The first meeting of the Zambia Creditor Committee, co-chaired by China and France, will convene on Thursday in Paris. IMF officials indicated on Wednesday that if everything proceeds smoothly with restructuring the country’s $17.3 billion external debt, a bail-out deal with the fund could be reached by early September.  “The good news is that all major creditors are ready to start discussions. This brings us closer to the IMF program,” Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane said. (AFRICA NEWS)

China’s Defense Minister Wei Fenghe told his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, on Sunday that Beijing “bears no responsibility” for recent border conflicts between the two countries. It’s unlikely Wei’s remarks will be well received in New Delhi which contends it’s China, not India that’s provoked clashes along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Last month, India redeployed six army divisions from its Pakistani border to the LAC with China. (GLOBAL TIMES)