China-Georgia Investment Forum:
Georgia shows $7b investment portfolio to Chinese investors

Georgia is proudly showing its investment climate and ongoing reforms to one of the country’s largest trade partners, China, at the first ever China-Georgia Investment Forum.

Today China’s biggest city Shanghai hosted the inaugural China-Georgia Investment Forum, which gathered representatives from about 100 large Chinese companies under one roof with Georgian Government leaders and envoys from stat-owned companies.

We presented number of investment projects worth $7 billion and tried to attract the interest of Chinese investors. I am sure these investment projects will be interesting for many of them,” said Georgia’s Economy Minister Dimitry Kumsishvili after the Forum.

China has recently become one of Georgia’s largest partner countries in terms of investment, trade and joint projects.

Chinese companies have been successfully operating in different sectors in Georgia such as construction, roads and infrastructure, energy, the banking sector and more. China is Georgia’s fourth largest trade partner and second largest in terms of export. China takes nine percent of Georgia’s entire exports,” noted Georgia’s Ministry of Economy.

Today about 100 large Chinese companies gathered under one roof with Georgian Government leaders and envoys from stat-owned companies. Photo by Georgia's Ministry of Economy. 

Recent important developments between China and Georgia included:

• Promising progress with Free Trade talks, which started in 2015 with a deal expected to come into force in late 2016;
• Establishing a Joint Trade and Investment Council that facilitates the exchange of information about entrepreneurs, attract investors and develop trade;
• Establishment of the ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative that aimed to offer many new opportunities to countries along the Silk Road.

Speaking at the event, Georgia’s Economy Minister invited all participants to the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum, which is planned to be held in November in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi.

The Tbilisi Silk Road event will create a platform for Chinese and Georgian parties to deepen cooperation in trade and investment, tourism, transport, energy and other sectors.

Meanwhile, in China the Georgian delegation spoke about the positive investment potential of several sectors in Georgia, and led presentations about Georgia’s transport and logistic industries, infrastructure, tourism real estate and wine industries.

Georgian officials and Chinese investors also had a chance today to build connections at networking meetings and discover potential future cooperation partners.