Vice-Premier Liu Yandong has voiced hopes that universities in China and Israel will nurture high-end talents and boost business startups and entrepreneurship.

She made the calls in Jerusalem on Tuesday when addressing the first China-Israel forum that gathered presidents of universities.

Both nations have profound traditions in stressing culture and education, they have their own characteristics when it comes to their own higher dedication, and it is feasible to be complementary to each other and join hands to move forward, Liu said.

Universities from both sides are hoped to learn from each other to play a leading role in serving the two-way relationship and boosting people-to-people friendship, she said.

The universities are expected to be incubators of high-end talent and a locomotive of innovation and entrepreneurship, she said.

Universities are hoped to project vision and become think tanks that map out blueprint for future, she added.

Liu is in a three-stop visit to Egypt, Israel and Palestine from Friday to Thursday.