Over the last decade, dozens of Chinese companies have entered the Israeli market as sole or sub-contractors or suppliers in major transportation, infrastructure, agriculture and food projects. The Chinese have also been involved in constructing the Mount Carmel tunnels, the Acre-Carmiel railway, Tel Aviv’s light rail transit system, privatized ports in Haifa and Ashdod, the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem railway and possibly the proposed Tel Aviv-Eilat railway, as well as two water desalination sites. The estimated value of all these projects is $25 billion. This Chinese “invasion” has worried many who fear the loss of jobs and businesses. Former MOSSAD Chief Shelach said though he is aware of the economic concerns of some Israeli companies, “my main concern [of such an invasion] is the security and strategic ramifications to our state.” He added “We are avoiding a serious public discourse to understand the full scope of the possibility that Chinese companies will eventually control chunks of our economy.” He recommended a “comprehensive policy,” particularly with regard to China, otherwise each ministry “determines its own approach and policy.” Israel's Finance Ministry has blocked attempts by Chinese firms to purchase Clal and Phoenix, two of the nation’s major pension funds. The reason: the fear that hundreds of billions of dollars and the future of a million or more Israelis would be at the mercy of the Chinese government. The Defense Ministry also acted on its own to prevent Chinese companies from bidding on tenders for the IDF and the intelligence community.
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