On May 18, 2026, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Zhao Leji held talks with Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Shalva Papuashvili at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Zhao Leji noted that in recent years, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and the leaders of Georgia, China and Georgia have established a strategic partnership, and bilateral relations have entered a fast lane of high-quality and all-round development. China stands ready to work with Georgia to follow up on the important consensuses reached by the leaders of the two countries, carry forward the traditional friendship, strengthen cooperation and exchanges, and continuously enrich the connotation of the China-Georgia strategic partnership.

Zhao Leji pointed out that the friendly cooperation between China and Georgia has deep historical roots, extensive practical needs and solid public support. The two sides should continue to firmly support each other. China appreciates Georgia’s longstanding support for China’s position on the Taiwan question and issues related to Xinjiang, Xizang, Hong Kong and human rights, and will, as always, support Georgia in following a development path independently chosen by its people and suited to its national conditions, and oppose interference by external forces in Georgia’s internal affairs. Georgia is one of the first countries to respond to and participate in Belt and Road cooperation. China is ready to work with Georgia to uphold mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, share development opportunities, expand cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and green energy, and encourage more capable Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Georgia. The two sides should deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, continue to strengthen cooperation in areas such as education, culture, tourism and youth, and promote people-to-people connectivity. The two sides should also strengthen multilateral coordination, practice true multilateralism, and closely coordinate and cooperate within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations.

Zhao Leji stressed that exchanges between legislative bodies play an important role in enhancing understanding and mutual trust, promoting mutually beneficial cooperation, and consolidating friendship between the peoples. The NPC of China stands ready to deepen exchanges and cooperation with the Parliament of Georgia, strengthen friendly exchanges between special committees, bilateral friendship groups, and NPC deputies and parliament members, carry out exchanges and mutual learning on topics including legislation, oversight work, sustainable development, and ecological conservation, foster a sound legal environment for bilateral practical cooperation, and better support the development and revitalization of each country. Zhao Leji also briefed on China’s outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan and the Law on National Development Planning.

Shalva Papuashvili said that the Georgian side firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and is ready to work with China to promote the continuous development of the strategic partnership between the two countries and jointly safeguard international law and the international order. Georgia is willing to actively participate in Belt and Road cooperation, implement the upgraded free trade agreement, strengthen cooperation in areas including economy and trade, culture, tourism and education, and advance connectivity. The Parliament of Georgia is willing to deepen friendly exchanges with the NPC of China, strengthen the public opinion basis for friendship between the two countries, and make the contribution of the legislative body to promoting the development of Georgia-China relations.

He Wei attended the talks.