19 minute read
Photo: Public domain
Op-ed by Stepan Kocharyan, Editor-in-Chief of the Armenpress English Department
At sunrise, around six in the morning, bistros are already full, serving breakfast to workers rushing to their jobs. Railway stations are buzzing as passengers board trains that operate with minute-by-minute precision. Students fill university campuses, studying AI, engineering, and other fields that will shape the technologies of tomorrow. This is China—a country preparing for the next generation.
Across three visits spanning nearly a decade to various parts of the country, perhaps the most lasting impression is this: China is not waiting for the future. In many ways, the future has already arrived there.
My first trip was in 2017, when I spent a week in Lanzhou, the regional capital of Gansu Province in northwestern China. Having visited various countries before, it became clear to me within the first few seconds of leaving the airport that I had entered another world.
Years later, in 2024, I had the privilege of returning to China and traveling extensively throughout the country before revisiting parts of it in 2026.
Each destination offered a different perspective.
After seeing China from so many different angles—from the coasts of the South China Sea to the megacity landscape of Beijing, from modernized mountain villages to cities bordering the historic Taklamakan Desert, and from maritime trade centers to ancient routes once traveled by Silk Road merchants—I was left with one recurring thought: China has seized the future.
From a personal perspective, I noticed an unusual sense of calm amid the nonstop buzz.
These journeys provided insights into a country that is sometimes misunderstood abroad, especially given the never-ending narratives about great power rivalries and other mainstream accounts.
What I witnessed was not simply a fast-growing economy, but a nation engaged in long-term planning and transformation—investing on an enormous scale in every aspect of life, from infrastructure to education and human capital.
These policies are reshaping not only China itself but also the entire world, given the country’s enormous role in the global supply chain.
The progress of technological development in all areas of life—from AI-assisted remote surgical procedures in hospitals in remote desert towns to something as ordinary as rapid online shopping, where orders can arrive at your doorstep in as little as 30 minutes or even less, depending on your location—is a testament to Chinese ingenuity, which is reflected in technologies designed to make everyday life as convenient as possible while minimizing wasted time.
Every technology, innovation, and creative solution is aimed at increasing convenience and efficiency. I vividly remember traveling on a high-speed train in China at around 400 km/h when I ordered food online. It was delivered to my seat at the next station, where the train stopped for just two minutes.
Much of the mainstream international debate about China often focuses on ideology, geopolitical competition, or narratives surrounding the so-called “Chinese threat,” as perceived by some nations, often fueled by attempts to rock the boat.
Whatever one's views may be on geopolitics or global affairs, China's economic transformation, opening-up policies, and its modernization efforts represent a remarkable development story that deserves careful study.
According to World Bank data, over the past four decades, China has lifted more than 800 million people out of poverty—one of the most significant economic and social transformations in human history.
Today, China is a manufacturing powerhouse, producing an extraordinary range of goods, from consumer electronics and household products to advanced industrial equipment. This achievement is driven by massive investments in infrastructure, logistics, and technological innovation.
The country has built a major high-speed rail network, expanded ports and highways, modernized cities, and carried out infrastructure projects on a scale rarely seen elsewhere. At the same time, China continues to advance the Belt and Road Initiative, seeking to strengthen connectivity between Asia, Europe, Africa, and beyond.
Chinese companies have also become global leaders in fields such as electric vehicles, batteries, solar energy, and artificial intelligence.
In the vital area of clean energy, China has become a global leader, rapidly expanding solar and wind power capacity while playing a dominant role in much of the world's battery supply chain.
In 2024, while stationed in Beijing for four months alongside journalists from more than 100 countries, I had the opportunity to cover major official events, including the Two Sessions, where President Xi Jinping outlined the government's program for the coming year.
I also traveled to numerous provinces and cities across China, gaining a broader understanding of the country's development, culture, and transformation.
Among the places I visited were Sanya and Haikou in Hainan Province, often described as China's Hawaii, where I covered the Boao Forum for Asia. Beyond my professional duties, I also had the chance to experience the beauty of the island, including its golden sandy beaches and tropical landscapes.
In 2024, I also visited the historic Xinjiang region, where I had the honor of accompanying a delegation led by a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson to Urumqi, Shihezi, and Alar. In Shihezi, I had a rare opportunity to meet officials from the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), who explained how the city had been built from scratch over several decades, transforming what was once a largely undeveloped area into a modern oasis.
I also traveled across Jiangsu Province, one of China's most economically advanced coastal regions in the east.
I walked through the Forbidden City in Beijing, stood in Tiananmen Square, climbed the Great Wall, and viewed centuries-old treasures of Chinese civilization preserved in museums. I visited construction sites on the scale of entire cities, observed the movement of cargo containers in busy ports with the precision of a carefully planned system, traveled through the vast landscapes surrounding the Taklamakan Desert, played chess and checkers with a robot (and suffered a humbling defeat each time) and also had the unforgettable experience of seeing China's famous pandas in Jiangsu.
This year, I once again returned to China, revisiting Xinjiang's Urumqi, as well as Lanzhou in Gansu Province, and exploring beautiful rural areas hidden among the mountains. I witnessed the rapid development in all sectors. Parts of the cities I once thought I was familiar with had transformed beyond recognition, starting with Urumqi Airport, which recently opened an entirely new, huge terminal for passenger traffic, while the old terminals are now used exclusively for cargo shipments. Of course, it would be naïve to say that I’ve seen it all, since even a lifetime isn’t enough to see all of China, and hopefully I still have many journeys ahead of me.
