The friendly and cooperative relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Iraq maintained a sound momentum of development in 2013.

The two countries enjoyed strong mutual political trust. The Office of the Iraqi President, Prime Minister Nouri Kamil Al-Maliki and Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives Osama Abdul-Aziz Al-Nujaifi sent congratulatory messages respectively to President Xi Jinping on his election. Speaker Osama Al-Nujaifi sent congratulatory messages to Premier Li Keqiang and NPC Chairman Zhang Dejiang respectively on their election. In August, Walid Abdghaffar Al-Shahib, Head of International Relations of the Political Bureau of the Islamic Dawa Party and MP led a delegation of party members to China.

Cooperation in economy, trade and energy between the two countries advanced steadily. Bilateral trade grew rapidly. Chinese enterprises made smooth headway in investment and contracting of energy and engineering projects in Iraq. Cooperation between the two sides in culture, education and sports continued to move forward.