Chinese Government provides RMB 60 million grant — via ETCA — to support Armenian public television

On February 3, 2015, the Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister and the Chinese Ambassador to Armenia signed an exchange of letters for a Public Television Station Project.

Then, on June 6, 2016, the Chinese Government and the Government of Armenia signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), which committed RMB 60 million of grant funding for the development of the Armenian public television and the implementation of other television-related programs.

The ETCA was signed by Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Robert Harutyunyan and China’s Deputy Minister of Commerce.

This project involved the provision of television equipment to the Public Television Company of Armenia (also known as 1TV, Armenia 1 and ARMTV). INSTEC Import and Export Co., Ltd. was the contractor responsible for implementation.

On April 21, 2015, the Public Television Company of Armenia received an HD mobile television station — equipped with 10 video cameras and an HD satellite broadcasting station — from the Chinese Government.

In 2015, it also received a digital satellite news gathering (DSNG) device from the Chinese Government, which enables its viewers to watch its broadcasts via PC, mobile phone, and tablets (with Android and IOS systems).

The Public Television Company of Armenia received another batch of television equipment (worth 2.509.8 million drams) on October 13, 2016.

According to 1News, the equipment that was received from the Chinese Government ensured smooth coverage of events commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.