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Azerbaijan and China Strengthen Strategic Partnership

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On April 23, 2025, in Beijing, during a state visit by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan and China signed a “Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.” This historic step highlights the two countries’ aspirations to deepen cooperation in the fields of economy, infrastructure, security, and culture. China supports Azerbaijan’s swift accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its peace agenda, positioning Azerbaijan as a strategic partner in the global trade system. This decision also responds to Western pressure regarding Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29, clearly demonstrating that Azerbaijan increasingly relies on China as a trusted partner.

During the visit, Aliyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed unwavering support for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Azerbaijan reaffirmed its support for the “One China” principle, while China endorsed Azerbaijan’s peaceful initiatives. Numerous agreements were signed, including those on visa exemptions, humanitarian demining cooperation, legal assistance in criminal matters, and economic cooperation, all aimed at strengthening political trust between the two nations.

Economic cooperation was a key focus of the visit. In 2024, bilateral trade grew by 20.7%, reaching $3.7 billion, making China Azerbaijan’s top export partner. China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” aligns with Azerbaijan’s “Silk Road Revival” strategy, particularly in the development of the Trans-Caspian trade route, where cargo volume increased by 86% to 378,000 tons in 2024. The two sides plan to negotiate a free trade agreement, which will further deepen economic cooperation.

During the visit, more than 20 agreements were signed, covering science, technology, culture, and tourism. For instance, a cultural cooperation protocol for 2025–2029, memoranda on digital economy and green development, and an agreement between the mayors of Nakhchivan and China’s Urumqi to establish sister city relations, which will promote local-level cooperation. These efforts show that both countries are striving to strengthen not only economic but also cultural and educational ties, for example, through student exchange programs and the development of Confucius Institutes in Azerbaijan, where Chinese language and culture are taught.

Aliyev’s visit and the signed agreements are part of Azerbaijan’s geopolitical strategy, which aims to balance Western influence through cooperation with China and the Global South. China’s support for the successful hosting of COP29 and Azerbaijan’s leadership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) underscores Beijing’s growing interest in viewing Azerbaijan not only as a logistical hub but also as a strategic partner. However, the success of this partnership will depend on the ability of both sides to balance their interests amid global tensions.

Author: Sandro Kapanadze

Azerbaijan and China Strengthen Strategic Partnership Read More »

China Set to Receive More Sanctioned Russian Oil in April

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Russia is ramping up its Arctic oil exports to China this month, offering significant discounts and utilizing tankers not targeted by U.S. sanctions to sidestep recent trade restrictions, according to data from analytics firm Vortexa and insights from two Russian oil traders. Russian producers Lukoil and Gazprom Neft did not immediately respond to Reuters’ inquiries regarding the shipments.

Roughly 10% of Russia’s seaborne crude exports stem from its Arctic oil trade, which faced disruption following the U.S. sanctions imposed in January. The sanctions targeted almost all vessels transporting key Arctic grades such as ARCO, Novy Port, and Varandey, along with state-run producer Gazprom Neft.

To navigate around these restrictions, traders have been using ship-to-ship (STS) transfers in international waters near Singapore and Malaysia. Once the oil is loaded onto Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) that aren’t subject to sanctions, the cargoes continue their journey to China, Vortexa senior analyst Emma Li and traders explained.

Li noted that at least 4 million barrels of Arctic crude were transferred via STS last week alone, and another 16 million barrels are expected to arrive or are already positioned in the South China Sea throughout April. While China’s appetite for Arctic oil appears to be on the rebound due to the available supply, the actual volume offloaded will depend on both the logistical flow and the purchasing decisions of Chinese refiners, Li added.

According to Vortexa, China imported around 25,000 barrels per day of Arctic crude in March. One trader highlighted that these ship-to-ship operations are essential, as many Chinese refiners prefer cargoes delivered on vessels free from sanctions to avoid complications or the risk of secondary sanctions, and some are even prepared to pay a premium for such cargoes.

For instance, data from Kpler shows that the non-sanctioned VLCC Atila took on approximately 2.07 million barrels of ARCO crude from two sanctioned ships in March near Singapore. The oil was later discharged at Dongying port in China’s Shandong province earlier this month. Notably, the Atila had previously conducted similar STS operations involving Iranian crude.

Arctic oil grades are extracted from Russia’s remote northern regions, where severe weather conditions and logistical challenges require massive investments for development. Light Varandey crude is produced by Lukoil, while Gazprom Neft handles light Novy Port and heavier ARCO grades.

