President Rouhani is in a tour of Southeast Asian counties and participated in Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) on Sunday, where he also received Chinese Vice-President Li Yuanchao to discuss bilateral relations and Chinese possible contribution to the pressing issues of the Middle East.
“Iran has always viewed China as important and we welcome post-JCPOA opportunities where China would develop a strategic cooperation with Iran to contribute to our national economies,” Mr. Rouhani said. “We welcome Chinese investments in our oil and energy sectors, along a belief that scientific and cultural relations would also provide opportunities for strengthening ties.”
Rouhani welcomed Chinese announced initiative to revive the Silk Road where Iran would find its traditional place in the trade route. Revival of the Silk Road has largely been viewed by the observers as China’s strategy to seek other corridors of influence with US and the west now present in its backdoor China Sea where the country’s efforts to create and preserve a hegemony had incited strong response.
Mr. Li Yuanchao for his part voiced his fellow country’s welcome to broadening ties with Tehran; “bilateral ties have seen high-profile meetings quite recently, with President Xi Jinping visiting Tehran; in post-JCPOA times, China would develop its relations to strategic levels; on banking cooperation, we have been encouraging Chinese financial system to work with Iran regardless of fears of punishment and sanctions,” he concluded.
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