OREANDA-NEWS. January 21, 2014. China Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, says the country's transactions with Iran are transparent and do not harm the interests of other countries.

“China's energy trade and cooperation with Iran and other Middle East countries are very open, transparent and legitimate,” Hua told a press briefing.

She made the remark when asked about China’s position on the prospects of sanctions relief for Iran.

“This kind of cooperation, which is mutually beneficial, does no harm the interests of any other party, neither does it violate China's international obligations,” said Hua.

Last December, China’s state trader Zhuhai Zhenrong Company started talks with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for a condensate contract. China plans to purchase 240,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil from its main supplier, Iran, this year.

Beijing also more than doubled its crude oil imports from Iran in November 2013 month-on-month amid hopes for sanctions relief on the Islamic Republic.

In late November, Iran and the six world powers reached a breakthrough nuclear deal for the resolution of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear issue.

Under the deal, the six powers have agreed to ease some of the existing sanctions against the Islamic Republic in exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period. It was also agreed that no more sanctions would be imposed on Iran within the same timeframe.