China's Georgian Gamble

As Georgia pivots away from the West and slides into dictatorship, China emerges as its key strategic partner. While Washington and Brussels struggle to find transatlantic unity and craft a unified approach to Russia and Ukraine, Beijing methodically expands its clout in the South Caucasus. It quietly cements its influence in Georgia while securing a pivotal role in the development of the Middle Corridor. The establishment of a strategic partnership between Georgia and China has expanded China’s role in the country, raising questions about whether Georgia is shifting towards new alliances—with Russia or China—or remaining strategically adrift. At the same time, uncertainty looms on whether the West is standing with Georgian people against authoritarian encroachment or ceding Georgia to Russian and Chinese influence.