Vast potential for cooperation with Israel
Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province can cooperate with Israel in a number of fields, experts and officials from both countries said.
At an international forum on economic cooperation with the world's Jews, representatives of either nation said that there was vast potential for future cooperation between China and Israel.
Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province, once provided shelter to thousands of Jews fleeing wars and persecution in Europe during the end of the 19th century.
They were warmly received by local residents and contributed a lot to the development of the small village at the time to today's metropolis.
A participant at the Harbin Fair looks at a special costume of the Hezhe Minority Group made of fish skin. |
All Jews in Harbin returned to their homeland when the state of Israel was founded.
Local officials of Heilongjiang hope that these "Harbin Jews", who once helped create an economic miracle in the province, will return to find their niche once again on this land.
Harbin Mayor Zhang Xiaolian said China's strategy to revitalize its old industrial bases in Northeast China is providing an uncommon opportunity for Jewish businessmen all over the world, who have rich tradition of entrepreneurial spirit.
Agricultural cooperation
Heilongjiang's comprehensive agricultural development has great potential, as the province is one of the most important commercial grain bases in China.
Israel, on the other hand, represents the development of modern agriculture. Its advanced water-efficient irrigation and organic farming techniques, livestock breeding technology, and other high-tech advantages can bring rich mutual benefits by expanding the Moshav mode of cooperation and the exploration of Harbin's rich resources, the mayor said.
Further, the withdrawal of huge state-owned assets from general competition has enabled investors to achieve low-cost expansion.
Harbin is a strong industrial complex and China's largest export base for power generation equipment and complete sets, as well as an aluminum-magnesium alloy processing, and antibiotic and dairy production base. It leads the nation in the output of feeder aircraft, automobiles, gauges, bearings and other products.
Also, Harbin's unique tourism resources hold huge potential for investments. Harbin has two of the four major natural resourcesof forests, ocean, wetlands and snow.
Its ice and snow spectacle is well known across the world. The International Ice and Snow Festival of Harbin, China, is now among the four major global snow events.
Israel also has abundant tourism resources, especially Mediterranean scenery and Jewish holy places, which hold a very strong appeal for Harbin tourists. Hence, cooperation in the development of tourism resources and products will be beneficial to both countries.
Qu Wei, president of the Heilongjiang Academy of Social Sciences, said that cooperation plans with Israel should regard several key areas as breakthrough points, including trade, technology, agriculture and tourism, with technological cooperation being a particularly important field, as Israel is a world technological power.
Heilongjiang is rich in technological and human resources, and bilateral cooperation could begin with the construction of science and technology parks or the allied development of industrial projects, military equipment, high-tech civilian products and talent training programs.
"Israel is a world-class agricultural power, and leads the world in drip irrigation technology, high-yield dairy technology, organic farming techniques and the cultivation of improved varieties," Qu said.
The province should boost its agricultural cooperation with Israel and import its water-conserving, precise farming techniques to build Heilongjiang's market position as the main supplier of grain, vegetable and green food, noted Qu.
(China Daily 06/19/2007 page20)
