China Keen to Expand Parliamentary Ties with Iran

TEHRAN, April 20 (FNA)- A senior Chinese lawmaker underlined her country's willingness to enhance ties with Iran, specially in parliamentary fields.
Speaking at a meeting with Vice-Speaker of the Iranian parliament Seyed Shahabeddin Sadr here in Tehran on Monday, Chen Zhili, vice chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, said that Sino-Iranian relations have been developing steadily and healthily.

China is willing to enhance parliamentary cooperation and exchanges with Iranian side, deepen mutual understanding and friendship and enhance the cooperation to a higher stage to benefit the two peoples, Chen noted.

The Iranian lawmaker, for his part, expressed his satisfaction with the achievements in cooperation in political, trade and cultural areas in recent years.

Iran is ready to improve pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in all areas, Sadr stated.

Iran and China's trade value hit $30bln in 2010, and officials of the two sides say that the figure would be raised up to $100bln in the next five year.

China is a main importer of Iranian products and is a destination of about 18 percent of Iran's non-oil exports.