More than two years have passed since the introduction of the Belt and Road Initiative by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The Silk Road Fund and the Asia Investment Infrastructure Bank are two vehicles to realize Xi's plan.

Iran was one the first countries to welcome Xi's initiative and is one of the founding members of the AIIB.

We are going to sign a memorandum of inderstanding between the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance of Iran and China's National Development and Reform Commission during Xi's upcoming visit to Teheran.

In the deal, the two countries are going to encourage private sectors to set up joint investment companies and make sector investments.

With the construction and development of infrastructure, especially in the rail, road, civil aviation, energy, ports, industrial parks, agriculture and telecommunications sectors, the two nations have paved the way for greater links along the Silk Road Economic Belt.

With due attention to historical and cultural relationships between the two nations, the will of the two governments for deepening relations and common ground can assure that mutual cooperation will firmly continue and will be strengthened by the meeting of the two leaders.

Economic ties are increasing and the dimension of common issues is expanding.

We hope to witness the sustainable growth and consolidation of the relationship between Iran and China.

(China Daily 01/23/2016 page7)