Israel's Civil Aviation Authority Director Giora Rom and Li Jiaxiang, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) signed an agreement to allow for each state to operate up 14 passenger flights and seven cargo flights to one another.
The new aviation pact will significantly increase the frequency of flights between the countries.
The deal also allows more airlines to operate regular flights between the two countries and participate in code-sharing.
Until now, El Al has operated just three weekly flights from Tel Aviv to Beijing, while Air China does not operate any. The current annual volume of passengers flying directly to and from Tel Aviv and Beijing is about 50,000, in addition to about 30,000 who take stopover routes.
Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz noted that allowing other Israeli and Chinese airlines to compete for new lines to China will increase Israel's exposure as a tourist destination.
