As two ancient civilizations in Asia, Iran and China have been closely related for thousands of years. The Silk Road is a common legacy left over from this era, passing through Xi’an to Gansu and Xinjiang  and then to Khujand. In Samarkand, Bukhara, Herat and Neishabur, you will encounter the remains of the cultural, artistic, economic and social interactions of these two ancient Asian civilizations.

The interactions between the two nations of Iran and China, amid the background of the industrial revolution in Europe and the beginning of the era of colonization and independence of the Asian nations, experienced a gap of about 200 years. The occurrence of the revolution in China and the Islamic revolution in Iran marked a new era for the two countries, which led to the expansion of ties. The friendship between the two nations grew stronger.

The will of the leaders of the two countries, with the excellent visit of President Xi Jinping to Tehran in 2016, led to the promotion of relations to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership, the approach of the new government of Iran to Asia and the historical state visit of President Ebrahim Raisi at the beginning of 2023. Meanwhile, the signing of 18 documents in the cultural, economic and technological fields promised the beginning of a new era of relations between the two countries and provided new ground for further expanding relations with China.

Strategic relations require attention to all aspects of the two countries’ interactions. However, the consolidation of other economic, industrial, technological and scientific fields requires added attention to people-to-people communication and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

From this point of view, 2023 can be considered an exceptional year in cultural and people-to-people relations between the people of Iran and China.

At the beginning of 2023, two important documents were signed in the field of tourism and cultural heritage cooperation between the two countries. Subsequently, Iran was announced as a tourist destination by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China.

In March, with the cooperation of Mahan Air, Iran’s tourist attractions were introduced to Chinese enthusiasts in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai.

In April, Mr Ali Darabi, deputy minister of Cultural Heritage of Iran, traveled to China and participated in the first General Assembly of the founding countries of the Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia in Xi’an. In this meeting, the constitution of this union was approved and the secretary general was also elected for a period of two years.

Mr Lu Yingchuan, deputy minister of Culture and Tourism of China, visited Tehran in October and the second cultural cooperation committee and the first technical committee of tourism cooperation were held with the presence of tour operators from the two countries. During this trip, the cultural, artistic and educational exchanges 2023-26 program between the two countries was also signed.

In December, Mr Li Qun, deputy minister of Culture and Tourism of China and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, traveled to Tehran and attended the 7th International Conference of ancient civilizations.

In 2023, another important achievement of Iran-China people-to-people exchanges and cooperation was the decision to hold an exhibition of Iranian cultural relics in the Palace Museum of China.

From mid-January to mid-April, The Glory of the Ancient Persia is being held at the Palace Museum. It is the largest exhibition held by Iran in China so far.

As a medium for communication between the East and the West, Iranian art combines the cultural elements of different ethnic groups, and has made remarkable achievements in many fields, affecting many countries and regions in Eurasia.

This exhibition is showcasing 216 cultural relics collected by several museums in Iran, hoping to show the beauty of Iranian art to Chinese audiences through architecture, sculpture, ceramics, glass, metal, calligraphy, painting and other aspects, and explore the road of civilization development through exchanges and mutual learning.

People-to-people exchanges and cooperation provide an important way to deepen Iran-China relations, and I am glad to see a good start to Iran-China cooperation in 2024.

At the beginning of the new year, The Glory of the Ancient Persia held at the Palace Museum indicates that this year will be a good year for the development of Iran-China relations, and that relations between the two ancient civilizations will deepen further.

Consolidation of cultural and people-to-people interactions between Iran and China provides a way to establish stable, institutionalized and strategic relations between the two nations.

I am happy that the year 2024 has started with clear horizons and prospects for multilateral cooperation between Iran and China, and the exhibition in the Palace Museum promises a blessed year in the growing relations between the two ancient civilizations. (The author is the Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Iran)

AFM