Levan Makhashvili, Chairman of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, emphasized the importance of developing trade with China across various sectors, while simultaneously maintaining and strengthening relations with Western financial institutions.

Makhashvili highlighted that the Georgian government must enhance its role as a key player in the major trade route connecting the West and East.

“It is crucial to maintain strong relations with both the West and the East, collaborating with all countries that contribute to building the trade infrastructure for the development of this function. In this context, we have adopted a liberal trade policy and are actively advancing this function. A key element of this development is strengthening the banking sector, ensuring that traders and businesses involved in the trade corridor can easily access both Western and Eastern markets. This is not only important for businesses, which will have opportunities to expand their reach, but also beneficial for the population, as it will increase competition within the Georgian market.

The development of trade with China is vital in several ways while maintaining and further developing our relations with Western financial institutions.

Simultaneously, we will continue our cooperation in the banking sector with China, Central Asia, and the Persian Gulf countries, considering that China is the world’s second-largest economic power and is expected to remain a dominant force, if not the leader. This is, of course, significant for our banking relationships.

The Georgian market is open to all major global players, as this is vital for our country’s growth. One of our main priorities is strengthening relations with Western businesses, and this commitment remains unwavering. We will maintain these strong ties and, where possible, deepen our connections with Western financial institutions. At the same time, as China and other nations emerge as some of the world’s leading financial players, it is logical for us to open our market to them. We must seize the opportunities that Georgian-Chinese relations can offer. This, by the way, is part of the strategic partnership we have with China,” said Levan Makhashvili.