Currently, the journey from Russia to China takes about two months, as the cargoes are routed via the Suez Canal. The added leg of STS transfers drives up transportation costs, traders said. The alternative — the shorter North Sea Route (NSR) — remains closed until July.

Arctic crude, once sold at a premium over Brent, is now being offered at a discount, traders reported.

India, once the leading buyer of Arctic crude, has scaled back imports due to the sanctions. Most of the Arctic oil destined for India, mainly Varandey, supplied by Litasco, has faced disruptions. Indian authorities also recently blocked a ship from transferring Russian oil to another vessel at sea.

Other destinations for Russian Arctic oil include Syria, which began receiving shipments earlier this year, and Myanmar.

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China’s New Trade Representative

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China, amid an escalating trade war with the United States, took a significant strategic step on Wednesday by appointing Li Chenggang as its new international trade representative. This change underscores Beijing’s ambition to strengthen its negotiating position to ease the pressure from tariffs that have posed significant challenges to global markets. China’s decision also reflects its efforts to maintain influence in the global trade system, particularly within the World Trade Organization (WTO), where it presents itself as a source of stability. Li Chenggang’s appointment is not only a tactical but also a symbolic move, reflecting China’s dual strategy: addressing U.S. economic pressure on the one hand while reinforcing its position as a leader in the global trade system on the other.

Li Chenggang, 58, replaces Wang Shouwen, 59, who had been China’s trade representative since 2018 and played a key role in negotiating the 2020 China-U.S. trade agreement. No official reason for the change has been disclosed, but analysts suggest it may be Beijing’s attempt to break through in negotiations stalled by heightened tensions. Li’s experience in Geneva, where he built ties with international partners, including U.S. representatives, makes him an ideal candidate for this goal.

Li Chenggang is a highly qualified diplomat who served as China’s WTO ambassador since February 2021, where he vocally criticized U.S. tariff policies, including at the WTO General Council meeting in February, stating that the U.S. “unilaterally and arbitrarily violates WTO rules.” His decades of experience in the Ministry of Commerce, including participation in China’s WTO accession negotiations and work at the UN office in Geneva, provide a strong foundation for managing complex trade disputes.

China’s economy grew by 5.4% in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing analysts’ expectations of 5.1%, driven by strong exports and retail sales. However, Sheng Laiyun, spokesperson for the National Bureau of Statistics, warned that U.S. tariffs exert “some pressure” on exports, a key driver of China’s economy. In response, Beijing is working to boost domestic consumption and expand cooperation with Europe and the Global South, though replacing U.S. consumers remains challenging amid declining domestic consumption and a real estate crisis. Li Chenggang’s support for free trade could be a double-edged sword: it bolsters China’s image as a defender of global trade but may complicate negotiations with the Trump administration, which pursues strict protectionist policies. Thus, Li’s success will depend on his ability to balance China’s firm stance with openness to negotiations to avoid further escalation of the trade war.

President Xi Jinping actively seeks to position China as a source of “stability and certainty” in global free trade, particularly in Southeast Asia, where countering U.S. influence is a key priority. His recent visits to Vietnam and Malaysia, where discussions focused on the China-ASEAN free trade agreement with its 10 member states, underscore China’s efforts to strengthen regional partnerships and bypass trade organizations dominated by the U.S. and the West. These moves also respond to the U.S. imposing 46% tariffs on Vietnam, which were later suspended for a 90-day negotiation period.

Author: Sandro Kapanadze

China’s New Trade Representative Read More »

Xi Jinping in Hanoi – China vie for regional leadership

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China continues to take strategic steps to assert its dominance in the region amid a trade war and tensions with the United States. This time, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, expressing a clear desire to maintain close economic and political partnerships with Southeast Asian nations.

Shortly after arriving in Hanoi on April 14, Xi Jinping said he hoped to use the meeting as an opportunity to hold in-depth discussions with Vietnamese leaders on the current state of relations and strategic cooperation between the two countries and the two sides, as well as on common regional issues.

Beijing has been strengthening economic partnerships with Vietnam for the past decade, and China is Vietnam’s largest trading partner. Vietnam is an important trade destination for China, given that Chinese products enter the United States through Vietnamese territory. Last week, the US imposed 46% tariffs on Vietnam, but Trump gave Vietnam, like all other countries except China, 90 days to negotiate.

While President Donald Trump is pressuring Washington’s allies, mainland China is focused on building a high-tech “global navy,” according to Zhou Bo, a former officer in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The Taiwan issue could be a potential flashpoint, but it is not the only issue driving Beijing’s military buildup — especially its navy. In addition to Taiwan, there are tensions in the South China Sea, where Chinese defenses and Philippine ships have clashed. Tensions with the Philippines are over its U.S. alliance, resource wealth, and disputed islands.

