China’s powerful State Council is introducing measures to help small businesses. Will that indirectly help people like Mr. Battogtokh, whose livelihoods depend on a strong Chinese economy?

China will focus first on fixing its domestic economy, so the money will help businesses in China. Many of these private businesses have suffered for more than a year with difficult cash flow situations because of China’s economic slowdown. It’s hard to see how that financial aid will do much to address the situation for people like Mr. Battogtokh.

It’s the same thing in Thailand, where tour guides say they are thousands of dollars in debt because their Chinese counterparts took off with the deposits paid upfront by Thai tour guides. As the Chicago business owner I spoke with said: “Everyone is desperate for money.”

That’s it for this briefing. See you next time. — Melina

Thank you

To Mark Josephson and Eleanor Stanford for the break from the news. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com.

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