By December 2009 the bilateral trade between China and Israel reached US$4.55 billion, a decline of 18% year-on-year and for the second year in a row. Exports reached US$1.04 billion and Imports - US$3.52 billion. Trade deficit declined by 16% year-on-year, reaching US$2.47 billion.

In the first 6 months of 2010 the bilateral trade increased by 55% compared with last year's figures, reaching over US$3.1 billion. Exports to China climped to the fifth place (in comparison with other export destinations) increasing over 125% to US$914 million, while imports increased by 37% to US$2.19 billion.

Exports from Israel to China reached US$1.04 billion, marking a decline of 19% year-on-year after a significant increase of 24% during 2008. Israeli main exports to China reflect Israel's advantages. 47.3% of the bilateral trade consist of machinery and equipment of agro-technology (drip irrigation, seeds, green houses etc.), software and the electronics. Diamonds is secondary in exports to China, constitutes 15.9% of bilateral trade, the medical industry's share is 11.7% and the chemical industry contributes about 10% to Israel's export to China. Although a decline was shown in the above major exports to China, the food and beverage, the textile and the plastic industries showed an increase of 50%, 46.5% and 20.6% respectively.

In the first 6 months of 2010 exports increased more then 125% compared with last year's figures, reaching US$914 million. Export figures of chemical or allied industries products increased by more than 286% during the first 6 months of 2010 reaching almost US$200 million, figures of pearls and precious stones increased by 183% reaching over US$155 million and exports of machinery and electric equipment increased by over 103% reaching US$373 million.

Imports from China to Israel reached US$3.52 billion in 2009, marking an increase of 16% year-on-year. 29% of Israeli imports from to China consist of machinery and the electronics industry, 19% consists of textile, 11% products of the chemical industry, and 8.3% of metals and articles.

In the first 6 months of 2010 imports increased by 37% compared with last year's figures, reaching US$2.19 billion. During this period, imports of the metal industry increased by 88% reaching US$245 million and machinery and electronics imports increased by over 47% reaching about US$642 million. There was no decline in imports of any of the major trade industries.

* The above figures include dimonds.

Click here for Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics webpage