The Head of Department at the Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center) participated in a series of high-level international conferences, meetings, and roundtables during his visit to the People’s Republic of China on December 3-5, 2025.

On December 3, Shahmar Hajiyev took part in the “Third Global South Think Tanks Dialogue” held in Shanghai.

During Session I, titled “Exploring Paths to Modernization through Exchanges and Mutual Learning,” he identified climate change and global economic inequality as two of the most urgent challenges confronting the Global South.

He focused particularly on the Caspian Sea, which is experiencing a dramatic decline in water levels.

“Caspian littoral states must deepen regional cooperation and accelerate adaptation measures. International institutions should also support this process by strengthening monitoring systems, enhancing scientific research, and promoting sustainable management across the basin,” he said.

Head of Department also touched on the effective strategic cooperation between China and Azerbaijan.

“Azerbaijan joined the Belt and Road Initiative with the goal of diversifying its economy and enhancing connectivity. For China, Azerbaijan is a critical link in the Middle Corridor, a transport route connecting China and Europe via the Caspian Sea.”

Later the same day, he spoke at a roundtable titled “New Type of Think Tanks and the Global South,” organized by the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. In his remarks, he emphasized the evolving role of think tanks in Azerbaijan and highlighted opportunities for deeper collaboration among research institutions throughout the Global South.

On December 4, Shahmar Hajiyev participated in another conference organized by the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, titled “The World Order in Crisis: Reform or Reconstruction?”

Speaking on the panel titled “In a ‘Securitized’ World: How to Rescue Interdependence?”, he examined the implications of securitization for strategically located economies such as Azerbaijan.

He argued that across Eurasia, a profound shift is underway: supply chains for traditional and renewable energy, critical minerals, and advanced technologies have become increasingly contested and geopolitically sensitive.

According to him, Azerbaijan’s reliability as an energy supplier has gained additional importance during recent global energy crises. Thus, through cooperation with Georgia and Türkiye, Azerbaijan developed the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline, a historic strategic project that opened a new route for Caspian resources to reach global markets.

He added that strong producer-consumer dialogue and effective management paved the way for future energy and connectivity initiatives.

“At the same time, the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) is more than an economic project, it constitutes a central pillar of Europe’s energy security architecture. Azerbaijan is expanding its renewable energy portfolio, particularly in solar and wind power, and preparing to export green electricity to Europe via the emerging Caspian-Black Sea corridor. In this context, Azerbaijan, Romania, Georgia, and Hungary have signed an MoU on the Black Sea Submarine Cable Project, which will supply electricity from the South Caucasus to Europe. To support this initiative, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan have also signed an MoU to link their power grids across the Caspian Sea. Collectively, these agreements lay the groundwork for the Caspian-EU Green Energy Corridor. Azerbaijan demonstrates how a mid-sized nation can successfully navigate this environment: by leveraging its geography, building strategic infrastructure, maintaining constructive producer–consumer dialogue, diversifying partnerships, and investing consistently in sustainable development,” he concluded.