Chinese vice premier holds talks with Azerbaijani deputy PM

Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Wednesday held talks with Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev in Baku.

Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, China-Azerbaijan relations have been developing in a sound and stable manner.

In July this year, the two heads of state announced the elevation of China-Azerbaijan relations to the level of strategic partnership, laying out a new blueprint for bilateral relations, Ding noted, adding that both sides should implement the key consensuses reached by the two leaders, firmly support each other on issues concerning their core interests and promote the steady and long-term development of China-Azerbaijan relations, to achieve shared development and prosperity and bring more benefits to the two peoples.

Ding expressed China's willingness to align the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Azerbaijan's economic and social development strategies and enrich the strategic partnership with more practical cooperation outcomes.

China seeks to strengthen trade and investment cooperation and enable more high-quality Azerbaijani products to enter the Chinese market, welcomes Azerbaijani businesses to invest and grow in China and encourages and supports Chinese companies to invest and develop in Azerbaijan, Ding said.

He noted that China actively adapts itself to the trend of green and low-carbon transition and continues to deepen energy cooperation.

China strengthens connectivity to ensure the safe, stable, and smooth operation of China-Europe freight trains and works with Azerbaijan and other countries along the route to build the trans-Caspian international transportation corridor, Ding said.

Ding called for enhancing cooperation in culture, education, science, tourism and other areas, facilitating personnel exchanges between the two countries, and promoting mutual understanding between the peoples.

The two countries should strengthen mutual support and coordination in international and regional affairs to safeguard the shared interests of both countries and other developing nations, he added.

Mustafayev said that Azerbaijan highly values the BRI proposed by Xi and was one of the first countries to formally support it.

Noting that the relationship between Azerbaijan and China is strong and resilient, he said that Azerbaijan firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to push for greater development of bilateral relations by further aligning development strategies with China and deepening bilateral practical cooperation in trade, investment, energy, finance, people-to-people exchanges and other areas.