Ministry of industry & trade : China, India, and South Korea are export targets

Ronit Kan deputy director-general foreign trade administration Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor said last week that Israeli exports to Asia rose by 10% in the first half of 2005 to $3.12 billion, compared with $2.8 billion in the first half of 2004. Israeli imports from Asia rose by 20%, to $4.46 billion. Total Israeli trade with Asia rose in the first half by 15% to $7.58 billion.
 
Mrs. Kan added that the ministry of industry & trade attached great importance to israel's trade with Asia, and declared three countries China, India, and South Korea as export targets.
 
Mr. Amiram Halevy director of Asia Pacific division, foreign trade administration Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Labor said that the growth rate of Israel's trade with Asia slowed down by an average of 30% a year in recent years, mainly due to the Chinese government’s policy to cool down the economy.
 
The cooling down policy has continued during the first half of 2005 and there are signs that this trend would continue well into the beginning of 2006.