(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Following is an excerpt of remarks by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the start of their meeting  (Wednesday, 18 December 2013):

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "My visit to China and your visit here today in Jerusalem express the determination of our two governments to form even stronger friendships between our two countries and much stronger cooperation.

We believe that for the peace of the world, for the peace of the coming years and decades, Iran must be denied the capability – I stress the word – the capability to develop nuclear weapons.

It must fully comply with UN Security Council resolutions. It must end all enrichment, dismantle its centrifuges, eliminate all stockpiles of enriched uranium and dismantle its heavy water reactor in Arak so that it will not be able to produce plutonium.

I think that this is something that the international community in its entirety must stand firm on."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi: "It gives me great pleasure to come to Israel. Indeed this is my first trip to this country as Chinese Foreign Minister.

I have first and foremost come to Israel for the furtherance of friendship between our two countries. Indeed there is a profound traditional friendship between people of our two countries.

I’ve also come to pursue stronger cooperation between our two countries. Our two economies are highly complementary, and the mutually beneficial cooperation between us enjoys a very bright future.

During your visit to China this year, Mr. Prime Minister, you reached a very important agreement with President Xi Jinping, and Premier Li Keqiang of China on how to further deepen the mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries.

I have come to explore with my Israeli counterpart on how to further implement all the important consensus and explore the various areas of even stronger cooperation between us so as to deliver greater benefits to both peoples."