Tbilisi Signs Cooperation Agreement with Yan’an, China
On Tuesday, Deputy Mayor of Tbilisi Ilia Eloshvili attended the Georgia-China (Yan’an) Investment and Cooperation Seminar at The Biltmore hotel in Tbilisi. The seminar’s theme was bilateral relations between Georgia and China and prospects for future cooperation.
Eloshvili addressed the seminar participants with a welcome speech that focused on the importance of further developing friendly relations between the two countries. The sides also evaluated the possibility of increasing trade volume and supporting Chinese investments in Georgia.
“I am glad that relations between Georgia and China will become more intense and move to a new stage,” said Eloshvili. “It is important that the parties get to know each other better. Despite the 15-century history of our city, we work every day to start a new life as a green city where more investments are made to encourage new economically and culturally active hubs. Only ecologically clean transportation will be developed; subway and municipal transport. I hope that our cooperation will deepen in the future.”
Before the start of the event, Eloshvili met with the Governor of the city of Yan'an, Su Sinrong. The pair talked about municipal projects in Tbilisi and both expressed hope for closer cooperation and joint projects between Tbilisi and Yan’an.
The seminar was attended by representatives of a Chinese government delegation, and representatives of Georgian business, trade, tourism and economics circles.
Yan’an is a city in north-central China, approximately 1,000 kilometers southwest of Beijing. It has a population of 2.1 million – small by Chinese standards. Its most notable feature is that, among Chinese communists, Yan'an is considered the birthplace of the communist revolution, as the city was near the endpoint of the Long March.
On Wednesday, a letter of intent was signed between Tbilisi and Yan’an. The document was signed by Deputy Mayor Eloshvili and General Secretary of the Yan’an Municipal Party Committee Chang Tsang. The signing ceremony was held in the State Silk Museum, referencing China’s history of silk production and Georgia’s place on the historic Silk Road.
The letter of intent is meant to ensure the establishment of economic cooperation and friendly relations between the two cities and facilitate exchanges of experience in the fields of culture, tourism, technology, science and education. Eloshvili noted that the letter will give cities the opportunity to share best practices with each other.
"The Yan’an province is truly outstanding,” said Eloshvili. “Chinese statehood was born there. It was also the first point on the Silk Road, on which you could also find Georgia and Tbilisi. Today, we brought our guests to the Silk Museum, which we are planning to rehabilitate. This is a unique treasure we have, and also confirms that Georgia was one of the most important countries, not just as a transit point, but as a manufacturer, on the Silk Road. Today, the cooperation agreement has been signed, starting a new stage of relations with this region.”
For his part, Tsang expressed hope that relations between the cities will continue to strengthen and grow closer: “I am very glad that I am here and have discovered the traditions of this ancient city, for which I would like to thank Tbilisi City Hall. The signing of this document is an excellent step towards starting a new relationship between our cities. This will contribute to the deepening of inter-cultural relations between towns.”
The event was attended by members of the Chinese government delegation, including the governor of the province of Shaanxi.
*Names of Chinese representatives transliterated directly from Georgian
By Samantha Guthrie
Image source: Tbilisi City Hall