CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VIII (1) ContemporaryEurasia81 | Page 66

IMPERATIVES OF GEORGIAN DIPLOMACY AND COOPERATION OF TBILISI AND…
membership in NATO will have to wait. 8 We have to admit that since then,
little has changed. Tbilisi is still on its pro-Western course for the sake of the
future development and security of Georgia, is still very critical towards the
policy initiatives of Moscow, and at the same time does not allow any
rapprochement with Russia at the expense of the possibility of their country's
entry into NATO and the EU.
The concept of the New Silk Road and Georgia
However, the marked success of Georgia and China in the
institutionalization of their economic contacts, which is the core of Beijing's
initiative to form a pool around its project “Economic Zone – the new Silk
Road” (SREB) or “One Belt One Road” (OBOR). The potential for
cooperation between the Georgian and Chinese sides has received a positive
reaction. Its rapid development in short time apparently promises to change
the configuration of Georgian foreign policy doctrine, which is now focused
exclusively on the Western community of nations. China's relations with the
South Caucasus, including Georgia, were exclusively expressed in very
random economic, trade and cultural ties for centuries. The geopolitical
interests of China had never been served before. To say that it has now
become one of the priorities of China's foreign policy would not be accurate.
However, the significant increase in Georgian-Chinese contacts makes one
take a closer look.
China was among the first countries to recognize the independence of
Georgia. Officially, China-Georgia diplomatic relations were established in
June 1992 with the signing of the relevant protocol. In subsequent years,
political relations between the two countries developed steadily. They try to
establish close contacts and consult with each other in the UN and other
international organizations. Georgia certainly supports the policy of “one
China” and the position of China on the issues of Taiwan, Tibet, and
Xinjiang. China, in turn, stands for the integrity of Georgia, as it considers
Abkhazia and South Ossetia an internal affair. 9 In the article, “The
traditional friendship between China and Georgia are strengthened”, Chinese
Foreign Minister Yang Tszechi stressed that the Chinese side intends to
continue to make constant efforts for the development of stable cooperation
between Beijing and Tbilisi. 10 On the other hand, Georgia also considers
8
“Ukraine I Gruzii prideotsja podoždat’. Na sammite NATO ne udalos’ dostignut’ soglasija”,
(in Russian), [“Ukraine and Georgia will have to wait. The agreement was not reached at
the NATO summit”], First Channel, April 4, 2008, http://www.1tv.ru/news/world/23303
(accessed June 15, 2015).
9
Van Czingo and Van Chshiczun, “GUAM i KNR”. (in Russian) [“GUAM and PRC”]
Central Asia and Caucasus (special issue), no. 3—4, (2008): 208.
10
“Tradicionnaja družba meždu Kitaem I Gruziej ukrepljaetsja — 15-ja godovščina
ustanovlenija diplomatičeskikh otnošenij meždu stranami”, (in Russian), [“The Evergreen
China-Georgia Traditional Friendship — In Commemoration of the 15th Anniversary of
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