As rich countries poured billions of dollars into bank bailouts, China quietly announced plans last month to invest $100bn building roads and railways to open up remote central Asia to the rest of the world. More than 20,000km of rail track will be built in the coming decade to bring Chinese goods into central Asia and carry back oil and metals to China.
Reaching out towards Russia, Europe, Iran and Pakistan, the railways will create a modern equivalent of the region’s ancient Silk Road.
