Nanjing, November 13th—Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), met here today with a delegation led by Tahir Budagov, Deputy Chairman of New Azerbaijan Party and Head of the Central Administration of Azerbaijan.

Liu said, in July this year, President Xi Jinping and President Ilham Aliyev jointly announced the upgrade of bilateral relations to strategic partnership, which is an important milestone in the history of China-Azerbaijan relations. China will work with Azerbaijan to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, firmly support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns, deepen practical cooperation in various fields with the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation as the main line, and constantly promote China-Azerbaijan strategic partnership for new development. China and Azerbaijan are both developing countries and members of the Global South. China congratulates Azerbaijan on the successful hosting of the COP29, or the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and is ready to strengthen coordination with Azerbaijan within the framework of the Global South, jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and jointly respond to global challenges such as climate change.

Liu said, the CPC and the New Azerbaijan Party are both ruling parties leading the economic and social development of respective countries. The CPC attaches importance to the traditional friendship with the New Azerbaijan Party, and is willing to, together with the New Azerbaijan Party, strengthen political dialogue and strategic communication, intensify exchanges at all levels, and deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

Budagov said, Azerbaijan and China enjoy a long-standing friendship. The ancient Silk Road has closely connected the people of the two countries. Azerbaijan is one of the first countries to support and respond to the Belt and Road Initiative. In recent years, under the joint leadership of President Ilham Aliyev and President Xi Jinping, Azerbaijan-China relations continue to develop, with fruitful results in practical cooperation in various fields. Azerbaijan attaches importance to China's influence in international affairs, supports a series of major initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, and is willing to strengthen cooperation with China under the framework of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, etc. The New Azerbaijan Party is willing to strengthen high-level mutual visits and institutionalized exchanges with the CPC, deepen experience exchange and mutual learning in state governance and administration, and better promote the development of relations between the two Parties and the two countries.

After the meeting, the CPC and the New Azerbaijan Party signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance exchanges and cooperation.

Chen Zhou, Vice-minister of the IDCPC, was present.