Laborer works at a new housing estate in Beijing

A Chinese worker walks on a wall next to a new housing estate in central Beijing on May 24, 2012. China's cabinet promised this week to step up efforts to reverse a steep slowdown in the world's second-largest economy and said it would encourage private investment in energy, housing and state-dominated industries. Chinese leaders have gradually eased controls imposed over the past two years to cool an overheated economy and inflation which, if unchecked, would have serious repercussions on the global economy. UPI/Stephen Shaver