Georgia and China have taken another step toward consolidating their strategic partnership as Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze visited China this week, attending Shanghai’s International Import Expo (CIIE) and holding talks with senior Chinese officials.

The visit highlighted the rapid expansion of political and economic ties since the two countries established a strategic partnership in 2023, reflecting the incumbent Georgian Dream (GD) government’s growing pivot toward Beijing amid fraying relations with the West.

Kobakhidze led a high-level delegation to Shanghai for the opening of the CIIE on November 5, where Georgia was featured as this year’s Guest of Honour.

Opening the Georgian pavilion alongside his counterpart Li Qiang, Kobakhidze praised the “steady development” of Georgia-China relations based on “mutual respect, equality, and cooperation,” and thanked Beijing for its “support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” He reaffirmed Georgia’s adherence to the “One China” policy, a central feature of the partnership.

Expanding trade and investment

Economic cooperation dominated the visit. Kobakhidze said the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China, in force since 2018, has been a “game changer”, covering 95% of Georgian exports. Bilateral trade reached $1.6bn in the first nine months of 2025, up 15% from the same period last year.

Georgia mainly exports wine, copper ore, nuts, and mineral water, while importing machinery, electronics, and textiles. Though the trade balance remains in China’s favour, Georgian officials highlight the diversification of exports and new opportunities for small producers.

Meanwhile, Chinese investments in Georgia totalled $7.43mn in the first eight months of 2025, up 229% year-on-year. While modest, the growth reflects rising Chinese interest in logistics, transport, and energy. “China’s openness creates new opportunities for Georgian businesses,” Kobakhidze said, noting Beijing’s support for Georgia’s Middle Corridor transit ambitions.

Middle Corridor

Connectivity featured prominently in talks between Kobakhidze and Li Qiang. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to developing the Middle Corridor, the trans-Caspian route linking China to Europe through Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

Container traffic via Georgia on this route rose by 70.6% y/y between January and August 2025, underscoring the route’s growing importance in Eurasian supply chains.

Tbilisi hopes major infrastructure projects — including the Anaklia Deep-Sea Port, East–West Highway, Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, and Black Sea Submarine Cable — will strengthen its position as a key logistics and trade hub connecting Asia and Europe.

“Georgia, as a significant part of the Middle Corridor, is ready to expand cooperation with China to further promote regional connectivity,” Kobakhidze said.

Tourism and cultural exchange are also emerging as key pillars of the partnership. Chinese visitors to Georgia rose 45% in the first three quarters of 2025, supported by a visa-free regime and growing flight connections.

Kobakhidze highlighted Georgia’s ancient wine-making heritage and diverse landscapes during an interview with China Central Television, saying the government aims to increase direct flights and promote tourism investment.

Diplomatic engagement

Following the Expo’s opening ceremony, Kobakhidze met Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng, describing the city as “a symbol of China’s progress and modernisation”. Gong, in turn, hailed the relationship as “friendly and mutually beneficial,” emphasizing the new twinning agreement between Shanghai and Tbilisi as a platform for urban and economic cooperation.

Later in the week, Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili held talks in Beijing with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, marking the first bilateral meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers since 2019. Both pledged to expand collaboration across trade, education, culture, and tourism.

The Georgian foreign ministry described the talks as productive, noting that they reaffirmed mutual support for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and discussed prospects for enhancing the Free Trade Agreement that has governed bilateral trade since 2018.

Political timing

Kobakhidze’s visit coincided with the European Commission’s release of its 2025 Enlargement Report, which strongly criticised GD for “serious democratic backsliding” and deemed it an EU candidate “in name only”.

While officials in Tbilisi insist the cooperation with Beijing is purely pragmatic, analysts view the timing of Kobakhidze’s China trip as symbolic, reflecting Tbilisi’s intent to demonstrate alternative alliances amid souring relations with Brussels and Washington.