Baku: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has officially received the credentials of Lu Mei, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China. The presentation took place on April 17, marking a significant step in the strategic partnership between the two nations.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the ambassador’s credentialing ceremony was followed by a conversation between President Aliyev and Ambassador Lu Mei. President Aliyev emphasized the strategic nature of Azerbaijan-China relations and reminisced about his past meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. During that meeting, a joint declaration on strategic partnership was adopted, highlighting the strong ties between the countries.

President Aliyev outlined the extensive cooperation between Azerbaijan and China, spanning political, economic, trade, transport, energy, industry, investment, security, cultural, and humanitarian spheres. He noted the successful collaboration within international organizations and emphasized the mutual support shared by both nations.

During the meeting, President Aliyev reiterated Azerbaijan’s steadfast support for China’s ‘One China’ policy. He also mentioned the Belt and Road Initiative as a key project fostering international cooperation, and highlighted Azerbaijan’s early support for this initiative.

The President pointed out Azerbaijan’s efforts in creating necessary infrastructure projects, some of which are ongoing, to enhance cooperation in developing the Middle Corridor. Ambassador Lu Mei, in turn, conveyed greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping to President Aliyev.

President Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the greetings and requested the ambassador to convey his regards to President Xi Jinping. Ambassador Lu Mei assured China’s continued support for Azerbaijan’s development under President Aliyev’s leadership, and reaffirmed China’s stance on supporting Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Ambassador Lu Mei also paid tribute to National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s role in fostering China-Azerbaijan relations, acknowledging that Azerbaijan’s current success builds upon his legacy. She committed to further developing the friendship and strategic partnership between the two countries.