China-Asia Diplomacy: China issued a legal warning to Japan and the Philippines over planned maritime border talks, saying the move was “internationally wrongful” and violated international law. Regional Cooperation: Mongolia, Russia and China held a trilateral consultative meeting in Ulaanbaatar, discussing rail, road, transit logistics, energy projects and Northeast Asian security. Security & Alliances: Japan and India vowed deeper cooperation on security and economic security, citing concerns about economic coercion and developments in the East and South China seas. Cross-Strait Tensions: Taiwan staged a closed-door resilience drill featuring a “nightmare scenario” including blockade, sabotage and invasion, as Chinese pressure intensifies. People-to-People & Culture: A Tibetan protester died after setting himself on fire outside the UN in New York, with a “China out of Tibet” sign found at the scene. Tourism & Consumer Policy: China rolled out a streamlined departure tax refund policy 2.0 to make shopping easier for inbound tourists and boost spending. Business & Finance: The PBOC injected net 10 billion yuan via open-market bond operations in June, while China sold 30-year treasury bonds at historically low yields. Tech & Industry: CATL launched new circularity initiatives for battery design and a coalition to speed up circular business models.