President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev meets with President of People's Republic of China Xi Jinping in Astana [PHOTOS/VIDEO]

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev’s meeting with President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping has commenced in Astana, Azernews reports.

Speaking at the meeting, President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping said:

- I believe that under the leadership of Mr. President, Azerbaijan will continue to achieve new accomplishments in various aspects of state-building. China-Azerbaijan relations are based on sincerity and mutual trust.

Our countries are good friends and good partners, grounded in equality and mutual benefit. China-Azerbaijan relations have always developed in a healthy and stable manner. Cooperation between the two countries has yielded effective results and reached a richer strategic content. Today, we will adopt a Joint Declaration. With this document, we will elevate our bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership. This also marks a new starting point. We will continue to enhance mutual support for the prosperity of our peoples."

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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said at the meeting:

- Dear Mr. President.

I am very pleased to see you again. As you mentioned, our countries are close partners, and the Declaration to be adopted today officially makes the People's Republic of China and Azerbaijan strategic partners. I think this is a great achievement and also a great responsibility. We intend to actively interact and strengthen bilateral relations in all directions in the future.

I am glad that our meetings are regular in nature and give an important impetus to the development of comprehensive relations between our countries. I would like to emphasize mutual support in international institutions, the expression of support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our countries in various documents adopted at the bilateral level.

I would also like to point to the active diplomacy at the level of ministers, departments, state agencies, public organizations of our countries, and productive cooperation between the Communist Party of China and the New Azerbaijan Party. All this strengthens our relationship.

We are pleased with the increase in the turnover of goods between our countries, it has reached 3 billion dollars and has the potential for further growth. Azerbaijan has already opened trading houses in six Chinese cities in an effort to promote its products in the Chinese market. We are also pleased with the increase in exports from the People's Republic of China to Azerbaijan.

I would like to thank you once again for your help during the COVID-19 epidemic. My written appeal to you received an immediate positive response, and more than a million doses of vaccine were delivered to Azerbaijan, saving thousands of lives. Azerbaijan became one of the countries that passed this test with minimum losses, first of all, thanks to your friendly attitude and help in a difficult time.

I would like to note that the prospects of investment cooperation are already discernible. Among the recent events, I would like to mention the selection of China's BYD company, a well-known manufacturer of electric cars and electric buses, as Azerbaijan’s strategic partner. Relevant documents have been signed as the first step of cooperation for joint production of electric buses and other electric vehicles. Of course, I am particularly pleased to note the increase in cargo transportation between our countries.

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Xi Jinping congratulated Ilham Aliyev on his re-election as President. The head of state expressed his gratitude for the congratulations.

President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan always supported the One China Policy. They noted that the elections held in Taiwan were condemned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, while China also expressed its support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

Xi Jinping expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijan for always supporting the One China policy. It was highlighted that the positions of the two countries on the fight against extralateralism, extremism and separatism overlapped.

President Ilham Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan attached great importance to multilateralism, a multilateral diplomacy, and noted that Azerbaijan was a supporter of the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. Azerbaijan, which has itself been suffering from double standards, does not accept attempts to interfere in its internal affairs.

It was emphasized that increasing the status of Azerbaijan in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was supported by China. The sides noted that special attention would be paid to this issue within the framework of China's chairmanship next year.

Xi Jinping invited the President of Azerbaijan to the Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to be held in China, and also to pay a state visit to China.

President Ilham Aliyev accepted the invitation with gratitude.

The President of Azerbaijan also invited the President of the People's Republic of China to pay an official visit to Azerbaijan at a convenient time.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to support and join the One Belt, One Road project. The country’s transport and logistical capabilities, the successes Azerbaijan has achieved thanks to its investments in this field and its continuous improvement were also acknowledged. The sides emphasized in this regard that the capacity of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway would be increased to 5 million tons, whereas the loading capacity of the Alat International Trade Seaport would grow from 15 million to 25 million tons.

Touching upon the cooperation between Azerbaijan and China within the framework of the Middle Corridor, the heads of state exchanged views on the positive impact of the digitization of this corridor on the volume of cargo proceeding from Central Asian countries to the West and from the West to China and Central Asia.

During the conversation, the sides noted the importance of the Framework Agreement signed between Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Digital Development and Transport and Chinese company “BYD”. The agreement envisages supplying the country’s bus fleet through local production.

The heads of state touched upon the fraternal relations between cities of the two countries. They emphasized that six cities of Azerbaijan had relations with various cities and regions of China.

The humanitarian and cultural relations between Azerbaijan and China were also discussed. The sides highlighted the importance of the projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

In order to expand cooperation in the field of tourism and increase people-to-people contacts, the sides pointed to Azerbaijan’s unilateral elimination of visas for Chinese citizens and expressed hope that this would give a serious impetus to contacts between the two countries and people. Xi Jinping said that the Chinese side would also consider applying visa-free travel for Azerbaijani citizens so that contacts between the two countries and people could further increase.

The President of the People's Republic of China conveyed his congratulations on the occasion of COP29 to be held in Azerbaijan and said that his country would be represented at this event at a high level. The sides noted the importance of close cooperation of delegations of the two countries within the framework of COP29.

Referring to Azerbaijan’s successful chairmanship of Azerbaijan's Non-Aligned Movement, Xi Jinping's said that Azerbaijan as President of COP29 and China were part of the Global South.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude to China for supporting the development of cooperation with BRICS, as well as supporting Azerbaijan’s cooperation with the SCO. The head of state noted that the Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia would be held in Azerbaijan in 2026. In this regard, opinions were exchanged on issues of cooperation between Azerbaijan and China.

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Within the framework of the SCO Summit, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping adopted the “Joint Declaration on the establishment of strategic partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the People's Republic of China”.