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On April 23, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China.

Axar.az reports Zhao Leji commended Azerbaijan's sustainable development, its growing international influence, achievements in the economic sector, and the improvement of the population's well-being under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. He described the relations between China and Azerbaijan as a sincere friendship and strategic partnership. The chairman stated that, thanks to the efforts of the two countries' leaders, the relations are currently experiencing the highest period of development in their history.

President Ilham Aliyev, in turn, emphasized that today, the relations between the two countries have reached their highest stage of development – the level of comprehensive strategic partnership.

The President emphasized that Azerbaijan consistently supports the "One China" policy and condemned the elections held in Taiwan. President Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan and China are jointly making efforts in the fight against terrorism, extremism, separatism, and radicalism.

The meeting addressed cooperation between the two countries within international organizations, placing an emphasis on the importance of the Middle Corridor. They noted that cargo shipments by Chinese companies via the Middle Corridor have recently increased by more than 80%, highlighting the 20% rise in trade turnover.

The two sides expressed satisfaction with the ongoing development of inter-parliamentary cooperation, including the strengthening of ties between friendship groups and legislative committees of both countries.

Cooperation between the New Azerbaijan Party and the Communist Party of China was also highlighted. They emphasized the importance of sharing experiences in various aspects of governance and touched upon expanding relations in youth, culture, and sports. The potential establishment of a joint Azerbaijan-China University was also discussed.

The meeting further addressed cooperation in the field of renewable energy. They noted that China’s BYD company has been selected as a strategic partner for the export of electric vehicles to Azerbaijan, as well as for the local production of several models of electric buses.