QINGDAO, China, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from iQingdao: Qingdao's advanced port facilities, growing high-tech industries and strong international connectivity are opening up new possibilities for cooperation with Armenia, Armenian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to China Vahe Gevorgyan said in an exclusive interview with Qingdao News during his visit to the coastal city.

Gevorgyan said this was his second visit to Qingdao and his first visit to the city's port. He described Qingdao's automated port as "very impressive," noting that its highly automated operations demonstrate a new approach to connectivity and raise the level of technological integration in modern port development.

"Qingdao presents itself to the world as a high-tech industrial city," Gevorgyan said, adding that the city's technological capabilities and industrial strengths have created a solid foundation for international cooperation.

The ambassador was visiting Qingdao to attend the Qingdao International Beer Festival, one of the city's major cultural and business events. He noted that Tsingtao Beer has become an internationally recognized brand and expressed his appreciation for the invitation from the Qingdao municipal government.

Gevorgyan also highlighted the steady development of Armenia-China relations. In August 2025, the two countries announced the establishment of a strategic partnership, pledging to expand cooperation in areas including trade and investment, information technology, science and technology, tourism, culture and transportation connectivity.

At the city-to-city level, Yerevan and Qingdao established sister-city relations in 2023, building on a friendship and cooperation agreement signed in 2022. The partnership covers areas including trade, science and technology, culture, education, healthcare, tourism and urban development.

Gevorgyan said the two cities share considerable potential for cooperation, particularly in tourism and cultural exchanges. Both are major tourist destinations with distinctive culinary and cultural traditions. Qingdao is internationally associated with its beer culture, while Armenia is renowned for its wine and brandy. With direct air connectivity between China and Armenia, he expressed hope for increased tourist exchanges between Qingdao and Yerevan.

Beyond tourism, the ambassador sees complementary strengths in the two cities' industrial and technological ecosystems. Qingdao has developed strong capabilities in manufacturing, advanced equipment and hardware, while Armenia has cultivated a competitive information technology and software sector. The two sides, he suggested, could combine these complementary advantages to develop new joint projects.

"Bringing software and hardware together" could create new opportunities for cooperation between Yerevan and Qingdao, Gevorgyan said, pointing to the potential for collaboration in technology, innovation and emerging industries.

As China-Armenia relations enter a new stage of strategic partnership, the ambassador's remarks underscore the growing importance of subnational cooperation in translating bilateral ties into concrete projects and people-to-people exchanges. For Qingdao and Yerevan, closer collaboration could provide a platform for expanding cooperation from traditional areas such as trade, tourism and culture into technology-driven and innovation-oriented fields.

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SOURCE Iqingdao