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Iran's Khatami Visits China to Build on Already Strong Ties
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami arrives in China on Thursday for a six-day state visit, his first since being elected in 1997, with plans to strengthen the two countries' already close political, economic and military ties.
The length of Khatami's stay and the make-up of his entourage demonstrate the importance attached to the trip.
Khatami, traveling at the invitation of Chinese President Jiang Zemin, will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani, Mines and Metals Minister Eshaq Jahangiri and Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Ataollah Mohajerani.
He will also be accompanied by an important delegation from the business world.
"Chinese participation in development projects in Iran demonstrates the breadth and depth of relations between the two countries," Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Aminzadeh said on the radio.
Aminzadeh pointed to the sale of natural gas and to Chinese participation in the construction of power stations in Iran as two items on the agenda for talks.
The trip comes on the heels of a decision by the two governments in recent months to strengthen cooperation in the political and economic spheres and build on a level of trade that reached 1.3 billion dollars in 1999.
In that context, Iran hopes to increase its exports to China of both petroleum and non-petroleum products.
On the industrial front, the two countries are already cooperating, notably in the provision of Chinese rolling stock for the Tehran metro.
The first branch of the metro was inaugurated last February by Khatami, with Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan taking part.
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