Georgia plans to gradually increase the share of the Chinese currency, the renminbi, also known as the yuan, in its international reserves to around 15% in the near term, National Bank of Georgia Governor Natia Turnava said on Wednesday.

Turnava said the move would help diversify the country's holdings and reduce its exposure to market volatility, The Caspian Post reports, citing Xinhua.

Georgia's international reserves are predominantly denominated in US dollars. As part of its diversification policy, the Georgian central bank has also acquired monetary gold and other currencies, including the yuan.

Turnava noted that Asian markets, including China's capital market, may behave differently from Western markets during periods of turbulence, helping strengthen the resilience of Georgia's international reserves.