Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 23
By Fatih Karimov - Trend:
Iran and China discussed boosting their bilateral trade to $600 billion within a ten-year period, the Islamic Republic's president Hassan Rouhani said.
He made the remarks during a press conference on the sidelines of a meeting with his visiting Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Tehran Jan. 23, the State IRINN TV reported.
Rouhani said that the parties discussed mutual strategic ties in the meeting.
"This trip comes in a great moment of history as the international sanctions against Iran are removed," Rouhani said, adding the parties can achieve a final agreement for cooperation in fields of mutual interests.
The Iranian president further said that Iran and China had decided to prepare a comprehensive 25-year cooperation document.
Finance, banking and investment issues as well as long-term agreements on energy and investment in the mining, industry and energy sectors were discussed in the meeting as well, Rouhani added.
In addition to economic issues the two parties also negotiated cooperation in various fields such as security and defense as well as culture, tourism, technology and science, the Iranian president underlined.
International and regional issues also discussed in the meeting, Rouhani said, adding fighting with terrorism, extremism and violence as well as conflicts that have plagued the region were on the agenda of the mutual talks.
He also said Iran and China have agreed on more cooperation to "combat regional terrorism."
Rouhani noted that the two sides discussed cooperation for "creating stability and security in the Middle East and helping countries plagued by terrorism, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, and providing intellectual and intelligence assistance in the fight on terrorism."
Chinese president for his part said he has traveled to Iran to prepare the ground for a new prospect in relations between the two countries. Jinping added that strong cooperation between Tehran and Beijing will not only benefit the two parties, but also would serve regional and global peace.
The Chinese president said that he seeks strategic ties with Iran, in particular in the nergy market.
Iranian and Chinese officials signed 17 Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the meeting between Jinping and Rouhani in Tehran Jan. 23.
The two sides signed documents for cooperation in various sectors including nuclear, transportation, ICT, culture, science and education as well as economic, industrial and judicial field, investment promotion and environment protection.
Heading a high-ranking delegation, Chinese President arrived at Tehran yesterday night at the invitation of President Rouhani.
Jinping's trip to Tehran is the last leg of his three-nation tour which has also taken him to Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
The visit is the first by a Chinese president to Iran in 14 years.
China is the Islamic Republic's main trade partner. The value of trade exchanges between Tehran and Beijing stood at some $52 billion in 2014. However, the figure dropped in 2015 due to decreasing oil prices.