and agro-technology, with 2,500 participants from all over China. It has also sent about 100 Chinese trainees to Israel for further training.

Shalom also donated a US$1 million Gilat satellite communication system to the Central Agricultural Broadcasting and Television School, which will then be able to expand its e-learning system to another 330 training centres in China.

Shalom also met with Liu Jingmin, Beijing's vice mayor and executive vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games. They agreed to promote Sino-Israeli cooperation for the forthcoming event.

(China Daily November 9, 2004)