Georgian PM announces visa-free travel for Chinese citizens
Garibashvili cited $3.5 billion in direct income from tourism he said the state budget had received last year and said the Government expected more in 2023, while adding his team was working to attract more visitors from new markets. Photo: Government Administration
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday announced visa-free travel to the country for Chinese citizens, citing attracting visitors and mutual economic investments among “main interests” behind the decision.
Garibashvili cited $3.5 billion in direct income from tourism he said the state budget had received last year and said the Government expected more in 2023, while adding his team was working to attract more visitors from new markets.
The Government head recalled his “very successful” visit to China in late July, which saw relations between the two countries elevated to a strategic partnership, by noting China was the second largest economy in the world.
One of the main interests for us is the strengthening of trade and economic relations with China. Attracting more investments from China, as well as attracting more tourists, bringing them to Georgia. We made a decision to implement visa-free travel for Chinese citizens. We will issue a corresponding decree. Of course, it will be important and encouraging for more tourists to come to Georgia”, he noted.
The PM said travellers from China were “one of the most desirable” for countries across the world, and added the Government also wanted to see more direct flights launched with China.
The Government head added his team wanted “more tourists to come not only from China, but also from other countries” and added the goal was to see “[a]s many tourists as possible to see our amazing country [and] people”, while the initiative would also be of “benefit for our citizens”.
Chinese President Xi Jinping in late July announced the establishment of a strategic partnership with Georgia and a “new stage” in bilateral ties between the two countries in his meeting with Garibashvili on the sidelines of the Summer World University Games in Chengdu.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili highlighted the strategic partnership between Georgia and China by calling it a “very important” decision that would yield results for both countries.
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.
Georgia is moving to the “highest level” of relations with China, this is a strategic partnership, and within its framework, the cooperation in education and science is also expanding, Giorgi Amilakhvari, Georgian Minister of Education and Science, said on Sunday.
The new strategic partnership between Georgia and China will give a new “important impetus” to their bilateral relations, Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili said on Friday in his remarks over Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s ongoing visit to the country.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday highlighted the task of “using all opportunities” to strengthen the country’s economy, following the Government’s decision to establish visa-free travel to the country for Chinese citizens.
Levan Davitashvili, the Georgian Economy Minister, on Monday said the Chinese citizens would be able to stay in the country for 30 days without a visa requirement, following Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s announcement earlier during the day about the Government’s intention to introduce visa-free travel with the country.
Maia Omiadze, the head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration, said the body was “actively” planning to hold promotional campaigns to increase tourist flows from China after Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday announced visa-free travel to the country for Chinese citizens.
China Southern Airlines will launch daily flights from Tbilisi International Airport in Georgia’s capital to Ürümqi, the capital of China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, starting later this month.
Economic cooperation and prospects of deepening partnership between Georgia and China were discussed on Friday in a meeting between the Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili and Ling Ji, the Chinese Vice Minister and Deputy International Trade Representative.
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.
Ilia Darchiashvili, the Georgian Foreign Minister, on Friday told the Parliament the Government had acted “in full compliance” with the country’s Constitution when it signed a strategic partnership agreement with China in July without the consent of the Parliament.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Friday said the more strategic cooperation agreements the country signed with various governments, the better it was positioning itself to protect its "national interests".
Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Monday said a session of the intergovernmental trade and economic commission between China and Georgia had discussed topics including removal of visa requirements for Georgian citizens.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday said China’s position as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council on Georgia’s territorial integrity was “important and decisive”.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday told Zhou Qian, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia, that comments by the Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who on Saturday said seeing the Russian and Chinese leaders put on trial would be a “historic outcome”, were “categorically unacceptable and disturbing”.
Georgian Education Minister Giorgi Amilakhvari on Monday said comments by the Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who on Saturday said seeing the Chinese leader put on trial would be a “historic outcome”, were “categorically unacceptable”.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Tuesday told the Georgian Public Broadcaster the country had a “dynamic, mutually beneficial” and “partnerly” relations with China.
Zhou Qian, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia, on Monday highlighted steps taken within the strategic partnership between the two countries by saying China was “always committed” to assisting Georgia in improving social and economic growth.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday hailed his visit to China in July as being of “historic significance” in comments while presenting the annual report of his Government's work.
A delegation of the ruling Georgian Dream party led by its Chair Irakli Kobakhidze will on Monday hold “high-level” meetings in China, the party's press office said.
Irakli Chikovani, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday highlighted the ongoing visit of the party’s delegation to China as having a “great role” in the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.
The “close relations” between Georgia and China, their elevation to strategic partnership last year, and future prospects of cooperation were discussed on Thursday in a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Zhou Qian, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday said the Chinese Government had made a decision to introduce visa-free travel to the country for Georgian citizens.
Irakli Chikovani, the Minister of Defence of Georgia, on Monday met Zhou Qian, the Chinese Ambassador to the country, to discuss strategic partnership.