Chinese President Xi Jinping invited Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to attend the third Belt and Forum that will take place later this year. Xi’s invitation followed a pledge to “significantly increase” trade between the two countries by 2030. Russia is now China’s largest oil supplier. (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST)
Pakistan’s Central Bank confirmed receipt of a $500 million emergency loan from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China that will be used to shore up the country’s beleagured forex reserves. The arrival of the loan coincided with a meeting on Friday in Beijing between visiting Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed Khan and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang. (GEO TV)