MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF GEORGIA

Within the framework of the visit to the People’s Republic of China, Deputy Ministers of Economy and Sustainable Development Genadi Arveladze and Irakli Nadareishvili held a meeting with Tan Guang, Deputy Director of the Commercial Committee of China Southern Airlines. Discussions focused on the importance of further deepening cooperation in the civil aviation sector between Georgia and the PRC.

The Georgian side provided information to the airline representatives regarding the high growth rates of Georgia’s civil aviation and tourism sectors. Genadi Arveladze and Irakli Nadareishvili specifically highlighted the increase in the number of Chinese visitors to Georgia - in 2025, the country received 127895 Chinese visitors, a 44% increase compared to the previous year.

The meeting focused on ongoing negotiations with the Chinese airline regarding the implementation of direct flights from Tbilisi to Beijing as well as other Chinese cities.

The Deputy Ministers and the Deputy Director of the Commercial Committee of China Southern Airlines also spoke about the possibility of functioning as a regional cargo hub within the Middle Corridor route. It was noted that for China Southern Cargo operations, Tbilisi offers direct access to Black Sea ports, railway corridors, and the regional road network, significantly increasing the scale and efficiency of cargo transportation.

China Southern Airlines is one of the largest air carriers both in China and internationally, operating flights to 121 destinations in 65 countries, including Georgia.