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The digest covers China's political, diplomatic, economic, and other activities in the South Caucasus region and relations between China and the South Caucasus countries. It relies on a wide variety of sources, including the Chinese media. It is worth noting that the Chinese media is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (according to the World Press Freedom Index China is nearly at the bottom of the list and ranks 179th out of 180 countries).
China introduces visa-free travel for Georgian citizens On February 26, the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze announced that China had introduced visa-free travel for Georgian citizens, Georgia Today reported. Georgian citizens will be able to spend 30 consecutive days in China without a visa. Kobakhidze said this would create new opportunities for further development of political, economic and cultural ties between Georgia and China.
The Georgian Prime Minister emphasizes China's interest in a strategic partnership while describing the Georgia-US strategic partnership as "weakened" On February 23, the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze talked about Georgia's strategic partnership with China and the US, 1TV reported. He characterized the Georgia-China partnership more positively and emphasized China's interest while describing the Georgia-US partnership as "weakened". "As for China's attitude, we see a great interest in deepening these relations, which is also expressed in concrete steps… Also, you saw when Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili arrived in China, he was welcomed at the highest level. China's attitude towards our country and their desire to develop and deepen this strategic partnership as much as possible can be seen from all angles," Kobakhidze noted. "As for the USA, we have had a certain weakness here for years, a manifestation of a seeming weakening of interest in a strategic partnership, which was an unfortunate development for us," Kobakhidze said and noted that there had been no high-level visits between the countries for many years and that was "probably the eighth year" that no President or Prime Minister at the highest level had received congratulations from the US. He noted that there was a great desire from the Georgian side to deepen the strategic partnership with both the US and China - "the rest depends on the respective countries".
Since Georgia initiated visa-free travel for Chinese citizens, the number of visitors from China to Georgia increased by 626% According to the data of the Georgian National Tourism Administration, in the IV quarter of 2023, 15 290 visitors from China visited Georgia (1.1% of the total international visitors to Georgia), which was 626% more compared to the figure from the same period last year, Bpn reported on February 26. Georgia initiated visa-free travel for Chinese citizens in September 2023.
In January 2024, compared to the same period last year, Georgia's exports to China decreased by 37% On February 19, Geostat reported that in January 2024, China was the third-biggest trading partner of Georgia – the turnover between the two countries amounted to $96.3 million (7.2% of Georgia's total trade). China was Georgia's seventh-biggest trading partner by exports ($19.9 million), which was 5.9% of total exports. Compared to January 2023, that was a 37% decrease. China was Georgia's third-biggest import partner with $76.4 million (7.6% of total imports). Compared to the same period last year, that was a 16.5% growth.
The Georgian Prime Minister emphasizes "the strong support of the Georgian government for the one-China principle"
Irakli Kobakhidze and Zhou Qian. Source: Georgian Government
On February 22, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia Zhou Qian met with the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze, the Georgian government reported. Among other issues, they discussed the future perspectives of cooperation. Reportedly, the cooperation between the Parliament of Georgia and the National People's Congress of China was emphasized. The Georgian government report noted that the Prime Minister "once again expressed the strong support of the Georgian government for the one-China principle". "The parties reaffirmed their support for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the report added.
Azerbaijan and a Chinese company discuss cooperation prospects
A photo from the meeting. Source: Azertac
Azerbaijan's Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov met with a delegation from Yutong Bus, a Chinese company specializing in the production of commercial vehicles, Azertac reported on February 29. Reportedly, the meeting focused on the potential areas of cooperation and opportunities to attract the company's experience to establish "an efficient transport ecosystem".
China does not respect many laws and labour rights, Zourabichvili says while discussing infrastructure projects in Georgia During the discussion at the Chatham House, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili answered questions regarding Georgia-China relations, Interpressnews reported on February 28. "China is becoming more active in Georgia. This happened in the last few years, but it has become more and more active. Now we are in a strategic partnership, I don't know what that means, don't ask me. We also received a visa-free regime with China yesterday. In addition, China is active in many infrastructure projects in Georgia, because it is cheap, and does not respect many laws and labour rights, but also because our Western partners are less involved. Perhaps we need more involvement from Western partners in large infrastructure projects," she said. Zourabichvili also said that one of them is very important and it is an issue that she said she had not touched upon yet - the port of Anaklia. She noted that the coast of Georgia on the Black Sea was of essential importance for Russia "not to have an exclusive on the Black Sea cooperation and trade".
Georgia works for all its airports to have direct flights with different provinces and airports in China According to the Georgian Deputy Minister of Economy Mariam Kvrivishvili negotiations are underway with both existing and new companies to increase the frequency of direct flights with China, Bm.ge reported on March 1. Kvrivishvili said that the Georgian side was conducting negotiations with new Chinese airlines for all three airports of Georgia to have direct air traffic with different provinces and central airports of China.
European Socialists party says it "made a modest contribution" to the Georgia-China strategic partnership On February 26, the European Socialists party published a statement praising China's decision to launch visa-free travel for Georgian citizens, 1TV reported. "This is the most important decision that will promote and create new opportunities in terms of deepening political, economic and cultural relations," the statement says. The statement also said that the decision had been preceded by the agreement between Georgia and China on a strategic partnership claiming in this regard: "in which our party made its modest contribution". "It was the political team of the European Socialists that was one of the first to lay the foundation for the prospects of close and long-term cooperation with the People's Republic of China at the level of parliamentary relations with China's political governance," the party added.
MP from a Georgian opposition party welcomes visa-free travel to China An MP from the political party Block Giorgi Vashadze - Strategia Aghmashenebeli, Teona Akubardia, welcomed the lifting of the visa travel with China, 1TV reported on February 26. "I welcome the lifting of the visa travel with any country, except Russia. It is only improvement in this situation that our citizens will have the opportunity to travel to China without a visa, especially the business sector [representatives]. This is indeed a welcomed step", Akubardia said.
TSU Rector and the Chinese Ambassador discuss cooperation prospects
Jaba Samushia and Zhou Qian. Source: TSU
The Rector of the Tbilisi State University Jaba Samushia held a meeting with the Ambassador of China to Georgia Zhou Qian, Interpressnews reported on February 22. Samushia said that the graduates of the Sinology program of Far Eastern studies work for the Chinese Embassy and also continue their studies in China, therefore, according to him, the development of this program is important. He also informed the Ambassador that the University had already been cooperating with several Chinese universities and the goal of the Georgian University was to move to a new stage of cooperation. Reportedly, the two sides also emphasized the importance of sharing experience in the direction of innovations and technologies. According to the Ambassador, the exchange of academic staff and students, the cooperation of university and research institutes and the sharing of experience in this direction will be important.
The Armenian school celebrates Spring Festival with the Chinese Ambassador
A photo from the event. Source: The Chinese Ambassador to Armenia
On February 28, the Chinese Ambassador to Armenia Fan Yong reported that Armenia's N135 school named after Gagik Stepanyan had organized an event to celebrate the Spring Festival. Reportedly, students performed at the event.
China International Education College and Zhengzhou University of Light Industry conducts a course Within the framework of the collaboration between Georgia-based China International Education College and Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, a one-month certificate training was held for students of the college and students of the Auckland International Academy of Arts in New Zealand under the title "Building a Bridge between China and foreign countries, building a new energies cloud forum", Newsday reported on February 14. |
