Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, met with Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), during an official visit to China.
According to Papuashvili, the parties noted significant progress in relations between Georgia and the PRC in recent years, highlighting the 2023 visit of the Georgian Prime Minister to China (Irakli Garibashvili, the country’s former Prime Minister — Ed.), which resulted in a joint statement on establishing a strategic partnership between the two countries.
The politician noted that Georgia and China share a commitment to the principles of sovereignty, peace, and security, and support international law, the strengthening of international order, and equality in international relations, emphasizing that Beijing reaffirmed its support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The parties discussed:
- the development of inter-parliamentary ties;
- cooperation in the fields of trade and economy, tourism, education, innovation, and culture;
- the free trade agreement between the countries, which the Speaker noted is “an important factor contributing to the further deepening of cooperation”;
- the importance of cooperation in connectivity, transport, and logistics in today’s turbulent world.
“Georgia’s participation in China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative and the need for more effective use of the Middle Corridor’s potential were also noted,” the politician wrote.
In a meeting with another high-ranking politician, Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the dynamic development of bilateral relations between Georgia and the PRC was discussed.
Papuashvili reaffirmed Tbilisi’s commitment to the “One China” principle.
The parties also expressed readiness to deepen interaction between parliaments — including between parliamentary staffs, specialized committees, and friendship groups.
The parties reviewed:
- cooperation in the fields of trade and economy, tourism, modern technologies, culture, and education;
- Papuashvili emphasized the importance of Chinese investments in Georgia and reported that Chinese companies are actively participating in infrastructure projects in the country;
- the development of tourism, as direct flights between Georgia and the PRC contribute to the growth of tourist flows and the strengthening of people-to-people contacts;
- Georgia’s transport and transit potential — the importance of the Middle Corridor project and its role as an alternative to the traditional northern route.
The parties agreed to continue the dialogue. Beijing expressed readiness to share experience with Georgia in various areas.
Speaker of the Georgian Parliament visits China on an official visit for the first time in 20 years
As a reminder, the previous official visit of the head of the Georgian parliament to China, according to open sources, took place about 20 years ago — in June 2005. At that time, the country’s legislative body was headed by Nino Burjanadze.
For many years, relations between Tbilisi and Beijing developed primarily in the economic and trade spheres, while political contacts remained limited. Until recent years, the PRC did not play a prominent political role in the South Caucasus.
At the same time, Georgia’s foreign policy priorities were focused on relations with the West, as well as on security issues following the 2008 war with Russia and against the backdrop of prolonged internal political crises.
On July 31, 2023, China and Georgia issued a joint statement on establishing a strategic partnership. This was followed by an agreement on visa-free travel between the countries. In late May 2024, it became known that a Chinese consortium had become one of the investors in the strategic Anaklia port, jointly with the Georgian side.
