Chinas legendary silk road was one of the wonders of the ancient world now this trade route is being brought back to life. The new silk road is a vast undertaking and a demonstration of power and the might. Hundreds of billions of euros are flowing into new infrastructure right away lines harbors streets bridges and tunnels in 65 Different Countries its a project the likes of which the world has never seen. Its a powerful vision and for many an inspiring one. For some it represents opportunity for others misery. That china is reaching toward the west along the new silk road we retraced 2 or 3 routes traveling from china to germany from the city of shenzhen to the city of to support. We traveled thousands of kilometers overland to central asia. And resale thousands of kilometers across the oceans of Southeast Asia following the major overseas trade route. We have traveled great distances but europe is still far away. And. We retrace the route of the caravans heading West Crossing remote passes in the t. On Shan Mountains. Its a journey into the past along the ancient silk road. A route that today is marked by hope and opportunity and by burdensome debts and dependence on china. And. The route followed by the ancient traders and their caravans was filled with danger. There are arrival at tosh gave them a temporary respite. Here they found food and shelter and were able to Exchange Goods and information about the journey ahead. Of. The markets of kyrgyzstan still bare traces of this history. Of. Baku back back to iraq is a nomad a day ago he left his yurt near song called lake. Early this morning here arrived at the market in cos core. Political school of the coast this is the main trading season many come here from afar to make their purchases and then they bring the honor most to kazakhstan as well to cause us to leave the. Uk lubeck enjoys the bustle of the market after the silence of his home near the lake. That. Hes planning to buy a horse. And he knows exactly what hes looking for. A lot of. Similar stuff you have to stroke them they like that to see if it stays calm when i stroke it and then i know itll do what i ask you to do is it is a little tough. But the purchase will have to wait a cool back has invested in the promises of the new silk road and thats pushed him to the financial brink. Much the same as has happened to the country of kyrgyzstan. He invites us to visit his home to find out more. The wide expanse is all wild and untamed to untangle the government believes to improve infrastructure its gone deeply into debt with Chinese Companies. In the early evening back and his grandchildren round up the herd. The family has bought 3 new yorks with their savings. But. Theyre intended for tourists who wanted venture and a taste of the simple life. But the mission were not afraid of anything. She alone has already improved here in the last 8 years and that our standard of living is much higher now. Wouldnt. The if we do. The family hopes that money and affluence will come from the tourists who booked overnight stays here and the chinese who have promised to invest on a grand scale. I believe the silk road still exists. Because the those values still exist so thats a fact. Every country can profit from cradle long silk road as is. But what if these hopes are not fulfilled in the search for a better life things of great value might also be lost. At the world no mad games tradition still holds sway golden boy mark and his master norbeck are local celebrities norbeck raised the falcon and says its like a son to him but nor back needs the falcon every bit as much as the falcon. When i removed the hood. Spray and flies to capture it. Into it. Thats true or that it might 1st seem norbeck lets talk in or is blind. Norbeck took gold at the 28000 world nomad games his brother on back knows who they have to thank for it. We were hoping for 3rd place and everyone was shocked when we took gold. Nor back has promised to show his nephew some of the tricks of the trade. That. The family is proud of their showing at the nomad games. But they also wonder whether theyll be able to maintain their culture and traditions. You know thats all we dont need go we need clean water the mountains earth us nature. So far our people havent seen any good come of the Chinese Investment thats why were taking to the streets thats why theres been arson. Give us a call. On april 11th 2018 there was a violent protest over a gold mine built in cause im on with Chinese Investment. In doing it again give me about a 1000 people were here and they lost their patience. They dont listen to anyone. They burned the building to the ground and theyre to get lost. I mean this is whats left of the gold rush i mean some village elders are willing to speak with us. They brought documents to show what the Chinese Mining Company has been planning what sparked the weeks of protest against. The old soviet era mine was believed to contain some 40 tons of gold. The chinese wanted to take it over but local say they had no permits. From 50 of them is consistency is it because its our land kyrgyzstan and why should we give our land to a bunch of chinese with no permits it is leading to skin break. Up to 7 tons of gold might lie beneath this field full of mining waste the soviets mind using toxic sodium cyanide. Could that account for the cases of cancer in the village and what were the chinese planning the village elders say the cure is authorities answer none of these questions. The government didnt investigate all the illnesses here they just want chinese money they dont care about us that that. Everyone from the chinese to the kyrgyz government wants a share of the golden cause im on. In the end the chinese left. This time. But the flow of goods is awakening hopes along the new silk road the Chinese Initiative wants to vastly increase the amount of freight transported by rail. Theyre planning many new cargo relay junctions to transfer containers to the gauge of the russian made traffic. Along the maritime silk road we find ourselves at another junction thousands of kilometers from china the country