A soldier walks on the North Korean side of the border fence in the town of Hyesan, seen from across the border in Changbai.

A woman walks past construction cranes in the town of Changbai on China's border with North Korea.

A view from the construction site for Phase II of Phoenix Island, an artificial archipelago developed by Sanya Phoenix Island Development Co.

An electric vehicle transports people through the construction site for Phase II of Phoenix Island, an artificial archipelago developed by Sanya Phoenix Island Development Co.

A view from the construction site for Phase II of Phoenix Island, an artificial archipelago developed by Sanya Phoenix Island Development Co.

A view from the construction site for Phase II of Phoenix Island, an artificial archipelago developed by Sanya Phoenix Island Development Co.

A worker paints a fence at the construction site for Phase II of Phoenix Island, an artificial archipelago developed by Sanya Phoenix Island Development Co.

A worker paints a fence at the construction site for Phase II of Phoenix Island, an artificial archipelago developed by Sanya Phoenix Island Development Co.

A worker paints a fence at the construction site for Phase II of Phoenix Island, an artificial archipelago developed by Sanya Phoenix Island Development Co.

A worker paints a fence at the construction site for Phase II of Phoenix Island, an artificial archipelago developed by Sanya Phoenix Island Development Co.

A view of Phoenix Island, an artificial archipelago developed by Sanya Phoenix Island Development Co.

A labourer carries a steel pipe through Xi Cun, an old neighbourhood slated for demolition and redevelopment.

Construction workers walk towards a building site.

A boy stands in the alley of an older neighbourhood as construction of an sky scraper can be seen in the distance.

Construction cranes at a development site.