Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce Representative Office Opened at Tehran Chamber
Simultaneously with the visit of the President of the Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce of China to Tehran at the head of a trade delegation and meeting with Iranian economic activists in various production and trade fields, the Khorgos Chamber of Commerce representative office was also opened in the Tehran Chamber. Strengthening the relationship between Iranian and Chinese business enterprises, identifying investment opportunities, introducing reliable partners and supporting the Iranian private sector in the Chinese and Central Asian markets are among the goals of setting up the Khorgos Chamber of Commerce representative office in the Tehran Chamber.
In September of last year, during the visit of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce delegation to the Khorgos Special Zone of China, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Tehran Chamber of Commerce and the Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce with the aim of developing trade relations and utilizing the capacities of this dry port. According to the memorandum of understanding signed by Mahmoud Najafi-Arab, President of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, and Ma Fuming, President of the Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce, the two sides agreed to exchange information and trade delegations, introduce economic opportunities and capabilities, develop logistics cooperation, facilitate the presence of private sector activists in the markets of the two sides, and create a platform for increasing trade exchanges. Another area of agreement is the establishment of a representative office of the Khorgos Chamber of Commerce in the Tehran Chamber and vice versa, which was completed with the presence of a trade delegation from Khorgos in Tehran.
Mahmoud Najafi-Arab, President of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, said in a speech at the opening ceremony of the Khorgos Representative Office, while referring to the goals of the opening of this office: The establishment of this representative office was carried out in line with the implementation of the provisions of the memorandum of understanding between the two chambers and the expansion of trade interactions, the exchange of economic information, and the introduction of investment opportunities.
It is also worth noting that in order to develop the effective presence of the Tehran Chamber in the Eurasian trade corridors, the representative of the Tehran Chamber will soon be located in Khorgos to follow up on the issues, opportunities and needs of Iranian economic actors in this international hub in the field. The representative of the Tehran Chamber in Khorgos will also be responsible for following up on joint agreements between the Tehran Chamber and the Khorgos Chamber, coordinating trade delegations, providing up-to-date information on market developments, cooperating in removing trade and logistics barriers and supporting the implementation of joint projects. The establishment of this representation is a practical step towards developing services to the members of the Tehran Chamber and strengthening the position of the Iranian private sector in one of the most important trade and logistics centers in the region.
The Khorgos Special Economic Zone, located on the border of China and Kazakhstan, is the connecting point between China and Europe and, relying on the connection of rail networks, plays an important role in container transport, combined transport and the movement of goods between the East and the West, and in practice is considered more than a border crossing. Reducing transportation time and costs, diversifying trade routes, and creating an operational link between China, Central Asia, and Europe are among the advantages of utilizing the capacity of this dry port for Iranian economic actors, especially in developing alternative trade routes and strengthening connectivity to the Eurasian network.