The unassuming Kabul guest house at the heart of China's Afghan business networks

Metallurgical Corporation of China changes its strategy in Afghanistan 

The Chinese Communist Party has called on its business lobbyists in Kabul to get the Taliban government to take action to protect mining and energy production sites. In return, it is ready to offer fresh investment.

Well established consultants help Chinese industrialists to obtain Afghan lithium mining rights 

With an agreement due to be signed on lithium mining in southern Afghanistan, Chinatown Kabul consultant Yu Minghui is looking for other opportunities for Chinese entrepreneurs from his office in the Afghan capital.

Wang Duanyong, the academic testing the waters for China in Afghanistan 

The consultant turned researcher who heads China's Overseas Interests Studies Centre at the prestigious Shanghai International Studies University, assists Chinese companies with their investment plans in Kabul.

• FRANCE/SYRIA - French company Smart Pegasus remains under sanctions for participating in Syrian chemical weapons program.
  

• UNITED KINGDOM - Opposition MP's push parliamentary Economic Crime Committee project.

• SWEDEN/LATVIA - Swedish anti-fake news agency shines at NATO's StratCom. 

• PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN - ISI investigates attempted assassination of Pakistani ambassador in Kabul. 

• NORTH MACEDONIA - Skopje intelligence chief learns the rope at NATO. 

• CHINA - People's Liberation Army tests modern urban warfare techniques to hone Taiwan strategy. 

GRACosway lobbies for Chinese raw materials giants in Sydney 

The Australian consulting firm was recently contracted to help Chinese state-owned companies to get closer to Australian politicians.

• UNITED STATES - CIA experimenting to solve HR crisis

• TURKEY/PALESTINE/AFGHANISTAN - Istanbul hosts Hamas-Taliban rapprochement

• GEORGIA - Tbilisi looks into its oligarchs

• FRANCE - DPR still not entitled to know about operations in progress

• RUSSIA - Moscow's foreign affairs ministry reassesses view of China

• AFGHANISTAN/EUROPE - Europe's greater numbers of repatriated Afghans

Paris sets foot back in Wuhan, puts past behind it 

With Beijing now back in favour with French diplomats and spies, Paris has taken particular care over the appointment of its new consul in Wuhan, birthplace of Covid-19 and site of the P4 high-security laboratory backed by France.

China's CCCC consolidates its position in Brazil with massive new investment 

By backing CCCC's expansion plans in Brazil, the Chinese Communist Party hopes to create new opportunities for Chinese companies throughout Latin America. It also wants to test a new entryist strategy for getting into hostile markets.

Iristar carves role as biometrics expert to Gonganbu and partner to high-tech industries 

The facial and iris recognition company Iristar grew out of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. One of its executives is also a deputy director of Beijing's Hong Kong Liaison Office.