Armenia

Note: This column mainly includes countries along the Belt and Road and countries that have signed cooperation agreements with China on Belt and Road Initiative.

In 2013, the friendly and cooperative relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Armenia maintained a positive momentum of growth.

There were frequent exchanges at all levels. From 8 to 11 April, Vice Minister of Civil Affairs Gu Chaoxi led a government delegation to the inauguration ceremony of re-elected President Serzh Sargsyan. On 4 July, Meng Jianzhu, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Committee of Political and Legislative Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, met with Artur Baghdasaryan, Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia, on the sidelines of the Fourth International Conference of High Representative for Security Affairs in Vladivostok, Russia. From 12 to 13 September, Zhou Xiaochuan, CPPCC Vice Chairman and Governor of the People's Bank of China, visited Armenia and attended the 30th Meeting of the Governors' Club of Member Countries of the Central Asia, Black Sea Region and Balkans. From 14 to 21 July, Vice President of the Republican Party of Armenia and Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan paid a visit to China and had separate meetings with Zhao Leji, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, Chen Fengxiang, Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Hao Ping, Vice Minister of Education. From 24 to 27 July, Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan visited China where he met and talked with State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi respectively. From 9 to 12 September, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan attended the Summer Davos in China and met with Premier Li Keqiang. From 22 to 26 December, Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan visited China where he met and talked with member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Air Force General Xu Qiliang and member of the Central Military Commission, State Councilor and Defense Minister General Chang Wanquan respectively. The two countries maintained communication and coordination in the UN and other international organizations.

Cooperation in economy, trade and people-to-people exchanges continued to grow. Trade imbalance was eased. In June, the Seventh Meeting of the China-Armenia Inter-government Cooperation Committee on Economy and Trade was held in Beijing. In July, a ceremony was held in Armenia for the publication of a collection of essays China in the Eyes of the Armenians.

Source: fmprc.gov.cn