Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and China coordinating logistics along Middle Corridor
China’s proposal would extend Lianyungang Port’s existing logistics chain to Baku, alongside expanding container capacity at Aktau and new multimodal transport agreements. At the CICA Conference of Port Authorities in Baku on September 9, 2026, Lianyungang Port Vice President Jiang Wei proposed incorporating Baku into the existing Lianyungang–Khorgos–Aktau “Three Nodes” logistics chain. Azerbaijan Railways and representatives of Chinese port and technology firms discussed developing the Lianyungang–Baku route, expanding container and block-train services, attracting Chinese cargo bound for Europe, and introducing smart-port technologies.
Why it matters: The development matters for connectivity because it could integrate transport networks across China, Central Asia and the South Caucasus and strengthen freight links with European markets, while its viability depends on coordinating railway, port, customs and digital systems.