Iran and China Agree To Coordinate Their Development Strategies

During the visit of President Xi Jinping to Iran, the two countries agreed to establish a comprehensive strategic relationship and to coordinate their national development strategies in line with the Chinese program of the Silk Road Economic Belt. President Xi is the first head of state to visit Iran in the aftermath of the Iran nuclear agreement. He brought with him a large political delegation which includes three vice ministers as well as  a large business delegation. President Xi met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, with Speaker of the Majlis Ali Larijani, and with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

A recurring theme, underlined in the letter of President Xi, published in Iranian papers on the eve of his visit, has been the centuries’ old relationship between the two countries dating back to the ancient Silk Road, which was as much a part of Iran’s historical narrative as it is of China’s. And this has become a consistent motif in the course of Xi’s visit.  In the joint statement issued by the two parties, Iran gives full support to the development of the One Belt, One Road, with the two sides signing a “Memorandum of Understanding on Jointly Promoting the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.” China also agrees to support Iran’s “Development Plan” and the two countries will work to formulate a 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement on their two respective development agendas.

The communiqué also calls for annual meetings of the foreign ministers as well as more frequent meetings of the deputy ministers. There will be an increase in the military-to-military relationship and also increased exchanges between the two countries’ parliaments, local governments, and student exchanges. They will also cooperate in fighting terrorism and cyber-crime. China also pledges to support Iran’s application for membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. China has also pledged to assue that the Iranian nuclear agreement and the end to the sanctions regime becomes a reality. The two also agreed to work together to establish a peaceful environment in the Middle East and to oppose sanctions as a weapon.