Hajiyev: Trilateral agreement on Middle Corridor between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China possible in future

Trade and economic relations between Azerbaijan and China are developing very actively, and the launch of the Middle Corridor at full capacity will give further impetus to these relations, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev said in an interview with the Chinese CGTN TV, Report informs.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR or Middle Corridor) project also has its own challenges that must be overcome, Hajiyev noted.

“The Middle Corridor passes through the territories of several countries, these are our Central Asian partners, Georgia, Türkiye. We work very hard with our Kazakh, Georgian, and Turkish colleagues. For TITR, the element of a ‘single window’ is very important, especially for Chinese companies seeking to deliver their goods to Europe. The introduction of a ‘single window’, which by the way is already working and we want to involve China in this, will standardize and simplify procedures along the entire route," Hajiyev noted, adding that the application of this is happening faster than expected.

The presidential aide noted that Azerbaijan took note of the recent agreement on the Middle Corridor signed between China and Kazakhstan. “We are also thinking about the possibility of such an agreement between Azerbaijan and China. Perhaps a similar trilateral agreement will be signed in the future,” he said.

“We expect the concept of China plus Central Asia to develop into China plus Central Asia plus Azerbaijan, that is, not 1 plus 5, but plus 6, and this is not just mathematics, this is the chemistry that occurs between the parties,” he said, expressing confidence that such chemistry occurs because China has always been open to other cultures and civilizations and approaches them with high appreciation and respect.