Silk Road trasnport corridor to benefit Armenia: lawmaker

YEREVAN -- China's construction of the Silk Road transportation corridor running through Armenia serves the interests of Armenia, a member of the Armenian Parliament has said.

Gagik Minasyan, deputy of Armenia's National Assembly, was quoted by local media reports as saying on Friday that Armenia is a most favorable country for hosting construction of the transport corridor within the framework of China's initiatives on the building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (popularly known as the The Belt and Road Initiatives).

China's investment in the construction of the transport corridor can be safe in Armenia, Minasyan said.

In the meantime, he emphasized the importance of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's state visit to China on March 24-28, and the agreements signed during his meetings with China's top officials.

"The agreements also include the construction of North-South main road, which actually can be a transport corridor of the Silk Road in south Caucasus," Minasyan concludes.

The Belt and Road Initiatives, firstly brought up by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, are intended to connect Asian, European and African countries more closely and promote mutually beneficial cooperation.

Some experts believe the initiatives may also bolster China's industrial upgrading, urbanization and coordinated development among the regions concerned.