What Lies Beneath Georgia–China Trade?

A decade ago, China was barely visible on Georgia’s trade map. Today, it is one of the country’s most important partners. In 2024, bilateral trade turnover reached USD 1.91 billion (Geostat, 2024), an 8% increase compared to the previous year. This volume positioned China as Georgia’s fourth-largest trading partner.

But the numbers alone do not tell the full story. Behind them lies a picture of strategic dependencies, hidden vulnerabilities, and emerging opportunities that could shape Georgia’s economic trajectory in the years ahead.

Anatomy of Imbalance

In 2024, Georgia’s exports to China totaled just USD 303 million, down 2.5% from 2023. Imports, however, stood at USD 1.61 billion (Geostat, 2024), up 21% year-on-year. The trade imbalance is stark: imports from China are over five times larger than exports.

This imbalance is most visible in technology and industrial goods. Nearly every smartphone, computer, or construction truck in Georgia today has Chinese origins. And yet, certain Georgian exports, though modest in value, play an outsized role.

Copper: Georgia’s Strategic Thread

At the heart of Georgia’s exports is copper ores and concentrates. In 2024, exports of copper to China amounted to USD 39 million (Trading Economics, 2024).

This number may seem small, but its significance is amplified by global trends. Demand for copper grew by about 4% in 2024 (IEA, 2024), driven by the expansion of electric vehicles and renewable energy systems. As the world’s largest metals consumer, China constantly seeks secure suppliers. Georgia’s role may be modest in volume, but reliable supply in such a critical sector makes it strategically relevant.

Agriculture’s Niche Power

Away from metals, agriculture tells a different story. Georgia’s bay leaves have carved out a curious niche in China. Exports of bay leaves exceeded USD 5 million in 2024 (ITC). While this may seem trivial on a global scale, Chinese culinary and pharmaceutical industries value the product’s quality, and Georgia’s climate gives it a comparative edge.

Another cultural product is wine. In 2024, exports of Georgian wine to China reached USD 15 million (Geostat). Though far behind EU markets, wine is gaining ground, helped by China’s expanding middle class and a growing appetite for premium imports.

The Pull of Chinese Imports

On the other side, imports dominate. In 2024, Georgia imported USD 420 million worth of electronics and ICT equipment from China (ITC).

Heavy machinery and construction trucks followed, with imports valued at USD 250 million (ITC). These machines—from dump trucks to excavation equipment—are now central to Georgia’s infrastructure projects.

Meanwhile, medical equipment and instruments imports reached USD 110 million in 2024 (BTU AI, 2024), underscoring how Georgian healthcare is increasingly tied to Chinese supply chains—an interdependence that became especially visible after the pandemic.

Political Framework

The trade relationship is inseparable from politics. In 2017, the China–Georgia Free Trade Agreement came into effect (Yicai Global, 2017), lowering barriers for Georgian goods to enter the Chinese market.

By 2023, the two countries signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement (Caspian Policy Center, 2023), signaling that ties were no longer just economic but geopolitical. For Georgia, this raises a delicate question: how to balance European integration with the growing economic pull of China.