These trips gave me the opportunity to witness China's diversity—from ancient historical sites to some of the world's most modern infrastructure projects.
But above all, I had the chance to get to know the people of China—from the hospitable Uyghurs in Xinjiang, who have fascinating traditions, to the hardworking and optimistic farmers in mountainous villages, and the motivated and disciplined Chinese youth of Beijing.
They are all united by shared values: a deep connection to their ancestral heritage, respect for traditions and customs, an endless thirst for innovation, and a relentless drive to move forward, racing against time as though every second counts. Now, looking back, perhaps I have discovered the answer to the question that a Chinese reporter once asked me: “What are your expectations from these visits?” I answered that I wanted to discover the secret behind Chinese development—and now it seems that I have. Aside from effective government policies, the answer appears to lie in the people themselves: their sheer determination, ingenuity, and drive for innovation and creativity.
No country is without challenges. China faces its own difficulties, as does every major nation. However, the consistency of its long-term planning, its ability to implement large-scale projects, and its emphasis on technological advancement demonstrate a remarkable capacity for problem-solving.
As an Armenian, I found myself asking an important question: Where does my country fit into this global landscape?
For centuries, Armenia was more than simply a stop along the Silk Road. It was a bridge between civilizations—a place where cultures, ideas, goods, and knowledge met. The Armenian nation historically benefited from its position at the crossroads between East and West.
As China seeks to revive the spirit of the Silk Road through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), countries like Armenia have an opportunity to participate in a new era of connectivity, cooperation, and shared development.
Armenia was among the first countries in the region to support the Belt and Road Initiative. Today, the country continues to pursue connectivity projects with various international partners while seeking to diversify its economic and diplomatic relationships.
In 2025, Armenia and China elevated their relations to a strategic partnership and agreed to strengthen cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. China has also become one of Armenia's most important trading partners. According to official data published by the Armenian foreign ministry, in 2025, bilateral trade between the two countries reached approximately $2.64 billion, making China Armenia's second-largest overall trading partner. Armenian exports to China totaled about $763.6 million, while imports from China reached approximately $1.877 billion.
These figures demonstrate that the relationship is becoming increasingly significant in practical economic terms, highlighting the importance of further exploring and utilizing its untapped potential. The cooperation has been progressing in various areas, including education, investments and culture. Most importantly, China has officially welcomed Armenia's Crossroads of Peace initiative, while Yerevan has signaled that this landmark connectivity project could be linked with the Belt and Road Initiative. The opportunities for stronger cooperation are vast: the market offers endless possibilities, while Armenia’s growing tech sector could also find significant opportunities there.
While others often focus on short-term political cycles, China plans in decades. This difference in approach deserves attention—especially for countries like Armenia that are seeking sustainable economic development.
Across the world, many countries remain consumed by ideological divisions, conflicts inherited from previous generations or fueled by external actors, internal political struggles, and short-term calculations. Meanwhile, one of the greatest geopolitical and economic transformations of our era continues to unfold in the East.
Each visit to China left me with the same impression: the world's center of gravity is shifting faster than many of us realize.
While many countries debate, China builds. From my observations, instead of focusing on immediate political gains, China thinks in terms of generations ahead.
The twenty-first century will not be defined only in Washington, Brussels, or Moscow. Increasingly, it is being shaped in Beijing.
For centuries, Armenia prospered when it connected civilizations rather than choosing between them. Its historical role was not to separate East from West, but to serve as a bridge between them. Today, as China seeks to reconnect Asia, Europe, and beyond through new trade and infrastructure networks, history may once again be offering Armenia an opportunity—especially as Yerevan positions itself once again in the spirit of its historic role as a bridge between continents.
China's rise is not only apparent in statistical data; it can be seen in its cities, universities, laboratories, ports, factories, and the everyday lives of hundreds of millions of people. It is visible in the speed of construction, the scale of innovation, and the confidence of a society that is advancing toward the future at remarkable speed.
On this path, China is extending opportunities for cooperation to partners willing to engage under President Xi Jinping’s vision of a “global community of shared future,” with the Belt and Road Initiative serving as its primary platform.
The Chinese dragon has awakened long ago—not in mythology, but in factories, research centers, ports, universities, and digital networks. The world is adjusting to this reality.
Armenia cannot become China, nor should it attempt to. Every country has its own history and identity, and perhaps even its own destiny. Yet the wisdom found in ancient Chinese sayings conveys an important message: fate matters, but so does effort.
Armenia can benefit from Chinese experience, learn from its discipline, long-term planning, investment in education, infrastructure development, and consistent focus on economic transformation.
The future will belong to countries that understand the importance of connectivity, innovation, and cooperation. In the spirit of the ancient Silk Road, Armenia has an opportunity to strengthen its role as a bridge between civilizations and participate in a new era of shared development. Given the changes and transformations taking place across the world, we do not have the luxury of overlooking the vast opportunities in Armenia–China relations. Advancing cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative is therefore of vital importance.
The BRI offers an opportunity to pursue a path toward a prosperous future—not through imitation or mere formalities, but through genuine cooperation, experience-sharing, and mutual respect.
The nation whose ancestors once built the Great Wall of China is now building what could become one of the most monumental connectivity projects of our lifetime: the BRI, an endeavor whose impact could echo across future generations.
The Silk Road was never just about trade. It was about the exchange of ideas, cultures, knowledge, and human potential. It was, in a sense, a path towards a global community of a shared future – the core idea behind today’s BRI.
Perhaps one of its greatest lessons today is that civilizations prosper when they connect and turn walls into bridges.
Embracing this lesson could prove to be one of the defining choices of the century.