President's aide: Baku, Beijing united against terrorism, extremism, separatism Interview with China Economic Net

Baku and Beijing are united in the fight against terrorism, extremism, and separatism, said Azerbaijani president’s aide Hikmet Hajiyev in an interview with China Economic Net following the bilateral meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the Tianjin State Guesthouse on August 31.

““China and Azerbaijan are engaged in a comprehensive strategic partnership that is dynamically developing across many spheres. We enjoy excellent political relations, and President Aliyev’s state visit to China has played a crucial role in advancing our bilateral ties,” Hajiyev said.

He described the meeting between the two heads of state as “fruitful,” and noted that both leaders addressed multiple areas of cooperation.

“Through strong political engagement, our collaboration extends into multilateral institutions, where China and Azerbaijan consistently support one another,” the official said. “We are united in our fight against the 'three evils' - terrorism, extremism, and separatism - in partnership with China."

“Azerbaijan and China are also guided by the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states, and we respect the sovereign right of each country to determine its own model of economic development,” Hajiyev noted.

Hajiyev emphasised: “I would like to highlight the strategic nature of China-Azerbaijan relations. China is a leading country within the SCO. First, we maintain strong political dialogue. China and Azerbaijan have always supported each other, and our high-level political engagement is backed by a comprehensive strategic partnership document.”

“Second, our economic and trade ties are broadening. In addition to traditional areas, we see significant potential for cooperation in emerging sectors aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals - including energy, renewable energy, and advanced technologies,” he said.

“We are also witnessing growing people-to-people exchanges, humanitarian collaboration, and cultural and tourism engagement - all of which present promising avenues for future cooperation,” the official added.

Hajiyev stressed that the “Shanghai Spirit” - the foundational principle of the SCO, characterized by mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity, and pursuit of common development - continues to guide China-Azerbaijan relations.

“This spirit also translates into economic cooperation, pilot initiatives, trade partnerships, and enhanced connectivity. For instance, we are deepening technological collaboration between our two countries.”

Hajiyev also noted that President Aliyev will hold extensive meetings today with leading Chinese companies operating in renewable energy, technology, communications, and other sectors.

“We are confident that this visit will effectively contribute to the further development of China-Azerbaijan economic and trade relations,” he concluded.

By Khagan Isayev