By Elena Kosolapova
Azeri Observer Staff Writer
Relations between China and Azerbaijan reached their highest level in history in 2025, marked by intensified political trust, expanding economic cooperation and deeper people-to-people exchanges, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Azerbaijan Lu Mei said at an annual press briefing held at the Chinese Embassy in Baku on Thursday.
Addressing representatives of local media, Ambassador Lu described the past year as a “harvest year” for bilateral ties, underscoring that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Ilham Aliyev, relations were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
“The quality and pace of China–Azerbaijan relations have improved across the board,” the ambassador said, noting that political dialogue, pragmatic cooperation and humanitarian exchanges all achieved tangible and visible results in 2025.
High-level diplomacy as a driving force
Ambassador Lu emphasized that head-of-state diplomacy remained the key engine of bilateral development. In April, President Ilham Aliyev paid a state visit to China, holding talks with President Xi Jinping. The visit resulted in the signing of a Joint Statement on the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership and 20 cooperation documents covering a wide range of sectors.
Later in the year, from late August to early September, President Aliyev returned to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin and events marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. According to the ambassador, the visit demonstrated the two countries’ shared commitment to safeguarding the international order and opposing the resurgence of fascism.
Lu also highlighted the symbolic importance of President Aliyev being accompanied by his family during both visits, describing it as a sign of trust and genuine friendship. During their meetings, President Xi referred to President Aliyev as “a long-standing friend of the Chinese people.”
Beyond presidential diplomacy, 2025 saw a record number of high-level exchanges. Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev, who coordinates Azerbaijan–China economic and trade cooperation, visited China twice to advance practical collaboration, while ministries, political parties, enterprises and local authorities on both sides worked actively to implement agreements reached at the highest level.
Coordination on the global stage
China and Azerbaijan also maintained close coordination within multilateral frameworks, including the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Ambassador Lu reaffirmed China’s support for Azerbaijan’s accession to the SCO and its chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). China, she said, stands ready to further strengthen multilateral cooperation with Azerbaijan, protect the shared interests of the Global South and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Expanding economic and energy cooperation
Economic and trade cooperation recorded particularly strong momentum in 2025. From January to October, bilateral trade reached $2.44 billion, a year-on-year increase of 21.9%. The ambassador said the full-year figure is expected to set a new historical record for the third consecutive year. China remains Azerbaijan’s largest source of imports and its fourth-largest overall trading partner.
Chinese companies continued to implement projects in Azerbaijan across construction materials, retail, automobile manufacturing and renewable energy. A key milestone was the delivery of the first 50 electric buses produced at BYD’s plant in Azerbaijan. The facility plans to produce 300 electric buses by the end of the year, to be deployed in Baku, Nakhchivan and Karabakh, supporting Azerbaijan’s green transport ambitions.
Cooperation in renewable energy also advanced rapidly. Chinese companies signed agreements for five new energy projects, including solar and wind power plants, with a combined installed capacity of 1,570 MW. Once fully operational, these projects are expected to double Azerbaijan’s renewable electricity generation capacity. The country’s first large-scale wind power project — a 240 MW facility implemented by Chinese enterprises — is scheduled to be commissioned this year. In addition, a 3 GW solar panel manufacturing plant, funded by Chinese private capital, is planned for the Alat Free Economic Zone.
Transport and the Middle Corridor
Transport connectivity emerged as another area of notable progress. From January to November, 351 Trans-Caspian freight trains were dispatched from China to Azerbaijan, representing a 34% increase compared to the previous year. New routes were launched from cities including Jinhua, Yiwu, Beijing and Shenzhen, making Chinese cargo the largest source of freight along the Middle Corridor. China, Ambassador Lu said, will continue high-quality cooperation with Azerbaijan under the Belt and Road Initiative, leveraging its advantages in logistics, technology and capital to support Azerbaijan’s ambition to become a regional transport hub.
Humanitarian cooperation and people-to-people ties
Beyond economics, the ambassador stressed that bilateral cooperation directly benefits ordinary citizens. China provided 2 million yuan in assistance to the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action to support demining and reconstruction in liberated territories. Through the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Chinese-made digital equipment was donated to children’s homes in Baku’s Khazar district, while China also funded distance-learning equipment for 216 schools in Nakhchivan.
Humanitarian and cultural exchanges continued to deepen, boosted by the visa-free travel agreement signed during President Aliyev’s April visit to China. From January to October, more than 57,000 Chinese tourists visited Azerbaijan — nearly 50% more than in the same period last year. Interest in the Chinese language and culture is also growing steadily among Azerbaijani youth. Ambassador Lu placed special emphasis on youth cooperation, calling young people the future of both nations and of China–Azerbaijan relations.
Looking ahead
Reflecting on China’s domestic development, Lu briefed journalists on the Fourth Plenum of the 20th CPC Central Committee and the draft 15th Five-Year Plan, which outlines China’s economic and social priorities for the coming years. She noted that the plan’s goals align closely with Azerbaijan’s Socio-Economic Development Strategy for 2027–2030, creating new opportunities for synergy. Concluding her remarks, Ambassador Lu expressed confidence that the comprehensive strategic partnership will continue to expand in 2026.
