SCO Summit in Kyrgyzstan: Xi Jinping arrived in Bishkek for the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, meeting Putin and other leaders as the bloc marks its 25th year and seeks practical cooperation amid global turbulence. China-Kyrgyzstan Ties: Xi told Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov China is ready to align development plans and deliver more tangible results, pointing to projects like the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and a new “golden period” for cooperation. US Tech Pressure on China AI: Despite Washington’s AI export tightening, US politicians are warning that some American data providers still work with China-linked AI labs, fueling fresh debate over whether the US is responding to real risks or political anxiety. AI Financial Risk: Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey warned G20 finance ministers that a debt-fueled AI boom could trigger a global downturn if AI valuations unwind. US-China Trade at G20: US Treasury chief Scott Bessent urged G20 members to address “excessive imbalances,” targeting China’s trade surplus ahead of a planned Xi-Trump summit. Himalayan Disaster Response: Rescuers raced to reopen the Gyirong Port highway in Xizang after a Nepal-triggered mudslide, with hundreds missing and emergency teams working around the clock. Taiwan at Pacific Forum: China warned of “consequences” after Taiwan’s foreign minister attended the Pacific Islands Forum opening in Palau, escalating diplomatic friction in the region. China’s Economy Signals: China’s factory activity contracted again in August, with manufacturing PMI at 49.8, reflecting weak demand and ongoing property-sector pressure. Airlines Under Fuel Shock: China’s three biggest state airlines posted deeper first-half losses as jet fuel costs surged.