In brief
The decision to hand a major port project to China has ignited political tensions in Georgia, highlighting the tug-of-war between Western hopes and increasing Chinese presence.
For over a year, pro-Western activists in Georgia, a former Soviet state bordering Russia, have been voicing concerns over their government’s overtures to Moscow. However, as I traveled through this Caucasian nation of 3.6 million, another major player has begun to emerge: China. The country has bolstered its activities in the region, enhancing infrastructure and trade routes that it aims to leverage for economic gain.In central Georgia, the landscape is transforming as Chinese laborers craft monumental viaducts and drill through rugged geology to establish a modern highway connecting the country’s east and west. Meanwhile, in the north, the China Railway Tunnel Group is busy carving out a 5.5-mile tunnel to facilitate the expansion of a highway leading to Russia.On the western front, plans are in motion for China Communications Construction Company to create Georgia's inaugural deep-sea port on the Black Sea, linking to China's Belt and Road Initiative for infrastructure and trade. This unnamed port project has sparked intense debate within Georgia and internationally regarding the ramifications of China's growing dominance in the region and the potential pivot away from Western alliances. Compounding the controversy is the fact that this opportunity was snatched from the Anaklia Development Consortium, which comprised Georgian, European, and U.S. firms, before being awarded to China last May.
