Asia

Asia

Ahmadinejad congratulates new Chinese president

15 March 2013 04:46 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday congratulated new Chinese President Xi Jinping on his election to the post, APA reports quoting IRNA.

The congratulatory message, that was released on Thursday, reads:

"I congratulate you and the Chinese nation on your election as the China's new president. I hope that during your term in office, China will continue to develop more rapidly.

"By emphasizing readiness to expand friendly relations between Beijing and Tehran, we wish you health and success, and to your government and Chinese people - prosperity and glory."

Calling the relations between the two countries Ëˆhistorical,Ëˆ President Ahmadinejad praised China's former President Hu Jintao's efforts leading to expansion of ties between the two countries.

China, like Russia, has consistently opposed the US pressures on Iran and the WestËˆs economic sanctions imposed on the Iranian financial sector and petroleum products.

China has refused to comply with US requests to decrease oil imports from Iran and instead has increased its trade with the country.

Trade between Iran and China in the past year was estimated at $45 billion.