Over 60,000 Chinese citizens visited Azerbaijan in 2025, says Lu Mei

In 2025, more than 60,000 Chinese citizens visited Azerbaijan, China's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Lu Mei said in an interview with Report.

According to her, thanks to the visa-free regime that came into effect in July 2025, the number of mutual visits by tourists from the two countries continues to grow.

"Azerbaijan is attracting an increasing number of Chinese tourists with its unique charm that combines tradition and modernity, as well as Eastern and Western cultures. Icherisheher, the Gobustan rock carvings, the Heydar Aliyev Center, and other sites have become new popular tourist destinations. More than 60,000 Chinese citizens visited Azerbaijan in 2025, which is a record figure," the ambassador said.

Lu Mei emphasized that the positive impact of the mutual visa-free regime is not limited to the development of tourism cooperation but also contributes to deepening partnership in the field of culture: "More and more young people in Azerbaijan are beginning to learn Chinese, and many young people can sing Chinese songs well and perform shows in the Chinese style."

She also touched upon the issue of expanding aviation connections, noting that China Southern Airlines and Azerbaijan Airlines operate more than ten direct flights per week between Beijing, Urumqi, and Baku, which significantly facilitates travel for the populations of the two countries.

Read the full interview here.