The working visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to the People’s Republic of China, timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as well as events marking the 80th anniversary of the Chinese people’s victory over the Kwantung Army and the end of World War II, also became an important milestone in the development of the Azerbaijan–China strategic dialogue.
A special highlight of the visit was Aliyev’s meeting with Xi Jinping on the very first day. Taking place just months after the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, it provided an opportunity to assess the practical steps already implemented in bilateral relations. The main focus was on expanding trade and economic cooperation. Xi Jinping called Aliyev a “dear friend,” thanked him for participating in the summit and commemorations, and emphasized that cooperation between the two countries has developed successfully for over three decades and has now reached the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership. During the talks, the Chinese leader confirmed his support for Azerbaijan’s aspiration for full SCO membership and underlined the importance of cooperation in energy, renewables, and digitalization. His message was clear: China and Azerbaijan must maintain strategic interaction and firmly support one another.
President Aliyev, in turn, informed Xi Jinping that peace had been established between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and that negotiations on normalization were ongoing in a bilateral format, opening up new opportunities for large-scale economic and transport projects. Overall, the meeting confirmed that China views Azerbaijan as a key partner in the region and is ready to expand practical cooperation in infrastructure, energy, and digital transformation.
On the sidelines of the summit, Aliyev held meetings with the heads of major Chinese corporations. With the chairman of China Communications Construction Company, discussions centered on the development of the Trans-Caspian route, expansion of the Baku Port, and environmental initiatives including the restoration of Absheron’s lakes. Talks with CETC focused on the digital transformation of governance and the economy, the introduction of smart systems, and cybersecurity—particularly relevant in the context of rebuilding liberated territories and implementing “smart village” and “smart city” concepts.
With China Energy Engineering Corporation, discussions covered joint projects in solar and wind power, water resource management, and the localization of photovoltaic panel production in Azerbaijan. Finally, the founder of Sichuan Sunsync Photovoltaic Technology expressed readiness to invest in building a solar panel plant in the Alat Free Economic Zone, which could turn Azerbaijan into a regional hub for solar energy.
These contacts showed that Azerbaijan–China relations are moving to a new level, where business partnerships become as important as political diplomacy. Infrastructure projects, digital solutions, green energy, and export-oriented production now shape a multi-layered strategy of cooperation.
In recent years, trade between China and Azerbaijan has demonstrated steady growth. From about $1.3 billion in 2018, turnover reached $3.2 billion by 2023—an increase of more than 2.4 times. The positive dynamic continued in 2024, with trade volume rising by another 20.7 percent to $3.744 billion. China’s share in Azerbaijan’s foreign trade approached 8 percent, accounting for nearly 18 percent of imports. Current figures are even more striking: in January–May 2025, trade reached $1.77 billion (up 32.3 percent year-on-year), with Azerbaijani exports nearly quadrupling to $34.7 million, while imports rose by 30.6 percent to $1.73 billion. By mid-2025, turnover was close to $2.1 billion (27.6 percent growth), with exports at $46.3 million (up 4.3 times) and imports exceeding $2 billion (up by over one-third). In January–July 2025, turnover climbed to $2.5 billion (up 26.8 percent), including $53.3 million in exports (a 4.5-fold increase) and $2.45 billion in imports (up 24.8 percent). China thus ranked as Azerbaijan’s fourth-largest trading partner, accounting for over 18 percent of total foreign trade and remaining the country’s main source of imports, while exports to China, though growing, still remain relatively modest. These figures confirm that Azerbaijan–China economic cooperation is strengthening rapidly and set to expand further.
The visit to Tianjin reaffirmed that Azerbaijan and China are ready for long-term cooperation, covering key sectors of the economy and creating a solid foundation for sustainable development in the coming decades.
Ilgar Velizade
