Baku: Azerbaijan is emerging as a popular tourist destination among Chinese citizens, as stated by the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Azerbaijan, Lu Mei, during the ‘China Visitors Summit’ in Baku, APA-Economics reports. She emphasized the strengthening partnership between the two nations, which has been progressing since 1992 and has reached new heights in recent years.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, President Ilham Aliyev’s visits to China this year have been pivotal in establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership with Chinese President Xi Jinping, thus unlocking new opportunities across various sectors, including tourism. Official data reveals a significant increase in Chinese tourists visiting Azerbaijan, with numbers rising from 44,798 in 2024 to 49,939 in the first three quarters of 2025, marking an 11.5% annual growth. The ambassador highlighted that the mutual visa exemption regime has been instrumental in this surge.

Lu Mei further elaborated on China’s ‘Fifteenth Five-Year Plan’ and its open economic policies, which pave the way for enhanced cooperation with Azerbaijan. China is eager to share the benefits of its modernization efforts with Azerbaijan and to foster mutually advantageous collaborations.

The summit was also recognized as a crucial platform for enhancing professional communication between the tourism sectors of both countries, creating new tourism products, and advancing bilateral relations to a higher level.