China’s Transport Ministry confirmed that three official navigation beacons have been positioned near the contested Spratly Islands within the South China Sea. This follows an identical positioning by the Philippines because the international locations pursue competing claims to the island group. In the meantime, a Chinese language naval vessel is on a goodwill go to to Vietnam, amid Hanoi’s personal struggle with China over the Spratlys. (REUTERS)
Saudi Arabia displaced Russia in April atop the record of China’s largest oil suppliers. Imports from Angola, the one African nation within the high ten, plunged 30% final month whereas Malaysian crude gross sales surged (Malaysia is commonly used as a transshipment hub for Iranian oil). (REUTERS)
