The Resolution adopted by the Parliament in 2020 provides that the Georgian Government is to facilitate the enhancement of the foreign, economic, trade and people-to-people bonds with China, India, Japan and Korea. Under this record, the Parliament assigned the Government to work on the enhancement of the relations with these countries for 4 upcoming years, the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, Nikoloz Samkharadze said at the plenary session after the report of the Foreign Minister, Ilia Darchiashvili.

“The fact that the Government should appeal for the approval of the Parliament is irrelevant since the Parliament has directly assigned the Government with this task. Various EU countries have strategic agreements with China in various sectors. We have declared that the foreign political priority of Georgia is the EU and NATO integration, however, it shall not mean that it is the only priority. Other priorities also envisage the non-recognition policy, de-occupation, consolidation of international efforts for the Georgian interests and the development of partnership with various regions, which is also openly provided in the foreign policy resolution and it contradicts neither the EU nor the NATO membership objectives.

Despite that some of the countries quit the 17+1 initiative, we still chase the interest and it lies through the middle corridor and Anaklia port. The expressed will of the Parliament is to strive for the sustainable development goals of 2030, which are embodied in the agreement. The trade-economic relations between the EU and China, as well as the US and China recently become intensified and China is the third largest partner for the EU, US and Great Britain.

Not only the trade-economic relations but the political relations with China are declined by anyone, and pouring the “crocodile’s tears” that by entering the relations with China, Georgia deviated from the European course is deprived of the logics. Besides, it is as well absurd that we shall have the strategic relations only with the EU member states, on the contrary, the more strategic agreements Georgia concludes with various countries, the better our national interests will be protected.

Multi-vector policy does not mean that we refuse the EU and NATO membership. The EU envisions the world with this very multilateralism and aspires to the world order based on multilateralism; hence, we have never deviated from the EU policy but echo this principle. Our tie one strategic priority is to restore the territorial integrity of Georgia. Besides, we shall never forget that China is a standing member of the UN Security Council; and while one of five members grossly violates our territorial integrity, we need the support of all remaining members until the reforming of the UN Security Council.

The non-recognition policy within the close cooperation with China is of no less important. China is our natural ally and partner. Deriving from the territorial principle, we need to have active and close relations with China”, - said Nikoloz Samkharadze.