BAKU, July 22 -- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Monday that his country is ready to lift its friendly cooperation with China to a new height under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Aliyev said this here while meeting with Song Tao, head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Aliyev, who is also the chairman of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, said that the Azerbaijani side attaches great importance to the diplomatic relations between the New Azerbaijan Party and the CPC, and would like to make joint efforts with China to promote bilateral cooperation in all fields under the BRI.

The president also extended sincere congratulations to Song on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China led by the CPC.

For his part, Song said that the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Aliyev in April in Beijing had served as a guideline for the future development of bilateral relations.

Song stressed that the CPC would like to enhance friendly exchanges with the New Azerbaijan Party, explore new contents of cooperation and implement the consensuses reached by the two leaders so as to make greater contributions to Sino-Azerbaijan ties.

Meanwhile, a symposium on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was held here on Monday. Over 120 representatives from Azerbaijan's ruling party, parliament and think tanks attended the seminar with the Chinese delegation.