Georgian Dream Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili is on a working visit to China, where she met, among others, with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and signed with him a protocol amending the free trade agreement between the two countries.
During their April 22 meeting, Kvrivishvili and Wentao discussed “existing trade relations” between Georgia and China and “opportunities for their further deepening,” Georgia’s economy ministry said.
On the protocol on amendments to the free trade agreement, the ministry said it “envisages the adaptation of the existing agreement to the requirements of the modern trade environment, the specification of defined areas of cooperation, and the addition of new directions.”
According to the ministry, since the free trade agreement between Georgia and China entered into force in 2018, Georgian exports to China have increased by 62%, reaching USD 327.6 million in 2025, while total trade turnover has grown by 148% compared to 2017. In the first quarter of 2026, trade turnover rose by a further 55%. “China is Georgia’s third-largest partner in terms of trade and the top partner in terms of exports,” the ministry noted.
The ministry quoted Kvrivishvili describing the changes to the free trade agreements as “a strategically important step” in deepening the economic partnership, adding, “We expect that it will facilitate the growth of bilateral trade turnover.”
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, speaking to reporters in Tbilisi on April 23, said that “negotiations are underway on expanding the scope of the agreement,” adding that details on specific changes “will be clarified once the negotiations are completed.”
Kobakhidze also said that Anaklia deep-sea port is among the topics discussed by Kvrivishvili in Beijing. “This is, of course, one of the aims of this visit, and negotiations are continuing,” he told journalists, adding that “in the near future you will have updates regarding Anaklia.”
The construction of the Anaklia deep-sea port, a mega-project in western Georgia, has been stalled for years amid recurring controversies and uncertainties surrounding relations between the Georgian government and foreign investors.
Georgian authorities revived the project as Georgia’s Middle Corridor transit potential regained prominence amid Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine. The government took a 51% stake and, in 2024, picked a Sino-Singaporean consortium to develop the project. Also in 2024, Belgian company Jan De Nul was awarded the tender to carry out the maritime infrastructure work for the port. However, observers have pointed out that the talks with the Chinese investor have stalled since, with the deal yet to be completed.
Further Meetings
On April 23, Mariam Kvrivishvili met with Wang Yuetao, chairman of China ZhenHua Oil, one of China’s largest state-owned energy companies. According to the Georgian economy ministry, the two discussed “energy sector cooperation” and “opportunities for oil and gas extraction in Georgia.” The ministry added that “the Chinese side expressed interest in investing in Georgia’s energy sector.”
On April 23, Kvrivishvili also met with Huanlong Chen, chairman of Geo-Jade Petroleum Corporation, a major Chinese energy company. The two discussed “perspectives of bilateral cooperation,” the ministry said, adding that Kvrivishvili briefed Chen on the “existing business and investment environment in Georgia,” stressing that the free trade agreement between the two countries, as well as the visa-free regime make “Georgia’s market even more interesting for investors.” According to the ministry, “the Chinese side expressed interest in Georgia’s oil and gas sector.”
Before flying to Beijing, Kvrivishvili in Tbilisi on April 21 met with Zhuang Rongwen, Director of the Cyberspace Administration of China.
This story may be updated…
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