Chinese Embassy: We Encourage Companies to Operate in Iraq and Seek to Increase Trade Exchange and Enhance Military Cooperation
Baghdad / NINA /- The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Baghdad reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its partnership with Iraq across various sectors, particularly energy, infrastructure, telecommunications, and healthcare, in order to boost the economic development of both nations.
Deputy Ambassador Xu Haifeng, speaking at a press conference on Wednesday marking the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in the war against Japan, said that his country “remains committed to supporting Iraq through economic cooperation and reconstruction, while encouraging qualified Chinese companies to invest and operate in the Iraqi market.”
He noted that China, as the largest importer of Iraqi crude oil, imported nearly 64 million tons in 2024, making Iraq the fourth-largest crude supplier to Beijing. He stressed that energy cooperation represents a cornerstone of bilateral relations.
On military cooperation, Haifeng emphasized that China “attaches great importance to enhancing military cooperation with Iraq through training, support, and counter-terrorism efforts,” adding that training opportunities offered to Iraqi security forces have been quadrupled compared to previous years.
The Deputy Ambassador further highlighted that trade volume between the two countries reached $54 billion last year. He also pointed out that non-oil trade transactions have recently been conducted in Chinese currency through the Trade Bank of Iraq and Baghdad Bank, while Chinese companies have expanded their activities in the Kurdistan Region across multiple sectors.
Regarding Beijing’s vision for international relations, Haifeng stated that China advocates for “a new era of international relations based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and shared cooperation.” He added that Chinese-Japanese relations have significantly developed since the 1970s, stressing that Tokyo must “draw lessons from history to achieve peace.”
Commenting on relations with the United States, he underlined that China believes in the possibility of peaceful coexistence and cooperation between Beijing and Washington, “provided that the U.S. follows the same approach advocated by China.”
On the sidelines of the commemoration, the Chinese Embassy in Baghdad hosted a photo exhibition depicting the sacrifices and heroism of the Chinese people during the war against Japan, attended by the Deputy Ambassador and senior officials from the embassy’s political and media sections. / End
