Some 13 years after it forged diplomatic relations with China, Georgia opened its embassy in Beijing on Thursday, in a bid to promote the development of bilateral relations.

"China was one of the first to recognize the sovereignty of Georgia, establish diplomatic relations with our country, and support the choice of the Georgian people," said Mikhail Ukleba, Georgia's first ambassador to China, when addressing attendees of the embassy's opening ceremony.

"Georgia and China have cooperated well in the political, economic, cultural and education fields, and maintained good coordination on regional and international issues," said the ambassador. "It is the hope of Georgia to strengthen trade, economic and technological cooperation with China."

(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2005)