Iran-China chambers agree on joint trade, logistics centers
The Tehran Chamber of Commerce and China's Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce agreed to expand trade and logistics cooperation and establish joint business initiatives during the opening of the Chinese chamber's representative office in Tehran, officials said on Tuesday.
The agreements, announced at the ceremony, include establishing a joint trade center, opening business service centers in Iran and China, creating a joint logistics service center, launching a shared business information platform and setting up a permanent exhibition of Iranian products in the Khorgos Free Trade Zone.
The opening of the representative office followed meetings between a Khorgos trade delegation, led by Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce President Ma Fuming, and Iranian businesses in the transport and logistics, e-commerce and dried fruit sectors, as well as customs officials, according to IRNA.
During the meetings, the two sides reviewed progress in implementing previous agreements.
The two business chambers have recently called for greater use of the Khorgos dry port in China's Xinjiang region, on the border with Kazakhstan, to strengthen Iran's role in international transport corridors.
‘An important step’
Ma described the establishment of the representative office and a joint trade center between the two chambers as an important step toward expanding economic cooperation and facilitating bilateral trade.
"Experts based at this office will provide Chinese companies with services including tax and legal consulting, customs clearance assistance and other trade-related services," Ma said.
"In the next phase, the Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce will open an office in Khorgos for the Tehran Chamber of Commerce to provide Iranian companies with services including trade settlement, transport, customs, taxation, laws and regulations, and other support needed to facilitate cross-border trade and economic cooperation."
Ma said the delegation's talks with Iranian business representatives had resulted in several agreements to expand cooperation, including establishing a joint trade center and business service centers in both countries.
"Another agreement is to establish a joint logistics service center to provide the infrastructure needed for transport and logistics projects between the two countries," he said.
"In addition, both sides also agreed to establish a shared information platform to give Iranian and Chinese companies direct access to regulations, business opportunities and other information needed for economic cooperation."
Khorgos tax, logistics advantages
Tehran Chamber of Commerce President Mahmoud Najafi Arab said the chamber had long sought to develop alternative trade routes and complete international trade corridors, adding that expanding cooperation with the Khorgos Free Trade Zone, jointly developed by China and Kazakhstan, had become part of that strategy.
"Because of its strategic location, Khorgos has significant potential to expand Iran's trade with China and other countries in the region," Najafi Arab said.
"In addition to its road and rail transport infrastructure, the zone offers incentives such as a 20-year tax exemption for industrial investment, which can provide valuable opportunities for Iranian businesses."
Najafi Arab said a significant share of Iran's exports to China was shipped in bulk.
"Establishing packaging and processing facilities in Khorgos can increase the added value of Iranian products and facilitate their distribution to northern and central China," he said.
"With access to both rail and road networks, Khorgos offers an efficient route for Iranian exports to China and imports from China."
He added that another key agreement was to establish a permanent exhibition of Iranian products in the Khorgos Free Trade Zone to enable Iranian producers to showcase and market their goods continuously in China.