the e.u. and some other countries exemptions ending the outcome of new trade talks the us said it will apply counter measures. criticism is mounting of china's huge new silk road projects beijing is currently massively and investing in land routes to europe and then shipping routes to the west via africa it's planning a network of roads railways ports and airports as well as pipelines and power plants beijing is selling it as a win win for all involved committing some nine hundred billion u.s. dollars to the projects but critics say beyond being an investment in connecting asia and europe it's a geo political move to assert power and influence and although chinese politicians might say otherwise the world's biggest infrastructure campaign looks fine marilee designed to boost the chinese economy its construction steel and transport firms have built up huge overcapacity and crushing debt they receive urgently needed