On July 3, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping in Astana. 
During the meeting, President Xi Jinping said, "I believe that under the leadership of the President, Azerbaijan will continue to make new achievements in various aspects of state-building. China-Azerbaijan relations are based on sincerity and mutual trust. Our countries are good friends and good partners based on equality and mutual benefit. China-Azerbaijan relations have always developed in a sound and stable way. The cooperation between the two countries has achieved effective results and reached a richer strategic content. Today, we will adopt a joint declaration. With this document, we will raise our bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership. It also marks a new starting point. We will continue to strengthen mutual support for the prosperity of our peoples."
Xi Jinping congratulated Ilham Aliyev on his re-election as president. Aliyev underscored Azerbaijan's support for the one-China policy and noted the two nations' mutual support for territorial integrity and sovereignty. They emphasized the overlapping positions of their countries in the fight against extralateralism, extremism and separatism.
President Ilham Aliyev responded, "As you mentioned, our countries are close partners, and the declaration to be adopted today officially makes the People's Republic of China and Azerbaijan strategic partners. I think this is a great achievement and a great responsibility. In the future, we intend to actively interact and strengthen bilateral relations in all directions. I am glad that our meetings have become regular and give an important impetus to the development of comprehensive relations between our countries. I would like to emphasize the mutual support in international institutions and the expression of support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our countries in various documents adopted at the bilateral level. I would also like to point out the active diplomacy at the level of ministers, departments, state agencies and public organizations of our countries, as well as the productive cooperation between the Communist Party of China and the New Azerbaijan Party. All this strengthens our relations".
Aliyev noted the positive growth of trade turnover, which has reached $3 billion, with the potential for further growth. He mentioned the presence of Azerbaijani trading companies in six Chinese cities and the increase in exports from China to Azerbaijan. Aliyev expressed gratitude for China's assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the delivery of over one million doses of vaccine to Azerbaijan.
President Aliyev also discussed the prospects of investment cooperation, noting the selection of China's BYD as Azerbaijan's strategic partner for joint production of electric buses and other electric vehicles. He expressed satisfaction with the growth of cargo transportation between the two countries.
Aliyev emphasized Azerbaijan's commitment to multilateralism and non-interference in internal affairs. He noted that Azerbaijan's upgraded status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is supported by China. Xi Jinping invited Aliyev to the SCO summit in China and for a state visit, which Aliyev gratefully accepted. Aliyev also invited Xi to visit Azerbaijan.
The discussion touched on Azerbaijan's support for the One Belt, One Road project, highlighting the development of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the Alat International Trade Seaport. The leaders discussed the positive impact of the digitalization of the Middle Corridor on cargo transportation between Central Asia, the West and China. They noted the importance of the framework agreement between the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan and the Chinese company BYD on the local production of buses. They noted the brotherly relations between the cities of the two countries and discussed humanitarian and cultural relations, highlighting the projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
With a view to expanding cooperation in tourism and people-to-people contacts, they noted Azerbaijan's unilateral abolition of visas for Chinese citizens and expressed hope that China would consider visa-free travel for Azerbaijani citizens. Xi Jinping congratulated Aliyev on COP29 being held in Azerbaijan and confirmed China's high-level representation at the event. They discussed cooperation between their delegations within the framework of COP29.
Aliyev thanked China for supporting Azerbaijan's development cooperation with BRICS and SCO. He noted Azerbaijan's upcoming chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia in 2026 and exchanged views on cooperation issues with China.
Within the framework of the SCO Summit, President Ilham Aliyev and President Xi Jinping adopted the "Joint Declaration on the Establishment of Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the People's Republic of China".
The Joint Declaration of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the People's Republic of China on the establishment of strategic partnership was adopted within the framework of the Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Astana.