Georgia targets Chinese investors, says Finance Minister

Georgia and China are deepening trade and economic ties. 

Georgia's Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri is on an official visit to China for the purpose of showcasing Georgia's investment and business environment in a bid to attract more Chinese investments.

Yesterday Khaduri met his Chinese counterpart Lou Jiwei and talked about the prospects of increasing Chinese investments in Georgia. At the same time, the main topic of the discussion was to improve awareness of Georgian products in the Chinese market.

China was one of the top trading partners of Georgia in the first four months of 2014, with trade amounting to $248 million USD. Following behind was Turkey ($476 million) and Azerbaijan ($290 million).

At the meeting both parties acknowledged the importance of Georgia as regional transport and logistic hub.

Khaduri thanked Jiwei for the support the Chinese government provided to Georgia, including modenising custom infrastructure of the Revenue Service of Georgia's Finance Ministry.

Furthermore, the Chinese side expressed an idea to increase turnover between the countries across the Silk Road through simplifying custom procedures, to which Khaduri said this would be "very important" for Georgia.

At the end of the meeting Khaduri invited his Chinese counterpart to Georgia.

Georgia is preparing to hold the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum later this year following an initiative of Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. The event will take place in Georgia's capital Tbilisi on October 15-16 and about 200 guests are expected to attend, including high-ranking officials and local and international businessmen.

The two-day forum will be dedicated to the Silk Road concept and the issues of transportation, logistics and trade as well as focus on the investment potential and specific projects.