Dear journalists,

I am glad to welcome my Chinese counterpart - the Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister - Yang Jiechi in Yerevan.

The visit of the Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister surely is a proof of the dynamical development in the relations between our countries which was marked by the visit of the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsian to China and meeting with the President of the People's Republic of China Hu Jintao last year. The Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan also paid a visit to China last year.

Seizing the opportunity, I would like also to express gratitude to Yang Jiechi for the warm reception that was given during my official visit to China in 2009.

We mutually stressed the importance of regularity of contacts held on a high level between two countries and expressed confidence that they will give a new impulse to the further deepening and development of our relations. Undoubtedly the regular political dialogue and reciprocal support in multiple formats are backing the enlargement of mutual understanding and confidence between Armenia and China.

Today we discussed the process of the implementation of the agreements reached between the Presidents of the two countries, as well as the possibilities of further expansion and inclusion of the new ones into the existing areas of cooperation.

In the course of the meeting, we touched upon the issues related to the promotion of trade-economic relations between the two countries, improvement of legal-contractual field, expansion of cultural and educational exchanges, as well as decentralized cooperation.

The exploitation of the Armenian-Chinese Shanxi-Nairit joint venture in the Shanxi province of China in the presentence of the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsian, the economic projects implemented by China in Armenia - the building of the hydroelectric power plants and cooperation in the sphere of communications -are important proofs of the development of bilateral economic ties.

I would like also to express gratitude to the Chinese government for the continuous technical support, through which eight dozen ambulances will be provided only this year, and a number of buses in the future.

Together with Minister Jiechi, we also touched upon the expansion of cooperation spheres, including issues related to the promotion of interaction in the spheres of energy, coal industry, agriculture, transport, healthcare and others.

I think that the decision made by the Armenian Government on the visa facilitation for the Chinese citizens recently will give a new impulse to the business, cultural and educational exchanges.

Together with Minister Jiechi, we had a thorough talk on the intensification of consultations held between the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Armenia and China, as well as the issues related to the rapprochement of the cooperation between the two countries.

We also touched upon the regional and international issues. We talked about the settlement of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) issue. In this context Armenia highly appreciates the balanced position of China on issues of our interests. In his part, Armenia reaffirms her traditional position on "One China".

Once again I would like to welcome the Chinese Foreign Minister for his visit to Armenia. I am sure that it will give a new impulse to the further deepening of interaction between our friendly countries in various spheres.