Georgia signs China deal to manufacture modern electric locomotives
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Georgia is taking a major step forward to develop its railway infrastructure, forge closer ties with China and boost its economy by building a new factory that will manufacture modern electric locomotives.
In Georgia’s capital Tbilisi, a railway rolling stock manufacturing factory will be built through cooperation with China’s only maker of high-speed locomotives, CRRC. Initially the factory will service the local and regional market before its products are exported further afield.
The country’s national railway company, Georgian Railway, and CRRC signed an agreement yesterday about and building a factory that will manufacture trains in Tbilisi, as well as purchasing 28 freight locomotives with asynchronous engines of high capacity.
Making significant changes in [Georgia’] railway sector are important for developing and utilising our country’s transit potential. I welcome this agreement as a major step in this direction,” said Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.
Officials from Georgian Railway and CRRC shaking hands after signing an agreement about and building a factory that will manufacture trains in Tbilisi, as well as purchasing 28 freight locomotives. Photo by the PM's press office.
He believed the current and planned projects would increase the capacity of Georgia’s main railway and bring modern safety standards.
Complete modernisation of our railway infrastructure is very important, ensuring that Georgia reclaims its historic function and becomes a significant destination within the New Silk Road,” Kvirikashvili said.
The new locomotive factory would also have greater benefits for Georgia’s economy, and supported the country’s growing ties with China. In recent years Georgia has forged strong ties with China through bilateral trade and economic cooperation, said Kvirikashvili.
About two years ago Georgia and China signed an agreement on cooperation within the New Silk Road project … and recently [Georgia and China] finalised negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement in a record-breaking time of seven months,” said Kvirikashvili.
The production of Tbilisi's railway rolling stock manufacturing factory was planned to be exported to Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey and EU. Photo by the PM's press office.
Georgia has established itself on the regional map as a state with an open economy that enjoys free trade agreements with the European Union (EU), all neighbouring countries and expects to sign the free trade deal with China in the near future. This will be a major historic step in terms of developing trade and economic relations [between our two countries],” he added.
New railway rolling stock manufacturing factory will meet demands of the local and regional market. In the future the factory’s production was planned to be exported to Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey and EU.
Georgia is offering Chinese investors big opportunities to explore the country’s free and open economy.
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