Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday hoped his ongoing visit to China would act as a “springboard” for “deeper cooperation, strengthening long-term friendship and creating a brighter tomorrow for our nation”, addressing the China-Georgia Business Forum in Beijing. 

Describing Georgia as a “real trade center” between Europe and Asia and the “leading economy of the region in terms of growth”, Garibashvili expected bilateral flights would also increase. 

“Considering Georgia's huge tourism potential, we believe that the expansion of our air connection with China will play an important role in deepening bilateral tourism cooperation, further increasing tourist flows”, he said. 

Garibashvili added his Government had plans to develop the deep-water port of Anaklia in the country’s west. 

“This is a completely new project of the partnership of public and private sectors for the development, construction, operation and transfer of a high-level deep-water port on the eastern coast of the Black Sea”, Garibashvili said, adding “this will be the first Georgian deep-water seaport that will be able to receive PANAMAX type container ships and attract large-sized transport and container shipping companies to the Georgian market.

In his address, Garibashvili also hailed the “tireless work” of his Government to ensure a “double digit economic growth” and “low inflation” in the country amid the “global downturn”, as well as “attractive investment climate” in the country. 

Georgia and China signed the strategic partnership agreement during Garibashvili’s visit to China that began last week from Chengdu and continued in Beijing.