Kang Jie: China, Azerbaijan have more room for cooperation on Middle Corridor development amid global trade war

For China, the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor is not just a temporary solution to the Ukraine crisis, but we regard it as a long-term strategic alternative to diversify its trade routes with the Eurasian and European countries, Kang Jie, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told journalists, according to Report.

According to the expert, Azerbaijan plays a key role in the development of the Middle Corridor.

"I have visited the port of Baku and was impressed by the standard of modernization and the capabilities on the digital supply chain, digitalized supply chain. And I think under the background of global trade war, China and Azerbaijan have more and more room for cooperation on the development of the Middle Corridor. And also, we don't regard the Middle Corridor only as a trade route or just a corridor. We regard it as a future industrial belt or a belt for common development," he said.

He noted that in the past two years, there had been more and more joint programs between China and Azerbaijan on electric cars, electric buses, and green power.

"China has many advantages in the industrialization, in the manufacturing sector. Azerbaijan and other regional countries have strategy and initiative for their re-industrialization and green transition and digital transition. So I think in the future the Belt and Road Initiative and the integration of the Belt and Road initiative and the Middle Corridor initiative can bolster cooperation between China and other regional countries on the industrial capacity, especially on China's new trial, which means wind power and solar power and electric vehicles," the expert said.