The 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) has opened in Shanghai, where Georgia is participating for the eighth consecutive year and is attending this year as an Honored Guest Country.
In an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG), Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze described the Georgian National Pavilion as “truly spectacular.” He said Georgia takes pride in many well-known products—wine being among the foremost. “We export wine to many countries, and we are pleased to see exports to China rising. We are also happy that the number of Chinese tourists visiting Georgia is increasing, and we believe the country will become an even more popular destination for Chinese travelers in the future. We have already discussed several areas of cooperation and believe that expanding direct air links would greatly facilitate people-to-people exchanges. This is one of our top priorities,” he added.
Kobakhidze said he felt deeply honored to attend the CIIE as a representative of an honored guest country. He described the forum (and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum) as a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas and share perspectives. “The China International Import Expo is an extremely important platform. Data show that imports and exports between Georgia and China have been steadily increasing. The China–Georgia Free Trade Agreement, effective since 2018, has significantly encouraged bilateral trade. Events like this expo play an important role in strengthening economic and commercial partnership between our two countries,” he noted.
Strengthening strategic partnership with China, the prime minister said, is a key foreign-policy priority for Georgia and of great importance to the nation. “We are very pleased that Georgia has established a strategic partnership with China, and we are already seeing tangible results,” he said, citing measures such as mutual visa-free arrangements and a range of economic and commercial benefits arising from bilateral cooperation.
Reflecting on China’s rise, Kobakhidze said recent decades demonstrate that China is a major global power committed to peaceful development—a fact he called highly commendable. “China’s economic achievements are truly remarkable. Under the capable leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has made significant progress in modernization and socio-economic development,” he said.
“China today plays an important role in global affairs, and many countries have supported the initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government. These initiatives are grounded in values and policies that are especially relevant to the world today,” he added.
Kobakhidze said Georgia firmly supports these initiatives and fully endorses efforts aimed at improving global governance. He expressed gratitude for China’s proposed solutions and reiterated Georgia’s commitment to playing a meaningful role in the Belt and Road Initiative, noting Georgia’s strategic geographic position.
On European integration, the prime minister stressed Georgia’s objective of full EU membership while affirming that the country will pursue this goal according to rules and principles of fairness. “We will not allow any forces to use European integration as a tool to blackmail the Georgian people,” he said.
Source: Jinia–Touhid, China Media Group.