On 7 July 2017, the National Defense Research University of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia (NDRU, MoD, RA) hosted the delegation of experts in defense policy from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) headed by Major General Chan Inli, former Head of the School of Defense Studies of China’s National Defense University. The delegation also included high-ranking military personnel ‒ experts in China’s national defense, military reform and modernization, and international military cooperation. The delegation was accompanied by the newly-appointed Military and Air Attaché of the PRC in the RA, Senior Colonel Zhang Fenghua and representatives of the Department of Defense Policy, MoD, RA.
The guests were welcomed by the NDRU Head, Doctor of Political Science, Professor, Lieutenant-General Hayk Kotanjian. The meeting was also attended by the NDRU Deputy Head for Research – Head of the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS), PhD in History Benyamin Poghosyan, the NDRU Deputy Head for Education, Head of the Institute for National Strategic Defense Security Education, Colonel Suren Davtyan, Advisor to the NDRU Head, Analyst, Associate Professor, Doctor of Psychology, Colonel Vazgen Margaryan, Head of the Center for Regional Strategic Analysis, NDRU, INSS, PhD in History David Manasyan and Research Fellow of the NDRU, INSS, PhD in Economics Azat Davtyan.
At the beginning of the meeting, Lieutenant-General Hayk Kotanjian presented the activities of the NDRU and the prospects of its development. Speaking about the cooperation between Armenia and China in the field of strategic studies, Professor Kotanjian touched upon the steps taken towards the establishment of cooperation between the NDRU and similar institutions of China, particularly, mentioning the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the NDRU and the China Institute for International Strategic Studies (CIISS), as well as the arrangement for signing a Memorandum of Cooperation between the NDRU and the Xian Institute of Contemporary International Studies (XICIS).
A professional discussion followed on a number of topics of strategic importance, in particular, on the possibility of involvement of the South Caucasian states into the “Belt and Road” program proposed by China, the cooperation between the state and private sectors aimed at developing China’s military-industrial complex, as well as issues related to the prospects of relations between China and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), as well as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the EEU.
The Armenian participants of the discussion highly appreciated Chinese experience in the field of military industry and presented the vision of developing this sphere in Armenia.
The guests highly appreciated the research programs supervised by Lieutenant-General Hayk Kotanjian, particularly highlighting the involvement of young Research Fellows in them.
