Sino-Persian relations

One of the main pillars of the relationship is oil and gas. China switched to petroleum primarily to get their energy supply off of coal. There was a rapid increase in oil importation from 1974 into the 1990s. In 2011, approximately 10% of China's oil imports were from Iran.

China finds in Iran a permanent partner for its exports and a source for its growing energy demand. In March 2004, Zhuhai Zhenrong Corporation, a Chinese state-run company, signed a 25-year contract to import 110 million metric tons of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Iran. This was followed by another contract between Sinopec and Iran LNG, signed in October of the same year. The deal, worth $100 billion, adds an extra 250 million tons of LNG to China's energy supply, to be extracted from Iran's Yadavaran field over a 25-year period. In January 2009, Iran and China signed a $1.76bn contract for the initial development of the North Azadegan oil field in western Iran. In March the two countries struck a three-year $3.39 billion deal to produce liquefied natural gas in Iran's mammoth South Pars natural gas field. Because of its limited refining capacity Iran imports one third of its refined products such as petrol from China.

Iran–China trade value reached $45 billion in 2011 and was expected to increase to $50 billion by 2012.

Despite some of the critical press China has attracted in Iran, about 2,000 Chinese now live in Tehran and 70 Chinese companies relocated to Iran. Recently, Tehran has experienced the introduction of Chinese restaurants into cultural life.

In September 2016 Iran and the United Kingdom restored diplomatic relations to their pre-2011 level, with Nicholas Hopton being appointed British Ambassador in Tehran.

Thoughts?

Who cares about it? Global warming is already unstopable, we will all die thanks to trashes like China.

I loved you all guys, gg.

 The ramification of the relationship, may be to do with something beyond our carbon footprints?  -Very soon after the July 2015 'Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action' - ('Iran deal') was reached - and economic sanctions after many many years, were lifted - it followed that on 13 January 2016, China released a document, the 'Arab Policy Paper' -never had they issued a paper - so the time had come - Beijing understood the strategic importance of the region and the moment to launch talks appeared to be the present moment !  'Energy cooperation' is the major factor in the approach -the core part of the relationship - with constructing infrastructure, and facilitating trade and investment to support this. (its csalled the 1+2+3 formula)

-Diplomatically, China, has a -'no enemies' policy-.. (The World  Weekly online article, very good dated 26 Jan 2016)   www.theworldweekly.com/reader/view/storyline/2016-01-26/xi-jinpings-middle-east-tour-highlights-chinas-no-enemies-policy/6481   On the heels of the policy paper, President Xi Jinping visited then, that January, Iran, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia - He had visited almost every region in the world since becoming President (General Secretary of the Communist party of China in 2013) and it was quite imperative, to enter the Middle East 'stormy waters'.   .. -In his speech at the Arab League Headquarters in Cairo on Jan. 21, President Xi said, "China will not try fill any vacuums .. and has no intention of building any sphere of influence in the region.. Instead  of looking for a proxy in the Middle East we promote peace talks ; we call on all parties to join then circle of friends for the  'Belt and Road initiative' -a cooperative partnership network for win win outcomes" - (Belt and Road initiative is described as the most ambitious economic development project in human history, but could not withstand sectarian instability. Its the plan though, for China, to stabilize its economy- create new markets for Chinese goods and services). 

Not sure about British interest

I was trying to leave this thread alone, but really, I don't see how it can't not encourage political commentary responses such as post #3 - those sort of discussions need to be had somewhere other than the public forums, such as Open Discussion or Debate+. Locking this thread.

David - moderator