China shows interest in Vaziani airport following Anaklia port project
China interested in Georgian airport
Since Georgia transferred 49 percent of the shares in the strategic Anaklia deep-water port project to a Chinese state consortium, China has also shown interest in the construction of the international Vaziani Airport. This was announced by the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia on the “Business Partner” program of First Channel.
According to the Georgian Dream government’s decision, a new international airport will be built in Tbilisi. The $1 billion project is expected to be completed in four years. With the construction of the new airport, the government will effectively close the existing Vaziani airfield, a strategic military base crucial for Georgia’s defense.
What did the Chinese Ambassador say?
In response to a question about China’s interest in the new Vaziani Airport project, Ambassador Zhou Qian remarked:
“Certainly, China’s industrialization is at a level where many countries are interested in cooperating with us. As I mentioned before, Georgia’s advantageous geographic location has attracted the attention of many Chinese companies. If the opportunity arises, we hope that new cooperation between the two sides will be based on this project. We hope that will happen.”
Sanctioned company in Anaklia port
The company holding 49 percent of the Anaklia consortium has been sanctioned by the U.S. The Chinese company is accused of violations in many countries and is considered to practice “debt trap” diplomacy.
On May 29, 2024, the Georgian government announced that a Chinese-Singaporean consortium would acquire 49 percent of the Anaklia port shares.
By the end of 2023, the investor selection competition had narrowed down to two companies:
- “Swiss-Luxembourg” consortium.
- Chinese-Singaporean consortium.
Details about the contract are limited.
China interested in Georgian airport
U.S. State Department comments on Chinese companies
A U.S. State Department representative told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) that the U.S. respects “sovereign decisions of the countries” it deals with but added that working with Chinese companies requires consideration of the “potential impact” on critical infrastructure and sovereignty.
Experts say this news adds further pressure on Georgia’s foreign and security policies.
According to experts, this is also bad news for the European Union. With such a significant stake in the Anaklia port, Beijing’s role becomes dominant in the Middle Corridor project, an alternative route connecting Europe and China.
Georgian Economy minister Levan Davitashvili stated that the withdrawal of the European consortium from the competition was due to the company’s dissatisfaction with the 51 percent state ownership, which was deemed “unacceptable” and expected a greater return from the project.
China interested in Georgian airport
