Chinese FM Visits Georgia

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of People’s Republic of China Wang Yi paid an official visit to Georgia this weekend, within which he held meetings with his Georgian counterpart David Zalkaliani, as well as the Prime Minister of Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze and President Salome Zurabishvili.

At the meeting with Zalkaliani, the parties stated that Georgian-Chinese relations develop dynamically and noted that the cooperation between the countries is exemplary in both bilateral and multilateral formats. 

The Georgian FM named the visit of his Chinese counterpart "historic," as it is the first official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of China to Georgia in the last 23 years.

Wang Yi, on the behalf of the Chinese people and the government of the country, congratulated Georgia on its Independence Day.

“Trade, investments, transport, as well as partnership within the frames of international organizations, were set as the major priorities for future cooperation,” states the Georgian Foreign Ministry.  

At the meeting with Prime Minister Bakhtadze, much emphasis was put on the progressing economic and trade partnership between Georgia and People’s Republic of China. The significance of the global Belt and Road Initiative and the contribution of Georgia in it was also strongly accentuated.

“Yi stated the he fully shares the aspiration of Georgia to become the transport-transit and logistics corridor between Europe and Asia,” said the PM’s Press Office.

Salome Zurabishvili and Wang Yi had a conversation regarding the current situation in Georgia and the country’s relations with the neighboring states. The parties also discussed the importance of the strategic location of Georgia and the challenges faced by the country in sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Georgian President expressed her interest in cooperation as an observer within the China-Central and Eastern Europe Cooperation framework (16 + 1 format) and noted that Georgia’s involvement in the format will once again emphasize Georgia’s European aspirations.

Wang Yi is concluded his official visit to Georgia on May 25.

By Ketevan Kvaratskheliya

Image source: MFA of Georgia