The Capital Airport was still busy at night. Against the glimmering lights, an Airbus A321 took off towards the sky, carrying the Baku delegation back home from a wonderful journey. Before his departure, Eldar Azizov, Mayor of Baku, bid farewell to the staff of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality, who had come to the airport to see off the delegation. He remarked on the impressive visit to Beijing, noting that every citizen had a happy smile on their faces, which is the best indicator of whether a city is pleasant to live in and whether the people are content with their lives.

Recently, Eldar Azizov, Mayor of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, led a delegation to visit Beijing. It was also the first visit to the Chinese capital by a Baku mayor.

Last September, President Xi Jinping and Azerbaijani President Aliyev met in Samarkand and charted the course for the development of bilateral relations. The outcomes of their meeting will guide Beijing and Baku, the capitals of the two countries, to deepen exchanges and enhance mutual understanding and friendship, so as to contribute to the bilateral friendship.

The delegation visits Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall

During their stay in Beijing, Azizov and his delegation visited the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall, the Capital Museum, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), the Great Wall, and other places to study urban planning and how to build a historical and cultural city. The delegation expressed deep appreciation for Beijing's achievements in high-level opening up. Mayor Azizov left a message at the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall which reads, "Beijing is a great city with a long history, and the new master plan is very successful. Baku will learn from Beijing's experience and keep leveling up its development".

The delegation visits the NCPA

At the NCPA, the delegation was impressed by the Dragon Boat Festival Concert "A Resonant Ode". The majestic rhythms and elegant melodies intoxicated the audience, vividly demonstrating the revitalization and artistic innovation of the traditional Chinese culture. At the Capital Museum, Azizov was particularly intrigued by the "Beijing Central Axis" exhibition that marks the 870th anniversary of Beijing's establishment as the capital. Stopping at the Yongding Gate Stone Plaque, he said, "Beijing's excellent work in protecting cultural relics has brought precious historical relics back to life."

The delegation checks out the Yongding Gate Stone Plaque

Baku is the political, economic, and cultural center of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city and transportation hub in Transcaucasia. During the meeting with Vice Mayor Sima Hong, both sides reached the following agreement: to implement the consensus by the leaders of the two countries and strengthen close high-level exchanges; to play an active part in the foreign exchange activities and cooperation projects organized by the other side; to further expand and deepen economic and trade ties; to increase cultural interaction and people-to-people exchanges in various fields, thus taking friendly relations between the two cities to a new level.