has now going to access to another deep sea port some 40 percent of the worlds oil passes through here for china the port of call dar is another base in its string of pearls. Such on how good morning in chinese the teacher. Started in china a stroke of good fortune because thats come in handy here in quite dark after wants to help others here reap the same benefits without a lot of. When i was sighted i didnt have this opportunity to learn in my hometown learn chinese but they have so. We have. Our children really can speak good chinese they have Good Business to do with their. This school has facilities that many others in the country can only dream of all financed with money from beijing china is investing in the young people off pakistan. For after teaching is only a sideline hes actually an engineer and he has plenty of work to keep him busy china and pakistan are building for the future each in their own way. Is the force on the side the chinese on the fight is done for the concept is to get. In the box. But youre working for that side of that big bluff go thought about this. And. Thought you were building a road to china. One day ill be able to drive home on it you. Know silk road will bring us together were friends and that you might help but. The chinese may be friends but theyre under guard on the construction sites and elsewhere in the city. Is a conflict zone where violence and terrorism are rife foreigners are especially at risk many locals regard them as invaders and not investors. So we stand here is a very. Target states dont take place of course on the floor so we go the 2 or 3 chinese engineers died in that attack jango our jong as a businessman and he knows that a lot at stake here for both countries. People cannot move freely. That their few flee the big good the 2nd to achieve will be affected power on the other side please understand that the army and the army are responsible person this. Gen boy was sent here to turn quite dark into a transit hub china has signed a 40 year lease on the fort but its conditions are being kept largely out of public view we are not permitted to film on site where dark has clear Strategic Value as a gateway to the arabian sea but its unclear whether chinas interest is only an economic one some believe it might also have military significance for beijing. Or you. Break through the i dont know what do they are scared of. You know china. Is really pissed about this country. I think it is. And you see we can help in the history of our times and countries. The chinese presence is impossible to overlook and more on the way the China CommunicationsConstruction Company is planning more projects here the construction giant has big plans in what i. And i think 5000 people are going to come Chinese People going to come but for this project i think maybe 802 like this it will work im for this. Its going to be like a little china town it just definitely is china. Ya ya grew up in quite dark after studying in karachi he returned home for him the arrival of the china. Spells an opportunity is it is it a clue that the state of the morning but that is what it speaks definitely youre walking in a new quad to your morning toward our future and theres a future god youre part of it. Definitely on there you know following a member of this. This optimistic outlook cant be taken for granted in guatemala but for other people here peace and prosperity seem but a dream they fear theyve been forgotten and will keep falling further behind. And they feel deep resentment of those who are proclaiming the arrival of a new golden future. In the world live but the chinese only care about their own interests they want to make a lot of money here they dont care about what happens to the poor to us maybe one day i know why yeah money arsenical good. Theyre taking everything. Road our doesnt belong to us anymore theyve taken the ocean from us the land theres nothing left men like us have no work no think. The arrival of the chinese seems to affirm for splits the region some stand to benefit others to lose everything. We resume our journey 98 percent of all goods on the new silk road are transported by ship the advantages of the maritime route weigh the risks just as they did centuries ago. Ships sent out. From sewer to Distant Shores turning a man into a trading empire ship building also has a long history here but the wooden dowel but so vanishing the last hour shipyard insua is run by the alligator me family theyre keeping the traditional life down to the dance detail. Of the boil so to cotton seals the gaps between clanks collets family have been building downs for generations. Its in our blood and we passed it on to our children this god willing well continue doing this work for a long time. They build without a plan creating the entire ship from memory and the work is done by hand as its always been. The reputation of a Ship Builders is keeping the tradition alive times are changing machines have replaced sales but for us seafaring in trade is still an important traditional. If a. Man has a rich history and thanks stop oil the country is wealthy today but all reserves are finite what will happen after theyre gone we continue through the desert pressing forward through the heat and sand. Finally we reach water in the very modern a shipyard where at the drive dock in do come. Ships are repaired here and readied for the next voyage the former fishing village has become a major hub on the new silk road. Truly you get many different tell you see a band from europe shipped from a critic and from issue as it. Went from a good location i think it. Was a lot for that and had to leave its nearby. Or. Maybe even see. Him is now an economic free zone which offers incentives to investors from all over the world including china. Its. His job to bring in the chinese investors he says the chinese have a vision and energy. China is the out of it levers and also very active. Fairly fast sometimes youll feel them the out of fairness know what then. But in the diet they put a beard theyre broke ground. And then they have a beard theyre at the one you