Reuters writes, "China should make use of its plans to build a modern Silk Road to drive its exports of rail, energy, construction and telecommunication equipment, the country's cabinet said on Wednesday. Formally known as the 'One Belt, One Road' project, the new Silk Road scheme should adopt flexible investment and construction policies to lift overseas demand and employment and drive China's equipment exports...The new Silk Road project aims to build an array of infrastructure links across Central, West and South Asia to as far as Greece, Russia and Oman, increasing China's connections to Europe and Africa."
"For decades, Chinese officials' job prospects have depended on one factor above all others: economic growth... on May 5, new Chinese regulations added another inducement to the mix: environmental protection. Officials will be held accountable for the air, water and soil in areas under their control. Should they fail an environmental responsibility audit, promotions will be nixed...Beijing is now talking tough and last year declared a 'war against pollution.' A revised environmental law, which took effect on Jan. 1, promises to target polluters and officials who fake environmental data. Last month, construction on a controversial $3.75 billion dam was blocked. During his annual address in March, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang vowed 'a firm and unrelenting approach to ensure blue skies, clear waters, and sustainable development,'" reports TIME.
According to Business Insider, "The Russia-China relationship could lead to some interesting changes on the global stage...Although the Sino-Russo relationship predates the Ukraine conflict, there's no question that the crisis has shifted Moscow even more toward Beijing. Over the last year, we saw the two countries sign highly publicized energy deals, conduct joint military exercises, and even generally support each others' foreign policy adventures... Furthermore, the decreasing global influence of the US - specifically in Central Asia and the Middle East - leaves room for a new regional economic and political powerhouse in those regions."