The Chinese Are Coming

With Russia turning its back and Europe giving it the cold shoulder, Ukraine is trying to hedge its bet with closer engagement with China. After the scuffles and fistfights that accompanied the debate on Russian language law last week, the Ukrainian Parliament passed a bill that will considerably expand Chinese farming investments in the country. But the move could also boost China's ability to influence developments in that country, which experts say is of far greater strategic importance to both Russia and Europe.