In recent years, with the cessation of defense relations, Israel and China have sought to expand their diplomatic and economic relations, mainly in the field of industrial research and development, large-scale academic cooperation, and investment. The expansion of cooperation between the two countries is mainly due to the status of Israel as a start-up country, which can satisfy China's technological needs and help it modernise many of its industries. Beijing also sees Israel as a strategic outpost in its regional interests-a small but vital stopover under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), connecting the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea through the Gulf of Suez, as a land bridge connecting trade and energy routes from the Far East through Africa to the Middle East and further to Europe on profitable trade routes by land and sea. The construction of a railway line from Eilat to Ashdod connecting the Red and Mediterranean Seas, as well as the construction of a new port in Ashdod, will provide a safe alternative route to the Suez Canal. Israel's well-secured human capital, a developed economy, a high-tech foundation, a stable public and state business environment have further enhanced the country's attractiveness as a key element of BRI.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.