In another sign of the growing importance Israel attributes to China in the battle against Iran’s nuclear program, OC Home Front Command Maj.-Gen. Yair Golan flew to Beijing Saturday night at the head of an Israeli military delegation, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

Golan will hold talks with top Chinese military and defense officials on a wide range of issues pertaining to Israeli security, including the Iranian nuclear threat. 

He will also meet with Chinese officials to discuss civil defense and will brief them on the recent nationwide Home Front exercise Turning Point 4 that was held in Israel.

Golan’s week-long visit comes two months after head of Military Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin and head of the IDF’s Strategic Planning Division Maj.-Gen. Amir Eshel visited China as part of an Israeli effort to get Beijing to support new sanctions on Iran.

Ties with China are a sensitive issue for the IDF. In 2005, a crisis erupted between the Defense Ministry and the Pentagon, which accused Israel of selling American military technology to China.

The crisis was resolved several years later after Israel agreed to suspend all military sales to China and instituted new safeguards and supervision on defense exports.

Nevertheless, the IDF attaches importance to maintaining a solid relationship with China due to the role Beijing plays in stopping Iran’s nuclear program. In April, the spokesman for the Chinese military and Defense Ministry visited Israel as a guest of IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Avi Benayahu.