Azerbaijan sets no ceiling on economic co-op with China
Stronger synergy expected in NEV sector: envoy
Azerbaijan is fully ready to develop economic and trade relations with China without setting any ceiling or limit in terms of scope, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to China Bunyad Huseynov said in an exclusive interview with the Global Times, giving examples of the potential for deeper cooperation in the new-energy industry, where the two countries are highly complementary.
As the world is at a crucial moment in the transition to green energy, the ambassador hopes to deepen cooperation with Chinese companies to achieve sustainable development and win-win outcomes.
Speaking at an investment promotion event held by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in China earlier this week, Huseynov said that China’s remarkable achievements in the field of new energy are well known, and highly complementary cooperation is already well underway.
Recently, Azerbaijan initiated a bidding process to build a new-energy vehicle (NEV) factory. Chinese automaker BYD won the bid and signed an agreement to establish a joint venture company and set up an electric bus production line in Azerbaijan, the ambassador said.
The country is planning to gradually replace fuel buses with electric ones in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, Huseynov said, indicating possible cooperation.
“We are also in communication with Contemporary Amperex Technology – a Chinese lithium-ion battery company – regarding the construction of energy storage projects in Azerbaijan,” the envoy said.
The Embassy of Azerbaijan in China is also actively promoting the green transformation and strengthening cooperation with Chinese companies in this field, including replacing the embassy’s fuel vehicles with BYD’s NEVs, the Global Times learned from the embassy.
Chinese companies are also involved in the green energy transition as investors, builders and operators, including in the photovoltaic power sector, according to the embassy.
Closer cooperation in the green field can be foreseen as both countries are playing an increasingly important role in tackling climate change on the world stage.
This November, Azerbaijan will host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku.
“I believe that both countries share a high degree of consensus on the green agenda,” Huseynov said.
China takes the lead in wind energy and solar, as well as electric vehicles, and is willing to share its achievements with other countries, which the ambassador said “demonstrates China’s open and win-win cooperation attitude.”