China will also participate in the Middle Corridor Multimodal joint venture, established by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia.

On Wednesday, Azerbaijan Railways, the country’s state-owned railway company, announced that Azerbaijan and China had signed a memorandum to expand cooperation in rail transportation to improve logistics along the New Silk Road.

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The memorandum aims to further develop and strengthen collaboration between the two countries’ railway organizations, including the implementation of digital projects.

It also outlines plans to develop transport via the Middle Corridor — a route that passes through Central Asia and the Caspian Sea en route to Europe — and to connect it with logistics terminals in China and Azerbaijan. In addition, the agreement provides for the entry of China Railway Transport Corp. into the Middle Corridor Multimodal joint venture, established by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia.

According to Azerbaijan Railways, cooperation with China increased the volume of rail cargo by 47% in 2024 compared to the previous year, reaching 612,000 tons.

Azerbaijan is also purchasing Chinese freight trains. Last year, the country received up to 287 units, and 199 trains arrived during the first half of this year.

As part of international efforts to consolidate the New Silk Road, Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Cairo on Wednesday for a visit aimed at strengthening relations with Egypt to “safeguard their common interests.”

In May, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi visited China, where he and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the launch of the China-Egypt Partnership Year 2024 to mark the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two nations.

Egypt is also a key member of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched in 2013 and widely known as the “New Silk Road.”

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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