BJW: Thanks to the Olympic Games the world today has a much better understanding of China, Chinese culture and Chinese people and for the past week another window of understanding has also been opened - that towards Iran.
Li Nan Accountant: "I came here to see the performance. I like the culture because their drawings/ art have a strong national flavor. I know little about their history though know we have a long history of interaction."
BJW: China and Iran have had diplomatic exchanges for centuries and this past week an exhibition coordinated by Iran's Department of Sport and Culture coincided with the Olympics bringing
Beijing the best of Persian arts and crafts, music and dance.
Chen Haosu President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries: "China and Iran have very close bilateral relationships and the government and people gave great support to
Beijing's Olympic Games. We are very grateful.
BJW: Almost 2200 years ago the Chinese explorer Zhang Qian, visited Persia and from here relations flourished. Many mutual missions were sent from the 1st century BC, increasing in size and number throughout the glory days of the Silk route and the Tang dynasty.
Similarities in art and science can be identified between these two giants of the Asian continent. Historically, some Persian communities even settled in China and one of the most famous descendants following this blood line was Zheng He, the Ming dynasty's most famous naval explorer, who himself sailed to the Gulf region.
Cai Minghui Engineer: "Iran is a very mysterious country. Though I know little about Iran I know that it sometimes seems to be bothered by the US."
Mehdi Visiting Iranian Entrepreneur: "We (Iran) have mountains and sea. Everything. McDonalds? "No, maybe better!"
BJW: And today business and goodwill continues. In 2004 a $100 billion deal was signed between Sinopec and Iran. This followed an earlier agreement guaranteeing the supply of natural gas from Iran to China for the next 25 years.
Perhaps the closest the two regions have come to any conflict was in 2006 when both nations clashed on the football field at the Doha Asia Games with Iran winning an 8-7 penalty shootout.
But if there is one thing we have learned from the recent Olympics its not whether you win or lose, its how you play the game, and with the goodwill nurtured over the centuries relations between Iran and China look set to survive well into the next millennium.