got to be able to walk. After that they want to stop just to see that here there isnt much to be seen yet but the china oman Industrial Park is shantel to go up here manufacturing facilities pipelines only fields and a hospital out of thin air. At least there you 3 but frankly its a real fire yet very ambitious. Stuff just now working on. A cluster of containers in the middle of nowhere this is just the beginning inside 2 men share a space of 12 square meters. Theyre far from home but earning good money. Wages here are quite a bit higher than in china. So are they happy here. The blue on we chinese are industrious people want to see that thats not the case when it comes to our Foreign Workers to look out there was that it. Will be on their a bit lazy. To sell them to the hoover the only clue. Workers from all over the region have come to work you know mom used to low wages or home there are a pliable workforce. But. When you come from from bangladesh and you going to your doctor and you know. Ive. Got some. Folks from pakistan my you know this. The man almost seem to be marching information theyll work under the brutal desert sun to bring chinas plan to fruition but most of them have never heard of the new silk road theyre working to feed their families back at home. The grand visions they leave to the chinese. Here are very important to understand the. Players you know at this years chinese governments push the Chinese Companies that enterprises go on top of the county florida why is all the one belt one road one culture also known as the new silk road demand sacrifices from the chinese to we work here half a year we have the one week asia we can call to our well family but we also you know why did our family bring our family to here but here no place. Maybe after a while we come bring all refining the funniest so here. They are seeking their fortunes here in the desert and adding another link to chinas new silk road. Some are calling the city of stone. It was also a stop along the route of the ancient silk road. After the harsh terrain of the tian Shan Mountains summer cond welcomed the caravans with one of the wealthiest civilizations of central asia. And one of the most. People in. The madrassas of samar conde are still overflowing with gold and ornate decorations. Were meeting one of these becky stands backers of the new silk road. By becky austin off speaks excellent german and will be our translator and tour guide. Tonight hes serving coffee life the traditional feast. Deserves. The silk road didnt only transport ideas it also disseminated ideas and recipes for prof speak when people from spain come to his beck is fan are served trough they say oh this is spanish by you know. How youre not sure. Plus is traditionally eaten with the fingers not so easy for a left hander. Traditionally we eat our food with our right hand as i should have known. Everywhere and some are conned there are signs of how far west we ventured. The influence of ancient persia is also visible everywhere. 7 breakfast and was once the center of an empire. In the 12th and 13th centuries culture and scholarship flourished here. Timor also known as tom alain was a great patron of art and culture and a brutal tyrant. His tomb is still an object of veneration. Boy back has taken us to the bazaar of the kata a place filled with Hidden Treasures from old sock on. He picks up a small dusty binder almost at random. In the dining room to your Holding History in your hand as a 1000 years old 900 years old as 700 years old 200 years old. The coins come from far and wide china persia greece there are a testament to the travel and trade that shaped the region over the centuries. So this is out of the for them this is just old plunder for me its history its each item tells a beautiful story from the days of the old silk road. Just used this is one of the oldest books according to our modern day calendar is from the 17th century it was. Always i find it very sad when these books are bought by tourists and end up in europe somewhere they should stay here we need to build museums for the. Most when the scene organising. We continue onward these cotton fields white gold. Stand has long been accused of using forced labor in the cotton harvest they say thats no longer the case but taking pictures here is still prohibited. We wonder how carefully factory owners are monitoring compliance with labor laws. This new factory processes wall cotton into thread the managers come from china the high tech equipment from germany. Built and run by the chinese with high tech equipment made in germany from Companies Recently bought out by the chinese only the workers and the cotton are from here. Already away. 3 we invested here because the cost for water electricity gas and wages is much lower in becky stan that in china. The room tiriel company is also a lot less expensive him. I usually say to me you. China is buying high tech equipment from germany and cheap labor from stan. China is also benefiting from tax breaks. But what about the end product. One in geo spec german forum for human rights claims that abuses are ongoing. The cotton is from the star its only from around here fortunately or where do you buy it from. Joy or what george from the state trade center and that is that government sets the price you want your use. The chinese dont want to know more. The gone goes to factories to be manufactured into products made in china. Consumers wont be told where the cotton came from. Perhaps thats always been the case on the silk road. The value of the goods is what counts not where or how it was made. We continue onward to the Bosphorus Asia ms and europe begins. The afternoon sun baits istanbul in a golden light. The rider on pommel has said that istanbul is marked by a special melancholy a kind of hazy memory of last renter coupled with decay. 7 the last capital of the Ottoman Empire was a jewel on the ancient silk road the caravans arrived here filled with treasures that ended up in the citys palaces and bazaars. Candied fruit. Exotic fragrances. All of that and more can still be found theyve been sten