Iran-China Digital Talks Put Regulators at Center

Iran’s deputy minister for information, communications, and technology, Ehsan Chitsaz, proposed an action plan for digital cooperation with China’s Cyberspace Administration during a meeting on the sidelines of the 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit. Ministries, regulators and specialized institutions would decide how to manage digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and data.

Chitsaz met Zhuang Rongwen, director of the Cyberspace Administration of China. He called development of the digital economy and artificial intelligence (AI) shared priorities and said existing potential should become “specific, time-bound and measurable projects.” The proposed work spans cybersecurity, data governance, AI and social media platforms.

Regulators Write the Rules

Iran proposed exchanging experience on regulating generative AI services, assessing risks, detecting AI-generated content, protecting personal data, ensuring secure and lawful data transfer, and defining platform responsibility. Initial steps under discussion include joint training courses for experts and regulators, as well as pilot projects.

The proposals put public institutions—not users, independent organizers or community groups—in charge of setting rules for digital services. The report identifies no role for civil society organizations or grassroots groups in the planned cooperation. It also offers no details on how people could challenge decisions about data governance, platform responsibility or AI regulation. These measures remain proposals: the article reports no completed projects or agreement to implement them.

Chitsaz said continued cooperation between specialized institutions in Iran and China would help drive innovation, strengthen public trust and create business opportunities in the digital economy. The account includes no separate comments from users, independent technology groups or businesses about what the plans would mean for them.

The summit ran in Wuzhen, in east China's Zhejiang Province, from November 2 to 5. About 1,800 delegates from 138 countries and regions attended. Its theme was “Open Source and Openness, Joint Contribution and Shared Benefits – Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace.” Discussions centered on Open-Source AI, AI Governance and Security, Frontier Technologies and Digital Cooperation. The conference said it aimed to promote a more inclusive and collaborative digital future, with technological benefits shared broadly. The report doesn't explain how anyone would measure that promise or decide whether benefits were shared.

Strategic Partnership, Operational Projects

The meeting follows earlier technology discussions. In 2025, ICT Minister Sattar Hashemi and China's Minister of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), Li Lecheng, explored technological ties in Beijing. Hashemi visited at Li's invitation to further expand ICT ties with friendly countries in line with technology diplomacy, dolat.ir reported. They discussed AI, industrial intelligence, communications infrastructure and human-resource training.

Li called Iran one of Beijing's important regional partners and urged stronger operational cooperation. He said China was ready to deepen ties under the 25-year strategic partnership, citing Iran's capacities in information technology, AI and communications infrastructure. “The expansion of technological cooperation will not only contribute to the promotion of the national interests of the two countries, but will also play an effective role in fostering regional technological interactions,” Li said.

Hashemi called China Iran's “strategic partner and ally.” He proposed sharing expertise in e-government and smart services, educational cooperation and training specialized personnel. In May 2025, China's ambassador to Iran, Cong Peiwu, also described advanced-technology cooperation, particularly in AI, as essential for the future. He praised Iran's progress in information and communication technology and highlighted collaboration despite challenges and external forces, IRNA reported. The discussions included implementing existing ICT agreements and developing ties in the digital economy, communications and processing infrastructure, space systems and data transit. Across the meetings, the ambitions are broad; reported plans put governments and their regulators in the driving seat.