The cooperation between Georgia and China has been continuously deepened since the two countries decided to elevate their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership in 2023, ushering in a new era for economic and trade cooperation between the two sides, Georgian Ambassador to China Paata Kalandadze said.
In a recent television interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), Kalandadze talked about the achievements resulted from the mutual beneficially cooperation between the two countries.
The China International Import Expo (CIIE) has served as a vital platform for exhibitors from countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to explore new development opportunities and enhance their market presence in China. As one of the first nations to actively participate in the China-proposed BRI, Georgia has seen a record-breaking over 45 exhibitors attending the ongoing 7th CIIE.
"Georgia always traditionally used to be [a] very active participant. An exception is not this year as well, because I think this year we are presenting the record-breaking amount of Georgian companies, which is over 45 [that] will be placed in three different locations of the space," said he.
"Bilateral cooperation between Georgia and China actually got a quite substantial impetus since last year after the leaders of both countries made a joint statement about the elevation of the relationship between Georgia and China to the strategic partnership. And I'm very pleased to say that the result of this declaration is new statues of bilateral relations. They were translated immediately into the concrete steps," he said.
One of the milestones in the development of bilateral ties between China and Georgia is the mutual visa exemption agreement signed in Georgia's capital Tbilisi in April this year. The agreement allows holders of ordinary passports from both countries to visit for up to 30 days per trip, with a maximum cumulative stay of 90 days within a 180-day period.
Moreover, China and Georgia have also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on developing transport corridors for the China-Europe Railway Express and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor.
"In other words, we are in a very intensive dynamic state of relations with China. Because we totally share the philosophy of 'One Belt, One Road,' which I have to admit we were amongst the first eastern European countries who joined this philosophy and this project in 2014. And we are becoming fully pledged to this project," said Kalandadze.
The bilateral trade turnover between China and Georgia amounted to 2 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, up 48 percent year on year, while the total number of investments from China to Georgia exceeded 800 million U.S. dollars.
"And this is not the limit, this is just the beginning of the new era, let's say. So between the two sides, especially on the track of economical cooperation, definitely, we're going to have a better result in the forthcoming year," the ambassador said.
Georgia, China to continue deepening economic cooperation in new era: ambassador
