Chinese premier meets Azerbaijani president

BEIJING -- Premier Li Qiang met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Wednesday.

Li said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations 33 years ago, China and Azerbaijan have always respected each other and treated each other as equals, fostering deep friendship and trust. Pragmatic cooperation has continually deepened, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Li noted that earlier today, the presidents of the two countries announced the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, thereby opening a new chapter in bilateral relations.

China is willing to work with Azerbaijan to further promote traditional friendship, enhance strategic mutual trust, firmly support each other in safeguarding core interests, and advance bilateral cooperation to a larger scale, wider fields and higher levels, he added.

Li noted that China is willing to enhance the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with Azerbaijan's development strategies, and jointly advance the construction of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor and establish a safe and stable China-Europe Trans-Caspian Express.

He also expressed China's willingness to deepen cooperation with Azerbaijan in emerging fields such as green energy, digital technology, and the digital economy, promote sustained optimization and development of trade, and create more new mutually beneficial opportunities.

The two sides should further strengthen people-to-people exchanges, explore cooperation potentials in areas such as culture, tourism, and education, and promote mutual understanding among their peoples, Li added.

Noting that unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, exacerbating the risks of a global economic recession, Li said China is willing to continue strengthening communication and coordination with Azerbaijan within multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, effectively implementing the three major global initiatives, and jointly advocating for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan firmly adheres to the one-China principle and resolutely opposes and condemns "Taiwan independence," expressing a willingness to continue providing mutual support with China on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns.

Azerbaijan looks forward to working with China to enhance high-level exchanges, continuously expand bilateral trade and investment, develop mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as transportation and logistics, connectivity, energy, agriculture and tourism, and further facilitate personnel exchanges, so as to continuously enrich the connotation of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, Aliyev said.

Azerbaijan highly appreciates China's significant role in international affairs, supports the three major global initiatives, and is willing to strengthen communication and cooperation with China within multilateral frameworks to maintain regional peace and stability, uphold the international system centered on the United Nations, and promote international fairness and justice, Aliyev added.