A two-day Sino-Israeli symposium on agricultural cooperation opened in Beijing on December 26, with participants from the two countries set to discuss technology used in irrigation, and aquatic and flower production.

Since the establishment of Sino-Israeli diplomatic relations in 1992, agricultural cooperation between the two countries has had positive results.

China and Israel established the Chinese-Israeli International Center for Training in Agriculture (CIICTA) in the China Agricultural University in 1993. In addition, they also set up a demonstration farm on the outskirts of Beijing. These two programs have helped China introduce advanced agriculture technology from Israel and also promoted exchanges between agro-scientists of the two countries.

CIICTA has thus far organized 34 programs for training more than 1,000 Chinese agro technicians throughout the country. The programs relate to fruit and vegetable processing, water- conservation irrigation, greenhouse projects, anti-water pollution and flower growing.

Representatives from China's Ministry of Agriculture and Israel 's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed satisfaction with the outcome of CIICTA over the past six years, and signed a memo on the second phase of cooperation programs for the next six years.

According to the agreement, the two sides will further promote agricultural cooperation through training, joint scientific and technological development and academic exchanges.

Israeli Ambassador to China Ora Namir said at the occasion that Israel is eager to share its agricultural technology and experience with China, as a means of developing China's agriculture sector.