Space cooperation between Azerbaijan and China is poised for further expansion into areas such as commercial satellites and deep space research, said Dunay Badirkhanov, acting chair of the board of Azerbaijan's national space agency, Azercosmos.
The 77th International Astronautical Congress kicked off Monday in Antalya, Türkiye's Mediterranean resort city, gathering space leaders, researchers and industry representatives from across the globe.
Speaking on the sidelines of the five-day meeting, which runs under the theme "The World Needs More Space," Badirkhanov emphasized that heavy investments required for space and digital exploration make collaboration vital, particularly for emerging space nations like Azerbaijan.
"Today it's hard for a single country to have big achievements. Space exploration, digital exploration needs a lot of investment and this is the place where really the new possibilities open for developing for emerging space countries as Azerbaijan. We hope that this cooperation in future will even further grow, and we'll have more scientific projects there, and we already have some scientists and scientific projects ongoing, and we hope that this will even grow in the future," said Badirkhanov.
Azerbaijan joined China's International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) program in Oct. 2023 as space agencies of China and Azerbaijan signed a joint statement on cooperation on the program during the 74th International Astronautical Congress held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
According to the joint statement, the two sides would carry out extensive cooperation in the demonstration, implementation, operation and application of the program, including mounting scientific instruments, providing training to personnel and conducting scientific and technological experiments.
The ILRS program, jointly initiated by China and Russia in 2021, aims to build a lunar base and carry out lunar research and exploration.
Badirkhanov noted that Azercosmos is closely monitoring preparations for the ILRS program.
"We actively participate in the workshops and seminars regarding this laboratory. We closely monitor the ongoing preparations, and we closely collaborate with our partners to see how we can contribute as Azerbaijan is a scientific part of this project," he said.
Noting that China and Azerbaijan have good relations in space research, Badirkhanov expected cooperation with China in the field to grow further.
"Of course, space is huge and new opportunities open every day, every year. And we are happy that we are part of the international community and large space agencies, and China and others are open for emerging space countries to also be involved in their activities," said Badirkhanov.
Azerbaijan Space Agency eyes deeper cooperation with China: acting chief
The head of luxury car brand Rolls-Royce has highlighted the importance of the Chinese market to the British auto-maker, with the strong demand from China's large customer base and its well-developed dealer network being seen as crucial to the company's long-term investment strategies.
Chris Brownridge, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, was speaking in an interview with the China Media Group (CMG) as the company recently opened up its flagship Beijing Jinbao Street showroom, becoming the first dealership built to the brand's new visual identity standards.
Founded in 1904, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is now a wholly owned subsidiary of German auto giant BMW. For many years, China has remained its second-largest market worldwide, and Brownridge noted the long history the company has in the Chinese market.
"This region is very important to Rolls-Royce. We delivered our first motor car to a Chinese client in the mid-1930s. So we have clients all over China and have been delivering our motor cars for more than 90 years. So this is a very important region for us and, as a result, we're continuing to invest for our clients here. This is one of only four places in the world where there is a private office outside of the home of Rolls-Royce," he said.
Brownridge was referring to the firm's Shanghai Private Office, which became Rolls-Royce's only dedicated customization center in China when it opened in August 2023 to better cater to the diverse preferences of Chinese customers.
According to the company's official sales data, the office has maintained steady business growth since it began operations three years ago, with revenue up about 67 percent year on year in 2025.
Brownridge, who was making his second visit to China as the new Beijing showroom opened in September, shared his views on the strategic opportunities he sees in the Chinese market.
"An interesting fact is that today in this region, so in China, the average commission value is increasing every year because our clients are asking for more and more complex commissions. We measure our success on the value of what we produce, and not the volume of what we produce," said the CEO.
Highlighting the advantages of China's booming auto market, Brownridge noted the sizable customer base and the extensive dealer network and partners the company enjoys here, making it extremely important for Rolls-Royce.
"We're continuing to invest here because, of course, our business is one where we have very ambitious plans, but also we shouldn't judge our business on the last 12 months. This is a long-term investment in a very important market. We have many clients here and we have very strong demand. Our dealer network here in China is an important part of our business in delivering that client experience. We have some wonderful dealer partners who are investing in magnificent facilities. So this is a very important place for us," he said.
Chinese market crucial for Rolls-Royce's long-term strategic goals: CEO
