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"Belt and Road" brings momentum for closer Eurasian ties: Georgian PM

Xinhua, January 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

The prime minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, said here on Thursday the "Belt and Road" initiatives bring new momentum for developing economic ties on the Eurasian continent.

He made the remarks when attending a session at the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) summit at the Swiss ski resort Davos.

"Indeed, Europe needs dynamism from China and Asian countries, and vice versa, Asia needs new technologies and know-how from Europe," said Kvirikashvili, adding the initiatives would help develop connectivity between Europe and Asia.

"We have direct trains passing from (China's) Xinjiang province through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia, towards Europe, either through the Black Sea or Turkey. So this is developing very fast and we see increasing demands," he said.

He said the latest direct train from China's Xinjiang to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, takes seven days, which means in about 10 and 11 days, trains from China can reach some cities in Europe.

The prime minister said that for companies who have expensive goods to ship from China to Europe or vice versa, the direct train could decrease the working capital requirement, which turns the road into a very competitive place.

"But I would like to mention that this is not a rivalry between different roads, this is friendly competition. I think it increases economic dynamism on the whole Eurasia continent, and brings peace and understanding among different countries, and it is a project more of partnership than competition," he said.

He said Georgia had recently undertaken important changes to modernize the infrastructure and railway industry, and it was completing highway construction, working closely with its neighbors to develop a holistic approach to managing the southern Caucasus corridor with Kazakhstan and central Asian countries.

He also added that Georgia was becoming one of the most open economies in the region with very liberal regulations, relatively low energy costs, and low labor costs. Endit