From Chicago Tribune:
The wind-raked scrub of this barren plateau (Atasu, Kazakhstan) reveals little hint of the revolution gurgling 9 feet beneath.
China’s first international oil pipeline, buried in the Kazakh steppe, is a milestone for the world’s newest empire–one forged not in the name of destiny or God, but in pursuit of the planet’s most valuable resources.
From the Himalayas to the Yellow Sea, China’s cities are exploding in size. Their factories are filling shelves around the globe. The country’s brand-new middle class is buying cars so fast that China is on pace to have more vehicles than America in two decades.[Full Text]