CHINA WATCH

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).

• Georgia-China strategic partnership is of great importance for realizing our interests, Georgian PM says
• The Chinese Embassy is willing to actively assist Imedi TV in developing cooperation with China
• The Deputy Chairman of the Georgian Parliament had "a fruitful exchange of experience in state governance with the Chinese side"
• The National Bank of Georgia is willing to learn from China's experience in digital currency and more
• Chinese Ambassador and Georgia's Deputy Prime Minister reportedly exchanged views on "national defence cooperation"
• Reportedly, "active dialogue" between the New Azerbaijan Party and the Chinese Communist Party "significantly contributed" to the deepening of the multifaceted cooperation
• The Chinese Ambassador to Armenia promoted Chinese-style modernization with an Armenian official
• The Chinese Embassy is willing to deepen cooperation with Georgia in the science and technology innovation field

 

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Armenia-China

Meetings

• On March 21, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing in Brussels.

Armradio reported that they had discussed issues related to Armenia-China economic cooperation and Pashinyan presented Armenia's Crossroads of Peace project.

 

A meeting in Brussels. Source: Armradio

 

• On March 6, the Chinese Ambassador to Armenia Fan Yong met with the Head of Unified Social Service of the Ministry of Labor and Social Issues of Armenia Eduard Petrosyan.

According to the Chinese MFA report, the Ambassador actively promoted "Chinese-style modernization".

The report said that Armenia was willing to learn more from China's "useful experience in social development and social insurance system building, and promote deeper and more practical cooperation between the two sides".

 

Azerbaijan-China

Documents

• During his visit to China, on March 14, the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Mukhtar Babayev signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation in the field of ecology and environmental protection together with the Minister of Ecology and Environmental Protection of China Huang Runqiu.

Aze Media reported that the parties would cooperate in the field of "environmental protection, combating climate change, solid household waste management, biodiversity protection and ecology restoration, environmental monitoring, and other areas".

 

Meetings

• On March 18, Azertac reported that the Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and the Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev had met with the Deputy Head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Chen Zhou in Beijing.

They noted that the active dialogue between the New Azerbaijan Party and the Chinese Communist Party "significantly contributed" to the deepening of the multifaceted cooperation and development of Azerbaijan-China relations.

A meeting in Beijing. Source: Azertac

• On March 15, Assistant Foreign Minister Miao Deyu met with the Azerbaijani Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources and president-designate of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) Mukhtar Babayev who visited China.

According to the Chinese MFA report, focusing on introducing Xi Jinping Thoughts on Ecological Civilization and Xi Jinping Thoughts on Diplomacy, Miao Deyu emphasized that cooperation "in addressing climate change and achieving green and low-carbon development" was an "essential task for building a community with a shared future for mankind".

 

Georgia-China

Georgian officials' comments on China

• On March 21, Bm.ge reported Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's response to a question regarding the so-called "anti-Chinese campaign"

"The purpose of such campaigns is to damage our state interests," Kobakhdize said,. "This [strategic] partnership is of great importance for realizing our state interests, for deepening cooperation between Georgia and China in various directions, including the development of economic partnership. When specific forces with dubious funding are conducting an anti-Chinese campaign under such circumstances, of course, this is also very concerning. Therefore, it is very important that everyone has a proper position on all the acts that are directed against the interests of the state. Any such anti-state action is very concerning," the Prime Minister said.

 

Media Cooperation

• On March 14, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia Zhou Qian met with the Director of Imedi TV Station, Maka Lomidze, and exchanged views with her on media cooperation between the two countries.

Reportedly, Imedi TV is willing to deepen cooperation with China and actively introduce Chinese history, culture, economic and social development, and Georgia-China relations to the Georgian people.

The Chinese Embassy in Georgia is willing to actively assist Imedi TV in developing cooperation with China, the Chinese Embassy report says.

 

A meeting at Imedi TV. Source: The Embassy of China

 

Meetings

• On March 4, the Deputy Chairman of the Parliament Nino Tsilosani met with the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia Zhou Qian at the Georgian Parliament.

According to the Embassy report regarding the January 2024 visit to China, Tsilosani said she had had "a fruitful exchange of experience in state governance with the Chinese side” and “personally understood the achievements of China's development".

"As the new Deputy Chairman, I am willing to actively promote cooperation between the two countries in various fields, especially economic and trade exchanges and women's exchanges," the report said.

Zhou Qian said he was willing to actively promote cooperation between the legislative institutions of the two countries, economic and trade exchanges, and "women's exchanges".

 

• On March 4, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia Zhou Qian met with Georgia's new Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Irakli Chikovani and exchanged views on "bilateral relations and national defence cooperation".

The Ambassador expressed hope that with the strong support of the Minister, the relations between the two countries and their militaries would achieve greater development.

Chikovani reportedly said that Georgia would actively promote defence cooperation between the two countries to achieve pragmatic results.

 

• On March 6, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia Zhou Qian met with the Chairman of Georgia's Innovation and Technology Agency Avtandil Kasradze.

The Georgian side reportedly expressed hope to strengthen scientific and technological innovation cooperation with China. The Chinese Embassy reported that in the future, they were willing to deepen exchanges and cooperation with Georgia in the science and technology innovation field.

 

• On March 19, the Chinese Ambassador to Zhou Qian met with the Acting President of the National Bank of Georgia Natia Turnava to exchange views on cooperation in the financial field.

According to the Chinese Embassy report, the National Bank of Georgia is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China's central bank and financial enterprises, and "learn from China's advanced experience in financial science technology, digital currency, cross-border payment and other fields".

 

• On March 14, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia Zhou Qian met with Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khuzishvili and exchanged views on cooperation in finance and other fields.