Ahmad Hashemi’s take on China and Japan expanding their ties with Azerbaijan.
Ahmad Hashemi discussed with AnewZ the geopolitical motivations behind Azerbaijan’s strategic expansion of ties with China and Japan.
Hashemi characterizes Baku’s “Pivot to Asia” as a calculated effort to achieve strategic autonomy and diversify its international partnerships beyond regional powers like Russia and Iran.
A central theme is Azerbaijan’s role in the Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian International Transport Route). Hashemi explains that as China seeks reliable trade routes to Europe that bypass sanctioned Russian territory, Azerbaijan has positioned itself as an indispensable node. This alignment with Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative grants Baku significant diplomatic leverage and economic security.
Regarding Japan, Hashemi highlights a partnership built on high-tech investment and energy modernization. Unlike Western alliances, which may come with political conditions, Japan offers Azerbaijan advanced technology and capital for infrastructure and renewable energy projects in a “neutral” capacity.
Ultimately, Hashemi argues that by intertwining its economy with East Asian superpowers, Azerbaijan creates a “multi-vector” foreign policy. This internationalization of its interests serves as a defensive shield, making it far more difficult for neighboring rivals to exert pressure or destabilize the region without impacting the interests of global powers.
• #Eurasia
International Relations
• #China
• #Japan
• #BRI
• #Baku
Economic & Energy
Regional Dynamics
Ahmad Hashemi, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Program at the Global Policy Institute (GPI). 