Changes

For China, Iran is a welcome counterbalance to [[US]] influence in the region, as the only large regional power that is not aligned with the US, in addition to having enormous oil and natural gas resources and providing a large market of more than 80 million citizens for Chinese goods.

For China, Iran is a welcome counterbalance to [[US]] influence in the region, as the only large regional power that is not aligned with the US, in addition to having enormous oil and natural gas resources and providing a large market of more than 80 million citizens for Chinese goods.

The agreement has been underway for five years, ever since Chinese President [[Xi Jinping]] visited Iran in January 2016, when establishing a "comprehensive strategic partnership" was agreed. At that meeting, according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Xi Jinping stressed that China will enhance all-round practical cooperation with Iran within the 'Belt and Road' framework". At the time, the two countries also signed a Memorandum of Understanding "on jointly advancing construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road" as well as "multiple bilateral cooperation documents covering energy, production capacity, [[finance]], [[investment]], [[communication]]s, [[culture]], [[justice]], [[science]], [[technology]], [[news]], [[customs]], [[climate change]] and human resources". China and Iran also agreed then to "strengthen exchanges between [[think-tank]]s, [[college]]s and [[universities]] and youths, [and] jointly ensure the successful operation of the [[Confucius Institute]]s" to "tell China's story well" and shape the [[narrative]] about [[China]] in [[Iran]].

The agreement has been underway for five years, ever since Chinese President [[Xi Jinping]] visited Iran in January 2016, when establishing a "comprehensive strategic partnership" was agreed. At that meeting, according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Xi Jinping stressed that China will enhance all-round practical cooperation with Iran within the 'Belt and Road' framework". At the time, the two countries also signed a Memorandum of Understanding "on jointly advancing construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road" as well as "multiple bilateral cooperation documents covering energy, production capacity, [[finance]], [[investment]], [[communication]]s, [[culture]], [[justice]], [[science]], [[technology]], [[news]], [[customs]], [[climate change]] and human resources". China and Iran also agreed then to "strengthen exchanges between [[think-tank]]s, [[college]]s and [[universities]] and youths, [and] jointly ensure the successful operation of the [[Confucius Institute]]s" to "tell China's story well" and shape the [[narrative]] about China in [[Iran]].

The agreement formalized the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Iran. Iran participates in China's so-called Digital Silk Road, the Silk Road of Innovation and the "Green" Silk Road. The Digital Silk Road represents the [[Chinese Communist Party]]'s (CCP's) ambition, among other things, to shape the course of [[5G]] technology in the world, whereas the Silk Road of Innovation is about technology transfers. The "Green" Silk Road is about transitioning to [[renewable energy]] sources. "China is the largest foreign investor in the... [[Middle East]] region", according to Dr. Mordechai Chaziz, author of China's Middle East Diplomacy: The Belt and Road Strategic Partnership.

The agreement formalized the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Iran. Iran participates in China's so-called Digital Silk Road, the Silk Road of Innovation and the "Green" Silk Road. The Digital Silk Road represents the [[Chinese Communist Party]]'s (CCP's) ambition, among other things, to shape the course of [[5G]] technology in the world, whereas the Silk Road of Innovation is about technology transfers. The "Green" Silk Road is about transitioning to [[renewable energy]] sources. "China is the largest foreign investor in the... [[Middle East]] region", according to Dr. Mordechai Chaziz, author of China's Middle East Diplomacy: The Belt and Road Strategic Partnership.