Israel ‘ aims for better tech ties’ with China
Prospects for cooperation sound despite challenges
Israel expects to beef up cooperation with China in technology thanks to China’s large market, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday in Beijing.
During a meeting with Baidu Inc Founder and CEO Robin Li Yanhong, Netanyahu said that “many technologies are incubated in Israel and the country hopes to export technology to create commercial opportunity.”
“Israeli excels in technology in sectors related to transportation, the environment and healthcare, which we hope to bring to China,” he said. “We expect to enter China’s large market and hope China could enjoy Israeli technological innovation too.”
In response, Li said that “China has data, and Israel has technology. Cooperation will create miracles.” Israel could come to explore the Chinese market and cooperate with companies like Baidu, he noted.
China has more than 700 million Internet users, more than anywhere else in the world, Li said, noting that Baidu would like to provide services for Israeli companies that wish to expand in China.
During the meeting, Netanyahu invited Li to invest in Israel. “To me invest in Israel is like investing technology, and it’s like vesting in innovation,” Li said.
Israel is a leading country in high technology and scientific innovation and some of its technologies, which surpass those of Europe, are even exported to the US, Chen Fengying, an expert at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times Tuesday.
Li has found the right partner to cooperate with in the technology sector since Baidu has reached a bottleneck in technological innovation, Chen said, noting that Israel is good at market- oriented scientific research, which is conducive to develop China’s market and enhance bilateral cooperation.
“From my personal experience of attending Israel’s exhibition, I was amazed by its artificial intelligence ( AI) technology, such as advanced intelligent robots. Additionally, Israel has a grasp of core 3D print technology,” Chen said.
Li highlighted the importance of AI technology. Baidu is a technology company, so technology, and research and development, are key to the company’s development, said Li. “AI is more advanced than the Internet. If the Internet is a starter, AI is the main course,” he said.
Although bilateral cooperation in technology has large growth potential, some challenges remain, experts said. “The two sides should acknowledge intellectual property rights protection and prevent technology spillovers, which might result in
a decrease of income,” Chen explained. “Also, the US might interfere as a third party when technology spillovers occur,” she said.
Another challenge may originate from the safety factor, given the tense relations between Israel and Arabic countries and regions, Li Weijian, director for the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies under the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the Global Times Tuesday.
“The sensitive situation and regional conflicts in the Middle East pose a potential threat to the area, which if not resolved properly, might have a negative impact on further cooperation,” he said.
China, having increasing influence in the Middle East, should promote the “One Belt, One Road” initiative, strengthening economic cooperation and development with countries and regions along the route of the initiative, according to Li, the expert.
China and Israel share common cultural grounds – valuing talent and entrepreneurial spirit – and this closeness will help promote innovation for both countries, the Israeli Prime Minister noted.
Baidu CEO Li agreed, saying that China should learn from Israel how to nurture an
interest in science.