Representatives of several Iraqi social groups said in an interview a few days ago that China and Iran are both ancient civilizations and have a long history of friendship. Driven by the Belt and Road Initiative, Iraq is sharing more and more opportunities from China and looks forward to more Chinese investment and bilateral cooperation.

Rebuilding their homes is the greatest wish of the Iraqi people. Since China and Iraq signed a cooperation document on jointly building the Belt and Road in 2015, the multi-field cooperation between the two countries has achieved fruitful results. China actively participates in the reconstruction of Iraq's energy, infrastructure and other fields, and provides assistance within its capacity for Iraq's economic and social development.

In recent years, Chinese enterprises have actively participated in Iraqi power construction. In 2014, the Huashide power plant project, which was constructed by a Chinese enterprise and implemented by a subsidiary of Power China, was put into operation to generate electricity, effectively improving the power supply in Baghdad and surrounding areas. In 2021, the 730-megawatt combined cycle power station in Rumaila, undertaken by PowerChina, will be connected to the grid for power generation, easing the power shortage in southern Iraq. According to reports, the power plant built by China is responsible for half of Iraq's electricity supply.

The oil industry is the main pillar of the Iraqi economy, accounting for about 60% of its GDP and 90% of its fiscal revenue. The Iraqi government is actively implementing and advancing the oil industry revival plan to increase oil production and export capabilities. Since 2008, China National Petroleum Corporation has started to participate in oil and gas development cooperation in Iraq. By the end of 2021, a total of 1.135 billion tons of crude oil has been produced. In addition to contributing a large amount of tax revenue, it has also provided more than 65,000 local jobs and cultivated various engineering and technical services. There are more than 8,000 talents.Editor/Ma Xue