Xiamen: From September 6 to 11, a delegation led by Israfil Mammadov, Chief Executive Officer of the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), paid a working visit to China. The visit aimed to strengthen investment cooperation with China and expand opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, during the visit, the delegation held meetings with representatives of several international financial institutions, investment companies, and government bodies, and participated in major regional events. The main part of the visit took place within the framework of the China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), held in Xiamen. SOFAZ representatives attended the fair’s opening ceremony and met with Zhang Qingsong, Chairman and CEO of the China Investment Corporation (CIC), and Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield Asset Management.
Israfil Mammadov also participated in a roundtable chaired by Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China. The event gathered senior officials from China’s central and regional government bodies, as well as leaders of major global corporations from various sectors including energy, finance, and technology. Further, Mammadov spoke at a panel discussion dedicated to the China-ASEAN Joint Investment Council (CAJIC), part of the ‘China Investing Abroad’ session, which focused on enhancing investment flows and strengthening ties between China and ASEAN.
Mammadov highlighted that China and ASEAN should be viewed as a single economic ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of cooperation for SOFAZ beyond capital investment, aiming to build trusted partnerships and gain market experience. The Fund’s participation is seen as strategically important for bolstering Azerbaijan’s financial connections with Asian markets.
The SOFAZ delegation also enhanced its relationship with Brookfield Asset Management by participating in a forum in Hong Kong, discussing global capital market trends and investment outlooks in various sectors. The outcomes of the visit underscore the ongoing expansion of SOFAZ’s investment networks across Asia, reinforcing institutional ties with CIC and securing a significant position within the region’s sovereign funds network through CAJIC membership.
This visit carries broader strategic implications for Azerbaijan, complementing the Middle Corridor’s role in connecting Asia and Europe by strengthening financial ties, thereby bringing Azerbaijan and Asia closer both geographically and economically.