HortiBiz(11月24日)に掲載された両国の貿易協定の内容は、日本にとって重大な意味を持っている。記事にはたくさん協定文が掲載されているが、わたしが一番に注目したのは、アフリカの農業開発に両国が協力してあたるという条項だった。
数年前に、現地ツアーでアフリカを訪問した。エチオピアとケニアの農場である。旅行の途中で、青い建物をたくさん見た。中国の現地工場である。日本がODA(政府開発援助、無償)で建設した(高速)道路を利用して、中国の先端的な繊維・織物工業や電子部品の工場がアフリカの奥地で完成している。
現地で雇用を創出しながら、需要も開拓している。そこに、農業技術大国のイスラエルが加担しようとしている。アフリカにおいて、農業技術者の一部は、インドとイスラエルからやってくる。オランダやフランスなど、旧植民地の盟主国だった欧州からも技術は入ってきている。
しかし、欧州とロシアとの蜜月が破れた間隙をぬって、抜け目なくアフリカの農業事業を取りにいっているのがイスラエルである。そこに中国が加わったわけだ。中国は、農業分野でも技術的に立ち遅れている。政治資金はあるが、基礎技術はもっていない。だから、国際的に微妙な立場にあるイスラエルとは相性がよい。
そのことをさり気なく述べている記事を引用する。日本人は、とくに農業・建設機材メーカー(クボタ、コマツ)とプラント機器メーカー(日揮、商社)は、中国の微妙な動きに注意を払うべきだろう。
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”Israel and China sign agricultural agreement”
Israeli Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Uri Ariel, hosted the Deputy Prime Minister of China, Wang Yang and Chinese vice Minister of Agriculture Yu Xinrong and signed on a joint action plan to strengthen the cooperation between the two countries in agriculture.
The signing ceremony was held in the office of Ministry of Agriculture Center at Bet-Dagan. The agreement includes, among other things, a joint working group to promote cooperation and implementation of strengthening bilateral trade, joint ventures, and more.
The background to the signing of the agreement was a meeting of the two agriculture ministers, which took place last August in Beijing, in which the two agreed to expand cooperation between the two countries. The work plan is based on existing agricultural cooperation in various areas: professional, scientific and commercial.
The clauses of the agreement:
* Establish a mechanism for cooperation – the establishment of Israel-China working group that will maintain regular meetings in order to come up with new ideas and information about agricultural policies, formulate plans for cooperation and identify key projects.
* Strengthening of trade and economic cooperation – Promoting of agricultural mutual trade and economic cooperation and encourage entrepreneurs in the fields of agriculture and food of both countries. Initiatives in question will be under strict quality and safety of food products and in control of crop protection systems of the two countries.
The main objective is to speed up agricultural trade volume between China and Israel to 450 million by 2020.
* Promoting cooperation in science and technology – the exchange of genetic material, desert agriculture, cultivation of plants and animals, various ways to strengthen the quality and food safety and establishing joint research centers and laboratories.
Strengthening cooperation in establishing projects – The Parties shall promote cooperation projects in agriculture, such as the Center for Chinese-Israeli demonstration in the province Independent Ningxia Hui.
* Expansion of cooperation in training and training – and training programs through the Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Center for Israeli-Agricultural Training Agricultural University of Beijing.
* Expanding the areas of cooperation – strengthening cooperation for seminars in the field of food, fish and more.
* Cooperation in Africa – encouraging the participation of the private sector in Africa agricultural cooperation.
Minister Ariel: “We are excited about the economic cooperation and trade between Israel and China. There are many successes, but it is not enough. There do more to broaden bilateral ties and the purpose of this meeting is to advance further achievements. Let us increase our exports to Asia and that will help our farmers”.