Associated Press: China’s defense ministry defended military cooperation with Tajikistan Thursday following a report of a sizeable Chinese troop presence at a base in the Central Asian state. Ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang told reporters at a monthly briefing that cooperation between the two was “in line with” international law and related resolutions passed by the United Nations Security Council.  However, Ren said there was no Chinese presence in the adjacent Wakhan Corridor belonging to Afghanistan, in line with earlier denials of any plans to deploy troops to the war-torn nation with which it shares a narrow border. Despite the denials of Chinese military activity in the area, unconfirmed reports have shown what appear to be Chinese military vehicles operating in the corridor… Click here to read more (external link).