China `does not fathom Azerbaijan` without Garabagh
China`s ambassador in Baku, Zhang Yannian, has said
Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh is an integral part of Azerbaijan, and the
Chinese people do not think of the country without the region.
Addressing a function entitled, ``Azerbaijan-China relations in the context of modern regional geo-politics,`` held by the Strategic Research Center on Friday, Yannian compared the Taiwan problem in his country to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper Garabagh.
``Unfortunately, there are still separatist entities in many countries. Just as Upper Garabagh is an integral part of Azerbaijan, Taiwan is a part of China,`` said Yannian.
The ambassador called on the Azerbaijani government not to forge diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Further, Yannian noted that relations between Beijing and Baku, established 17 years ago, have been deepening. Just in 2008, 12,400 people from China visited Azerbaijan. The number of Azerbaijanis visiting China is about the same.
According to the diplomat, 15 major Chinese companies now operate in the South Caucasus republic, and bilateral trade turnover amounted to $800 million last year. The Asian state has channeled investments worth $500 million into the Azerbaijani economy.
Yannian has acted as China`s ambassador to Azerbaijan since April 2009. In the 1990s, he was assigned to his country`s diplomatic missions in Ukraine and Armenia. From 2004 to 2009 he worked as the Chinese ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.
Addressing a function entitled, ``Azerbaijan-China relations in the context of modern regional geo-politics,`` held by the Strategic Research Center on Friday, Yannian compared the Taiwan problem in his country to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper Garabagh.
``Unfortunately, there are still separatist entities in many countries. Just as Upper Garabagh is an integral part of Azerbaijan, Taiwan is a part of China,`` said Yannian.
The ambassador called on the Azerbaijani government not to forge diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Further, Yannian noted that relations between Beijing and Baku, established 17 years ago, have been deepening. Just in 2008, 12,400 people from China visited Azerbaijan. The number of Azerbaijanis visiting China is about the same.
According to the diplomat, 15 major Chinese companies now operate in the South Caucasus republic, and bilateral trade turnover amounted to $800 million last year. The Asian state has channeled investments worth $500 million into the Azerbaijani economy.
Yannian has acted as China`s ambassador to Azerbaijan since April 2009. In the 1990s, he was assigned to his country`s diplomatic missions in Ukraine and Armenia. From 2004 to 2009 he worked as the Chinese ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.
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