TBILISI. Jan 15 (Interfax) - A delegation of the ruling Georgian Dream party led by its chair Irakli Kobakhidze arrived in China on Monday for a visit, including for meetings with representatives of the Communist Party of China and the National People's Congress, the party's press service said.
"For us, this is a very important visit, which bears a high significance for the development of bilateral relations. Our heads of state declared a strategic partnership last year. We are very interested in cooperating with China," Georgian Dream's press service quoted delegation member, Georgian Parliament deputy speaker Irakli Chikovani as saying.
Meanwhile, the Georgian opposition called the ruling party delegation's visit to China "revenge on the political West."
"The deepening relations with China are an act of revenge on the political West by the Georgian leadership. These are steps against the United States and the European Union, rather than a wish to diversify Georgia's interests," Grigol Gegelia, co-leader of the opposition party Lelo, told reporters.
"It's very simple. Georgian Dream is trying to tell our Western partners that it has a different axis of values, which no longer coincides with the geopolitical and external interests of America and the European Union," he said.