Georgia, China sign visa-free travel deal

Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and Zhou Qian, the Chinese Ambassador to the country, on Wednesday signed an agreement waiving visa requirements of their citizens for travel between the countries.

After entering into force, the agreement will allow Georgian citizens to travel to China without a visa and stay in the country for up to 30 days at a time. It will enter into force after the completion of internal legal procedures by the two states.

Darchiashvili said bilateral visa-free travel with China was an “important circumstance” for “strengthening friendship between the peoples” and developing and deepening economic ties between the countries.

The top Georgian diplomat said the agreement would “give a new impetus” to the further development of friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two states and promote “full use of existing opportunities” in people-to-people contacts, tourism, culture and trade and economic ties.

In his turn, Zhou noted the agreement would contribute to the “development of friendship” between the two countries and create a “new opportunity” for Georgian and Chinese businesses, citizens and economic ties between the countries.