The Iranian Minister of Information and Communication Technology Seyed Sattar Hashemi said ICT can function as the main pillar of strategic partnership between Tehran and Beijing.
“Iran and China can build a joint ecosystem for the world’s
digital future,” he said at the National Day ceremony of the People’s Republic
of China to mark the anniversary of establishment of the People's Republic of
China on 1 October 1949.
Hashemi stressed the significance of strategic relations
between the two countries and the prospects for technological and digital bilateral
cooperation based on the ancient civilizational relations between Iran and
China along the Silk Road.
“Today, this long-standing friendship has blossomed into a
comprehensive strategic partnership, and the will of the leaders of the two
countries is focused on great leaps in the bilateral relations and creating a
lasting model of all-round cooperation," the minister added.
Hashemi also termed the recent meeting of the presidents of
Iran and China a symbol of the two countries' joint commitment and stated,
"The emphasis on the full implementation of the 25-year comprehensive
cooperation plan in this meeting has drawn a clear roadmap for the common
future of Iran and China."
The ICT minister said the technological cooperation between
Iran and China is a "strategic bond".
"Information and communication technology is not only
the foundation of economic and social development, but also a determining
factor in shaping the future of the global order. Iran, with its great
scientific capacity, and China, with its leading position in the digital
economy and innovation, can establish a common ecosystem for the world's digital
future."
He called for the establishment of joint research and
development centers, exchange of experiences in the field of artificial
intelligence, and the development of sustainable and secure networks between
Iran and China.
"Connecting to the Digital Belt and Road Initiative,
cooperation in cybersecurity, and linking innovation and entrepreneurship
ecosystems can pave the way for common markets and commercialization of new
technologies,” he said.
Hashemi added, "The ICT sector shall become the main
pillar of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Iran and China, just
as energy and transportation were the arteries of development in the last
century."
The ICT minister welcomed the coincidence of two important
events in the near future -- the 55th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between Iran and China in 2026 and the 10th
anniversary of the upgrading of relations to a comprehensive strategic
partnership -- expressing the hope that these occasions will lead to more solid
steps towards implementing the 25-year comprehensive cooperation plan.