Ding Tao: Azerbaijan was one of first to support Belt and Road Initiative

Azerbaijan is one of the first countries to express readiness to support the development of the Belt and Road Initiative and is now actively participating in it, China's chargé d'affaires to Azerbaijan, Ding Tao, said during today's year-end press conference in response to Report's question.

"In October last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced eight steps at the opening ceremony of the 3rd High-Level Forum on International Cooperation within the Belt and Road Initiative to support the initiative's implementation, which includes the development of China-Europe container trains and joining the construction of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route," he noted.

Ding Tao emphasized that the above-mentioned initiatives put forward by the Chinese side largely align with Azerbaijan's development strategy aimed at developing its own transport potential based on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, and have received a positive response from Azerbaijan.

"This year, the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route is accelerating, along with the development of Chinese-Azerbaijani cooperation in transport and logistics. On July 3, during the meeting of heads of state in Astana, an Intergovernmental Memorandum was signed on the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor for China-Europe freight trains, which defines important directions for strengthening cooperation in transport and logistics around the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor," he added.