Joint Statement on Armenia-China Strategic Partnership

Armenia and China have agreed to establish a strategic partnership, continuing to be guided by the fundamental principles of bilateral relations, which are characterized by equality, mutual respect and trust, as well as mutually beneficial cooperation. This is stated in a joint statement adopted by the RA and the PRC.

The Republic of Armenia and the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the Parties),

Based on the centuries-old friendship of the two peoples,

Agreeing that since the establishment of diplomatic relations on April 6, 1992, bilateral relations have developed dynamically, and cooperation between the two countries in various fields has achieved positive results,

Being fully committed to expanding cooperation in the political, economic, cultural and social spheres, as well as in international relations and in promoting regional and global peace and stability,

Have agreed to establish a strategic partnership, continuing to be guided by the fundamental principles of bilateral relations, which are characterized by equality, mutual respect and trust, as well as mutually beneficial cooperation.

POLITICAL DIALOGUE

The Parties are guided by the principles of peaceful coexistence: mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, exclusion of aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, as well as the principles of peaceful coexistence.

The Parties respect the development paths chosen by each other in accordance with their national characteristics and the independent decision-making in policy regarding bilateral relations. The Parties act as reliable partners for each other, refrain from actions that harm the sovereignty, security and development interests of the other party, or any action that violates the mutual trust between the two countries and the friendship between the peoples.

The Armenian side reaffirms its position in support of the "One China" principle, recognizing that there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing all of China; resolutely opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" and supports the efforts made by China towards national reunification.

The Chinese side reaffirms its firm support for the political independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of the Republic of Armenia. China supports the peace agenda proposed by the Armenian side and welcomes the "Crossroads of Peace" initiative.

The Parties are convinced that geopolitical intrigues encouraging confrontation can serve no purpose, and they jointly oppose steps that destabilize the region and provoke new escalation.

The Parties express their readiness to strengthen high-level political dialogue, to regularly hold political consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries, as well as to expand communication between central and local authorities, and between parties, for the purpose of exchanging experience and strengthening cooperation.

The Parties attach great importance to further cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries and emphasize the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in promoting bilateral political dialogue.

The Parties emphasize the need for further development of communication mechanisms between the governments of the two countries for the exchange of views on development and security issues.

The Parties are ready to strengthen cooperation and exchange in the legal and judicial fields on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and respect.

The Parties express their readiness to strengthen cooperation in law enforcement and security, to make joint efforts to combat terrorism, separatism, extremism, cybercrime and other transnational crimes.

The Parties will continue to expand inter-regional cooperation.

The Parties will continue to enrich the political and contractual-legal foundations to deepen cooperation in various fields.

ECONOMY, TRADE, INVESTMENT AND TOURISM

The Parties welcome the stable growth of bilateral trade in recent years and express their readiness to make efforts for its further growth, including by promoting the export of Armenian products and their entry into the Chinese market, as well as attracting investments from Chinese companies in Armenia. Armenia welcomes the participation of Chinese companies in infrastructure projects in Armenia.

The Parties express their readiness to strengthen exchanges and cooperation to expand trade and investment potential in areas such as infrastructure, information technology, renewable energy sources, agriculture, industry, etc.

The Parties recognize the essential role of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation in the further development of trade and economic relations between Armenia and China and express their readiness to continue to regularly convene meetings of the Commission and to make efforts for the comprehensive implementation of its decisions, for which both sides are raising the level of the Commission's co-chairs.

China welcomes Armenia's active participation in the China International Import Expo, the China Import and Export Fair, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the Global Digital Trade Expo, the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair, the China International Fair for Investment and Trade and other major exhibitions. The Chinese side supports the Armenian side in using online platforms for the promotion and sale of high-quality goods. Armenia also welcomes the active participation of the Chinese side in international exhibitions and fairs organized in Armenia, including "EXPO Food and Drinks," "ArmProd EXPO," "Build EXPO," "Industrial Armenia EXPO," "DigiTec Expo," "ArmHighTech Exhibition," and others.

The Parties express their readiness to further increase mutual investments to strengthen cooperation in areas such as industry, information and telecommunication technologies, agriculture, energy, etc., to promote high-quality cooperation.

The Parties express their readiness to discuss the improvement of the contractual-legal framework related to the trade and economic sphere, and are actively studying the possibility of creating an institutional mechanism for the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment procedures. The Parties reaffirm their firm position to protect the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core and support the inclusion of the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement into the WTO's legal structure.

