Author: Medea Ivaniadze
The digest covers China’s political, diplomatic, economic, and other activities in the South Caucasus region and relations between China and the South Caucasus countries. It relies on a wide variety of sources, including the Chinese media. It is worth noting that the Chinese media is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (according to the World Press Freedom Index China is nearly at the bottom of the list and ranks 172th out of 180 countries).
Armenia-China
The first direct flight from China to Armenia
A photo from the event. Source: The Embassy of China in Armenia
China’s city of Urumqi, Xinjiang opened a direct flight to Armenia. On September 3, an event was held at Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport to welcome China’s first direct flight by the China Southern Airlines to Armenia, Arka.am reported. Reportedly, initially flights would operate twice a week.
Chen Ming, the Chargé d’Affaires of China in Armenia stated the event was a new chapter in the friendly relations between China and Armenia. The Chinese state media wrote that China now had full air connectivity with the three countries in the Caucasus region.
Armenia-China trade
In January-July 2024, China was Armenia’s third-biggest trading partner ($1.64 billion), Bm.ge reported on September 5. Reportedly, trade with China in the first seven months grew by 41.6%.
Armenian exports to China grew 3.2 times to $777.8 million and imports decreased by 5.8% to $865 million. However, China’s share in Armenia’s foreign trade decreased from 11.1% last year to 8% in January-July of 2024.
Armenian journalist participates in the Media Exchange Programme in China
Armenian News-NEWS.am journalist Gayane Aleksanyan participated in the second phase of the 2024 Media Exchange Programme in China, News.am reported on August 22. Reportedly, 94 journalists from 86 countries participated in the program organized by the China International Press Communication Center.
Azerbaijan-China
Azerbaijan applies for BRICS membership after China’s endorsement
Azerbaijan had formally applied to join the BRICS. On August 21, China Daily wrote that the bid followed Azerbaijan’s expression of interest at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana when a Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and China was signed, with one of its provisions noting Azerbaijan’s intention to join the BRICS. At that time, China had endorsed Azerbaijan’s decision.
China’s environmental diplomacy in Azerbaijan
The Secretary General of the China Think Tanks Alliance and Regional Coordinator of the Chinese delegation to the upcoming COP29 Conference Yang Jianchu visited Azerbaijan. On August 29, Azertac published an interview with him.
Yang Jianchu said that the purpose of his visit to Azerbaijan was to tour the Confucius Institute at Azerbaijan University of Languages, prepare for the Chinese delegation’s participation in COP29, and hold a scientific seminar on the “Carbon Neutrality Peak” and “Green Belt and Road” initiatives.
He noted that during the COP29 conference, they would present a vision of “jointly building a global ecological civilization and advocate for collective action by the international community to create a planet with a healthy ecology”.
“We will also propose Chinese solutions, enriched with Eastern wisdom, for sustainable development and global environmental management. China and Azerbaijan will seize this opportunity to work together to make significant progress in clean energy, green transportation, and reducing pollution and carbon emissions. Additionally, this cooperation will create greater opportunities for advancing the Belt and Road initiative,” Yang Jianchu stated.
The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan to strengthen its partnership with the China Investment Corporation
The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) is planning to strengthen its partnership with the China Investment Corporation (CIC), Trend reported on September 6.
A photo from the meeting. Source: Trend
The delegation led by the CEO of the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan Israfil Mammadov visited China. During his meeting with the Chairman of the China Investment Corporation Peng Chun the two sides “discussed strengthening mutual partnerships and ties, emphasizing their shared interest in deepening cooperation”.
Signed documents
- On August 15, Aze Media reported that Ilham Aliyev had signed a decree “On the approval of the ‘Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on the Development of Trans-Caspian International Transport Routes for the China-Europe Railway Express’.” The memorandum had been signed on July 1, 2024, in Baku and Beijing.
- August 19, abc.az reported that Electrify Azerbaijan Company and China’s BYD Company Limited (BYD) had signed a framework agreement to modernize the passenger bus fleet in Azerbaijan. Reportedly, the agreement covers the purchase of electric buses, their servicing, and the establishment and localization of electric bus production in Azerbaijan.The final contract is expected to be signed in September.
Georgia-China
The first session of the Georgia-China bilateral Joint Committee on international road transport
A photo from the meeting. Source: The Georgian Embassy in China
On August 28, the first session of the Georgia-China bilateral Joint Committee on international road transport was held in Beijing, where the trends in international land transportation and the prospects of future cooperation between the countries were discussed, the Georgian Embassy in China reported.
The heads of the delegation, the Director of the State Transport Agency Levan Gamkrelidze and the Deputy Director of the Department of Transport Services of the Ministry of Transport of China Wang Siuchun signed the minutes of the meeting of the first bilateral Joint Committee.
