Upgraded FTA with China responds to new global trade trends, says Georgian official

TBILISI, April 30 (Xinhua) -- The upgraded free trade agreement (FTA) between Georgia and China is a response to new trends in global trade that have taken shape since the original deal entered into force in 2018, a senior Georgian official said Wednesday.

The upgraded FTA, signed in April 2026, introduces measures to promote bilateral investment, simplify trade procedures and improve access to information, Genadi Arveladze, Georgian deputy minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, told Business Insider Georgia, an online business and economic media platform.

The document also provides for new sanitary and phytosanitary frameworks aimed at facilitating the removal of technical trade barriers, he said, adding that a bilateral committee on market access for goods will be established to support the process.

He noted that progress has already been made in expanding Georgian exports to China, citing honey and poultry as examples. The new provisions, he said, are expected to accelerate market entry for Georgian products and strengthen export capacity.

A dedicated bilateral investment mechanism will be created to facilitate dialogue on major infrastructure projects, enhance engagement with large and medium-sized enterprises, and attract targeted investment into priority sectors, he added.