“We have always admired the soft power that Azerbaijan possesses," former State Councilor of the People’s Republic of China and founder and president of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), Wang Huiyao, said during the panel discussion titled “Open corridor policy? Deepening Trans-Caspian cooperation” held as part of the Munich Security Conference, APA reports.
“China has the Belt and Road Initiative. China wants to help shape a new corridor and expand connectivity. As President Ilham Aliyev noted, transport volumes from China to Europe have increased significantly. Why the Middle Corridor? I believe that all these different corridors, together with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, should work together.
For China, the Belt and Road Initiative is actually a comprehensive initiative for the Caspian countries and Central Asia; it is not only about transport. Of course, transport is very important and fundamental, but it also covers production, investment, infrastructure, digitalization, artificial intelligence, and many other areas.
I think it is important to preserve, strengthen, and further develop this connectivity so that China–Europe relations through the corridor become truly beneficial. For example, under the Belt and Road Initiative, China has invested more than 1 trillion US dollars in over 3,000 projects worldwide over the past 12 years. Azerbaijan is an excellent country. I have been there many times. They have a famous Baku Forum. We have always admired Azerbaijan’s ‘soft power’,” he said.
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on TikTok
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on X
