YEREVAN—In a meeting with China’s Communist Party chief, who is on an official visit to Armenia, President Serzh Sarkisian called for strengthening of China-Armenia relations and broadening economic cooperation with China, reported the presidential press service.
Sarkisian told the Chinese Community Party chief, Li Changchun, that China has always been a reliable partner of Armenia and broadening the scope of relations with China was a foreign and economic policy priority for the Armenian government.
“We are happy to visit Armenia,” said Changchun. “The objective of the visit is to deepen political dialogue between the two countries and …enhance mutually beneficial cooperation and the traditional Armenian-Chinese friendship.”
Saying that Armenia was a trusted and important regional ally, the Chinese leader pointed to the centuries-long relations between the two countries.
As part of the Chinese leader’s visit, an Armenian-Chinese Business Forum kicked off in Yerevan Tuesday. Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Li Changchun were present at the opening ceremony.
Changchun said in his speech that bilateral relations of the past five years have created a good basis for further economic cooperation.
“Certainly, the size of economy is different in the two countries, but there are similarities, as well,” Armenian Minister of Economy Tigran Davtyan said. “Our relations have been actively developing in recent times. China has become one of the main industrial partners of Armenia,” he added.
According to Tigran Davtyan, the turnover between Armenia and China increased 44.4 percent in 2010, totaling $436,700,000. Exports reached $30,900,000 and imports totaled $405,800,000. However, there is still great potential, which has not yet been tapped.
