Chinese air companies are interested in direct links with Armenia, Liu Chuan, President of Huahe International, head of the Chinese delegation to Yerevan, said at the Armenian-Chinese business forum, News Armenia reports.
The first Armenian-Chinese business forum started in Yerevan on Thursday and saw 11 Chinese and 39 Armenian companies. Chuan said that they have direct air service with Tbilisi and Baku, air connection with Yerevan would be profitable.
Rovert Arutyunyan, Chairman of the Armenian Development Agency, says that Armenian Chinese trade turnover through the Black Sea Port of Poti (Georgia) is realized with especially low prices of $1,800 per container.
Arutyunyan believes that construction of the North-South (Armenia-Iran) railway would open new opportunities for ground trade with China.
According to statistics for January-October 2011, Armenian-Chinese trade turnover dropped by 3.5%, compared with the same period in 2010, totaling $341 million. Armenia exported products worth $9.8 million (0.9% of all exports) to China (-59.6%). It imported products worth $331.2 million (+0.6%). Chinese exports totaled $172.9 million (-10.9%).
Armenia exports marble, copper, ore, stone, pipe, cognac and other alcohol drinks to China. China imports electronics, computers, household goods, construction materials, metal constructions, vehicles, polymers, clothes and jewellery to Armenia.
