Jan. 27 – Norway could block China’s attempts to gain permanent observer status on the increasingly relevant Arctic Council due to a souring of relations between the countries over the last few years, according to a report on Wednesday in Aftenposten – Norway’s largest newspaper.
“As long as the Chinese authorities refuse to speak to their Norwegian counterparts, it will be difficult for Norway to say yes to a (Chinese) candidacy to become a permanent observer on the Arctic Council,” an unidentified “highly-placed diplomatic source” told the paper. Continue reading
Jan. 20 – Despite harsh weather conditions, the Arctic is becoming a global hot spot, with non-Arctic countries like China, India and Brazil pursuing “observer” status on the Arctic Council – an intergovernmental body promoting cooperation and environmental protection among countries that have territories in the Arctic area.
Dec. 19 – The North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has died, the country’s state television reported today from the capital city Pyongyang. He was 69.
Dec. 16 – China’s recent announcement of plans to build a supply and recuperation facility in the Seychelles, an archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean, has triggered speculations about China’s real interests.