BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 23. Azerbaijan-China relations have reached the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership, Shahin Mustafayev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, said at the reception in Baku marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
He noted that the People’s Republic of China, under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, is growing stronger every year and today stands as one of the leading nations in contemporary global politics.
Shahin Mustafayev emphasized that Azerbaijani-Chinese relations are rooted in ancient history and rich traditions. According to him, the high level of mutual trust and support between the two countries is also clearly evident on the international stage.
“Our relations have developed even more dynamically, especially in recent years, and have entered a qualitatively new phase. The political will and joint efforts of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping played a decisive role in this,” the Deputy Prime Minister stated.
He emphasized that in April 2025, during President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit to China, a Joint Statement was signed establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
According to Shahin Mustafayev, this historic document, which laid the foundation for a new phase in the development of bilateral relations, was an important outcome of the heads of state’s strategic vision.
“The continued intensive contacts at the level of heads of state over the past period, as well as regular reciprocal visits at various levels, once again demonstrate the strong momentum of Azerbaijan-China relations. Today, in accordance with the instructions of the heads of state, important steps are being taken to enrich our comprehensive strategic partnership with practical content,” he added.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the positive momentum of political dialogue is also reflected in regular reciprocal visits and high-level contacts.
“In 2026, a series of reciprocal visits took place between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the People’s Republic of China through the ministries of foreign affairs, interparliamentary relations, the general prosecutor’s offices, and the ministries of defense. Regular reciprocal visits by party delegations also play an important role in the development of bilateral relations,” Shahin Mustafayev noted.
He emphasized that, in addition to political dialogue, mutually beneficial cooperation is steadily expanding in the fields of trade and the economy, investment, transportation and transit, green energy, digital development, culture and humanitarian aid, tourism, interregional relations, and other areas.
In addition, Shahin Mustafayev noted that the activities of the Intergovernmental Joint Commission are of great importance for the practical implementation of the set tasks. According to him, the Commission regularly reviews key areas of cooperation and discusses next steps.
The Deputy Prime Minister also highlighted the growing and steady development of Azerbaijani-Chinese trade and economic cooperation.
“Just as China is one of our country’s leading economic and trade partners, Azerbaijan is also China’s main trade partner in the South Caucasus region. Trade turnover for the first seven months of 2026 increased by 4.5% compared to the same period last year, reaching $2.16 billion,” he said.
Shahin Mustafayev noted that consistent efforts are underway to further expand trade ties and promote Azerbaijani products in the Chinese market.
“The Azerbaijani trade mission, which has been operating in China since 2018, as well as six Azerbaijani trading houses established in various cities across the country, play an important role in this effort,” added the Deputy Prime Minister.
