A container departing from western China, passing through the grasslands of Kazakhstan, changes to a ferry at a port on the east coast of the Caspian Sea, arrives at Aliyat Port in Baku, and then heads west into Europe via railway. This trip is no longer an experimental attempt, but a regular operation route. It has a name: Middle Corridor. In mid October, it also became a key word on the meeting table of the foreign ministers of the two countries.

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Foreign Minister Ceyhon Baylamov held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is currently on a working visit to Azerbaijan, in Baku.   The summit accepted Laos as a formal member state, bringing the number of member states of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (CICA) to 29. Azerbaijan will continue to serve as the chair from 2026 to 2028. Taking advantage of the summit, both sides discussed the bilateral agenda in more detail and substance.

Speed up a corridor

Azerbaijan is located at the junction of Asia and Europe, serving as a natural hub connecting the east, west, north, and south. During the talks, both sides discussed opportunities to deepen cooperation in trade, economy, investment, energy, transportation, logistics, and connectivity, emphasizing Azerbaijan's role as a key link between Asia and Europe, as well as the increasing importance of the Middle Corridor in strengthening regional and cross regional connectivity.

The data confirms the quality of this channel: by 2025, the container transportation volume of the Trans Caspian International Transport Corridor will reach 77000 TEUs, a year-on-year increase of over 36%; As of the end of November 2025, a total of 466 trains have been operated on the Xi'an Trans Caspian Line, which does not require detours around the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, providing more resilient channel options for countries along the route. In the 2025 joint statement, the two sides have made it clear that they want to strengthen the joint construction of the the Belt and Road initiative with Azerbaijan's national development strategy for reviving the Silk Road and the 2030 economic and social development strategy, and continue to promote the construction of transportation infrastructure and improve the efficiency of logistics and transportation.

Economic and trade investment is heating up

The foreign ministers of the two countries highly praised the rapid development of the comprehensive strategic partnership established in 2025. In April of that year, Azerbaijani President Aliyev paid a state visit to China. The two heads of state jointly signed a joint statement on the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership, and witnessed the signing of 20 cooperation documents in the fields of jointly building the the Belt and Road, justice, green development, digital economy, intellectual property rights, aerospace, etc. Both parties have also decided to establish an investment cooperation working group and are willing to initiate negotiations on a free trade agreement.

The effects of landmark agreements are being unleashed. The bilateral trade volume has increased from over one million US dollars when diplomatic relations were established to 4.87 billion US dollars by 2025, and China has become the largest source of imports for Afghanistan. Chinese companies have undertaken the largest photovoltaic, wind power, ceramic tile, and electric bus production projects in the Transcaucasian region in Afghanistan, and provided wireless network coverage services for 70% of the country's population. Both sides emphasized that these achievements provide a solid foundation for expanding relations between the two countries on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027.

Dialogue on Security and Peace

The talks did not stop at business. The foreign ministers of the two countries exchanged views on the broader regional security situation and recent developments, emphasizing the importance of sustained dialogue, diplomatic contacts, and multilateral cooperation in addressing existing challenges, and reaffirming their commitment to mutual support on the United Nations, CICA, and other international platforms.

Baylamov introduced to Wang Yi the peace process with Armenia and Azerbaijan's post conflict reconstruction work in liberated territories. The Chinese side firmly supports the peace agenda proposed by the Afghan side and believes that geopolitical schemes aimed at supporting confrontation will only backfire. In the declaration of the 7th CICA Summit, all parties also reiterated their adherence to the United Nations Charter and universally recognized principles and norms of international law, emphasizing that CICA cooperation aims to promote regional peace, security, stability, and development.

From the journey of a container, to a logistics network spanning the Caspian Sea, and to a blueprint for a relationship spanning over thirty years, China Arab cooperation is transforming geographical channels into opportunities for development and a consensus on security.Editor/Yang Meiling