Baku, March 13, AZERTAC

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Wu Hongbo, the Special Representative of the Chinese Government on European Affairs.

Wu Hongbo congratulated Ilham Aliyev on his victory in the presidential election, recalling that Chinese President Xi Jinping had sent a congratulatory letter to the head of state on this occasion, and conveyed the Chinese President’s greetings to the Azerbaijani President. He also congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on securing the hosting of COP29 in Azerbaijan.

The head of state expressed his gratitude for the congratulations and the greetings of the Chinese President, and asked Wu Hongbo to communicate his greetings to Xi Jinping.

The Special Representative of the Chinese Government on European Affairs emphasized that under President Ilham Aliyev’s strong leadership, Azerbaijan has achieved significant accomplishments in political, economic, social, and other areas.

Wu Hongbo noted that the meeting between the presidents of Azerbaijan and China in Samarkand in 2022 gave a great impetus to the development of bilateral relations, followed by new achievements in bilateral bonds. He highlighted that Azerbaijan-China relations have reached their highest level in history.

The head of state fondly recalled his meeting with the President of China in Samarkand, adding that both sides made serious efforts to advance the discussed issues. President Ilham Aliyev underscored Azerbaijan’s interest in elevating relations with China to a qualitatively new level.

The head of state expressed Azerbaijan’s readiness to closely cooperate with China within the framework of the COP, highlighting China’s remarkable technological advancements in renewable energy. The President noted that Azerbaijan is ready to collaborate with China in this area. President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that green transition is one of Azerbaijan's priorities and noted the country's interest in establishing joint production facilities in this field.

Wu Hongbo expressed gratitude for Azerbaijan's continuous and firm support for China's territorial integrity.

President Ilham Aliyev highlighted Azerbaijan's consistent support for the One China policy and China’s territorial integrity, stating that Azerbaijan does not recognize Taiwan's independence and strongly condemns any elections held there.

Wu Hongbo emphasized the progress in Azerbaijan-China relations, built upon mutual trust, describing bilateral ties as being at a notably high level. He emphasized that China considers both the Middle Corridor and Azerbaijan-China cooperation as part of the "Belt and Road" project as vitally important for his country.

President Ilham Aliyev underscored the strategic importance of the Middle Corridor and noted Azerbaijan's relations with the Central Asian nations, mentioning the joint enterprise established by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia for the development of the Middle Corridor. He also expressed Azerbaijan's readiness for cooperation with China in this regard, highlighting the significance of the arrival of a container train in Baku from China during the state visit of the President of Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan, considering it as a demonstration of the transport potential of the Middle Corridor.

Wu Hongbo emphasized the importance of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center's 11th Global Baku Forum, noting that important discussions would be held within this framework.

During the meeting, they highlighted mutual support between Azerbaijan and China within international organizations, and hailed cooperation in cultural and humanitarian fields between the two countries.