Georgia is looking to build a port on the Black Sea, taking advantage of China’s One Belt, One Road trade expansion initiative. Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili has just returned from China where he has discussed the port concept plus making a free trade agreement with the world’s most populous nation.
“I want Georgia to become China’s strategic partner in the Caucasus region,” the Georgian prime minister told China Daily newspaper.
The planned port is at Anaklia. Construction could start in the middle of next year.
Garibashvili said that after the new port is built, it will take just 17 days for Chinese goods to be delivered to Europe, compared with the current shipping route, which takes about a month.
“We have ambition to become a logistics hub in the region. So I believe Georgia’s involvement with the Silk Road Fund and the Silk Road initiative will make it a very important player in the Caucasus region,” Garibashvili said.
