Armenian president visits Shanghai

Xinhua, China
Sept 29 2004

SHANGHAI, Sept. 29 (Xinhuanet) — Armenia is expected to learn from
China’s largest commercial city and encourages its businessmen to
invest here as soon as possible, said Armenian President Robert
Sedrakovich Kocharyan on Wednesday.

Kocharyan arrived in Shanghai from Beijing on Tuesday to continue his
five-day state visit to China. It is the first state visit to China
by Kocharyan as president.

Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng met with Kocharyan, telling him that the
city has maintained “healthy, stable and rising momentum.”

Trade between China and Armenia has been increasing in recent years,
and the trade volume in the first eight months rose by 529 percent
compared with the same period of 2003.

During his stay in Beijing, Kocharyan and Chinese President Hu Jintao
signed a joint statement in which Armenia recognized China full market
economy status.