On February 14, 2023, Professor Ding Long of the Middle East Studies Institute at Shanghai International Studies University gave an interview to the Beijing Daily on Iranian President Leahy's visit to China (see Beijing Daily, February 14, 2023, page 3), the full text of which is as follows.
China-Iran cooperation has great potential
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Iranian President Leahy's visit to China is based on the existing agreements between the two countries. Hariri, chairman of the Iran-China Chamber of Commerce, who accompanied the visit to China, revealed in an interview with Chinese media that Iran-China signed billions to tens of billions of dollars in contracts in the fields of industry, energy and infrastructure.
Analysts pointed out that in 2021, China and Iran signed a 25-year-long strategic cooperation agreement, Leahy's visit will promote the acceleration of the implementation of the content of the agreements, deepen cooperation between the two countries in the fields of energy investment, economic and trade, science and technology, etc., to consolidate the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Iran.
Tradition of friendship
Former Chinese Ambassador to Iran Hua Liming said in an interview with this reporter that in the 44 years since the Islamic Revolution in Iran, successive governments have attached great importance to relations with China, and each new president has visited China relatively early after taking office. Iran puts its relations with China at the forefront of its foreign relations. Geopolitically, Iran is a large country in West Asia and China is a large country located in eastern Asia, and friendly relations between these two powers are significant for world peace.
Hua Liming pointed out that although the social systems of China and Iran are different, the very important thing they have in common is that they follow independence and are not dependent on other great powers.
Ding Long, a professor at the Middle East Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the newspaper that China and Iran are important forces in opposing Western hegemonic unilateralism, important practitioners in building a multipolar world, and important promoters in maintaining a just and reasonable international order.
Priority options
The reporter noted that the visit was accompanied by Iranian academics, among whom was Iranian Tehran University Vice President Marandi. He has previously said that now is the era of the rise of Asia, Iran is paying more attention to itself and the East, and China will be the most priority option for Iran.
After Lehi was elected as Iran's president, he made looking east a priority direction for his government. Ding Long said, in recent years, the U.S. withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear agreement, the restart of sanctions against Iran to Iran's economic and social development caused a lot of difficulties and obstacles. Iran is a country heavily dependent on oil and gas exports, and under the U.S. sanctions, Iran's oil industry is facing underinvestment, resulting in a decline in production capacity and exports, which in turn severely shackles economic and livelihood development.
In Ding Long's view, how China and Iran can explore some new methods, approaches and platforms for smooth cooperation is an important issue in front of the two countries.
In 2022, bilateral trade between China and Iran maintained positive growth, and China continued to remain Iran's top trade partner, largest export destination and second largest source of imports. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Safari previously said that Iran's trade volume with China will exceed $30 billion by the end of March this year.
China is the world's second largest economy and the only country in the world with a complete industrial system and chain, said Hua Liming. Iran is one of the important oil-producing countries in the Middle East and an important energy supplier to China, and the two economies are highly complementary. In this context, the potential for developing economic relations between the two countries is huge, and the 25-year-long cooperation agreement will have a profound impact on relations between the two countries.
Unlimited potential
Scholars believe that building the Belt and Road and joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will expand the space for Iran's eastward diplomacy and will activate functions that have been held back by Western sanctions.
Iran has been an important transportation hub and trade distribution center along the Silk Road since ancient times. To this day, Iran has still not lost its important strategic position and is a key partner in building the 'Belt and Road' together. And Iran has a very positive attitude toward the 'Belt and Road' and was one of the first countries to respond to this initiative. So within the framework of 'One Belt, One Road', the cooperation between the two countries will be very close and the potential for cooperation is also very huge. Hua Liming said.
In addition, Leahy signed an order on Feb. 7 to implement the law on Iran's membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. According to Dinglong, the SCO will undoubtedly become the best cooperation platform for Iran to look east. First, it will help establish a new platform for diplomatic dialogue and break the isolation policy of the West; second, it will help develop practical cooperation in energy and other fields at a broader level and promote the country's economic development; and third, it will help gain more support in solving the Iranian nuclear issue.
Source: Beijing Daily
(The views expressed in this article are the personal views of the author or the interviewee and do not represent the position of this research institute)
