The Implications of Georgia's Strategic Partnership With China

The inauguration of a "strategic partnership" between Tbilisi and Beijing has been widely celebrated by Georgian government circles but viewed warily by critics. The announcement, made last week by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, came as a surprise to some.  While the intensifying ties logically follow Georgia's newfound role as a transit and energy corridor connecting Europe and Asia, the wording of the relevant joint statement left the country's pro-Western voices fearful that it could signal a…