They have done so partly because they see that rescuing Russia's economy requires close economic links to the West, but also because they are rightly nervous about the growing power of their great eastern neighbour, China, and want a western neighbour they can turn to for help if necessary.

ECONOMIST: Weathering the storm

For India, dealing with a radical Islam problem simultaneously on its eastern and western borders would add to the already daunting challenges it faces with an assertive China and an ongoing Maoist insurgency in large swathes of central and eastern India.

WSJ: Sadanand Dhume: Bangladesh on the Brink

Its cultural influences, its religious establishments, even its political mechanisms were a remarkable amalgam of Eastern and Western traditions carried here along trade routes from Greece, Persia, Syria, India and China.

BBC: Following the Silk Road to the end of China

Its overall share is 23 percent in Western Europe, 14 percent in Eastern Europe, 19 percent in South America and 18 percent in China.

FORBES: VW Boss Tightens His Grip On The Wheel As Road To The Top Gets Harder

Of even greater importance have been Western radio broadcasts, particularly those beamed to the peoples of Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union and China.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Our Contribution To Glasnost