China and Iran sign first think tank cooperation agreement

China and Iran signed the first international think tank cooperation agreement on jointly building "Belt and Road" through the cooperation of the official and academic organizations between two major countries on Jan 23.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Iran), Iranian Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) & National Development and Reform Commission of China (NDRC), Renmin University of China.

The signing of the MOU also marks a big step in the promotion of the "Belt and Road Initiative", especially on policy coordination and people-to-people ties between two big countries.

The main contents include promoting exchanges and cooperation in the academic and research fields, exchanging experts or researchers, and promoting jointly research on several important projects.

Mostafa Zahrani, Director General of Iranian Institute for Political and International Studies, said that the purpose of signing the agreement is to enhance the friendship and the mutual understanding between the think tanks, as well as between the people, of the two countries, especially to promote the specific cooperation and exchange projects in particular fields which can improve mutual interests.

Wang Wen, the Executive Dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of Renmin University of China (RDCY), said the agreement was accomplished with the strongly support of the high level officials of the two countries, especially with the help of the leaders of Renmin University and the common efforts of the two research institutes - RDCY and IPIS. RDCY was one of the earliest think tanks to conduct the research on the "Belt and Road" and has the ability and responsibility to push forward the research cooperation worldwide, Wang said.

He said the think tanks' exchanges and contacts between China and Iran were still in their initial period over the past years without any institutionalized mechanisms on cooperation and communication.

"The signing of the MOU will become a useful exploration for the deep cooperation between the think tanks and embark on a new historical period of the two ancient countries on promoting policy coordination, facilities connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people bonds," he said.