Strategic steps of the private sector to develop trade between Iran and China
The Khorgos China trade delegation, headed by the head of the International Chamber of Commerce of this special economic zone, attended the Tehran Chamber of Commerce on Monday, July 19, and held meetings with activists in the fields of transportation and logistics, e-commerce, dried fruits, as well as customs managers, and followed up on the implementation of previous agreements with the chamber's managers. In continuation of its work program, the delegation also attended the opening ceremony of the Khorgos Chamber of Commerce representative office in the Tehran Chamber. According to the explanations of the heads of the Tehran and Khorgos Chambers of Commerce in a conversation with the Tehran Chamber's public relations, the establishment of a joint logistics service center and the establishment of a green customs route, as well as the establishment of a permanent exhibition to present and introduce Iranian products in Khorgos are on the agenda as part of the agreements.
The head of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, pointing out that this chamber has long sought to create alternative routes and complete trade corridors, said: Based on this approach, developing cooperation with the Khorgos Free Trade Zone, which was established with the participation of China and Kazakhstan, was on the agenda.
“Due to its strategic location, Khorgos has significant potential for developing Iran's trade with China and regional countries” He added. In addition to having appropriate road and rail transportation infrastructure, this region offers incentives such as a 20-year tax exemption for investment in the industrial sector, which can be a good opportunity for Iranian economic activists he said.
Referring to Iran's export capacities, Najafi Arab said: A significant part of Iran's export goods to China are exported in bulk. Establishing packaging and processing units in the Khorgos region can provide the basis for increasing the added value of Iranian products and facilitate the distribution of goods to northern and central China.
The head of the Tehran Chamber also pointed out the importance of the logistics infrastructure of this region, adding: Simultaneous access to the rail and road transportation network has made Khorgos one of the suitable routes for exporting Iranian goods as well as importing goods from China. In addition, there are appropriate capacities in the field of e-commerce and B2B trade development in this region.
Referring to the opening of joint representative offices in Tehran and Khorgos and the functioning of these offices, he explained: The necessary coordination with the Customs of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been carried out to create a green customs route and initial agreements have been reached in this regard.
According to the head of the Tehran Chamber, another important agreement is to establish a permanent exhibition of Iranian goods in the Khorgos Free Trade Zone so that Iranian manufacturers can continuously offer and introduce their products in the Chinese market.
The joint office of Khorgos and the Tehran Chamber will facilitate trade between Iran and China
The head of the Khorgos China International Chamber of Commerce also emphasized the historical background of Iran-China relations and called the establishment of a joint office and trade center between the chambers of commerce of the two countries an important step in developing economic cooperation and facilitating bilateral trade.
Ma Fuming added: The Tehran Chamber of Commerce has allocated a suitable space for the establishment of our representative office, and the experts based in this office will provide services such as consulting in the fields of tax, legal, goods clearance and other trade-related matters to Chinese companies.
He continued: In the next stage, the Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce will also set up an office in this area for the Tehran Chamber of Commerce to provide services such as trade settlement, transportation, customs, tax affairs, laws and regulations and other required services to Iranian companies and facilitate the development of cross-border trade and economic cooperation between economic actors of the two countries.
Ma Fuming also referred to the results of the negotiations of his trade delegation with Iranian economic actors and said: During these meetings, important agreements were reached to expand joint cooperation, one of the most important of which is the establishment of a joint trade center and the creation of trade service centers in Iran and China.
The head of the Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce added: "Another focus of the agreement is the establishment of a joint logistics service center to provide the necessary infrastructure for the implementation of projects related to transportation and logistics between the two countries. In addition, the two sides agreed to create a common platform for the exchange and coordination of information so that Iranian and Chinese companies can directly access information related to laws and regulations, business opportunities and other information needed for economic cooperation."
He pointed out that a joint specialized working group will be formed to follow up on the implementation of the agreed projects, "A specific timetable will be developed for all joint projects, and the implementation process of the plans and their results will be continuously reviewed in the agenda of the joint meetings of the two sides" he said.