China and Azerbaijan agreed to further explore trade and economic cooperation potential and China is in favor of Azerbaijan's entry to the World Trade Organization (WTO) at an earlier date, according to a joint statement issued in Beijing on Saturday.

The document says that the two countries will encourage their enterprises to expand cooperation in the fields such as oil and chemistry, light industry, machinery manufacturing, agriculture, transportation and telecommunication.

It notes that China supports Azerbaijan to join the WTO and Azerbaijan recognizes China's full-market-economy status.

The two countries will enhance cooperation in culture, education, science, tourism, sports, information, finance and environmental protection, it says.

The statement says both sides will maintain and develop exchanges and cooperation in military fields.

China and Azerbaijan spoke highly of their cooperation in the United Nations and other international or regional organizations, it says.

According to the statement, Azerbaijan is against the "Taiwan independence" and supports China's efforts in reaching peaceful reunification and maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan straits and in the Asian-Pacific region, such as the anti-secession law adopted by the Chinese National People's Congress.

The two sides agreed to jointly fight against terrorism, separatism, and extremism, smuggle of drug, commodity and human beings and other cross-border crimes, according to the statement.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev paid a state visit to China from March 17 to 19 as guest of his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao.

During his stay in Beijing, Aliyev held talks with Hu and met with Premier Wen Jiabao.

Source: Xinhua