According to Abkhaz news agencies, a delegation of Abkhaz entrepreneurs, headed by the so-called chair of the de facto Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tamila Mertskhulava, took part in the international exhibition Food2China Expo 2025, held in Guangzhou, China, from September 25 to 27.

Reports indicate that, in addition to participating in the exhibition, the delegation held a meeting with representatives of the Guangdong Chamber of Commerce, during which the prospects for direct trade relations were discussed and a memorandum of cooperation was signed.

Tamila Mertskhulava stated that trade turnover between China and occupied Abkhazia has been increasing year after year. “We consider attracting Chinese investment into various sectors of Abkhazia’s economy to be a particularly important direction, and we are ready to offer comprehensive conditions for mutually beneficial cooperation,” she said.

The visit of Abkhazia’s so-called delegation to China was also described as a “significant event” by local Telegram channels. They emphad that “entering the Chinese market means not only new investments and increased exports, but also the strengthening of Abkhazia’s international positioning.

”According to information published on the official website of the Guangdong Chamber of Commerce, it is authorized by the Department of Civil Affairs of Guangdong Province and serves as an adviser for government policy.

It is worth noting that while the Chinese government does not officially recognize the so-called independence of Georgia’s occupied regions, this is not the first case of communication with representatives of the de facto authorities.

In previous years, there were several reports of Chinese businessmen visiting occupied Abkhazia to learn about the local investment environment. In 2021, there was even a “diplomatic contact,” when China’s ambassador to Syria, Feng Biao, hosted the so-called “ambassador” of occupied Abkhazia, Bagrat Khutaba. This information was released by the de facto Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It is also noteworthy that despite its strategic partnership with Georgia, China has still not supported the UN resolution on the “Status of Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia, and the Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, Georgia.”