Global Leadership Loss: Malaysia PM Anwar Ibrahim and Singapore PM Lawrence Wong both sent condolences over the death of former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji, praising his reforms and role in deepening China ties with Asia. Markets & Tech: China stocks edged up as US AI optimism lifted optical communications and AI hardware sentiment; memory and optics names led gains while Hong Kong stayed mostly flat. BRICS Diplomacy: China and Russia backed India’s 2026 BRICS presidency in New Delhi, with China stressing “MAGIC” principles for cooperation. China-Taiwan Cybersecurity: Taiwan says Chinese hackers used open-source AI to breach government systems, accessing dozens of accounts and thousands of personnel records. Rare Earth Supply: China is expanding the Bayan Obo rare earth mine in Inner Mongolia by 50% with a $74m investment to boost processing capacity. Trade & Tariffs: A US senator urged DHS to crack down on illegal Chinese transshipment schemes that he says hide origin and evade tariffs. Demography Watch: China’s marriage registrations fell 7.5% in H1 2026, while divorce registrations rose 3.9%, adding pressure to birth and demand trends. Auto Shift: China’s auto market shows a split: domestic sales down, exports up sharply, signaling growth increasingly driven by “home plus abroad.”