On March 26, Georgian journalist Nino Jangirashvili published a screenshot of a message she had received from the Chinese video news agency CCTV+. In the message, CCTV+ asked whether she would be interested in broadcasting content related to the Iran–Israel conflict and offered her media outlet the “opportunity” to publish the material free of charge.
Nino Jangirashvili is the founder and director of Kavkasia TV, a small Tbilisi-based media company that has faced serious financial difficulties since 2023. The crisis emerged amid what critics describe as deliberate efforts by the ruling Georgian Dream party to weaken critical and independent media by targeting the television advertising market. Due to its openly critical stance toward the government, Kavkasia TV has become one of the outlets most affected by political and financial pressure.
Facing the risk of halting its broadcasts, the station launched a public fundraising campaign to sustain its operations. In February 2026, the Georgian National Communications Commission also initiated administrative proceedings against the broadcaster over a donation received from the United States, further intensifying pressure on the outlet.
Against this backdrop of financial vulnerability and political pressure, CCTV+’s offer to provide free content to Kavkasia TV reflects what appears to be a broader strategy by Chinese state-affiliated media to penetrate financially struggling media organizations and expand their influence within the Georgian information space.
In recent months, Civic IDEA has received multiple reports from representatives of Georgian civil society confirming a similar pattern. Chinese media outlets and affiliated organizations have increasingly attempted to penetrate the Georgian information space, primarily targeting small media platforms and organizations that may require additional financial or institutional support.
One of the earliest public indications of CCTV’s growing presence in the Georgian media landscape emerged on November 26, 2023, when the Georgian business media outlet Business Media Georgia (BMG) announced plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding and a licensing agreement with CCTV. At the time, BMG General Producer Giorgi Isakadze described CCTV as one of China’s leading media groups and noted that it also owns the English-language agency CCTV+. Through this partnership, BMG obtained access and licensing rights to distribute content produced by CCTV.
Chinese soft power operations in Georgia date back to 2010, when the first Confucius Institute was established at Tbilisi Free University. Since then, China has actively promoted the Chinese language and culture within Georgian society. However, following the announcement of the Georgia–China Strategic Partnership in 2023, Chinese soft power activities in the country have significantly expanded. Beijing now appears increasingly focused on shaping favorable perceptions and promoting pro-Chinese narratives within the Georgian information environment.
The Chinese Embassy in Georgia has also played an active role in constructing positive narratives about China in the Georgian media space. The embassy finances the television program “Chinese Panorama,” broadcast on the Georgian TV channel Obiektivi. The program’s content largely promotes China’s foreign policy agenda, international initiatives, economic projects, and geopolitical ambitions. Through such broadcasts, China is portrayed as a reliable strategic partner and an emerging global power.
Against the backdrop of the Georgian Dream government’s increasingly pro-Chinese rhetoric and foreign policy positioning, China has found fertile ground for expanding its narratives and state-controlled discourse within Georgian media. Georgian journalists are increasingly being approached by Chinese media organizations seeking to disseminate Chinese-produced content domestically. This trend reflects a new and exaggerated phase of Chinese soft power operations in Georgia.
