China was Georgia’s second-largest trading partner in the first nine months of the year, behind only neighboring Turkey, according to official data. Bilateral trade reached $2.329 billion, accounting for 11.3% of Georgia’s total trade turnover of $20.5 billion.
Trade with China increased by 41% year-on-year. The trade deficit remains negative, meaning Georgia imports significantly more from China than it exports. The growth in both imports and exports was driven by sharp increases in trade in several specific product categories.
Imports: Solar panels, cars and wind turbines
In January-September, Georgia imported $1.746 billion worth of goods from China, up by 21.8% year-on-year. China accounted for 12.1% of Georgia’s total imports of $14.4 billion.
The increase was largely driven by higher imports of three product groups: semiconductor devices, including solar cells; motor vehicles; and electric generating sets and rotary converters, including wind turbines.
Georgia’s top 10 imports from China:
- Semiconductor devices – $135 million, up 769%;
- Passenger cars – $76 million, up 76%;
- Electric generating sets and rotary converters – $57.3 million, up 1,344%;
- Air-conditioning equipment – $45.2 million, down 2%;
- Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel – $43.6 million, up 3%;
- New pneumatic rubber tyres – $42.6 million, up 5%;
- Computing machines and their units – $39.7 million, up 5.1%;
- Refrigerators, freezers and other refrigeration or freezing equipment – $36.1 million, up 32.6%;
- Fresh or chilled poultry meat and edible offal – $33.5 million, up 9.2%;
- Parts for special-purpose motor vehicles – $27.4 million, up 21.5%.
Exports: Precious metal ores and petroleum products
Georgia’s exports to China also recorded significant growth. In the first nine months of the year, revenue from goods sold to China rose by 168.7% to $566.7 million.
China ranked second among Georgia’s export destinations, with a 9.5% share, behind Kyrgyzstan.
The increase was largely driven by higher exports of precious metal ores and record shipments of petroleum and petroleum products.
Georgia’s top 10 exports to China:
- Precious metals and ores – $347 million, up 117%;
- Petroleum and petroleum products – $103 million, up 47,620%;
- Copper ores and concentrates – $84.3 million, up 628%;
- Ginger, saffron, turmeric, bay leaves and other spices – $13 million, up 19%;
- Medical and veterinary instruments and appliances – $9.2 million, down 43.5%;
- Natural grape wines – $6.5 million, down 6.4%;
- Copper scrap – $5.9 million, up 101%;
- Refined and unrefined copper alloys – $1.5 million, up 131%;
- Enzymes and enzyme preparations – $1.3 million;
- Spirits – $993,000, down 21.4%.
