David Davidian*, Yerevan, Armenia January 2019
Abstract: The Turkish genocide of the Armenians neither appears on any Chinese spectrum of awareness nor does China need to state an opinion or recognition of this genocide. Relative to the economic prowess of China, Armenia is a tiny economy and market. However, catalytic recognition of this genocide by Turkey with land reparations, as seen on the accompanying map, will change the current regional dynamics by providing additional trading routes between the southeast Black Sea region, northern Mesopotamia (Iraq, Iraqi Kurdistan), Iran, to the Persian Gulf.
A sovereign continuous land mass provided by Turkey in genocide reparations stretching from Armenia to the Black Sea will significantly enhance the reach of Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road trade routes.
Current Chinese policy: The People’s Republic of China has not expressed any policy regarding the Turkish genocide of the Armenians.
In early 2011 and mid-2012, respectively, the Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi and General Cao Jianming of the Supreme People’s Procurator of China laid wreaths at the Armenian Genocide Memorial. These visits may be symbolic, but significant in acknowledging the legitimacy of this unredressed genocide.
However: Chinese support for the full recognition of the Armenian genocide including land reparations facilitates the sovereign expansion of Armenia to the Black Sea, where,
- Armenia furnishes a new north-south trading route from the Black Sea south through Armenia, offering previously unavailable access to the Black Sea for states and entities to the south, intersecting proposed Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-century Maritime Silk Road initiatives.
- China can provide infrastructure and services integrating these reparated lands with Armenia, as well as deepwater port facilities.
- A self-sufficient Armenia with an emerging and expanding economy allows China to offer new classes of diverse products and services, sharing technological innovation previously unavailable with a limited capacity land-locked Armenia.
- With a regional presence, China can compete with other global powers in expanding influence and markets previously unavailable within this regional context.
* David Davidian is a US-born citizen residing in Armenia. He is an Adjunct Lecturer at the American University of Armenia.
