Iran

Note: This column mainly includes countries along the Belt and Road and countries that have signed cooperation agreements with China on Belt and Road Initiative.

In 2013, friendly relations and cooperation between the People's Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Iran made steady progress in all fields.

The two countries maintained close political contacts. In June, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Hassan Rouhani on his election as the Iranian president. In August, Minister of Culture Cai Wu attended the inauguration ceremony of President Rouhani as the Special Envoy of President Xi Jinping. In September, President Xi Jinping met with President Rouhani on the sidelines of the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Bishkek. In October, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani visited China. President Xi Jinping, NPC Chairman Zhang Dejiang and State Councilor Yang Jiechi met or had talks with him. In November, President Xi Jinping and President Rouhani had a telephone conversation and exchanged views on the Iranian nuclear issue and bilateral relations. In December, State Councilor Yang Jiechi visited Iran and met with President Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Larijani, Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif respectively.

The two countries enjoyed smooth cooperation in economy and trade. Iran is an important trade partner for China in West Asia and North Africa, an important crude oil supplier and a major market for China's overseas contracting projects. In September, Wan Jifei, Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, led a delegation to Iran.

Cultural exchanges between the two countries became more active. In January, the Chinese Embassy in Iran hosted "Happy Chinese New Year in Iran" activities. In the same month, Deputy Director of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television Zhang Pimin visited Iran and attended the opening ceremony of the Chinese Film Week. In June, the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Iran's Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO) jointly held the "Iranian Cultural Week" in Beijing. In August, Culture Minister Cai Wu visited Iran and met with ICRO President Mohammed Bagher Khoramshad. In the same month, preparations were launched for the reopening of the Confucius Institute in the University of Tehran. In September, Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee Wu Hengquan visited Iran. In November, Vice Culture Minister Dong Wei visited Iran and signed an MOU on establishing culture centers in each other's countries with the Iranian side.

Exchanges between various government departments and localities of the two countries were carried out smoothly. From the Iranian side, Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar, Minister of Science, Research and Technology Kamran Daneshju, Deputy Foreign Minister Morteza Sarmadi, Vice Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian, Chairman of the Iran-China Friendship Society Ahad Mohammadi and a delegation of the Expediency Discernment Council visited China. From the Chinese side, delegations of the Foreign Ministry, the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Supervision, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Audit Office visited Iran or attended international conferences in Iran. Leaders of the Party committees and governments of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Guangdong and other provinces visited Iran for friendly provincial exchanges.

Source: fmprc.gov.cn