PM’s China visit “historic”, Georgia to have “more active role” in Belt and Road Initiative - Ambassador
Ambassador Archil Kalandia said “no visit of such scale” had taken place since the establishment of bilateral ties between Georgia and China. Photo: Chinese MFA
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Archil Kalandia, Georgia’s Ambassador to China, on Monday described Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s visit to the country that concluded this week as “historic” and added “no visit of such scale” had taken place since establishment of bilateral ties between the two countries 31 years ago.
In his press comments, the diplomat noted six new documents on cooperation had been signed as part of the visit, along with the sides upgrading their existing cooperation to the level of strategic partnership.
He said the deals were signed for cooperation in economy, digital and educational areas, as well as for partnership between state audit offices and intellectual property bodies.
The Ambassador said the agreements also involved deals on Georgia’s role in the Belt and Road Initiative, launched by the Chinese authorities in 2013 to build infrastructure for logistics between the country and states in Asia, Europe and Africa.
He also said unveiling a bust of Shota Rustaveli, the 12th century Georgian poet, at the Beijing University of Language and Culture last week had given a “new impetus” to educational ties, before highlighting the importance of the PM’s meeting with the President of the Asian Infrastructure Development Bank on Sunday.
Garibashvili’s China trip ran between July 27-31.
Georgian and Chinese Governments on Monday shared their “commitment” to expand cooperation in political, economic and cultural fields, strengthen collaboration in international affairs and bilateral relations, and safeguard regional and world peace, stability and development together in a joint statement on establishing a strategic partnership.
Vice Minister of the Chinese Ministry of Education WU Yan on Sunday said China “attributed a great importance” to the development of educational cooperation and exchange programmes with Georgia, at the unveiling ceremony of Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli’s bust at the Beijing University of Language and Culture.
The main directions of the cooperation agenda between Georgia and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank were discussed on Sunday by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Jin Liqun, the President of the AIIB, at the meeting in China’s capital city of Beijing.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Sunday “sincerely” thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping, his Government and the representatives of the Beijing University of Language and Culture for recognising 12th-century Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli’s achievements in world literature and said unveiling Rustaveli's bust at University was “a great opportunity to highlight Georgia’s heritage”.
Priority areas of economic cooperation were discussed on Monday in a meeting between Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili and Wang Wentao, the Chinese Minister of Commerce, the Georgian Ministry of Economy said.