In a recent Xinhua interview, a Turkish business leader said that China contributes to global trade by successfully implementing opening-up policy.

Demir Sarman, head of the Federation of Food and Drink Industry Associations of Türkiye, said China has switched from exporting cheap textiles and household consumer goods to providing high-tech products, and has taken a giant step forward.

Sarman believes that the fifth China International Import Expo (CIIE) is a giant platform, where businesses across the globe meet and create new partnerships.

A total of 70.72 billion U.S. dollars worth of tentative deals were reached for one-year purchases of goods and services at the CIIE last year.

Sarman said that "the importance of the CIIE for the region and the world is indisputable." His federation, the umbrella organization of Türkiye's food and beverage industry, is participating in the CIIE for the first time.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service

Zaal Anjaparidze, political analyst (Tbilisi, Georgia)

Political actors are increasingly and proactively trying to manipulate public opinion polls. Georgia is not an exception in this respect.

In this regard, a truly unique situation has been created in our country. Public opinion surveys in Georgia have been practically monopolized for years by American organizations (NDI, IRI) and their local contractors, which are financed by international donors. Sociological surveys are practically not financed by the state from the local budget. Therefore, we should not be surprised that the existing polls, in addition to sociology, also serve the interests of their sponsors to create the appropriate political and social conjuncture in the country.

Today, the one of the central topics in the country is to obtain the status of a candidate for EU membership and to fulfill the 12 recommendations of the European Commission. Although, based on polls, the narrative that European integration is the solid choice of the majority of the Georgian population has been firmly established in Georgia. However, how true this is, especially in the light of recent events in the country?!.

In July-August 2022, NDI's public opinion poll shows that the support of the European Union by the population of Georgia is 75%. Although this is 5-7% less than the results of previous months (80-80%), it is still an impressive majority. However, let's not rush to final conclusions.

If you aspire to be a member of any union, you should have a very positive attitude towards it. At this time, in the sociological research conducted by the European Foundation in 2021, we read: "Overall, 46 percent of Georgians have either very positive (16%) or rather positive (30%) attitudes towards the European Union. About 43% have a neutral outlook, while a minority (7%) has either a rather negative or very negative attitude." It turns out that only 46% of our population, or less than half(!), consciously supports the European Union.

The point is that in the polls sponsored by Western donors, it is clear that the attempt is not to question the pro-European orientation of the population of Georgia, in which they have invested. That's why, even if they receive an unwanted image, they try to model this image so as not to violate professional standards too much. Political messages can also be read in the titles of individual blocks. For example, to reinforce a pro-European message, NDI says, "Most people are convinced that Georgia would benefit more from European and Euro-Atlantic integration than from close relations with Russia." How did NDI measure and determine the degree of "certainty" of respondents when its survey only has one question on European integration? posed and it does not attempt to determine what is really behind the respondent's “YES” or “NO”.

It is very interesting, in a survey by the European Foundation, how only 46% of those who love the European Union agree with 77% of those who are in favor of joining the European Union? One of the most realistic options for the answer is consumerism with the EU, not value unity. In the presence of this unity, there would be neither the problem of holding an LGBT-march in the center of Tbilisi, nor such intense unacceptability of same-sex marriage that a relevant entry in the constitution became necessary. Examples can be continued.

In addition, the survey data is seriously distorted by the so-called respondents themselves. A "self-selection" or "self-censoring" effect, where a certain percentage of respondents consistently refuse to participate in a survey or do not provide a response. It is even more problematic, the so-called "Falsification of preferences" - a situation where instead of giving an honest answer to a directly asked question, the respondent gives an answer that is expected from him by an imaginary majority. Therefore, we should not be surprised by the many "YES" answers to the direct question of support for European integration during the said surveys. In addition to the above-mentioned reasons, this can also be explained by the respondent's desire for psychological comfort, as well as conformist behavior and fear of social condemnation. If we take into account the information-psychological environment and pressure created with us, a different view from the mainstream opinion is considered a betrayal of the state and a crime. It turns out that the conducted surveys actually measure not the respondent's true attitude towards a specific issue, but only his socially and politically acceptable attitude.

Considering all the above-mentioned circumstances, it is not difficult to guess how the 81-83% rate of support for European integration, or the unusually high rating of some faceless but acceptable person for the client, is established. These are all tools of political and psychological manipulation, and it seems that our political class and society have come to terms with this modeled reality.

The situation will not change until the state changes its attitude towards this issue and creates national public opinion research institutions in the country. The situation will also not change if trust in the polls themselves, their commissions, operators and results is not measured. Episodic studies on this issue are not enough and cannot change the weather.

In general, the importance of polls was probably best summed up by Margaret Thatcher: "If you are guided by opinion polls, you are not practicing leadership -- you are practicing followership.”

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili is visiting France to attend high-ranking meetings in Strasbourg and Paris.

The president will participate in the World Forum for Democracy 2022 and the Paris Peace Forum.

According to the President’s press office, Zourabichvili will meet with Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, and PACE President Tiny Kox.

On the sidelines of the World Forum for Democracy, Zurabishvili will also meet the Prime Minister of Iceland, Katrín Jakobsdóttir.

Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić is hosting Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, the President’s press office has said.

Zourabichvili is visiting France to attend high-ranking meetings in Strasbourg and Paris.

She will participate in the World Forum for Democracy 2022 and the Paris Peace Forum.

As part of the visit, Zourabichvili will also meet with PACE President Tiny Kox and the Prime Minister of Iceland, Katrín Jakobsdóttir.

The European Union and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have announced the first winner who will receive a grant through their capital market support programme. 

Georgia Renewable Power Operations’s  (GRPO) US$ 80 million green secured bond will become the largest transaction, as well as the first ever green bond issued on Georgia’s capital market.

The company will receive a contribution from the European Union to co-finance issuance related fees, and the support mechanism will be implemented by the EBRD.

“I believe the programme will catalyze green and sustainable bond issuances in the country and incentivise renewable energy developers to align with high Environmental, Social and Governance standards. We are extremely proud to be pioneers in this regard and to contribute towards the development of the Georgian renewable energy sector,” said Nuka Mshvidobadze, GRPO’s chief financial officer.

The EU-funded Capital Market Support Programme aims to facilitate capital market development in Georgia, through the implementation of educational activities as well as the support mechanism.

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