New China–Europe Trade Route Takes Shape Amid Shifting Regional Geopolitics

Europe views the route as a way to project its influence eastward—and to circumvent Russia.
New China–Europe Trade Route Takes Shape Amid Shifting Regional Geopolitics
Seagulls perch on the shore of the Caspian Sea in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Nov. 10, 2024. Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Adam Morrow
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On a recent visit to Beijing, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a strategic partnership agreement with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. The deal calls for increased cooperation in a range of fields, with an emphasis on regional transport and connectivity.

The leaders also signed a secondary agreement on “international multimodal transportation” with the aim of developing trade routes—via Azerbaijan—linking China to European markets.