JERUSALEM — China and Israel should further strengthen bilateral cooperation in agriculture, including innovation, water management and seed research and development, Vice-Premier Wang Yang said on Nov 12.

Wang, who is currently on an official visit to Israel, voiced the hope while meeting with Israeli Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel and experts of the country’s agriculture research institute.

Israel is strong in agricultural technology innovation and boasts one of the highest levels of agricultural productivity in the world, while China is a large agriculture country, he said, adding that Israel and China are thus mutually complementary in the field of agriculture.

Wang said that innovation is listed as one of the five main development concepts in China’s 13th five-year development plan and China is willing to work with Israel to make agriculture innovation a priority for bilateral cooperation.

Both countries should improve the mechanism for their agriculture cooperation and promote cooperation in agriculture science and technology, particularly water management and seed research and development, he said.

China welcomes increased Israeli investment in China’s agriculture sector and also encourages China’s enterprises to invest in Israel, Wang said.

The two countries should also forge cooperation in personnel training in order to prepare for major cooperation project of mutual interest in terms of necessary human resources and technology, he said.

The Israeli side agreed with Wang and looks forward to cooperating with China in specific projects and programs.

The two sides also signed an action plan for enhancing bilateral agriculture cooperation in the presence of Wang.