Source: Wikimedia Commons China's president, Xi Jinping, met with Pakistani leaders to discuss a massive $46 billion trade deal between the two countries. China would invest heavily in building out infrastructure and energy projects in Pakistan, which would help link China to the Middle East's massive oil and natural gas resources. Pakistan welcomed China with open arms, well aware of the financial firepower the emerging regional superpower has at its disposal. The basis of the deal involves building out a massive pipeline [primarily for oil, natural gas], road, and rail network [largely funded by China] that would better connect the two countries, and would also help China gain better access to European markets as well. It remains to be seen if the trade deal and level of investment will live up to the hype.