The Parties express their readiness to deepen cooperation in development and to develop opportunities for the implementation of a greater number of small and beautiful social projects in Armenia. Armenia expresses its gratitude to China for the ongoing technical assistance, including human resource development programs.

The Parties express their readiness to strengthen cooperation in the field of tourism. In particular, the Parties highly appreciate the visa-free regime established between the two countries, which significantly promotes tourism, strengthens contacts between peoples and expands economic, social and cultural ties. The Parties agree that the launch of direct flights between the two countries serves as an additional incentive for cooperation in the tourism sector. China welcomes Armenia's participation in the China International Travel Mart (CITM) and other tourism exhibitions.

SECTORAL COOPERATION

The Parties express their interest in promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields of science and technology, education, and language learning exchanges. The Parties will promote cultural exchange and dialogue, including at the Confucius Institute operating in Armenia, and the teaching and dissemination of the Armenian and Chinese languages. The Parties will discuss strengthening cooperation in areas such as digital education and vocational education. The Parties actively support each other in the translation and publication of classical works.

The Parties express their readiness to actively promote exchanges between research institutes, to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in science and technology, to promote the application of scientific and technical achievements and to ensure new progress in their scientific and technological cooperation.

The Parties emphasize the importance of cooperation in the fields of information technology, innovation and artificial intelligence and express their readiness to promote the creation of incubation centers, science and technology parks, innovation centers and joint research centers, considering Armenia's "Engineering City" and "Academic City" projects as possible platforms for cooperation.

The Parties agree to expand cooperation in the field of culture, to take active efforts to organize Days of Culture and other events on a reciprocal basis. The Parties express their readiness to cooperate in the preservation of cultural values and the protection of cultural heritage, as well as to deepen cooperation within the framework of the Ancient Civilizations Forum. As ancient civilizations and active participants of the Forum, the Parties are ready to actively cooperate within the framework of the Forum.

The Parties express their readiness to deepen cooperation in the fields of healthcare, employment, social security, sports and youth and to strengthen exchanges in the fields of cinema, media and expert centers.

The Parties support the further facilitation of personnel exchanges.

The Parties consider digitalization and digital transformation as a priority area of bilateral cooperation and are ready to implement joint projects for the introduction of modern technologies. The Parties also express interest in exchanging experience in areas such as cybersecurity and the fight against hybrid threats.

The Parties agree that the further deepening of cooperation in the transport sector and the promotion of the facilitation of transport, based on respect for national sovereignty and jurisdiction, equality and reciprocity, contribute to improving regional connectivity and promoting economic and trade development.

GLOBAL AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

The Parties remain committed to the protection of the international system based on the UN, the international legal order based on international law, and the basic norms of international relations derived from the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. The Parties are ready to continue to strengthen cooperation within the UN, to support each other in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs, to join forces to contribute to the formation of a multipolar world based on equality and order and mutually beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, as well as to jointly promote the construction of a new type of international relations and a community of humanity with a shared future. The Parties are convinced that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. The promotion and protection of human rights should be carried out in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, as well as international law.

The Parties reaffirm that the right to development, as a universal and inalienable right, is an integral part of human rights. The Parties are ready to promote effective international cooperation to realize the right to development and to remove obstacles that hinder development.

The Armenian side welcomes the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by the Chinese side, and in particular such concepts as respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, the protection of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the peaceful settlement of all disputes through dialogue, the priority of development, considering people as primary and central, unlocking the power of innovation, poverty reduction, addressing climate change and promoting green development. The Parties express their readiness to accelerate the implementation of the UN's "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," to jointly protect international and regional security and stability, and to promote exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations.

The Parties will deepen policy coordination, as well as promote synergy between development programs within the framework of the "One Belt, One Road" initiative (BRI) and will raise their cooperation within the framework of the BRI to a new level of high-quality development for the benefit of both countries and their peoples. Armenia, as one of the first countries to participate in the BRI cooperation, is ready to cooperate with China to actively promote the implementation of relevant cooperation projects within the framework of the BRI and the "Crossroads of Peace" initiative and to ensure the safe and successful progress of these projects.

The Chinese side welcomes the desire of the Armenian side to strengthen cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and supports the Armenian side in improving its legal status in the SCO.

The Armenian side supports the fundamental principles of the SCO, such as mutual respect for sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, not violating state borders, mutual exclusion of aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, as well as not using force or the threat of it in international relations. These principles are an integral part of Armenia's peace agenda and contribute to ensuring long-term peace and stability in the South Caucasus.