Kaiser Xi Jinping

China moving its trade routes inland creates needed friction with Russia. Will this finally push Russia to end its destructive--and self-destructive--invasion of Ukraine and break free from its vassalage under China?

There is Western concern over a now-under construction China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway. 

Sure, there are concerns with anything China does. But Russia should have much more concern. Which that initial author addresses:

The Kremlin’s fears about the real meaning of all this are understandable. If implemented, the CKU railway will transform connectivity in Central Asia, a region China has long loomed over because of growing bilateral trade, investment, and security cooperation. The new line will enable China to build further momentum behind its drive for East-West connectivity.

China will need to devote more resources to defending that trade route. So I say, I love it when a plan comes together:

Some may moan that we should want the Chinese to remain vulnerable to our naval power. I think this is a good development as I wrote back in April. Wanting to be able to interdict Chinese sea lines of supply for oil is making the best of a worst scenario--planning for war with China. A war that Russia seems to be stoking by selling China naval and air weapons that keep China looking toward Taiwan, the sea, and ultimately America; rather than to Russia's weakly held Far East. And if China and America hurt each other in a war? Moscow won't cry over that.

I'd rather focus China away from the sea (and the spark for war called Taiwan) and inland to Asia[.]

Perhaps Russia will get its head out of its Putin to end its self-destructive war and pivot east before it is too late. And perhaps China understands that possible shift and wants a Plan B route to Europe if Russia stops bowing.

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.

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NOTE: The map is from the initial article, which credits Reuters.