China, having styled itself as a “near-Arctic nation”, is jockeying to play a greater role in the contested High North. Beijing attained permanent observer status to the intergovernmental Arctic Council in 2013. In July, Chinese shipping giant Cosco announced plans to send more cargo vessels to the Arctic. Source: SCMP
The number of Venezuelans entering Brazil is rising, officials say, despite Saturday’s attacks on makeshift migrant border camps. Source: BBC
Taiwan lost another ally to Beijing on Tuesday when diplomatic ties with El Salvador were severed, as China presses the remaining nations with diplomatic links to Taipei to end them. Source: France24
Russian oil pipeline monopoly Transneft (TRNF_p.MM) has fully paid a $10 billion loan from China ahead of schedule and has repaid $1.5 billion worth of eurobond debt last month, its head, Nikolai Tokarev, said in an interview with Expert magazine. Source: Reuters
