China and Azerbaijan upgrade ties to strategic partnership

China and Azerbaijan announced the upgrading of bilateral relations to a strategic partnership in a joint statement, as Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday.

The two leaders met in Astana ahead of the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Calling the upgrading of ties a new starting point, Xi stressed that the two sides will surely continue to make efforts to increase mutual support for the betterment of the two peoples.

He pointed out that China and Azerbaijan are good friends who trust each other with all sincerity and are good partners pursuing mutual benefit.

Bilateral relations have always developed healthily and stably, and cooperation between the two countries has achieved fruitful results with richer strategic connotations, Xi added.

China firmly supports Azerbaijan in safeguarding national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, Xi stressed.

The two sides should promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, deepen cooperation in such fields as trade, investment, oil and gas, and photovoltaics, strengthen connectivity, advance the construction of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, and ensure the healthy and stable operation of China-Europe freight trains, he said.

The two sides should also carry out more exchanges in such areas as education, culture and tourism, as well as between the youths of the two nations and at the sub-national level, and consolidate the public foundation of China-Azerbaijan friendship, he said.

China supports Azerbaijan in hosting the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Xi said.

China stands ready to work with Azerbaijan to advocate equal and orderly global multipolarity, and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and promote world peace, stability and development, he said.

For his part, Aliyev said that Azerbaijan and China are good partners.

The two countries have maintained close exchanges at various departments and levels, witnessed increasing bilateral trade volume, and firmly supported each other in safeguarding independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity in international organizations, he said.

The two sides jointly announced the establishment of the Azerbaijan-China strategic partnership in a joint statement, which is of great significance to the development of bilateral relations, he said.

Azerbaijan firmly abides by the one-China principle and firmly supports China's great cause of national reunification, which is the trend of history and no force can stop it, he said.

Azerbaijan is willing to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with China, tap the potential, enhance cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, investment, new energy and culture within the framework of Belt and Road cooperation, closely collaborate within the SCO and other frameworks, oppose external interference and safeguard regional security and stability, said Aliyev.

The two sides issued the joint statement on establishing the strategic partnership, and relevant departments of the two sides signed cooperation documents in such areas as Belt and Road cooperation and connectivity.

(With input from Xinhua)