On April 23, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, in Beijing.

During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed that the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and China, adopted last July, reflects the high level of bilateral relations. They emphasized the significance of the Joint Statement on the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed earlier that day, noting that it embodies the spirit and character of their relationship. It was highlighted that within less than a year, bilateral ties had progressed from a strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership, illustrating the dynamic development of their relations.

The leaders underscored that Azerbaijan and China are two friendly nations actively cooperating across all spheres. In addition to political collaboration, they praised the growth of economic and trade relations - highlighting a 20 percent increase in bilateral trade turnover last year, reaching $3.7 billion, and nearly 40 percent growth in the first quarter of this year.

The head of state noted that China is not only Azerbaijan’s top import partner but also its fourth-largest trade partner overall. He emphasized the successful implementation of the Strategic Partnership Declaration across various sectors and underlined the active transport and logistics cooperation between the two countries, which spans numerous regions across Eurasia.

The discussion also covered collaboration within international organizations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Both sides reiterated their longstanding mutual support for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty, with Azerbaijan consistently upholding the “One China” policy. They also highlighted their joint efforts to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism.

The two leaders expressed their shared commitment to a United Nations-centered international order. President Aliyev stressed the importance of establishing a mechanism to enforce UN Security Council resolutions, recalling Azerbaijan’s prolonged challenges due to the failure to implement such resolutions.

The recent meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission in Baku and the accompanying business forum were also discussed. It was noted that the event resulted in the signing of several cooperation agreements between Azerbaijani and Chinese companies across a range of sectors.

Premier Li Qiang highlighted the growing importance of the Middle Corridor and reported an increase in cargo transportation along the route. The two sides discussed joint efforts to further expand the corridor’s capacity.

The meeting explored opportunities for cooperation between Azerbaijani and Chinese companies in renewable energy and the oil and gas sector, as well as the application of Chinese technologies in Azerbaijan. Both sides emphasized the significant investment potential in these areas.

Cooperation in demining was also addressed, with Li Qiang stating that China is ready to provide humanitarian support for Azerbaijan’s demining efforts.

Following Azerbaijan’s decision to unilaterally lift visa requirements for Chinese citizens, the importance of signing a reciprocal visa waiver agreement was stressed. The sides expressed hope that this step would enhance people-to-people exchanges and boost tourism.

Agricultural cooperation was also discussed, including areas such as sericulture, cotton production, and agricultural machinery. China's support for Azerbaijan’s economic diversification policy and the country’s Digital Transformation and Development Concept was also acknowledged.

The meeting further addressed cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in China were recognized and appreciated.