Visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom attended a signing ceremony in Beijing on Monday to extend Sino-Israeli cooperation in agricultural training.

The Sino-Israeli International Center for Agricultural Training was established in 1993 by the China Agricultural University and the Center for International Cooperation of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It offers 58 advanced courses in modern agriculture and agrotechnology, with 2,500 participants from all over China, and has sent about 100 Chinese to Israel for further training.

Shalom presented a US$1 million Gilat satellite communication system to the Central Agricultural Broadcasting and Television School. The system will enable the school to extend its e-learning system to another 330 training centers in China.

Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing also met with Shalom on Monday.

Li noted the progress China and Israel have made in bilateral relations since diplomatic ties were established, and said that China desires to maintain that trend based on the principles of mutual benefit and common development.

The foreign minister stated that China hopes the conflict between Israel and Palestine will be halted and peace talks resumed as soon as possible. "China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in bringing about peace in the area," he said.

Shalom said he believes the two countries share many commonalities of interest. He noted their sound cooperation in such areas as trade, agriculture, culture and education.

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 event.

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

(China Daily November 9, 2004)