Xi says China-Iran cooperation faces new opportunities

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 28 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met here Monday with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, and pledged to further boost bilateral cooperation following the conclusion of a comprehensive Iranian nuclear deal.

After the deal is implemented, Iran will face more opportunities for cooperation with other countries, Xi said, adding that the China-Iran relationship faces new development opportunities as well.

China attaches great importance to its relations with Iran, and the foundation of bilateral friendship and cooperation has grown ever stronger since the two countries established diplomatic ties more than 40 years ago, he added.

China, he said, stands ready to join hands with Iran to seize the opportunities presented by the nuclear deal and continue to advance bilateral ties and practical cooperation.

Xi suggested that the two sides lift the status of bilateral ties, beef up inter-party, parliamentary, sub-national and people-to-people exchanges, and deepen cooperation within such multilateral frameworks as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the United Nations, so as to increase political mutual trust and enrich their relationship.

China is willing to work with Iran to prioritize cooperation projects in infrastructure construction and interconnectivity and expand cooperation in fields such as railway, road, steel, car-making, electricity, advanced technology and environmental protection, said Xi, adding that cooperation in energy and financial sectors should be given priority.

The Chinese president also said that China stands ready to join hands with Iran to give full play to their complementary advantages in the energy sector and carry out stable long-term cooperation.

He also suggested the two sides take practical measures to step up security cooperation.

For his part, Rouhani said Iran cherishes its friendly ties with China and, under the new circumstances, is willing to work with China to maintain close high-level exchanges and deepen long-term strategic cooperation in such fields as economy, trade and energy, so as to continuously advance bilateral ties.

Through the joint efforts of related parties, negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue have made a major breakthrough, Rouhani said, adding that the deal accords with the common interests of all parties and provides opportunities for Iran to expand cooperation.

Iran, he said, is willing to work with other parties to ensure the implementation of the deal.

The Chinese president arrived in New York on Friday evening for a series of summits and meetings marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Earlier in his U.S. trip, he paid his first state visit to the United States.