CNPC ready to develop long-term co-op plan with SOCAR: envoy

Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 10

Trend:

The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) is ready to develop a long-term strategic plan of co­operation with such Azerbaijani partners as SOCAR, said China’s Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Azerbaijan Wei Jinghua.

The ambassador made the remarks during his meeting with a delegation led by President of the Caspian Energy International Media Group Natalya Aliyeva.

Azerbaijan is an investment-attractive country for Chinese companies and of course noteworthy is the big role of the historic visit made by President Ilham Aliyev to China in December 2015, in the course of which a memorandum of cooperation on ‘Great Silk Way’ was signed, said Wei Jinghua.

This is a very firm foundation for further cooperation between the two countries, added the ambassador.

He, however, noted that mutual understanding between Chinese and Azerbaijani businesses is insufficient and the volume of information that Chinese and Azerbaijani businessmen get about each other is small.

In this regard, the am­bassador expressed hope that the Caspian-European Integration Business Club (CEIBC) could play a more active role in mutual familiarization of the Chinese businesses with those of the Caspian countries, letting to expand cooperation and implement a much higher amount of joint pro­jects.

“Chinese company CNPC has established a close cooperation as it has been operating in Azerbaijan for a long time. But at present the company enjoys much better conditions and is ready to develop a long-term strategic plan of co­operation with such Azerbaijani partners as SOCAR,” noted Wei Jinghua.

The Chinese embassy would like to promote mutual visits of officials of Azerbaijan and China in order to deepen and expand business cooperation between the two countries in different areas, he added.

The ambassador also expressed his gratitude to CEIBC for the efforts made to strengthen relations of China with the Caspian countries.

“We, as the embassy, are ready to continue and strengthen cooperation with you,” said Wei Jinghua.