Taiwan Drills Under Pressure: Taiwan kicked off its biggest annual “Han Kuang” drills on Aug. 5, running through Aug. 14, with reservists firing on a shore scenario and civilians facing air-raid drills and even temporary mobile internet slowdowns as Beijing keeps up military pressure and grey-zone activity around the island. Exit Controls Tighten: China began testing new exit-control measures ahead of a Sept. 15 nationwide rule, with extra checks aimed at travelers—especially those headed to parts of Southeast Asia—and workers in sensitive sectors like finance, tech, semiconductors, and AI. AI Access Gets Squeezed: Beijing moved to clamp down on domestic “AI relay” platforms that let users reach foreign models like ChatGPT and Claude, with some operators ordered to shut down for lacking licenses. US-China Trade Fight Escalates: China announced countermeasures against the U.S., including tighter drone export reviews, sanctions on six American entities, and a national security investigation into imported office equipment with printing/copying functions. Space & Science Spotlight: China’s Shenzhou-21 crew made a first public appearance after a record 210-day mission, while scientists reported a rare hafnium-153 nucleus found using a new “super microscope” at the HIAF mega-lab. Local Governance Watch: China’s State Council launched an investigation into the July Chongqing mountain collapse that killed 51 and evacuated over 1,100 residents.