On April 1, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China began joint exercises without warning, sending 76 aircraft and more than 20 naval and coast guard vessels, including the Shandong carrier group, to positions around the main island of Taiwan. The exercises continued the next day, in the central and southern areas of the Taiwan Strait, where they practiced damaging key ports and energy infrastructure. In response, the following day, the United States expressed its full support for Taiwan and other partners “in the face of China’s intimidation tactics and destabilizing behaviors.”

As Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said, given that Trump last commented on the Taiwan issue in February, China continues to simply watch the United States and wonder how far it can go.

Experts say China is bolstering its naval forces in the Indo-Pacific to send a clear message of primacy to its regional neighbors, but also to test the thinking of its larger rival, Donald Trump.

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„Tariff war” between the US and China

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The president of the United States, Donald Trump, after promises in the election campaign to impose tariffs on a number of countries, started to actually implement said policies. The main target of the sanctions is China, on which the Trump administration, at first, imposed 54% tariffs and later – 145%.

The rise in American tariffs followed retaliatory tariffs from China – the country responded to US tariffs with 34% on April 10th. After a rise in the US tariffs, China increased the rate to 84% and on Saturday, April 12th – to 125%. According to the Chinese Commerce Ministry, China will “fight to the end” if the US “insists on provoking a tariff war or trade war”.

Notably, on April 12th, Donald Trump talked about the tariff exemptions on smartphones, computers, and other electronic devices, which would provide a break for companies like Apple, since such firms are importantly reliant on imported products. On the same day, the Chinese side responded to said step taken by the US president – per the Chinese Commerce Ministry, this decision is „a small step by the US towards rectifying the misguided approach of unilateral ‘reciprocal tariffs’.“ Apart from this, the Ministry stated that Washington is severely harming the international economic and trade order and called on the country to „completely abandon the erroneous ‘reciprocal tariffs’, and return to the right path of mutual respect and resolving differences through equal dialogue”. Despite this, later, on April 13th, Donald Trump corrected his statement on exemptions and said, that nothing would be free from tariffs, and the electronic devices would simply be in a different „bucket“ of tariffs, therefore, 20% tariffs are still imposed on them. However, according to Trump’s statement, the terms will be „flexible“ for certain companies.

It is also important, that in line with such US policies, China is attempting to get close to the EU – the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, on April 11th, during a meeting with the Spanish prime minister, stated that Beijing and the EU should go against the „intimidation“ by the US with a united force and fulfill their „international responsibility“, which is connected to economic globalization and creating a fair international trade environment.

„Tariff war” between the US and China Read More »

How Does the Georgian Dream Respond to Messages from the US Regarding Anaklia?

Anaklia, New, Newswire / /

Contrary to the expectations of representatives of the Georgian Dream, recent statements by American politicians confirm that the Trump administration is not indifferent to the decision to transfer the Anaklia Port project to a Chinese company. Furthermore, both Republican and Democratic party representatives view the potential involvement of a Chinese firm in the Anaklia project as an attempt by China—a strategic rival of the United States—to expand its influence in the Black Sea region.

Representatives of the Georgian Dream party have offered differing narratives in response to Washington’s recent statements concerning the Anaklia port project. The illegitimate Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, attributed the remarks by American officials to the influence of the so-called “Deep State.” Meanwhile, the Vice Prime Minister, Levan Davitashvili, cast doubt on the potential transfer of the port to a Chinese company.

For a comprehensive overview of the Georgian Dream’s latest statements and positions regarding the Anaklia port, please refer to the full report.

Full report

How Does the Georgian Dream Respond to Messages from the US Regarding Anaklia? Read More »

Zelensky says more than 150 Chinese mercenaries are fighting for Russia in Ukraine

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On Wednesday, Ukraine expanded its earlier claims regarding Chinese nationals fighting for Russia in its ongoing invasion, stating that it has collected comprehensive intelligence on over 150 mercenaries allegedly recruited by Moscow through social media platforms. In response, Chinese authorities dismissed the allegations as “totally unfounded.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed on Tuesday that the country’s armed forces had captured two Chinese individuals fighting alongside Russian troops on Ukrainian territory. It marked the first official statement by Ukraine regarding Chinese fighters taking part in the war.

Zelensky also indicated that Kyiv is open to negotiating a prisoner exchange, proposing to trade the two captured individuals for Ukrainian soldiers currently held by Russia.

