Azerbaijan to walk with China along digital highway

With close political ties as the bedrock of the bilateral relationship, Azerbaijan is actively enhancing its partnership with China by focusing on trade and investment, said Elnur Mammadov, Azerbaijan's deputy minister of foreign affairs.

During a visit to Beijing last week, Mammadov highlighted the longstanding ties between the two nations, which date back to the ancient Silk Road. Over the past 30 years, this partnership has been characterized by stability and resilience, evidenced by approximately 90 bilateral agreements across various fields, he said.

Azerbaijan established diplomatic ties with China in 1992 and was one of the first countries to join and actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative. Last July, the two sides jointly announced the establishment of the Azerbaijan-China strategic partnership, marking an important upgrade of bilateral ties.

Mammadov emphasized China's role as a priority and reliable partner. "Based on our joint strategic partnership statement, we agreed to expand cooperation across various fields, strengthen our interaction in international affairs, and jointly protect our common interests."

Speaking at the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing-based think tank, Mammadov noted Azerbaijan's intention to continue investing in its relationship with China due to the immense opportunities it offers.

According to China's General Administration of Customs, trade between the two countries has consistently grown since 2022, with total imports and exports exceeding $2.46 billion in 2024, a 43 percent increase from the previous year.

Mammadov expressed optimism about the future trajectory of trade, highlighting the digital economy, green energy and infrastructure as key areas for collaboration.

"We often talk about the ancient Silk Road, which passed through many countries, including Azerbaijan. Today, we also refer to the digital Silk Road, which was built along the same historic route. Azerbaijan has recently signed an agreement to lay a digital cable on the Caspian Sea bed to provide an alternative digital connection to Europe — a project we call the digital Silk Way," he said.

Azerbaijan is prioritizing digital transformation, the deputy minister said. "We have strong partnerships with Chinese high-tech companies assisting us in this digital transformation. AI and information technologies will be central to our agenda with China and will become increasingly significant in our partnership."

Apart from the digital partnership, the "Middle Corridor", or Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, is another significant area of cooperation, Mammadov said. This route, which runs from China through Kazakhstan and the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan and beyond, significantly reduces transport time between China and Europe.

The Azerbaijan Railways Closed Joint Stock Company reported that freight volume via the "Middle Corridor" in 2024 increased over 25 times compared with the previous year, reaching more than 27,000 containers. In March 2024, a freight train from Xi'an, China, arrived in Baku in just 11 days. By November, Azerbaijan sent its first freight train to China.

"In green energy, Chinese companies are involved in the construction of renewable energy sources in Azerbaijan. We have purchased electric buses from BYD, a major Chinese new energy vehicle maker, and are working on joint electric vehicle local production," the deputy minister said.

Beyond bilateral collaboration, Mammadov highlighted the shared views of Azerbaijan and China on international affairs.

"Both Azerbaijan and China adhere to multilateralism, support the international system under the United Nations and will continue to strengthen cooperation within the framework. As developing countries, we are also ready to strengthen cooperation and jointly protect the common interests of developing countries," he said.

"Azerbaijan backs China's three global initiatives — the global development, security and civilization initiatives — and plans to actively participate in these frameworks to accelerate the UN Sustainable Development Goals," Mammadov said.

yangran1@chinadaily.com.cn