China’s new ambassador to Israel, Zhan Yongxin, paid a visit to the Israel-China Friendship Forest in the Negev on 1 April in celebration of the Chinese New Year, which ushered in the Year of the Sheep.

In the course of their visit the ambassadorial delegation had the opportunity to observe two KKL-JNF Negev projects at first hand: Beersheba River Park and the Abraham’s Well Visitors’ Center.

“Our two nations share a friendship that dates back over many years,” said the Chinese ambassador. “Relationships between people form the basis for relationships between states. We’ve gathered here in the Israel-China Friendship Forest in order to care for the woodland, which symbolises the strong links between our two nations.”

KKL-JNF World Chairman Efi Stenzler told those assembled that, apart from a message of friendship, this grove in Lahav Forest on the fringes of the desert also communicates an important ecological message. “We have learned how to plant trees in arid areas by combining techniques used by the desert dwellers of old with modern equipment,” he said. “These methods developed by KKLJNF foresters can be adapted by many other countries throughout the world and used in the battle against desertification and global warming.”