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CHINA WATCH

China’s Activities in the South Caucasus Issue 32, 17.1.2022 – 23.1.2022

Author: Medea Ivaniadze

The digest covers China’s political, diplomatic, economic and other activities in the South Caucasus region and relations between China and the South Caucasus countries. It relies on a wide variety of sources, including the Chinese media. It is worth noting that the Chinese media is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (according to the World Press Freedom Index China is nearly at the bottom of the list and ranks 177th out of 180 countries)

  • Chinese Ambassador says Chinese companies are actively involved in reconstruction works in Karabakh
  • China was Georgia’s third-largest trading partner in 2021
  • Head of Armenia’s Olympic Committee expresses confidence in the Chinese government as Olympics hosts
  • Azerbaijan’s Olympic Committee and Chinese Embassy held Beijing Olympics promotion event in Baku
  • Armenian and Azerbaijani diplomats attend an SCO reception in Beijing

 

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China was Georgia’s third-largest trading partner in 2021

In 2021, China continued to be Georgia’s third-largest overall trading partner, the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) reported on January 20. The turnover between China and Georgia was $1.480 billion - 10.3% of the total turnover.

China was Georgia’s top trading partner by exports ($615.5 million) which was 14.5% of the total exports of Georgia. Compared to 2020, that amounted to a growth of 29%. The top export item continued to be copper ores and concentrates - 80.7% of Georgia’s total exports to China ($496.9 million).

China was Georgia’s third import partner ($864.8 million), with 8.6% of Georgia’s total imports. There was a 22% growth compared to the data of the year 2020.

 

Chinese Ambassador says that Chinese companies are actively involved in reconstruction works in Karabakh

On January 19, media outlet the Report wrote that according to the Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan Guo Min, Chinese companies were interested in participating in works on the territories regained by Azerbaijan during the war of 2020, and in particular in developing the manufacturing in industrial parks. According to the Ambassador, Chinese companies are already actively involved in the reconstruction works in these areas of Azerbaijan.

Report noted that the Chinese company Huawei took part in projects to create smart cities and smart villages in Karabakh.

“I am sure that with the development of our bilateral relations, more and more Chinese companies will participate in the works on the liberated lands,“ said Guo Min according to the report .

 

Secretary-General of Armenia’s Olympic Committee expresses confidence in the Chinese government as Olympics hosts

Secretary-General of the National Olympic Committee of Armenia Hrachya Rostomyan is fully confident “in the success of the Winter Olympic Games and the Chinese government hosting the Olympic Games“, Globe Newswire reported on January 23.

Rostomyan also thinks China has rich experience in fighting the epidemic, and, according to him, the various anti-epidemic measures taken by the country were correct and effective.

 

Azerbaijan National Olympic Committee and Chinese Embassy held Beijing Olympics promotion event in Baku

Guo Min, Chingiz Huseynzade and others at the event. Source: Chinese Embassy in Azerbaijan

On January 18, the Chinese Embassy in Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani National Olympic Committee jointly held a promotion event for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in Baku.

Chinese Ambassador Guo Min praised the development of Azerbaijan’s national sports, and thanked the Azerbaijani government for its “strong support” of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

The Vice-president of Azerbaijan’s National Olympic Committee Chingiz Huseynzade “highly praised” the preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics.

According to the Embassy report, nearly 100 people, including officials from the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan, members of the Winter Olympics delegation, athletes, sponsors and local media representatives attended the event.

 

Chinese Ambassador says China is ready to use Beijing Olympics for developing relations with Azerbaijan

Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan Guo Min said that the Chinese government was ready to use the Beijing Olympics for cooperation in sports and raising relations between the two countries to a higher level.

Guo Min said regarding the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics that in the preparation process, China had received support from all over the world, including Azerbaijan, Report wrote on January 19.

While condemning the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics and expressing the need for solidarity, she said: “In this regard, we are very grateful to the Azerbaijani government for its assistance and support“.

 

The Azerbaijan State News Agency and Confucius Institute to continue cooperation

Photo from the meeting. Source: Azertac

The Azerbaijan State News Agency (Azertac) “enjoys extensive cooperation“ with China’s Confucius Institute in the field of Chinese language training while the Institute “is keen to continue the collaboration in this regard“ - Azertac reported on January 19.

