BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 28. China and Azerbaijan have sufficient motivation and potential for further active cooperation in multiple fields on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) platform, Shi Jing, research fellow at the Institute for International and Area Studies, Tsinghua University, China, told Trend.
“In recent years, the cooperation and interaction between China and Azerbaijan on multilateral platforms such as the SCO have been active. The joint statement on the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries has also confirmed the content of their cooperation within the SCO framework. I believe that the two countries have sufficient motivation and potential for further active cooperation in multiple fields on the SCO platform. Coordination and cooperation in the fields of economy, energy, and security will be further unleashed as the mutual trust between the two countries continues to grow,” he said.
In a joint statement between Azerbaijan and China on establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership, signed during President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to China, it is noted that Azerbaijan supports China’s chairmanship of the SCO and highly appreciates China’s efforts to promote the organization's high-quality development. Azerbaijan also expressed its readiness to actively participate in the activities of the SCO’s "Year of Sustainable Development" and to deepen comprehensive cooperation with member states. In turn, China voiced its support for enhancing Azerbaijan’s legal status within the SCO.
Shi Jing went on to add that China places great importance on its relationship with Azerbaijan. In particular, the meetings between the two heads of state last year and this year have confirmed the elevation of bilateral relations.
“Within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership, both sides have reaffirmed cooperation to promote connectivity between China and Azerbaijan, thereby providing support for bilateral economic and trade cooperation. It is believed that the relevant projects will be further implemented and will contribute to the improvement of transportation convenience,” said the expert.
He pointed out that in the field of green energy, the two sides actually have a very broad potential for development.
“As far as I know, Azerbaijan has been very proactive in developing sustainable and clean energy. There is not only great potential for cooperation between the two sides, but also visible elements of this cooperation in Azerbaijan. For example, the presence of clean energy vehicles and electric vehicles from China in Azerbaijan, as well as Chinese investments in Azerbaijan's green energy projects, including photovoltaic power stations, are all important manifestations of the bilateral cooperation in the energy sector,” said Shi Jing.
He noted that the content of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Azerbaijan is clearly reflected in the text of the statement.
“It is evident that the two countries share similar and converging positions on many international issues and areas of cooperation. For example, the issues previously mentioned, such as cooperation in transportation, renewable energy, as well as in the fields of industry, scientific research, and people-to-people bonds, are all practical aspects of the bilateral strategic partnership. I would like to emphasize that this is a particularly significant document for the bilateral relationship. The extensive cooperation it outlines is a reflection of the strategic partnership. The development of the strategic partnership, in turn, relies on the smooth progress of these cooperative efforts,” the expert added.
