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January 23rd, 2016 
Awake Goy 
nsnbc : Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the Iranian capital Tehran Friday night. Xi’s visit is among others aimed at further boosting the traditional friendship and economic engagement between the two countries who share inter-dependencies in energy-security and the development of China’s New Silk Road project.
Photo courtesy Xinhua
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Tehran after visiting Saudi Arabia, talks with GCC representatives and after visiting Egypt. Xi’s visit comes only days after the international sanctions against Iran were lifted after the pro-nuclear industry International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran adheres to the agreement on Iran’s nuclear energy program, reached between the P5+1 and Tehran.
President Xi Jinping’s visit to Tehran is the first visit of a Chinese head of State to Iran in 14 years. Xi and Iranian President Rouhani have met each other on multiple occasions over recent years. Rouhani paid a state visit to China in May 2014. Before visiting Tehran, Xi Jinping published an open letter in which he detailed how Chinese – Iranian cultural and economic ties date back more than 2,000 years, facilitated by the ancient Silk Road. Xi referred to China’s New Silk Road project, launched in 2013, saying:
“Currently, China and Iran are faced with new development opportunities in their relations. … China stands ready to work with Iran to seize the momentum and further elevate our relationship and practical cooperation, so as to usher in a new chapter for our ties featuring comprehensive, long-term and stable development.”
Xi noted that he is looking forward to an in-depth exchange of views with the Iranian leadership. An exchange that encompasses bilateral relations as well as global and regional issues of mutual concern, and working with them to formulate an ambitious blueprint for China-Iran cooperation and further deepen the friendship between the two nations. Xi will be meeting his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani on Saturday, for discussions on aligning their national development strategies and boosting cooperation on both political and economic fronts.
Discussions between Xi – Rouhani and their respective delegations will also focus on boosting the bilateral strategic partnership program. Xi is also scheduled to meet Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during his stay in Tehran. The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1971, and their relationship has since enjoyed sound and steady development.
Two-way trade jumped from tens of millions of U.S. dollars in 1970s to 51.8 billion dollars in 2014, and China has been Iran’s biggest trading partner for six consecutive years, reports the Chinese State news agency Xinhua. China is Iran’s primary oil client. Xi Jinping also made it clear that his visit to the region aims at defusing tensions in the region. This includes the wars in Syria and Iraq as well as it does include tensions between Iran on one hand, and Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council member States on the other. Saudi Arabia is China’s single greatest provider of oil.
CH/L – nsnbc 23.01.2016
Related analysis:
China’s Xi Jinping Heads for Middle East – Defusing an Explosive Region
Source Article from http://nsnbc.me/2016/01/23/chinas-xi-arrived-in-tehran/
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