OC Media: Georgian Dream endorses Chinese report accusing NED of “instigating protests” in Georgia
On August 20, OC Media reported that members of Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party had actively endorsed “a week-old Chinese government report accusing the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) of inciting divisions and instigating protests in Georgia, in an apparent bid to discredit reports about Bidzina Ivanishvili’s undisclosed assets in Russia”.
- The report said that “while the Chinese document was published on 9 August, pro-government media only began extensively reporting on it on Friday [August 16], hours after OCCRP published Russian land registry records to substantiate their claims of a recent transfer of a Moscow property to Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili’s wife…”
- On August 17, Georgian Dream MP Irakli Qadagishvili commented on China’s report on NED, saying that the law that they had adopted was about “transparency and openness”, speaking of the ruling party-adopted “Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence” also known as Kremlin-inspired law.
- “We are not limiting funding to anyone, some people can finance even revolutionary scenarios in our country. The most important thing is that the funding is transparent…”, said on August 19 the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze regarding the Chinese report, according to the Interpressnews.
- On August 19, a member of the People’s Power party Guram Macharashvili was asked about the statement of the Chinese Foreign Ministry regarding NED and the opposition’s statements. It is noteworthy that the party is included in the ruling Georgian Dream party’s list for the 2024 parliamentary elections. “Regarding China’s statement, the opposition talks as if there is a dictatorship in China and the ruler is a dictator, however the American president is meeting with the Chinese president… Georgia is a participant of the [Middle] Corridor and, naturally, we have to have relations with China, which supports the territorial integrity of our country and, unlike other countries, does not interfere in Georgia’s internal affairs,” 1TV reported his statement.
- According to the 1TV report, on August 19, Georgian Dream member Beka Odisharia commented: “Even before the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, we knew very well what NED was…”
- On August 19, pro-government channel Imedi also reported on the Chinese statement and the comments from the politicians in a material entitled “Deciphered activities of NED”.
In 2023, China was the 6th biggest investor country in Georgia
On August 15, BPN published a list of Georgia’s top 10 investor countries in 2023. Reportedly, China was the 6th biggest investor country in Georgia ($98.4 million). In 2022, China was the 9th biggest investor country in Georgia with $43 million.
The Chinese Embassy promotes the CCP’s concepts
On August 21, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia Zhou Qian published an article in Resonance newspaper, “A new impetus for global peace and development,” where he wrote about the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party’s third plenary session, also touching upon the China-Georgia relations.
“China is ready to support the establishment of a “community with a shared future” and a new type of international relations based on mutual respect, justice, and cooperation together with other countries including Georgia,” he wrote.
The Ambassador noted that the Chinese side would continue to support Chinese companies in the future to implement road, railway, port, and other infrastructure projects in Georgia. China is ready to cooperate with Georgia to develop new production forces and cooperation in various fields, including green development, digital economy, hydro and renewable energy projects, entry of high-quality Chinese electric cars into the Georgian market, and in many other directions.
Other meetings
- On August 26, at the Embassy of Georgia in China, the Senior Counselor of the Embassy Besik Sharashenidze met with the Director of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Agriculture of China Guan Dahai. The two sides discussed the prospects of cooperation between Georgia and China in the field of agriculture.
- On September 4, the Ambassador of Georgia to China Paata Kalandadze met with the delegation of China’s Guizhou Province led by the Deputy Director of the Department of Commerce of the province Linghu Shaohui. They discussed the economic and tourism opportunities of the Guizhou province and the prospects of future cooperation between Georgia and Guizhou province, the Georgian Embassy said.
- On September 4, the Ambassador of Georgia to China Paata Kalandadze met with the delegation of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China led by the director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the province Bai Yuzhen. They emphasized future bilateral cooperation in the fields of wine and tourism.
- The Chairman of the Sports Committee of the Parliament of Georgia Irakli Medzmariashvili met with the Chinese Embassy representative in Georgia Xu Haizheng, Geoecohub reported on August 15. Reportedly, they agreed to conduct joint training in various sports. According to Medzmariashvili, they also talked about the establishment of a sports medicine rehabilitation center in Georgia, which would serve the entire South Caucasus. The Georgian side requested that the said center be established with the help and involvement of China. Reportedly, the Chinese representative promised to help with that.
- A Georgian journalist participated in the 2024 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road held in Chengdu, China. On August 28, Media Center Mtavari journalist Eka Gulua, who had attended the forum, said: “Delegations from almost all over the world are represented here, and Georgia is among them”. At the forum, she said she would also say a few words about Georgia.