China–Japan Diplomacy: China approved the head of Japan’s mission in Chongqing after an eight-month vacancy, as bilateral tensions over Taiwan continue to simmer. Sports Leadership: Olympic short-track champion Wu Dajing was named head coach of China’s short track speed skating team ahead of the 2030 Winter Olympics. Arts & Culture: Renowned opera singer Guo Lanying, celebrated as a “People’s Artist” and famed for “My Motherland,” died at 97. China–ASEAN Trade: China–ASEAN commerce keeps deepening, with freight links to Vietnam running daily and intermediate-goods trade rising fast. Education Policy: Multiple Chinese universities are adjusting gaokao-based requirements for arts admissions, shifting some majors away from separate arts exams. Tech & Industry: DeepSeek and other Chinese AI firms are hiring to build their own computing infrastructure, while sodium-ion battery makers push expansion as an alternative for storage and backup power. Geopolitics & Security: China said it will hold a navigation exercise with Indonesia east of Taiwan, drawing Taiwan’s condemnation. Property Watch: Beijing’s eased home-buying rules are driving a surge in apartment viewings, as provident-fund loan ceilings rise. Culture on Screen: A new documentary, “Oyster Sauce: A Drop of Umami,” traces the ingredient’s history and global spread.