Israel and China "have a lot in common" and bilateral relations are good, said an Israeli official Monday in Beijing.

Yoav Biran, director-general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, made the remark at a symposium with Chinese scholars and media.

Acknowledging differences between the two countries in terms of size and population, Biran said both peoples enjoyed rich culture and long history, and the two countries had extensive exchanges in culture, science, agriculture and academia.

Over 1,000 Chinese students are studying in Israel and many Chinese experts visit Israel for further study on a regular basis, said Biran. Israeli schools also set up faculties for Chinese language and culture, Biran added.

Some demonstration centers of Israeli agricultural technology have been established in various places in China, Biran said.

Regarding the close economic ties between the two countries, Biran said the bilateral trade volume in 2003 has increased by 40 percent over the previous year.

Israeli President Moshe Katsav's visit to China last December was indication of good political dialogue between the two countries, Biran said.