Azerbaijan railways, China’s port strengthen cooperation on Middle Corridor development Photo

Rovshan Rustamov, Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY), which operates under the AZCON holding company, met with a delegation led by Ye Niuping, Mayor of Xi’an, People’s Republic of China, to discuss expanding cooperation in transport and logistics.

During the meeting, both sides emphasised that President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to China in April 2025 marked an important milestone in the development of Azerbaijani–Chinese relations. The Joint Statement on the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership, along with agreements signed during the visit on the joint development of international multimodal transport and the Belt and Road Initiative, were highlighted as a strong foundation for further collaboration Caliber.Az reports via ADY.

The two parties expressed satisfaction with the current level of cooperation between ADY and Chinese transport and logistics companies and ports, particularly in advancing the Middle Corridor. They underscored the importance of further expanding this partnership to boost regional connectivity.

It was noted that ADY and the Port of Xi’an are working closely to enhance the capacity of the Middle Corridor and increase cargo volumes. As part of this effort, ADY appointed a representative at the Port of Xi’an in July and launched a container terminal with an annual throughput capacity of 20,000 TEU. ADY representatives have also been granted access to the port’s operating system to ensure faster information exchange.

In the first nine months of this year, Azerbaijan Railways handled 296 trains from China, including 113 transit trains — a 39% increase compared to the same period last year. Container traffic reached 103,134 TEU, up approximately 20% from 86,413 TEU in 2024.

The meeting concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Azerbaijan Railways CJSC and the Port of Xi’an, reinforcing both sides’ commitment to deepening cooperation in transport and logistics.

By Sabina Mammadli