Editor’s note: Teymur Atayev is an Azerbaijani publicist, historian, and political scientist, and hosts the program Aspects of Foreign Affairs on Azerbaijan’s CBC TV channel (broadcast in Russian). The article reflects the author’s personal views and does not necessarily represent the position of News.Az.

A ceremony took place today at the Absheron Logistics Center to mark the 5th anniversary of the China (Zhejiang)–Europe Railway Express via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) and to welcome the Yiwu (China)–Baku train.

In Baku, Rovshan Rustamov, Chairman of “Azerbaijan Railways” CJSC (ADY), a part of AZCON Holding, held a high-level trilateral meeting with Lasha Abashidze, General Director of “Georgian Railway” JSC, and Talgat Aldybergenov, Chairman of the Board of “Kazakhstan Temir Zholy” JSC (KTZ).

The General Meeting of the Working Group of the Legal Entities Union of the International Association "Trans-Caspian International Transport Route" (TITR IA) kicked off today in Baku.

By Maria Zhigadlo

The year 2024 has become a turning point for Azerbaijani-Chinese relations. On July 3, on the sidelines of the 24th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Astana, a Declaration on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership was signed. This historic document was endorsed by the two heads of state-Ilham Aliyev and Xi Jinping. From that moment on, relations between Baku and Beijing entered a new phase, giving fresh impetus to the bilateral processes that have been developing for several years in the interests of both countries.

China will offer more favorable conditions for transit transportation to Azerbaijan in 2025, aiming to boost the flow of materials from nearby regions to China via Azerbaijan, Chinese Chargé d'Affaires Ding Tao announced on Friday.

On September 19, Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Oljas Bektenov met with Georgia's First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Levan Davitashvili, in Astana.

Two billion tons of cargo worth about 100 trillion rubles ($1.1 trillion), bringing to the Russian Federation's budget some 20 trillion rubles ($225 billion) in tax revenues, are planned to be shipped along the Northern Sea Route (NSR), Russia's Minister for Development of the Far East and Arctic Alexey Chekunkov said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).