Azerbaijan media says Chinese companies will work to construct ‘Zangezur Corridor’

On Wednesday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Liu Jianchao, the Minister of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC), after which Liu announced Aliyev would visit China later in April. Following this, pro-government media reported that Chinese companies would participate in the structure of the ‘Zangezur corridor’.

The Zangezur corridor is an Azerbaijani demand for control of a strip of land through Armenia to link mainland Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan.

On Wednesday, the pro-government media outlet APA reported that during the meeting between Liu and Aliyev, the two sides highlighted Azerbaijan–China relations, saying that ‘there is great potential for deepening bilateral relations’.

Aliyev emphasised that the ‘Joint Declaration on the Establishment of Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and China’, adopted following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last year, ‘is a manifestation of friendship, partnership, and cooperation, which has elevated the level of mutual activities’.

In turn, Liu stated that ‘Azerbaijan has supported the One Belt, One Road project from the first day. We are grateful to Azerbaijan for this’.

Russian state-run media outlet Sputnik later reported that Liu had emphasised the ‘great importance’ of the construction of the Zangezur corridor ‘since its implementation will further strengthen the connection between Europe and Asia’.

‘Both the “One Belt, One Road” and the construction of the Zangezur corridor are important elements for the development of strategic cooperation between China and Azerbaijan’, Liu said.

‘Chinese companies should play a more active role in the creation of the corridor’, he added.

Liu also announced that later in April, Aliyev would visit China, at which point would ‘make decisions on more specific projects’.

Several hours after pro-government media published news reporting on Liu’s statements, the articles were deleted.

The day’s agenda focused on the Zangezur corridor

After his meeting with Aliyev, Liu met with other Azerbaijani officials, including Prime Minister Ali Asadov, Parliamentary Speaker Sahiba Gafarova, and the chair of the State Statistical Committee Tahir Budaqov.

In all meetings, the Azerbaijani state officials highlighted the importance of opening the Zangezur corridor.

According to the parliament’s official website, Liu’s conversation with Gafarova focused on the ‘re-opening of communications in the region and materialisation of the Zangezur corridor initiative would come as yet another contribution from Azerbaijan to the One Belt. One Road Initiative’.

In turn, Asadov stressed that the opening of the Zangezur corridor would further accelerate the development of a key transit route, enhancing regional connectivity and economic growth.

Finally, during Liu’s meeting with Budagov, the latter highlighted that ‘against the background of our country's principled position, the implementation of the Zangezur corridor in the coming period will unite partner states, including Azerbaijan and China, on a new multilateral cooperation platform, thereby strengthening constructive interaction in the Eurasian space’.

https://oc-media.org/one-belt-one-road-azerbaijan-courts-chinese-investors-as-xi-meets-aliyev/