On July 31, 2023, during the official visit of Georgian PM Irakli Gharibashvili to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), a Sino-Georgian strategic partnership agreement was formally established. Under the terms of this agreement, Georgia pledges its full support to all initiatives put forth by Xi Jinping and expresses its readiness to engage actively. This surprising turn of events undermines the nation’s ambitions to align with Euro-Atlantic partnerships and could pose long-term security risks. There is no doubt among the Western academia and the security community that in the era of Great Power Competition, the initiatives launched by China are aimed at revising the existing global international order and establishing alternative, Sinocentric foreign policy relations, where China’s domestic authoritarianism or aggressive foreign policy will remain immune to the resulting international reactions.
Against this backdrop, it is crucial to understand the role and function of each individual initiative in achieving China’s above-mentioned ultimate goals. For this purpose, the “Civic Idea” has prepared a series of analytical blogs where China’s initiatives are analyzed.
- One Belt One Road
- Global Development Initiative
- Global Security Initiative
- Global Civilization Initiative
Assessing Georgia’s strategic partnership within the context of Chinese global politics requires a comprehensive understanding of the nuanced terminology employed by the Chinese government in delineating its priorities concerning partnerships with other nations. The categorization of a “comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership” signifies a substantial level of connection and alignment of interests between China and partner nations, albeit not always guaranteeing preferential treatment. Notably, China designates varying partnership tiers, with its closest allies like Russia and Pakistan characterized by terms such as ‘coordination for a new era’ and ‘all-weather partnership,’ respectively. Beyond these highest-level partnerships, China upholds a spectrum of relationships, including Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships and Strategic and Cooperative Partnerships tailored to enhance bilateral ties. For instance, among its 41 Comprehensive Strategic Partners, Kazakhstan (Permanent Comprehensive Strategic Partnership) is a significant partner, emphasizing notably close bilateral relations. Additionally, China maintains strategic partnerships with 23 countries, including Canada, Djibouti, Nigeria, Sudan, and Ukraine, with the recent addition of Georgia. While these partnerships signify strategic interests, distinctions emerge when examining bilateral agreements between the listed strategic partners and Georgia, revealing notable differences in their respective dynamics and scope.
The blog series provided by Civic IDEA scrutinizes Georgia’s position in the global political landscape through its strategic partnership with the PRC. Our goal is to evaluate and compare Georgia’s situation with that of other states aligned with China, seeking to identify prevailing trends. Our research is divided into several parts, starting with an exploration of the political domain. This involves examining the βOne China Principleβ and assertions regarding territorial integrity made by both China and its partnering nations, contrasting them with Georgia’s stance. Following this, the study will delve into global initiatives endorsed by China, assessing Georgia’s involvement compared to other nation-states. One separate study will be devoted to the economic domain, with a primary focus on the Belt and Road Initiative. This will provide a closer look at Georgia’s participation, contrasting it with other collaborating countries. Overall, our blogs aim to offer a comprehensive understanding of Georgia’s strategic alignment within its partnership with China and shed light on its broader implications in global politics.
For more information, please see the full report below π