Although he did not present concrete proof, Zelensky claimed that Chinese officials were aware of Russia’s efforts to enlist Chinese mercenaries. However, he stopped short of accusing the Chinese government of officially endorsing their involvement in the conflict.

According to Zelensky, Ukraine possesses the surnames and passport details of 155 Chinese nationals serving in the Russian military, adding that “we believe that there are many more of them.”

He reportedly shared documents with journalists that include names, passport information, and other personal details of the alleged Chinese fighters—such as their arrival dates in Russia for training and subsequent deployments. The Associated Press has not independently confirmed the authenticity of these documents.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, China has offered consistent diplomatic backing to Moscow. According to Western officials, Beijing has also supplied Russia with machinery and microelectronics potentially used in weapon manufacturing, in addition to bolstering Russia’s economy through energy and consumer goods trade.

Zelensky said that U.S. officials reacted with “surprise” upon learning about the alleged presence of Chinese fighters in Ukraine.

During a press briefing in Washington on Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce described the reports of Chinese nationals fighting for Russia as “disturbing.”

“China is a major enabler of Russia in the war in Ukraine,” Bruce stated. She asserted that China supplies “nearly 80 per cent of the dual-use items Russia needs to sustain the war.”

Zelensky says more than 150 Chinese mercenaries are fighting for Russia in Ukraine Read More »

Beijing Intensifies Recruitment of Former U.S. Officials

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The U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) has issued a formal warning that Chinese intelligence agencies are covertly attempting to recruit American citizens with access to sensitive government information.

According to the statement, Beijing is using increasingly sophisticated and deceptive methods to achieve its intelligence objectives. These recruitment efforts are often disguised as attractive career opportunities. The NCSC highlights that fake LinkedIn profiles and bogus invitations to conferences, or “advisory boards,” are commonly used to lure both former and current U.S. government employees—particularly during a time of mass layoffs and structural reforms within the federal workforce.

These developments come in the context of a major restructuring initiative led by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk. The department’s push to streamline bureaucracy has resulted in a sudden influx of unemployed federal employees, many of whom possess experience in sensitive areas such as national security, defense procurement, and foreign policy—making them prime targets for foreign intelligence recruitment.

Earlier investigative reporting by Reuters uncovered a shadowy network of companies allegedly tied to a secretive Chinese technology conglomerate. These firms, operating through shell entities in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, have been linked to efforts aimed at contacting recently laid-off U.S. federal workers.

While the full extent of China’s recruitment campaign remains unclear, officials have described it as part of a broader push to expand Beijing’s human intelligence (HUMINT) operations within the United States. Authorities have observed a “sharp increase in recruitment efforts” originating from Chinese actors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) are actively conducting counterintelligence operations to detect and disrupt these threats. Historically, Chinese officials have denied all allegations of espionage and interference, dismissing them as “politically motivated” and a product of “anti-China hysteria.”

As tensions between Washington and Beijing continue to simmer, the latest warning underscores the intensifying contest over intelligence and national security, on which the Chinese Embassy in Washington has not issued a comment on the latest claims.

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Tariff War: Trump Threatens China With Additional 50% Tariffs

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Donald Trump has threatened to impose an additional 50% tariff on China if it does not reverse last week’s decision to impose an additional 34% tariff on American goods by April 8. In total, the tax on Chinese goods imported into the United States will increase by 104%.

As a representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on April 7, this is bullying by the United States towards China, and threats and pressure are not the right way to deal with China. He called the tariffs „unilateral, economic bullying and protectionism“. At a press conference, he noted that the US tariffs in the name of reciprocity only serve its own interests at the expense of other countries.

“The abuse of tariffs by states deprives countries in the global south of their right to development,” Lin said, citing the widening gap between the rich and the poor in each country, especially in less developed countries.

Lin called on other states to stand together against unilateralism and protectionism, and to uphold the international and multilateral trading system in line with the values ​​of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

China refuses to bow to US “blackmail.” The commerce minister said that the US threat to escalate trade with China is a big mistake and, in addition, once again reveals the US’s blackmailing nature. “If the US does not change its course, China will continue to fight to the end,” Wang Wentao said.

In spite of this, Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Ling Ji assured American companies, including Tesla and GE Healthcare, that the country will always protect foreign-funded companies operating in China, including American companies.

“China has been, is, and will be an ‘ideal, safe and promising investment destination for foreign investors,’” Ling said at a meeting in Beijing on Sunday attended by more than 20 U.S.-funded companies. Ling said Beijing will not hold American companies accountable as President Trump escalates his tariff war with the rest of the world, including China.

