TEHRAN – Cinema Organization of Iran (COI) Director Hojjatollah Ayyubi has met with the representatives of the top Chinese media including China Central Television (CCTV) and People’s daily.

He visited the representatives in his office on Monday and discussed expansion of cultural and cinematic cooperation, COI announced in a press release on Monday.

Ayyubi expressed hope that the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who will be arriving in Tehran on January 23 at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, will help develop bilateral collaboration.

“I am happy that cinematic relations between Iran and China have already begun and I must say that these days, we are busy with one of the greatest cinematic events in Iran.

“China has always been our friend over the past years and today, now that the world has opened its doors to us, China still remains our first priority and the meeting of the presidents of the two countries will be a turning point in boosting the relations between the two countries,” he added.

He continued that he anticipates more constant cultural and economic ties between the two states.
“I am sure the civilizations of Iran and China are the oldest civilizations. We are the two nations that consider inscription and calligraphy as an art and we have the art of calligraphy,” he stated.

He also referred to the joint Iranian and Chinese film production to be produced in the future.

Shinework Media, a private Chinese film company, and the Cinema Organization of Iran (COI) have agreed to work on a joint movie project about the Shaolin martial arts.

“Iran and China can have more and better cooperation in calligraphy, music, theater and cinema,” Ayyubi concluded.

RM/YAW
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