“Not long after the ‘truce’ between China and Taiwan, suspending their competitive bidding for diplomatic recognition among Pacific island states, the game has seemingly returned. This time a different cast is at play, revolving around the little-known republic of Abkhazia and alleged Russian financial inducements to win recognition for Abkhazia’s secession from Georgia.”

This is an excerpt from a new article by Dr. Al Oehlers printed in a recent edition of the East Asia Forum. In the article, Oehlers discusses the impact of “check-book diplomacy” in the Pacific and asks questions of how this going down this path could ultimately hurt these fragile nations.

You can read the full article online at: http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2011/09/01/check-book-diplomacy-in-the-pacific-a-troubling-return/

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The views expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of APCSS, the U.S. Pacific Command, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.