“During the recent visit of a delegation of leading Azerbaijani companies and customs representatives to China, there was particular interest in cross-border trade, logistics and supply chains, customs and digital services, equipment manufacturing, energy, and new energy technologies,” Brittany Li, Co-founder of the International Carbon Neutrality Industry Research Organization (ICNIRO), told AZERTAC.
“We also saw interest from Chinese companies in understanding the Azerbaijani market and exploring opportunities to use Azerbaijan’s geographic position, infrastructure and regional connectivity to expand their international business. This is why I see the Middle Corridor as more than simply a transportation route. Its real value is in creating new trade, business and industrial connections,” she said.
According to her, one of the most important outcomes of the visit was that it gave Azerbaijani companies a much more direct understanding of China’s market, particularly the opportunities in Sichuan and Chengdu, while also helping Chinese companies better understand Azerbaijan’s role as a gateway connecting China with the Caucasus, Central Asia and European markets.
“I believe Chinese companies are paying increasing attention to the Middle Corridor. As global supply chains look for more diversified, stable and resilient transport options, the importance of the Middle Corridor is becoming increasingly clear. From our conversations with Chinese companies, three factors stand out in particular: transit time, supply chain reliability and ease of doing business,” Li emphasized.
“I also believe Azerbaijan can play an even stronger role as a connector. In the future, it can not only facilitate the movement of Chinese goods toward Europe, but also help more Chinese companies understand the markets and business opportunities in Azerbaijan, the wider Caucasus, Türkiye and Europe, while encouraging two-way trade and investment. In this sense, the Middle Corridor can gradually become more than just a transport route. It can develop into a broader platform connecting trade, logistics, industry and investment,” the expert said.
“From my perspective, I am very positive about the future of the Middle Corridor. As infrastructure, digitalization and cross-border coordination continue to improve, I believe it has the potential to become an increasingly important strategic route within China-Europe trade, with Azerbaijan playing a particularly important and distinctive role as a regional hub,” she concluded.
