Chinese premier meets Iranian president

BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with visiting President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ebrahim Raisi in Beijing on Tuesday.

Li said China and Iran are both ancient civilizations and have a long history of friendly exchanges between their peoples.

China attaches great importance to the development of China-Iran relations and is willing to adhere to mutual respect and equal treatment with Iran to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level, maintain world peace, promote common development, and benefit the people of both sides, the premier said.

China is willing to work with Iran to improve the level of practical cooperation, Li said, calling on both sides to implement the China-Iran comprehensive cooperation plan, promote cooperation on economy, trade and other fields, mutually expand product exports, promote the implementation of mutually beneficial projects conducive to improving people's livelihoods, increase personnel exchanges and consolidate the public opinion foundation of friendship between the two countries.

Highlighting the friendship between Iran and China, Raisi said Iran is committed to developing relations with China.

Iran is willing to implement the comprehensive cooperation plan of the two countries on the basis of mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win results, and to deepen cooperation in various fields and promote the continuous development of bilateral ties, the president said.

Iran is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China on international affairs and jointly safeguard world peace and stability, Raisi added.