Philippines–China Tensions: Manila’s DFA condemned the discovery of five caskets with anti-China and anti-CPP messages across Metro Manila, saying freedom of expression doesn’t cover threats to safety, while the Chinese Embassy urged a full investigation and protection for Chinese diplomatic personnel. Pacific Islands Diplomacy: New Zealand’s push for a joint Pacific statement condemning China’s July missile test failed, underscoring growing Pacific reluctance to let Australia and New Zealand speak for the region. South China Sea Information War: A China-targeting “cognitive warfare” platform called SeaLight is described as fueling maritime frictions and meddling in exchanges, raising stakes in the South China Sea. China Trade & Tech Demand: China’s exports cooled slightly in July but stayed above forecasts, with high-tech electronics and vehicles driving growth as the trade surplus narrowed. Flood Preparedness: China activated higher emergency flood response levels for provinces in the path of Typhoon Dolphin, with evacuations and service suspensions underway. AI Infrastructure Push: Envision’s large AI computing campus in Ulanqab entered operation, highlighting China’s drive to scale data centers outside top coastal hubs. Cyber Privacy Warning: A Black Hat investigation says dozens of parental control apps funneled data to a shared overseas server in China, exposing major security risks. Markets/Finance: Guotai Haitong proposed taking its offshore unit private in a $3.6b deal, aiming to streamline operations after a major brokerage merger. Energy Grid Stress: Record summer electricity demand is testing China’s power grid flexibility, with more storage, virtual power plants, and long-distance transmission. Advertising Boom: China’s advertising industry topped 1.04 trillion yuan in H1 2026 revenue, led by internet ads.