News - Wei Zheng: Active efforts being made to launch Armenia-China direct flights

Currently, active work is being done to start direct flights between Armenia and China. This was announced by Wei Zheng, Minister-Counsellor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the People’s Republic of China, and Secretary-General of the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. In her welcoming remarks at V Eurasian Research on Modern China and Eurasia Conference organized by the China-Eurasia Council for Political and Strategic Research foundation, the Minister-Counselor of the Chinese MFA added that the agreement between the governments of Armenia and China on the mutual abolition of the visa regime for holders of ordinary passports of the two countries already entered into force. Trade relations between Armenia and China are also actively developing. Today, China is Armenia's second largest trade partner, as well as an important export market and source of imports. According to Wei, several pairs of provinces, regions, and cities of the two countries have signed agreements on development and friendly relations. The growth of friendship between the two peoples is evidenced also by the growing interest in studying the Chinese language in Armenia, and Chinese universities have started to teach Armenian, and their first bachelors studying the Armenian language have graduated this year. Also, the Minister-Counselor of the Chinese MFA noted that this year marks the tenth anniversary of the One Belt One Road (Belt and Road) Initiative, and Armenia is one of the first countries to join it—and based on the principles of joint consultations, joint construction, and joint work in the interest of "open, green, and fair development with a focus on high standards, public welfare, and sustainable growth". "Peace, cooperation, openness, tolerance, and shared benefit—as the spirit of the Great Silk Road—provide inexhaustible power to promote cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative," Wei Zheng said. She added that the concept of One Belt One Road is based on the ideas of solidarity and mutual aid, mutual aid and mutual benefit, and the pursuit of common good. In this concept, according to her, there is no place for ideological confrontations, geopolitical games, and economic blackmail.