At a meeting of the World Trade Organization on April 9, China plans to raise the United States’ retaliatory tariffs as a “new trade concern.” China has already filed a formal complaint with the Geneva-based watchdog.

Tariff War: Trump Threatens China With Additional 50% Tariffs Read More »

Georgian Dream’s New “Grant Law”, A.K.A Repression on Steroids!

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Welcome to Turkmenistan-on-the-Black-Sea. Yesterday (April 7), Georgian Dream introduced another chapter in its authoritarian playbook — a blitzkrieg-style amendment to the Law on Grants that makes so-called “Russian Law” look like amateur hour. If passed (and they’re fast-tracking it to do precisely that by next week), this law will give the government extensive power to decide who may & may not receive foreign grants — and to punish anyone who doesn’t toe the line with crushing financial and legal consequences.

In other words: civil society, media, watchdogs — you’re either silent, sanctioned, or seized.

Want to receive a grant — better ask the government first

Any organization or individual wanting to receive a foreign grant must submit their draft agreement to the Government of Georgia (or its chosen henchmen). The government then has 10 days to say “yes” or “no.” If they say no — tough luck. You can try to appeal, but the rejection takes effect immediately and won’t wait around for your court case.

Who is exempt — and who is clearly targeted

Grants for international sports, scholarships for studies/science outside Georgia, and grants received directly by international organizations in Georgia are exempt. Everyone else — CSOs, media, watchdogs, community groups — fall under strict scrutiny.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau becomes a surveillance agency in all but name

Under this bill, the Anti-Corruption Bureau — led by Razhden Kuprashvili — is granted sweeping new powers to investigate and punish so-called “prohibited grants.” Think less watchdog, more intelligence agency. Here’s what it can now do:

  • Demand financial documents from individuals or organizations, even if there’s just a vague suspicion of a problematic grant.
  • Summon private citizens for questioning, including formal interrogations before a magistrate judge.
  • Request highly sensitive personal data, including banking information and non-public communications — with court approval that must be processed in under 48 hours.
  • Record interrogations with audio and video, including remote questioning via electronic platforms. 
  • Fine individuals for giving “false” information, even under voluntary questioning, while claiming the interrogation is not coercive.

In short: under the pretext of anti-corruption, this Bureau can now act like a law enforcement agency, a financial regulator, and an intelligence service — all rolled into one, with minimal checks and lightning-fast timelines.

Seizing your bank account — fast and without delay

If the Bureau thinks you might not pay the fine, they can freeze your bank accounts or seize your assets on the spot. They’ll ask the court for confirmation — which must come within 48 hours — but their decision is already in effect. You can appeal once. It won’t help. The appeal won’t suspend the seizure, and the court’s word is final.

Penalties designed to punish, intimidate, and repeat

  • If you receive a “prohibited grant”: fined double the grant amount
  • If you “lie” during questioning: fined 2,000 GEL
  • Do it again? The fine doubles
  • Offenses can be punished up to 6 years later
  • During elections, courts are forced to rule on these cases within 5 days — again, with final decisions that can’t be appealed

Let’s not forget: just one day before launching this legislative assault, Georgian Dream’s Speaker of Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, accused the UK government of “interfering” in Georgia’s internal affairs — all because they dared to fund voter education and election observation efforts. According to Papuashvili, a British grant program supporting free and fair elections was part of a grand conspiracy to “change governments and destabilize countries.” He even called the grant “corrupt,” claiming everyone already knows it’ll go to organizations like ISFED. That paranoid outburst wasn’t a coincidence — it was the prelude. The next day, the regime gave itself the legal tools to crush exactly these kinds of programs.

This is political warfare — and we are not leaving the field

This bill isn’t about transparency. It’s about the extermination of dissent. It’s about silencing media, paralyzing civil society, and building a Turkmen-style system in a country that claims to be “European.”

It’s about pushing international donors out of political life — a direct attack on democracy-supporting assistance, at a time when elections are approaching.
It’s about scaring people into inaction.
But here’s what it’s not going to do: erase us.
We will not disappear. We are not afraid.
We have stood firm in darker times, and we will stand firm now.
We will keep speaking, keep working, and keep building the kind of Georgia the Georgian Dream fears most — a democratic one.

As part of this effort, Civic IDEA remains committed to helping others understand what these recent amendments mean — and how they mirror the Russian-style “foreign agent” legislation. We are ready to offer and already offering legal aid, consultations, support, and guidance to anyone seeking clarity or action.

Georgian Dream’s New “Grant Law”, A.K.A Repression on Steroids! Read More »

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