During his official visit to Beijing, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan gave an interview to the South China Morning Post. Below are excerpts from the published article highlighting key points of the discussion.
On Armenia–China strategic partnership
When asked about the prospects for deepening strategic ties between Armenia and China, Minister Mirzoyan emphasized that there are no obstacles to strengthening bilateral relations.
“Not only is there no impediment to advancing our relations, but there is also openness and readiness to deepen them without any limitations,” he said.
He noted that this mutual understanding has already been conveyed to China during discussions with Chinese counterparts.
“We have acknowledged the strategic nature of our relationship, and we see shared interest in officially elevating these ties.”
Minister Mirzoyan described the political dialogue between Yerevan and Beijing as “intense and active,” noting Armenia’s intention to expand cooperation beyond trade and infrastructure, into areas such as culture and people-to-people exchange.
On peace in the South Caucasus
Addressing questions about prospects for peace in the South Caucasus, Minister Mirzoyan recalled that China was among the countries that welcomed the progress made in Armenia–Azerbaijan peace negotiations.
“Armenia is committed to institutionalizing peace with Azerbaijan through the signing of a Peace Treaty,” he stated.
“We see that China expressed readiness to support the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization,” he said.
On normalizing relations with neighbors, including Türkiye
Regarding Armenia’s efforts to normalize relations with its neighbors, including Türkiye, Minister Mirzoyan underlined the significance of such steps for Armenia’s broader connectivity agenda.
“Normalization is a key component of Armenia’s ‘Crossroads of Peace’ initiative, launched in 2023, which aims to enhance connectivity between Armenia, its neighbors, and wider regions, including Europe, Central Asia, and China,” Minister Mirzoyan said.
He further noted the potential for synergy between Armenia’s “Crossroads of Peace” and global infrastructure initiatives such as China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the EU’s Global Gateway, a €300 billion investment strategy.
“Imagine, Armenian “Crossroads of Peace” wouldn’t have that huge impact without the “Belt and Road” project of China; and vice versa, probably the “Belt and Road” wouldn’t run that smoothly if it were to bypass Armenia,” the Foreign Minister said.
