China vs Rome for control of Silk Road new movie

[john m roberts]

I'm wondering about why China would fight anyone over "control" of the Silk Road. Silk was produced in China. It was sold to merchants who would take it along the Silk Road and eventually some of it ended up in the Roman Empire. Once sold, it was of no interest to China who had it or what they sold it for, or to whom. Why should they care who "controlled" the silk Road? As long as they did not invade China to get the silk at its source, it was a matter of no interest to the Chinese.