On March 13, Lu Mei, the Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan, stated at a briefing that the Chinese Embassy in Azerbaijan will continue to expand opportunities for learning the Chinese language and exploring Chinese culture. She emphasized that interest among Azerbaijani citizens in visa-free travel to China is steadily increasing. According to her, Azerbaijani teenagers are showing growing curiosity about China’s rich cultural heritage, while more young people are enrolling in Chinese language programs at the Confucius Institute. She added that a new branch of the institute has recently been opened in Bilasuvar under the Azerbaijan University of Languages.

Lu Mei stated that China supports Azerbaijan in pursuing a development path aligned with its national characteristics, describing both countries as partners in development and revival, as well as influential members of the Global South. She emphasized that Beijing is ready to share its modernization experience with Baku in order to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation. Among the areas highlighted, she noted that China is willing to cooperate with Azerbaijan in advancing artificial intelligence technologies.

The ambassador stated that since the beginning of 2026, relations between China and Azerbaijan have developed dynamically. She noted that at the end of January, Wang Yi, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, held talks in Beijing with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. According to her, Wang Yi stressed that China remains committed to strengthening strategic relations with Azerbaijan regardless of global changes. She emphasized the importance of maintaining high-level contacts, enhancing exchanges in public administration, expanding humanitarian ties, and deepening mutual understanding between the two nations.

Lu Mei also emphasized the need to align development strategies within the Belt and Road Initiative, noting that such cooperation would contribute to modernization and bring benefits to both countries. She stated that China and Azerbaijan should jointly promote genuine multilateralism, uphold the central role of the United Nations in the international system, and support a more balanced and equitable model of global governance. She added that China is ready to assist Azerbaijan in successfully hosting the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia summit this year.

The ambassador stated that Beijing is prepared to work closely with Baku to strengthen bilateral relations and implement agreements reached at the highest level. "China is ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan to further develop the traditional friendship between the two countries, resolutely implement the important agreements reached by the heads of state, and promote the further development of China-Azerbaijan's comprehensive strategic partnership," Lu Mei stated. She noted that Azerbaijan will host several major international events this year, including the annual meeting of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the 13th World Urban Forum, and the CICA summit, adding that China will actively participate in these events. She emphasized that cooperation between the foreign ministries, parliaments, and ruling parties, as well as in trade, economic, and cultural spheres, will remain intensive.

Lu Mei stated that trade relations between the two countries have shown strong growth. She noted that bilateral trade turnover reached $4.87 billion in 2025, marking a 30.2% increase compared to the previous year and setting a record for the third consecutive year. In January 2026 alone, trade turnover amounted to $420 million, making China Azerbaijan’s third-largest trading partner for the first time. She emphasized that alongside the expansion of trade, the quality of practical cooperation has also improved significantly.

According to the ambassador, Chinese companies are actively involved in projects across Azerbaijan in sectors such as renewable energy, automotive manufacturing, information and communications technology, and construction materials production. She stated that both countries are advancing high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative framework. Recalling her participation in the opening ceremony of the Khizi-Absheron wind farm on January 8, Lu Mei noted that the project, implemented by a Chinese company, is the largest wind energy initiative in the South Caucasus. She stated that it is expected to supply electricity to more than 300,000 families and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 400,000 tons, contributing significantly to sustainable development in Azerbaijan and the wider region.

Lu Mei also referred to remarks by President Ilham Aliyev, who described cooperation with China as a strategic choice for Azerbaijan, emphasizing that the efficiency, quality, and speed of project implementation validate this decision. The ambassador concluded that pragmatic cooperation between the two countries holds substantial potential and broad prospects for further development and modernization.