Benjamin Netanyahu with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at an official welcoming ceremony. Photo: Israel GPO.

JNS.org – BOSTON—In a sign of growing economic partnership, Israeli and Chinese transportation authorities have signed an agreement to significantly increase the frequency of passenger flights between their countries.

According to the deal, Israel and China can operate 14 regular passenger flights as well as seven cargo flights between the countries.

Until now, only Israel’s El Al operated three weekly flights to Beijing, while China’s national airline, Air China, does not provide any flights to Israel. Approximately 50,000 passengers per year travel between Tel Aviv and Beijing, while another 30,000 make the trip via other stopovers.

“I believe that the agreement is likely to bring to Israel hundreds of thousands and even millions of Chinese fans of the history of the Israeli people and of Jewish sites, which attract millions of visitors from around the world,” Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz said, the Jerusalem Post reported.