China and Georgia have agreed to develop and bolster the Middle Corridor initiative, which offers the shortest route from Beijing to Europe via the Eurasian region.
 
The two countries will also facilitate investment, trade and promote cooperation in digital technologies, manufacturing, upgrading and expansion of railway networks, water desalination and use of Georgia's transit infrastructure to export Chinese products to Western markets, they said in a joint statement published by state-owned Xinhua.

Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia, was on a seven-day official visit to Beijing starting July 26.
 
In addition, China will study the options to provide preferential loans for Georgia's social and infrastructure projects.

On the other hand, Tbilisi will support China’s global development initiative and actively cooperate to accelerate implementation of the UN 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

China had agreements with Georgia in 2015 for BRI, and in 2017, the two countries had signed a free trade agreement, according to previous media reports.

(Writing by P Deol; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)