Irakli Kobakhidze Attends Farewell Reception for Chinese Ambassador
July 27
A reception marking the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and the conclusion of Chinese Ambassador Zhou Qian’s diplomatic mission in Georgia was held in Tbilisi on July 27. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, government officials and members of the diplomatic corps attended the event.
Kobakhidze thanked Zhou for his contribution to bilateral relations and said cooperation had expanded across political, economic and people-to-people fields since the two countries established a strategic partnership in 2023. According to the prime minister, China is Georgia’s third-largest trading partner and the second-largest market for Georgia’s domestically produced exports.
Zhou reviewed his four-year tenure in Georgia, saying bilateral ties had first been elevated to a strategic partnership and later to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Georgian Ambassador Attends China Institute of International Studies Event
July 28
On July 28, the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) presented a new publication in Beijing examining the international landscape and China’s foreign policy. Georgia’s Ambassador to China Paata Kalandadze and heads of diplomatic missions from several countries attended the event.
Participants were introduced to the institute’s new publication, Blue Book on International Situation and China’s Foreign Affairs. The volume reviews shifts in the international system, global challenges and the main directions of Chinese foreign policy in 2025-2026.
During the event, diplomats and Chinese researchers exchanged views on international developments and discussed opportunities to strengthen expert-level cooperation.
China Signals Readiness to Deepen Military Cooperation with Azerbaijan
July 28
An official reception marking the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army was held in Baku on July 28. The event was hosted by Chinese Ambassador Lu Mei and defence attache Senior Colonel Song Jun.
Speaking at the reception, Lu called for expanding military and technological cooperation with Azerbaijan. She said defence ties were an important part of the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership and that the Chinese military was ready to strengthen contacts and practical cooperation with the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.
The ambassador also addressed artificial intelligence, saying Beijing was interested in sharing experience and technological capabilities with Azerbaijan. In this context, she referred to the China-initiated World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), which aims to promote the safe and equitable development of AI.
Azerbaijani Scholar Presents Confucius Translation Project in China
July 30
A conference titled “Intercivilizational Exchange and the Translation of Ancient Classics” was held in China on July 30. Agshin Aliyev, head of the Azerbaijani Language Department at the Asian Faculty of Beijing Foreign Studies University and a board member of the International Confucian Association, took part in the event.
Aliyev discussed the methods and challenges involved in rendering key concepts of Confucian philosophy into Azerbaijani. He produced the first direct Chinese-to-Azerbaijani translation of Confucius’s collection of sayings and dialogues, The Analects.
The event was organized by the International Confucian Association and the Confucius Research Institute and brought together around 50 scholars from 20 countries.
Joint Azerbaijan-China Engineering Faculty to Admit First Students
July 31
Baku Engineering University and Beijing University of Chemical Technology have opened admissions for the first cohort of their joint engineering faculty. The faculty will begin operating in the 2026-2027 academic year.
Degree programs will cover computer science, chemistry, biotechnology and mechanical engineering. The program will follow a “3+1” model: students will spend their first three years in Azerbaijan and their final year in China.
Graduates who successfully meet the program requirements will receive diplomas from both universities. The partnership also includes joint research, academic mobility and technology transfer.
Armenian Representatives Attend SCO Media and Think Tank Summit
July 27
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Media and Think Tank Summit opened in Bishkek on July 27, with participation from Armenia’s Public Relations and Information Center under the Prime Minister’s Office and the Armenpress news agency.
The event was organized by China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency and Kyrgyzstan’s Kabar agency. Discussions focused on international information cooperation, the digital transformation of media, countering disinformation and the use of artificial intelligence. The summit brought together around 250 participants from 26 countries.
Pashinyan Links Strategic Ties with China to Foreign Policy Diversification
July 30
At a press briefing on July 30, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan discussed efforts to diversify the country’s foreign policy and named China among the states with which Yerevan has signed documents defining strategic relations.
Pashinyan said Armenia had previously lacked alternatives in its economic and political ties but was now working to broaden its circle of partners. He noted that Yerevan had signed documents on strategic relations with China, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France and other countries.
The Armenian prime minister said relations with any country should not be constrained. He described Yerevan’s new approach as an effort not to replace existing partners, but to balance political and economic ties and create alternatives.
Chinese-Backed Mining and Metallurgical Park Discussed in Sughd Region
July 27
Sughd regional head Rajab Ahmadzoda met Sun Qian, chairman of the board of Chinese company Antaike Information & Technology, in Khujand on July 27 to discuss the possible creation of a modern mining and metallurgical industrial park in the region.
Talks focused on attracting Chinese investment, production technologies and specialists. Tajik officials said the proposed park could help expand industrial output and create additional jobs in the region. The Chinese delegation’s visit followed a working trip to China by Sughd regional representatives from July 12 to 18.
Chinese Company Discusses 200 MW Solar Plant Project in Tajikistan
July 27
Tajik Energy and Water Resources Minister Daler Juma met Li Yahun, vice president of China Energy Overseas Investment, in Dushanbe on July 27. The meeting focused on plans to build a 200-megawatt solar power plant in the north of the country.
The sides reviewed preparations for the project and the next stages of cooperation. Participants expressed readiness to accelerate implementation and continue technical consultations. The project is intended to develop Tajikistan’s renewable energy resources and increase electricity generation.
Tajikistan and China Discuss AI in Education and Student Exchanges
July 29
Chinese Ambassador Guo Zhijun met Tajik Education and Science Minister Rahim Saidzoda in Dushanbe on July 29 to discuss expanding cooperation in education and scientific research.
The sides identified AI education, the training of highly qualified specialists, and stronger student and academic exchanges between Tajik and Chinese universities as priorities. Tajikistan also expressed readiness to continue supporting Chinese-language teaching and programs promoting Chinese culture.
Waste-to-Energy Project Discussed in Dushanbe
July 30
Tajik Energy and Water Resources Minister Daler Juma and Environmental Protection Committee Chairman Bahodur Sheralizoda held a video conference with executives from Chinese company Wangneng Environment on July 30 to discuss plans for a waste-processing plant in Dushanbe.
The initiative envisages incinerating municipal solid waste and using the heat generated in the process to produce electricity. The project aims to reduce the volume of waste accumulated in the capital and use it as an energy resource.
China’s Share of Tajikistan’s Electric Vehicle Imports Exceeds 97%
August 2
According to customs data published on August 2, Tajikistan imported 9,386 passenger cars from China in the first half of 2026, with a total customs value of $140.2 million.
China ranked second after South Korea by the number of imported vehicles, but became Tajikistan’s largest supplier by total value.
China’s dominance was especially pronounced in the electric vehicle market. Of at least 7,069 EVs imported into Tajikistan in the first six months of the year, 6,875 – around 97.3% – came from China. Their total customs value was about $109.7 million. The figures show that Tajikistan’s EV market is almost entirely dependent on Chinese-made vehicles.
