China, Iran Friendship Associations vow to strengthen bilateral Belt and Road cooperation

Photo shows captured image of guests attending the 13th annual conference of the China Iran Friendship Associations and Dialogues between sister provinces/cities of China and Iran online, August 23, 2022. (Screenshot/People's Daily Online)

The 13th annual conference of China Iran Friendship Associations and Dialogues between the sister provinces/cities of China and Iran was held online on Tuesday to bolster cooperation between the two countries.

Under the theme of "Future-oriented China-Iran Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: Win-win Cooperation for Common Development,"  the conference was jointly organized by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, China-Iran Friendship Association, and Iran-China Friendship Association.

More than 60 officials and scholars attended the conference, lauding the millennia-old friendship and exchanges between the two countries and calling for enhancing China-Iran cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to promote the further development of bilateral relations.

As two ancient civilizations along the ancient Silk Road, Iran and China enjoy a long history of friendly exchanges, with the revival of the Silk Road having expanded mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in various fields, said Mohammad Keshavarz Zadeh, Iranian ambassador to China.

He noted that the BRI has become a platform for win-win cooperation between China and Iran, delivering fruitful outcomes.

For years, China has remained Iran's leading trade partner, and pragmatic cooperation under the BRI continues to progress. In the first half of 2022, the trade volume between China and Iran grew significantly, despite the headwinds of a sluggish global economy.

Chinese Ambassador to Iran Chang Hua attended the conference and delivered a speech, pointing out that the two countries have a good tradition of mutual support and trust. He said that China and Iran firmly support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns while upholding non-interference in one another’s internal affairs.

Chang also noted that people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries highlight their strong bilateral relations.

Exchanges between China and Iran in culture, education, media, publications, and tourism have increasingly expanded over the past decades, with increased mutual understanding between the two peoples, he said.

Standing at a new historical starting point, Chang called for strengthening solidarity and cooperation between the two countries, enhancing friendship, and seeking joint development, which are the fundamental interests of the two nations and their peoples, said Chang.

The participating scholars and experts echoed Chang’s remarks, pointing out that “there is much potential” for further developing China-Iran ties on all fronts.

"China-Iran relations have demonstrated a solid foundation and strong vitality," said Hua Liming, the former Chinese ambassador to Iran. "In the face of a complicated situation that combines profound global changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century, China-Iran relations would grow ever wider and stronger."

Founded in December 2008, the China-Iran Friendship Association aims to promote friendship and cooperation between the Chinese and Iranian people. Since its establishment, the China-Iran Friendship Association has held conferences and seminars on China-Iran relations annually.