TEHRAN- The representative office of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (TCCIMA) was opened in Khorgos in the presence of the president and secretary-general of the Tehran Chamber and managers of the Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce.

The office began operating in implementation of bilateral agreements and with the aim of expanding trade interactions, exchanging economic information, and introducing investment opportunities. Khorgos is China’s connection point to Europe and, relying on rail network connections, plays an important role in container transfer, combined transport, and the movement of goods between East and West.

Concurrent with the dispatch of the Tehran Chamber’s trade delegation to China, the Chamber’s representative office was opened in Khorgos, and Jalil Adibi was introduced as the Chamber’s representative in Khorgos. Strengthening ties between Iranian and Chinese trading firms, introducing reputable partners, and supporting Iran’s private sector in Chinese and Central Asian markets are among the stated goals of launching this representative office.

Last year, the Tehran Chamber and the Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce signed a cooperation memorandum, drawing a joint framework for developing trade relations and utilizing the economic and logistical capacities of the Khorgos dry port. In implementation of this memorandum, the representative office of the Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce was opened in Mordad of this year (July–August), concurrent with the trade delegation’s trip to Tehran. Continuing this process, and four months after the Khorgos Chamber representative was established at the Tehran Chamber, the official representative office of the Tehran Chamber in Khorgos also officially began operations.

Under the memorandum signed last year by Mahmoud Najafi Arab, president of the Tehran Chamber, and Ma Fuming, president of the Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce, the parties agreed to exchange information and trade delegations, introduce economic opportunities and capabilities, develop logistical cooperation, facilitate the active presence of private-sector actors in each other’s markets, and lay the groundwork for increasing trade exchanges. Another agreed axis was the establishment of a Tehran Chamber representative office in Khorgos and vice versa, which was realized with the presence of the Tehran Chamber delegation in Khorgos.

Jalil Adibi, representative of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture in Khorgos, referring to the signing of the joint memorandum between the two chambers and one of its clauses on establishing representative offices to accelerate trade processes, said: Establishing communication between the economic firms of the two countries, providing facilities to improve transport and logistics mechanisms, optimizing economic opportunities, dispatching trade delegations, and holding exhibitions to present products are among the axes of the agreement between the Tehran and Khorgos chambers.

Adibi, stating that “one of the most important issues emphasized in this memorandum is the exchange of information in areas related to laws and regulations, and the Tehran Chamber is trying to convey the latest rules and regulations related to trade with China to Iranian economic firms,” added: Raising awareness about other trade issues such as costs and customs regulations will also be on the agenda within this framework.

In continuation of his remarks, he provided explanations about the geographical and geopolitical position of the city of Khorgos and said: The city of Khorgos is located in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture on the border between China and Kazakhstan, and Ili Prefecture is itself one of the Uyghur autonomous prefectures of Xinjiang.

Adibi, stating that “Xinjiang has significant capacities in the field of technical equipment, modern agriculture, and e-commerce platforms,” noted: The Tehran Chamber has considered this region for two years as one of the strategic cities for economic cooperation with the northwestern and northeastern areas of China and has expanded its communications with the private sector of this region, such as the Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce.

He also explained that in the past three months, various measures have been taken in the field of cooperation related to the digital economy, strengthening the capabilities of economic actors in the e-commerce field, and developing customs communications.

According to Adibi, the Tehran Chamber’s representative office based at the Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce does not merely serve as an administrative office but provides the possibility of cooperation with the Chinese side in investment, energy, industry, mining, trade, and agriculture.

He also noted that Khorgos is China’s connection point to Europe and, relying on rail network connections, plays an important role in container transfer, combined transport, and the movement of goods between East and West. Reducing transport time and costs, diversifying trade routes, and creating an operational link between China, Central Asia, and Europe are among the advantages of utilizing the capacity of this dry port for Iranian economic actors, especially in developing alternative trade routes and strengthening connection to the Eurasian network.

MA