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

  • On November 12, during the China’s Modernization: Armenia-China Relationship seminar at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, China’s Chargé d’Affaires in Armenia Chen Ming said China and Armenia could very closely cooperate in the areas of high technologies, as well as green economy.
  • Armenian producers of alcoholic beverages will be able to export their goods to China with a significant reduction in tax burdens by 55.1%, announced Armenia’s Chair of the Council for Supporting International Business Relations Mariam Manukyan during a press conference in Yerevan summarizing the Armenian delegation’s participation in “China International Import Expo” held in Shanghai.

Reportedly, a key outcome of the visit was the signing of a memorandum with the China-Armenia Center for Friendship and Development, Bm.ge reported on November 22.

 

Azerbaijan-China

Azerbaijan supports the major initiatives proposed by Xi Jinping

A photo from the meeting. Source: The State Council of China

On November 14, the State Council of China reported that Chinese Deputy Premier Ding Xuexiang had met with the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku. Ding stated that Beijing valued Azerbaijan’s “significant role in international and regional affairs” and was prepared to work with Azerbaijan to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative “to promote building a community with a shared future for mankind”.

Aliyev said that Azerbaijan supported these major initiatives proposed by Xi Jinping and was willing to actively collaborate with China on the Belt and Road Initiative.

He also noted that Azerbaijan was willing to “strengthen international cooperation with China, support multilateralism, promote inter-civilizational dialogue, and advance fairness and justice in the international community”.

 

The CCP and the New Azerbaijan Party sign a memorandum of cooperation.

 

A photo from the meeting. Source: Report

At the invitation of the Chinese Communist Party, the Deputy Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party Tahir Budagov visited China, Report noted on November 14. The Azerbaijani delegation met with the head of the International Department of the CCP Central Committee Liu Jianchao.

Reportedly, Liu Jianchao expressed China’s eagerness to enhance “mutually beneficial cooperation”. Tahir Budagov stated that one of the main issues of the Joint Declaration on the establishment of the strategic partnership between the two countries was fostering relations between their rulingparties.

Tahir Budagov and Liu Jianchao then signed a memorandum of cooperation between the CCP and the New Azerbaijan Party.

 

Middle Corridor

  • On November 24, Azertac reported that, for the first time in the history of Azerbaijan-China trade relations, a container train carrying export goods from Azerbaijan to China departed from Baku. The 62-container train will deliver its cargo multimodally via Kazakhstan to China’s Xian dry port.

 

  • On November 25, Azerbaijan Railways (ADY) held a meeting with a delegation from the Xian International Port of China. The meeting underscored “the significance of the first-ever export cargo being sent from Baku to China by rail”.

The Chinese side highlighted “the strategic importance” of strengthening cooperation with ADY to increase the volume of goods traveling along the Middle Corridor. Reportedly, the first export block train from Baku to Xian consisted of 62 containers, and the plan was to send 600 containers of cargo to China by the end of the year.

 

  • Azerbaijan, China, and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on the establishment of an intermodal cargo terminal in the Port of Baku in Alat on the sidelines of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change on November 12, Astana Times reported.

Reportedly, this was made possible through Azerbaijan’s provision of a land plot, operating berths, and terminal capacities at the Port of Baku in Alat. The project aims to boost container train traffic on the China-Europe-China route.

 

Georgia-China

Chinese Ambassador to Georgia: We will share more experience on the country’s governance

On November 30, China’s State Council reported the Chinese Ambassador in Georgia Zhou Qian’s speech at the workshop on “Building a Global Community of Shared Future and China-Georgia Cooperation”, co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Georgia and Sokhumi State University of Georgia. Reportedly, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Khvtisiashvili also attended the event.

The Ambassador spread the Chinese narrative of “a community with a shared future for mankind” and CCP’s initiatives.

Zhou also said that China and Georgia were “good partners in building a global community with a shared future”. He noted that China was remaining “a member of the Global South” and would “always stand with other developing countries including Georgia”. He added that China stood ready to deepen exchanges with Georgia in various fields, including politics, trade and economy, education, and people-to-people cooperation, under Xi Jinping’s three Global Initiatives.

“We will share more experience on the country’s governance and modernization, to promote the rejuvenation of China and Georg,” said the ambassador.

On the Anaklia Port project, he said: “We hope and believe, with the deepening bilateral cooperation including big infrastructure projects like the Anaklia Port, Chinese Belt and Road Initiative will better dovetail with the Middle Corridor and Georgia’s juncture role in the region will be enhanced”.

1TV reported that former Georgian Ambassador to China David Aptsiauri had also attended the event and commented: “You know that today there is a global crisis and this subject is becoming even more relevant…”

 

A photo shared by the Chinese Embassy. Source: The Chinese Embassy in Georgia

 

Georgian Dream considers deepening its political partnership with China “very important”

“Our main task is to realize as much as possible all the priorities outlined in this agreement,” Irakli Kobakhidze said regarding the Georgia-China Strategic Partnership Agreement, 1TV reported on November 28.

He added that it was “very important” to deepen the political partnership, as well as to further expand trade and economic cooperation with China – “We will actively continue to take care of this”.

 

China is Georgia’s seventh-biggest trading partner by exports

On November 19, Geostat reported that in January-October 2024 China was Georgia’s seventh-biggest trading partner by exports ($256.7 million), accounting for 4.7% of total exports.

China was Georgia’s fourth-biggest import partner with $1 340.7 million (9.9% of total imports). Compared to the same period last year, that amounted to an 18.3% growth.

In January-October 2024, China was the fourth-biggest trading partner of Georgia – the turnover between the two countries amounted to $1 597.4 million (8.4 % of Georgia’s total trade).

 

Other Activities

  • On November 8, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia, Zhou Qian, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2024 10th Georgia-China (Xinjiang) commodity Exhibition. Reportedly, one of the themes at the Xinjiang exhibition was “Beautiful Xinjiang, Open Xinjiang.”

An Interpressnews report said that “China will share development opportunities with other countries, including Georgia”. The representatives from the Georgian Economy Ministry also attended the meeting.

  • The Georgian delegation led by Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili visited Hong Kong, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported on November 20.

He met with the Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong government Eric Chan Kwok-ki,  the Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung, and other officials. Reportedly, the Georgian side provided detailed information on the investment and business opportunities available in Georgia, emphasizing cooperation in transport and logistics, innovation, tourism, and trade.