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Abkaz, that's fascinating, I wasn't aware that work on road was so advance by the Chinese. This article https://www.beltandroad.news/2019/12/21/georgia-gives-geopolitical-forecast-for-2020/ mentions Batumi and Poti and comments on Chinese economic influence on the area:
"Yet another actor for balancing out Russian geopolitical pressure will be China, with its economic role in the region. Tbilisi and Beijing in 2020 will strive to build deeper economic relations perhaps through investments and trade.
All trends show that China will continue seeing Georgia, with its Black Sea ports of Batumi and Poti, as a link for its massive ‘Belt & Road’ initiative.
However, it is also important to note that Chinese involvement in the region will surely continue to be limited only to economics. 2020 will still be early to say that the deeper Beijing involves itself in defending its assets around the world, the greater the possibility that China will eventually become a security partner in the South Caucasus."
It makes one wonder if the Chinese will invest in Anaklia as the Georgian Government is looking for a new investor:
https://www.beltandroad.news/2020/01/10/georgian-government-searches-for-new-investor-for-anaklia-port/
I drove along this new Chinese project in November. It's amazing what theyre doing. The road from Tblisi to Batumi is a slow and inefficient single laner which winds through mountains and goes directly through the center of every town and village. The chinese are building an excellent motorway adjecent to this road, despite extreme conditions and terrain. Village shops have chinese signs hanging in their windows to attach business from the workers. It's a big deal.
Adding to this the ports at Batumi and Poti are absolutely garbage. It took about 18 hours to load the RORO cargo at Batumi. No infrastructure whatsoever. Corrupt officials. Angry Lorry drivers. Its a really grim affair. Its pretty stark considering the Ports in Turkmenbashi and Baku and shiny and new and run like clockwork.
The Chinese are coming and the Georgians are being forced to smarten up. The Chinese don't generally attach any political conditions to their infra projects but you'd better not start creaming contracts or putting a block on their plans.
I don't know what this means for us but I'm sure the tinpot Georgian Gov has less power than they think they have.
The geopolitical importance of Georgia is underscored by the Belt and Road Initiative, see:
https://www.beltandroad.news/2019/10/30/georgia-returns-to-the-old-new-silk-road/
"Thus, from a historical perspective, the modern Silk Road concept emanating from China arguably represents the biggest opportunity Georgia has had since the dissolution of the unified Georgian monarchy in 1490 when major roads criss-crossed the Georgian territory.
In the future, when/if successive Georgian governments continue to carry out large infrastructural projects (roads, railways, sea ports), Tbilisi will be able to use those modern ‘Silk Roads’ to its geopolitical benefit, namely, gain bigger security guarantees from various global and regional powers to uphold its territorial integrity."
The development of the Anaklia Port and subsequent connection to the new 'Silk Road' would be a tremendous boost to the economy and development of Georgia although I imagine that a certain bordering country would not be best pleased. In who's interest is it to undermine Georgia's territorial integrity, energy independence and economic development?