Azerbaijan-China transit freight rises 8% to 272,600 tons

Transit freight between Azerbaijan and China reached 272,600 tons in the first seven months of this year, up 8% from the same period of 2025, Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev said.

According to Report, Mustafayev made the remarks at an event marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

He said China is one of Azerbaijan's leading trade and economic partners, while Azerbaijan is China's largest trading partner in the South Caucasus.

Mustafayev highlighted the importance of developing the Middle Corridor and increasing its capacity, saying there is significant potential to boost freight volumes and improve transit efficiency along the route linking China, Central Asia, Azerbaijan and Europe.

He noted that Azerbaijan continues to invest in transport and logistics infrastructure and implement large-scale projects to adapt the Middle Corridor to growing cargo flows.

Mustafayev recalled that Azerbaijan was among the first countries to join China's Belt and Road Initiative, launched in 2015.

He added that an Azerbaijani delegation had participated in the Global Sustainable Transport Forum 2026 and a high-level meeting on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route in China, where the importance of the Middle Corridor as a major transport link between East and West was reaffirmed.

Mustafayev also highlighted growing tourism ties between the two countries, noting that the mutual abolition of visa requirements in 2025 had provided a major boost.

He said the number of Chinese tourists visiting Azerbaijan rose by 42% last year, while tourist flows from Azerbaijan to China increased by around 85%.