China and Iran formally defined their bilateral relations as Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in early 2016, when President Xi Jinping paid a visit to Iran. The strategic relationship has seen robust development since then.

SHANGHAI- The growing hegemonic mentalities, power politics and behaviors are seriously destabilizing the region and the world as well, and the future could see even worse scenario. Yet, China is strongly committed to its CSP with Iran, and China and Iran will see stronger cooperation.

Actually, it was in the early new century that China began its endeavor to build partnerships with countries in different parts of the world as one of the pillars of its international strategy. In general terms, partnership can be in political, economic, cultural and strategic areas. It can also be interpreted in security and strategic areas in narrow terms in many circumstances.

Accordingly, China has defined its relationship with countries as partnership, strategic partnership and comprehensive strategic partnership. These efforts contributed to China’s vision of building a shared future for mankind in the second ten years of the new century. Partnerships are also part of China’s efforts to build a shared future.
    
Partnership, instead of alliance, is a home-grown concept featuring China’s philosophy with Chinese characteristics. China believes that the world order should be inclusive rather than exclusive. In 2014, President Xi Jinping proposed a new security concept at the CICA summit (Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia) in Shanghai, namely to construct common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. The new security concept later became an essential part of the Global Security Initiative (GSI) in 2022. To put it simply, with the new security concept China believes that the security of the world should not be divided, and countries should work together to deal with the shared security. One country should take regard for others’ security while strengthening its own security.

Alliance is by nature a Western concept serving the strategy of Western countries, particularly the U.S. in the contemporary world, to dominate the world with the approach of divide and rule. While allying with a bloc, the U.S. intended to contain the other side of the story. Both China, Iran and countries in West Asia are actually victims of the alliance strategy. Peace and security will never be truly available so long as the concept of alliance is there, particularly by hegemonic powers.

As a kind of vision in the minds of the Chinese political establishment, CSP could mean profoundly in many ways beyond the interpretation of a humble scholar. Partnership, instead of alliance, envisions inclusiveness rather than exclusiveness; the word comprehensive envisions a relationship in all-round ways including political, economic, cultural and strategic aspects; the word strategic in the Chinese language actually features both strategic importance and long-term considerations.

Iran is not only a great nation-state but also a great civilization, which could be dated back to more than 5,000,000 years ago. Enjoying such an old civilization and rich culture, Iran is also gifted with wisdom in statecraft. Iran is also a great country with a sizable territory, abundant resources, as well as diligent and intelligent population. Additionally, Iran is one of the very few countries that have established a full-chain military industry. Meanwhile, China is also a great civilizational nation-state with intelligent and hardworking people. 
    
That is to say that China and Iran are CSP naturally. While alliance is an old-fashioned bloc-building mentality, CSP between China and Iran will work better for security issues. The two can not only enhance strategic and non-strategic cooperation but also cooperate with other parties in the region, for instance with PGCC countries, which should be a basis for building a reasonable inclusive security framework. 
    
The China-Iran Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has seen significant development since 2016. Iran has demonstrated its full support for China in various issues from the ones related to China’s core national interests and major international agendas proposed by China, such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China has also strongly supported Iran’s legitimate quest on many issues. China supported Iran’s legitimate position on JCPOA, Iran’s position on women’s rights and membership in SCO and BRICS, etc.
    
Both China and Iran are victims of U.S. bullying and sanctions. Despite sanctions, the two have enhanced economic relations with each other, though higher expectations are always there.
    
The two have also seen growing cultural exchanges. More and more Chinese movies and TV series are screened in Iran, and every year we can find Iranian movies winning awards in China’s movie festivals. The level of exchange of scholars and students is also increasing. All these have made it possible for the mutual understanding of the people of the two civilizations in modern times.
    
Some Iranian experts used to argue that China and Iran should form an alliance. They probably mean that China and Iran should have more certainty guaranteed in case of strategic cooperation. But cooperation in strategic areas should be an integrated part of CSP. To put it another way, not being allies does not mean the two are not willing to cooperate in strategic areas. The last decade has seen that China has supported Iran for most of its legitimate positions on various issues including strategic ones. Security cooperation at bilateral and multilateral levels is also growing.
    
Justice is one of the foundational principles of international order. This principle is particularly enshrined in the two great civilizations of China and Iran. The world is seeing crazily growing violations of justice and other basic international laws in Palestine and Lebanon, for instance, and possibly in the Asia Pacific in the future. The two will have reasons to strengthen cooperation in strategic areas.
    
In one word, China and Iran are natural partners at strategic levels and in all-around ways. The foreseeable turbulence of the world will see the two will have to strengthen their strategic relations.