During a year-end briefing on December 25, Lu Mei, the Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan, recounted a year of historic milestones in China-Azerbaijan relations, from President Aliyev’s state visits and strategic partnership agreements with Xi Jinping to major renewable energy projects, educational collaborations, a surge in Chinese tourism, and transport infrastructure advances under the Belt and Road Initiative. She stated that 2025 has become a landmark year for bilateral relations, marked by steady progress and tangible achievements across political, economic, and humanitarian spheres.

Mei emphasized that interaction between Baku and Beijing throughout the year has been characterized by consistent advancement, stressing that relations have reached their highest point in history as a comprehensive strategic partnership. She stated that political mutual trust has deepened, practical cooperation has produced concrete results, and people-to-people exchanges have expanded, adding that she has personally witnessed several historic milestones since assuming her post.

Lu Mei stated that high-level diplomacy between Xi Jinping, the President of China, and Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, played a decisive role in accelerating bilateral ties in 2025. She recalled that in April, Ilham Aliyev paid a state visit to China, where talks with Xi Jinping resulted in key agreements on expanding cooperation, including the signing of a Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and 20 cooperation documents, which she emphasized opened a new chapter in relations.

She further stated that from late August to early September, Ilham Aliyev again visited China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin and commemorative events marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World War II. According to the ambassador, these visits demonstrated the shared determination of both countries to defend the international order and oppose the resurgence of fascism.

Lu Mei stated that China supports Azerbaijan’s activities as the Chair of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia and emphasized Beijing’s support for Azerbaijan’s aspiration to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. She stressed that China welcomes Azerbaijan’s active role in international affairs, noting that this "further enhances Azerbaijan’s international influence," and emphasized China’s readiness to expand multilateral cooperation and promote a Community of Shared Future for Humanity.

The ambassador stated that cooperation in the social and educational sphere has also expanded, noting that China, through the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, has donated Chinese-made electronic equipment to two orphanages in Baku’s Khazar district, where digital classrooms dedicated to China-Azerbaijan friendship were established. She also recalled the handover of Chinese-funded distance learning equipment to 216 schools in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, which she stated has significantly improved educational conditions.

Lu Mei emphasized the reciprocal nature of humanitarian cooperation, stating that Azerbaijan has supported education in remote mountainous regions of China by financing the construction of a playground for a primary school in Yunnan Province. She noted that such initiatives are clear examples of friendship, stressing that cooperation brings tangible benefits to ordinary citizens, particularly young people.

During the briefing, Lu Mei stated that cooperation in renewable energy is developing dynamically, noting that Chinese companies have signed agreements to implement five new energy projects in Azerbaijan, including solar and wind power plants with a combined capacity of 1570 MW. She emphasized that once operational, these projects would double Azerbaijan’s renewable energy generation capacity.

She added that Azerbaijan’s first large-scale wind power project, with a capacity of 240 MW and implemented by Chinese companies, is scheduled to be commissioned within the year. Lu Mei also stated that private Chinese firms plan to build a 3 GW solar panel manufacturing facility in the Alat Free Economic Zone, which she emphasized would create significant opportunities for high-tech industrial development.

Lu Mei stated that China has provided Azerbaijan with 2 million yuan in financial assistance for humanitarian demining, emphasizing that the funds were allocated to strengthen the capabilities of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action and to support the restoration of liberated territories while ensuring civilian safety. She also stated that from January to October 2025, more than 57,000 Chinese tourists visited Azerbaijan, representing nearly a 50 percent increase year-on-year.

Lu Mei emphasized that this growth was enabled by the mutual visa-free regime introduced following the signing of the relevant agreement during Ilham Aliyev’s April visit to China, noting that the policy strengthened humanitarian ties between the two peoples. The ambassador stated that cooperation within the Belt and Road Initiative continues to expand, emphasizing progress in transport infrastructure development.

She noted that from January to November, 351 freight trains departed from China to Azerbaijan via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, a 34 percent increase compared to the previous year, adding that goods from China have become the largest source of freight for the Middle Corridor. Lu Mei also stated that the joint venture Azerbaijan Energy Automotive Factory LLC plans to produce and commission 300 BYD electric buses in Baku, Nakhchivan, and Karabakh by the end of 2025, noting that the first batch of 50 buses has already been successfully deployed.

Concluding her remarks, Lu Mei stated that the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Azerbaijan will have broad prospects in 2026, emphasizing China’s readiness to continue implementing agreements reached by the two leaders, advance the Belt and Road Initiative, align development strategies, and improve the well-being of both nations while moving toward a shared future.