Envoy Urges Strategic Patience to Shield China-Iran Ties from US Sanctions
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – China’s ambassador to Iran called for strategic patience to protect the relations between Beijing and Tehran against the US sanctions and figure out how to move ahead with mutual cooperation.
China’s envoy to Iran Chang Hua paid a visit to Tasnim News Agency’s central office in Tehran on September 8, and expounded on his country’s policies towards Iran at a press meeting.
Pointing to his experience of serving as a diplomat in a couple of other regional states before coming to Tehran, Chang said, “Since coming to Iran, I’ve had the feeling that China has the best relations with Iran in comparison to the other Middle East countries.”
The ambassador, however, noted that people of Iran and China need to know more about each other’s nations and raise the level of cultural ties, considering the growing political relations between the two countries.
“As a result, I believe that the media must play a positive role and introduce people of the two countries to each other,” the envoy added.
Denouncing a “media war” that the Western press agencies have waged against China and Iran, Chang said the Western media always try to overplay a trivial problem and force the foreigners to believe that a certain country is gripped by conflicts.
On the turmoil in Hong Kong, the Chinese ambassador said Hong Kong’s regional government has gradually brought the situation under control and has carried out many measures in recent days, but the Western news agencies are publishing false reports about widespread protests in Honk Kong with thousands of people pouring into streets, while the protest involved only one or two hundred people.
China believes that Hong Kong’s local government is capable of dealing with the situation and protecting the region’s peace and stability, he noted, adding, “Hong Kong is a big city, but China has 10 or 20 metropolises. Therefore, the issue of Hong Kong would not affect China’s development.”
As regards the roadmap for Iran-China ties in the next 25 years and speculations about China’s plan for $400 billion in investment in Iran, Chang said the officials of the two countries have held several meetings and have achieved many agreements.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has been told during his latest visit to China that Beijing would always support the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), support the enhancement of ties with Iran, and oppose the US’ “illegal and unilateral” sanctions, the envoy added.
“We are willing to continue and expand the friendly ties (with Iran) within the framework of ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative,” Chang added, saying, “It’s true that the US sanctions have adversely affected the cooperation between Iran and China at present, but I believe that we must have strategic patience, and figure out together how to keep on cooperation between the two countries.”
