Iran, China Call for Closer Trade Ties
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Ambassador to China Ali Asghar Khaji and Chinese Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng, in a meeting in Beijing on Monday, emphasized the importance of further efforts to promote bilateral relations in diverse areas, trade in particular.
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the latest developments in economic ties between the two countries.
The Chinese commerce minister, who is also the head of China-Iran joint economic commission, pointed to his earlier trip to Tehran and the successful commission meeting held in Tehran in February.
Hucheng also voiced his country’s preparedness to pursue and implement the agreements reached during the meeting.
The Iranian diplomat, for his part, said that the Islamic Republic is ready to help remove obstacles in the way of implementing the agreements and voiced Tehran’s determination to increase trade exchanges between the two countries.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is currently China's third largest supplier of crude, providing Beijing with roughly 12 percent of its total annual oil consumption.
Trade between the two states includes power generation, mining, and transportation equipment along with arms and consumer goods such as electronics, auto parts, and toys. Iran–China trade value reached $45 billion in 2011 and the figure stood at $40 billion in 2013.
