Financial engineering largely benefits the wealthiest class; monetary easing has failed to spur meaningful recovery in post-crisis economies, threatening to keep the global economy trapped in a continuous series of crises. As Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stressed, the answer is a commitment to structural reform – a strategic focus of China’s that, he noted, is not shared by others.

As China grows more prosperous and consumer-oriented, so will its e-waste stream, much of which will inevitably be exported to West Africa. The U.S. only recycles about 15 percent of its e-waste, and China, 30 percent. West Africans ought to persuade both major powers to prohibit the export of e-waste.

Under Xi, China has moved to a proactive posture to shape its external security environment, using trade and investment to expand its sphere of strategic influence while simultaneously asserting territorial and maritime claims against its neighbors. The Maritime Silk Road project is driven by his belief that the maritime domain holds the key to China achieving preeminence in Asia.

To some extent, the structures of the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund are obsolete: they can no longer meet the needs of new emerging economies and don’t reflect today’s global economy. The AIIB could serve to invigorate the other banks to become more competitive and efficient.

China’s investment in Central Asian energy and transportation is impressively promoting regional integration. There is still a degree of fear and caution from Central Asian leadership due to incomprehension of Beijing’s foreign policy goals, a historical legacy of confrontation, and the sensitivity of Moscow to recognize the importance of Beijing’s role.

The 1955 conference reshaped the modern world order, and its legacy is rich with lessons that apply to today’s political challenges and pursuit of prosperity.

Despite official American and Japanese opposition, 57 countries have opted to be among the founding members of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Regardless of what naysayers believe, this remarkable turn of events can only benefit global economic governance.

The Philippines is seeing a year of impressive economic growth (at 6.3%) despite the lacking foreign direct investment due to woeful infrastructure constraints. The AIIB can be an additional source of funding for local infrastructure projects. Political disputes surrounding the China Sea disputes were not enough to trump the economic importance of this cooperation.

A more dynamic and flexible AIIB has the chance to develop and showcase strong, new and effective accountability mechanisms supported by all shareholders. Here though, China too must learn from and improve upon its own past practices if it is to prove the skeptics wrong.

To offset weaker export numbers and a reliance on foreign reserves, China needs a growth model that emphases quality goods and innovation-led growth. A twenty-first century economic model of innovation particularly requires the support of a highly efficient financial system, a sound legal system of intellectual property protection, fair tax incentives, and better entrepreneurial education.