Staff members perform at the pavilion of Georgia during the eighth China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

"We are pleased with this growth and will continue our efforts to strengthen transit and economic cooperation with China in all areas," Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said in an interview with Xinhua. 

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) plays a crucial role in strengthening Georgia's connectivity and deepening its cooperation with China, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said in an interview with Xinhua during the recent 5th Tbilisi Silk Road Forum. 

"The Belt and Road Initiative is very important for Georgia. We are happy to be strengthening our connectivity capacities within the Belt and Road framework and to demonstrate our important role," Kobakhidze said. 

Kobakhidze highlighted Georgia's expanding partnership with China, citing growing trade and investment fostered by a free trade agreement and a favorable business environment. 

"We are happy that we signed a free trade agreement with China. It has significantly promoted trade between our two countries, and we are exporting a growing range of products to China," he said. 

"Participation in the China International Import Expo further expands our opportunities to promote bilateral trade. We have presented many different Georgian products at the Expo, and we are hopeful that even more Georgian goods will be exported to China in the future," Kobakhidze added. 

The prime minister also welcomed Chinese companies to invest in Georgia's key sectors such as energy, digital technologies and real estate, and underscored China's essential role in his country's transit development. 

According to Kobakhidze, transit volumes between China and Georgia have grown significantly in recent years. "We are pleased with this growth and will continue our efforts to strengthen transit and economic cooperation with China in all areas," he said.