Russia is building new trade routes to Asia that will circumvent international sanctions by crossing the Arctic and passing through Iran to the Indian Ocean. The new routes will cut transport times to China and India by up to 50% while avoiding dangerous passages like the Red Sea. (BLOOMBERG)
The top U.S. diplomat for Asia arrived in Beijing on Sunday for consultations with the Chinese government following last week’s first-ever three-way summit with Japan and the Philippines. The State Department said Daniel Kritenbrink’s two-day trip is intended to help “maintain open lines of communication” with Chinese officials. (THE NEW YORK TIMES)
