Helsinki Commission Members Express Concerns Over Anaklia Port Development Deal with Chinese Conglomerate
By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Members of the U.S. Helsinki Commission have issued a statement expressing their concerns regarding the Georgian government's decision to award the rights to develop the Anaklia deep-water port to a Chinese conglomerate, including firms that have been sanctioned by the United States. The statement was released by U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Roger Wicker, Co-Chairman Representative Joe Wilson, Ranking Member Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Ranking Member Representative Steve Cohen, Commissioner Representative Marc Veasey, and Senator John Cornyn.
The members voiced serious concerns over the potential geopolitical and economic implications of the deal, which they believe could significantly affect Georgia's independence and security. The Anaklia Port, located on the Black Sea coast, is considered a strategically important infrastructure project for Georgia, and the decision to involve a Chinese company, particularly one with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), raises alarms for U.S. officials.
"We are troubled by reports of Georgian Dream's decision to surrender control of its Anaklia deep-sea port to a CCP-backed, US-sanctioned conglomerate," the statement reads. "Developers involved in this deal, including the China Communications Construction Company, have a history of using infrastructure development projects to exploit and destabilize their host countries and deepen those countries' dependence on China."
The U.S. Helsinki Commission members emphasized that the involvement of Chinese firms, specifically those with ties to the Chinese government, could undermine Georgia's sovereignty and its future as an independent, democratic state. They expressed concern that China's growing influence in the Black Sea region, particularly in collaboration with Russia, could destabilize the region and restrict free trade and commerce.
"China's growing presence in the Black Sea, in collaboration with Russia, makes the region less safe and restricts free trade and commerce," the statement continued. "By going forward with this deal, Georgian Dream would be further endangering their country's democratic trajectory and ability to determine its own economic future."
The Helsinki Commission urged the Georgian government to reconsider its decision and to ensure that the process of developing critical infrastructure is handled fairly and transparently. The commission called on Georgian Dream to evaluate bids for the Anaklia port development in a way that considers the long-term national interests of Georgia, rather than potentially compromising its sovereignty and security by aligning with foreign powers that may have conflicting interests.
"We urge Georgian Dream to reconsider this decision and evaluate bids to develop its critical infrastructure fairly and transparently," the statement concluded.
