Azerbaijani president, Chinese premier agree on advancing Middle Corridor, technology exchange PHOTO

On April 23, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, during his official visit to Beijing. 

The meeting, which took place against the backdrop of strengthening bilateral ties, focused on expanding cooperation in trade, energy, transport, and regional connectivity, Caliber.Az reports, citing the official website of the Azerbaijani head of state.

According to the official website of the Azerbaijani presidency, both leaders expressed satisfaction with the current state of political and economic relations between the two countries. It was highlighted that trade turnover between Azerbaijan and China increased by 20% in 2024, reaching $3.7 billion, and surged by nearly 40% in the first three months of 2025 alone.

President Aliyev emphasised China’s leading role in Azerbaijan’s foreign trade, noting that China is Azerbaijan’s number one partner in imports and its fourth-largest trading partner overall. He underscored the successful implementation of the Declaration on Strategic Partnership across multiple areas, praising the active and growing cooperation in the transport and logistics sectors, which are strategically significant for the broader Eurasian region.

Aliyev pointed out that both nations share a commitment to the principles of international relations as embodied by the United Nations. He called for the creation of a mechanism to enforce the UN Security Council's resolutions, emphasizing that Azerbaijan had for many years suffered due to the non-implementation of such resolutions.

Premier Li Qiang echoed these sentiments, stressing the importance of the Middle Corridor, a key trans-Eurasian transport route, and noted the growing volume of freight traffic through this route. He stated that Azerbaijan and China are jointly working to enhance the corridor’s throughput capacity.

The discussions extended into areas of strategic economic collaboration. Both leaders examined the potential for increased cooperation in renewable energy and the oil and gas sectors. They also addressed the possibility of integrating advanced Chinese technologies into various sectors of Azerbaijan’s economy.

In terms of post-conflict recovery, Li Qiang reiterated China’s willingness to provide humanitarian assistance to Azerbaijan, specifically in the field of demining operations in formerly occupied territories.

Agricultural cooperation was also on the agenda. The two sides discussed partnerships in sericulture, cotton production, and agricultural machinery. Li Qiang affirmed China’s support for Azerbaijan’s economic diversification agenda, as well as the country’s ongoing digital transformation and development strategy.

The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Both parties expressed appreciation for joint projects, including those carried out in China with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

By Tamilla Hasanova