Beijing: 'China highly appreciates the role of Azerbaijan in the Caucasus region,' head of the Central Asia and Caucasus Department of the Institute of East European, Russian, and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) Zhang Ning said in his interview with AZERTAC's special correspondent. Describing Azerbaijan as a very important partner for China not only in the South Caucasus, but also in the region covering the Middle East and Central Asia, the researcher underscored that Azerbaijan plays a crucial role in such a large region. "We highly value the cooperation with Azerbaijan, and wish that the relations between China and Azerbaijan reach the level of strategic partnership," said the Chinese professor, adding that their department conducts extensive research on the South Caucasus, including Azerbaijan. 'In this regard, we are currently working on the translation of a book on Azerbaijan's history,' he mentioned. "We intend to inform the Chinese people and readers about the history of Azerbaijan since we know that Azerbaijan is a country with a great history. That's why we want the Chinese people to get to know Azerbaijan closer," the researcher emphasized. Source: Azerbaijan State News Agency