Economy minister arrives in Beijing to attend int’l forum
Iranian Economy Minister Ali Tayebnia arrived in the Chinese capital, Beijing, on Saturday morning to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation dubbed also as “One Belt, One Road”.
The economy minister represents Iran in the international forum and is expected to meet some of his counterparts on the sidelines of the meeting.
Tayebnia had previously welcomed revival of the modern Silk Road, noting that “One Belt, One Road” program can strengthen relations among countries situated on the way of the road.
The Chinese government has declared in many occasions that it attaches importance to Iran’s role in the modern Silk Road.
According to the Chinese Xinhua News Agency, the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will be held from May 14 to 15 in Beijing.
The “One Belt, One Road” project was introduced by president Xi Jinping in 2013 as a land-and-sea version of the fabled Silk Road trading route of the 16th to 18th centuries.
China says the project is open to everyone, but it has also identified 65 countries along the Belt and Road that, since the early stages of the proposal, it’s insisted will participate in the initiative (whether they’ve confirmed it themselves or not). Together, the 64 nations plus China account for 60% of the world’s population and 30% of its GDP, according to the Hong Kong–based think tank Fung Business Intelligence.
China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that 29 heads of state will attend the forum. They’ll be among the summit’s 1,500 or so Chinese and foreign attendees.
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