Israeli leader heads to China for talks with political, business leaders

JERUSALEM – Israel's prime minister is heading to China next week for meetings with political and business leaders.

Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Thursday that he will spend two days in Shanghai promoting economic cooperation and then two days in Beijing where he will meet the Chinese president and prime minister.

The trip marks the first visit by an Israeli premier to China in six years.

Amos Yudan, a prominent Israeli businessman who will be joining Netanyahu, says Israeli trade with China still lags far behind the United States and Europe, but has been growing annually by more than 30 percent since 1992. He says Israeli trade with China totaled some $9 billion last year.