Iran, Tehran, Feb. April 21
By Milad Fashtami - Trend:
Iranian Minister of the Economic Affairs and Finance Ali Tayebnia called for establishing special trade relations betweenTehran and Beijing.
Tayebnia further expressed hope that Chinese businesspersons invest a significant portion of their overseas investment in Iran, Iranian Tasnim News Agency reported on April 21.
He made the remarks at a meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing.
Heading a high-ranking delegation, Tayebnia is in China to discuss possible ways to boost bilateral trade. He has held several meetings with high-ranking Chinese officials.
He went on to note that Tehran and Beijing enjoy great potential to increase mutual trade transactions.
The director of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran said on March 3 that Tehran and Beijing plan to increase their annual trade to $200 billion, Press TV reported.
Based on the targets set by the presidents of Iran and China, trade transactions between the two countries should reach $200 billion annually in 10 years," Valiollah Afkhami-Rad said.
"The establishment of joint venture companies can contribute to the promotion of trade ties between Iran andChina," he further said.
According to Afkhami-Rad, Chinese can invest in various sectors in Iran, including steel, mines, transportation, agriculture, oil, gas and the petrochemical industry.
The Iranian official further said that China plans to construct 36 million housing units in Iran by 2015.
He also said Tehran-Beijing trade reached $40 billion in 2013.
China is Iran's biggest economic partner, and Tehran is currently Beijing's third largest supplier of crude, providing roughly 12 percent of China's annual oil consumption.
Edited by C.N.