China and Azerbaijan will announce the upgrade of bilateral relations to strategic partnership in a joint statement, said Chinese President Xi Jinping in Astana, capital city of Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, Reuters reports.
"China and Azerbaijan are good friends with sincerity and mutual trust and good partners with equality and mutual benefit. China-Azerbaijan relations have been developing in a sound and steady manner, with fruitful cooperation and richer strategic significance. Today, we will issue a joint statement to announce the elevation of bilateral relations to strategic partnership. The new positioning is also a new starting point. We will continue to make efforts to increase mutual support and bring more benefits to the two peoples," Xi said when meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Xi arrived in Astana on Tuesday to pay a state visit to the Central Asian state, and to attend the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
