The visit by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Beijing is a sign of the strengthened high-level contact between the two countries and an opportunity to boost Iran-China ties in areas including the economy and international hot-spot issues.
Deepening Political Ties
At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Raisi visits China from February 14-16, 2023. This is Raisi’s first visit to China since taking office in 2021.
This visit highlights the steadfast commitment of the Raisi administration in advancing Iran’s “Look to the East” strategy which focuses on building alliances with non-western powers, such as Russia and China, that share similar political structures with Iran, rather than pursuing a policy of negative balancing and non-alignment.
In July and September 2022 the two presidents held a phone conversation and had a face-to-face meeting in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand, where they reached a fresh consensus on deepening Iran-China ties.
“China-Iran high-level contacts have constantly advanced, and pragmatic cooperation in various fields has continued to deepen,” said Chinese Ambassador to Iran, Chang Hua.
As part of the enhanced two-way political ties, the Chinese Consulate General was officially opened in Iran’s port city of Bandar Abbas in December, marking China’s first consulate general in the Middle Eastern country.
In 2021, Iran and China signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement that spans 25 years and encompasses political, strategic, and economic components. President Raisi’s visit to Beijing has a singular objective of advancing this partnership and furthering the implementation of the 25-year agreement which was previously delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Positive Growth in Trade
Trade between China and Iran has maintained positive growth, with China continuing to be Iran’s leading trade partner, largest export destination, and second-largest source of imports. Both countries enjoy robust economic relations, particularly in the areas of energy, transportation, agriculture, commerce, and investment.
As of February 2023, over the last 10 months, Iran has exported $12.6 billion worth of goods to Beijing and imported $12.7 billion from China.
The Foreign Ministry of China stated that China’s economy keeps unleashing its dynamism and improving steadily, providing greater development opportunities for all countries, including Iran.
Strategic opportunities
Foreign Minister Qin Gang recently held his first phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, with a focus on advancing the two countries’ comprehensive cooperation plan and offering support to safeguard each state’s sovereignty.
The Iranian side appreciated China’s “constructive role” in the progress of negotiations on resuming compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the landmark Iran nuclear deal enacted in 2016.
As both countries share a number of common international concerns, such as stability and development in Afghanistan, the impact of climate change, energy security, and regional security, there is a need for discussion and collaboration.
By working together within the context of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, China and Iran will have increased opportunities to cooperate and strengthen their relationship. It is expected that following their meeting, the relationship between China and Iran will enter a new and elevated phase.