During the meeting with the Chairman of the Board of Azertac Aslan Aslanov, newly appointed Director of the Chinese Confucius Institute at Baku State University Wang Haoqiang said that on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Azerbaijan, they wanted to organize a joint exhibition with Azertac.

“Azertac has maintained close cooperation with the Confucius Institute since its establishment in Baku. The development of bilateral relations contributes to bringing the two peoples closer to each other,“ said Aslanov. He added that the organization of a joint exhibition and new cooperation formats would be beneficial in this regard.

 

Azerbaijan and China continue to develop cooperation, Chinese Ambassador says

In 2022, Azerbaijan and China will continue to develop cooperation in the medical field and vaccine supply, Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan Guo Min told Report on January 19.

The Ambassador also noted that the priorities for the further development of bilateral cooperation were identified in 2021 during a telephone conversation between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and CCP’s Chairman Xi Jinping.

“Our cooperation within the Belt and Road Initiative is developing successfully. This year we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries, and, taking this opportunity, we will continue to promote our relations and cooperation in all areas,“ Guo Min said.

 

Armenian and Azerbaijani diplomats attended a SCO reception in Beijing

Azerbaijani Ambassador to China Akram Zeynalli and others. Source: China.org.cn

A New Year reception for diplomatic envoys to China from Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries was held in Beijing, Chinese media reported on January 18.

The report said that diplomatic envoys from SCO members and partner countries, including Azerbaijan and Armenia, attended the reception.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has six dialogue partners, including Armenia and Azerbaijan.

 

Speakers from South Caucasus countries participated in China-SCO-Eurasia Youth Leaders Dialogue

Mher Sahakyan. Source: China Daily

On January 19, China Daily reported that officials, athletes and experts from Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states and other Eurasian countries participated online and offline in the China-SCO-Eurasia Youth Leaders Dialogue.

Mher Sahakyan, Director of China-Eurasia Council for Political and Strategic Research delivered a speech:

“This (the Beijing Winter Olympic Games) is a good opportunity for world leaders to meet in Beijing and in a friendly atmosphere, find ways of solving problems and starting dialogue for peace and security. The spirit of the Winter Olympics is a chance to create and develop collaboration not only in sport but also in other areas, among the nations of the world. As we see it, the Games also provide an opportunity for dialogue between the young leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other countries... so I hope that we all will share contacts and continue cooperation in the future to build a better world“.

Tamar Kvlividze, social media content creator from Georgia, and Ordukhan Gahramanzada from Azerbaijan, secretary-general of the Azerbaijan Student Youth Organizations Union, also delivered their speeches.

“Together for a Shared Future“ was the theme of the event. The event was hosted by the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the SCO and by China Daily.

 

Confucius Institute in Armenia held a competition

On January 17, Confucius Institute at the Brusov State University in Yerevan reported that the Confucius Institute with the Brusov State University  had held an award ceremony of the first Chinese writers’ translation competition.

 

Chinese Embassy held a discussion for Chinese-funded enterprises in Azerbaijan

Photo from the discussion. Source: Chinese Embassy in Azerbaijan

On January 19, on the occasion of the Spring Festival in China, the Chinese Embassy in Azerbaijan held a discussion on epidemic prevention and control for Chinese-funded enterprises representatives in Azerbaijan. Representatives of 10 Chinese-funded enterprises in Azerbaijan joined the discussion.

Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan Guo Min said that Chinese-funded enterprises in Azerbaijan made “scientific epidemic prevention diligent efforts” and made positive contributions to China-Azerbaijan economic and trade cooperation. The Ambassador also noted that under the personal care and promotion of the two heads of state, China-Azerbaijan “friendly and cooperative partnership maintained a sound development”.

 

Chinese-funded institutions in Armenia attended the Chinese Embassy-organized lecture

Photo from the meeting. Source: Chinese Embassy in Armenia

On January 19, with the support of China’s Gansu Province Foreign Affairs Office and Gansu’s Provincial Health Commission, the Chinese Embassy in Armenia invited Deputy Director of Gansu’s Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention Zhang Xiaoshu and Head Doctor of Lanzhou University Second Hospital Yang Jing to give video lectures about pandemic to the Embassy staff, their families and representatives of the Chinese-funded institutions in Armenia. Chinese Ambassador to Armenia Fan Yong also attended the event.

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