Parliament official highlights importance of strategic partnership with China for territorial integrity
In an interview with Imedi TV, Samkharadze said it was “important” to have support of China as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee, on Sunday highlighted the importance of Georgia’s strategic partnership with China for the matter of the country’s territorial integrity.
In an interview with Imedi TV, Samkharadze said it was “important” to have support of China as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
[T]he strategic partnership in this case also gives us the guarantee that China will support [our] territorial integrity”, he said, adding a majority of European Union member states were also enjoying strategic relations with China.
“Our territorial integrity is not recognised by one [Russia] of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Therefore, it is very important for us that the other four members take a very clear and unambiguous stance”, he continued.
The official added the strategic partnership with China “guaranteed” that Beijing would “always” be a supporter of Georgia’s territorial integrity.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said the country’s cooperation with China was “extremely important”, and further pointed out the ties could “bring very tangible results for our country and citizens”.
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 Chinese Government’s introduction of visa-free travel for Georgian citizens “emphasises its attitude toward Georgia” and the strategic partnership between the countries, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said on Monday.
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.