On December 20, Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili denounced disparaging remarks made by the ruling Georgian Dream party's internal opponents about forming a strategic partnership between Georgia and China earlier this year as baseless and irresponsible. 

Darchiashvili responded to the criticisms and noted that about 60 countries worldwide had signed a strategic partnership with Beijing, including European Union member states. He also stressed that the country's geography allowed it to connect the East and the West. "These were traditionally irresponsible statements [by a part of the domestic opposition] that harmed the country. However, we don't set our agenda according to their criticism. We implement policies that serve our citizens, [ones] that are good for our citizens and our country's well-being," he said. 

"We have recently seen a high-level dialogue between the European Union and China and a bilateral dialogue between the United States and China that took place recently. Accordingly, we are not afraid of unfounded and often irresponsible criticism of our opponents," the minister continued