US Helsinki Commission: 'We are concerned by Georgian Dream’s decision to hand over Anaklia port to China'
Helsinki Commission on Anaklia port
The US Helsinki Commission has issued a statement expressing concern over Georgian Dream’s decision to hand over the deepwater Anaklia port to Chinese companies.
The statement notes that the developers involved in the deal — including China Communications Construction Company — are known for using infrastructure projects to exploit and destabilise host countries.
Helsinki Commission’s statement
“We are troubled by reports of Georgian Dream’s decision to surrender control of its Anaklia deep-sea port to a CCP-backed, US-sanctioned conglomerate.
Developers involved in this deal, including the China Communications Construction Company, have a history of using infrastructure development projects to exploit and destabilize their host countries and deepen those countries’ dependence on China.
China’s growing presence in the Black Sea, in collaboration with Russia, makes the region less safe and restricts free trade and commerce.
By going forward with this deal, Georgian Dream would be further endangering their country’s democratic trajectory and ability to determine its own economic future. We urge Georgian Dream to reconsider this decision and evaluate bids to develop its critical infrastructure fairly and transparently.”
In early 2020, the Georgian government announced the termination of its investment agreement with the Anaklia Development Consortium for the construction of a deepwater port. The official reason cited was the consortium’s failure to meet its contractual obligations. However, the consortium’s leadership claimed the strategic port project was deliberately derailed for geopolitical reasons.
Following the termination, the Anaklia Development Consortium filed a lawsuit against the Georgian government in an arbitration court.
On 29 May 2024, the Georgian government announced that a Chinese-Singaporean conglomerate would acquire a 49% stake in the Anaklia Port. The conglomerate, with which the Georgian government is set to sign an official contract in the near future, includes China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) and the China Harbour CHI Investment Project. Among its contractors are China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and Qingdao Port International (QPI).
All of the aforementioned companies are state-owned.
