“We should and do have relations with China. I don't see any problem with that because China has not occupied any portion of our territories; China is not an enemy, but a nation we need to be careful with in economic relations,” - the Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili stated in response to a question asked by a Radio Sivrce reporter, while hosting a press conference at the Orbeliani Palace. The question referred to the partnership between Georgia and China.

As the president noted, the Chinese contracts are the most opaque ones, since they contain clauses that prohibit the government from publicizing the full text of the contract.

"It is wrong to put the issue of China in this way - “in either black-and-white term". The whole world tends to trade with China, which is one of the largest countries economically and politically. So, to say that Georgia should behave differently and build some kinds of walls would be stupid. I don't really support that idea. 

Another concern is the Anaklia-related issue, which is very important even because Russia has laid out a plan on the Port of Ochamchire and, let's imagine how these two ports will be in relation to each other?

This [Chinese] company has been sanctioned and no western investors can come in with it. i.e. we, the state budget and the Chinese company are about to remain and that is undesirable, since everyone is aware of China's policy of giving loans to small countries and returning them. It can be quite dangerous. This matter mostly lacks transparency and needs to be studied. The Chinese contracts are the most opaque ones, since they contain clauses that prohibit the government from publicizing the full text of the contract - you may google it! Perhaps, neither you nor I know what we are signing and this is what I consider undesirable, otherwise we should have and do have relations with China; I don't see any problem with that because China has not occupied any portion of our territories. China is not an enemy, but a nation we need to be careful with in economic relations.

And another thing is that our legislation prohibits making such tenders with a state company of another country. It seems that this Chinese company is a completely state-owned, not a private one", - Salome Zurabishvili responded to Radio Sivrce.