Philippines Crackdown: Caraga police and immigration units arrested five Chinese nationals in Trento, Agusan del Sur on Aug 3, adding to 11 arrests this year over alleged overstays, fraud and misrepresentation. Space & Satellites: China’s Smart Dragon-3 launched two Oriental Smart Eye hyperspectral satellites from the sea off Shandong, boosting Earth-observation capacity. Maritime Risk: An LNG tanker linked to a China Development Bank unit, GasLog Shanghai, was hit near Oman with its tracking system switched off, raising insurance and liability questions. Military Tech & AI: A Reuters probe says Chinese military-linked researchers are using US AI models via distillation to build specialized systems for surveillance, cyber operations, drones and tactical decision-making. US Tech Curbs Backlash: China’s state media rejects new FCC “Covered List” moves as discriminatory “bullying,” targeting Chinese-made inverters and robotics. Autonomous Driving Rules: China issued first mandatory national standards for conditional and high-level automation, requiring safety-case documentation and lifecycle safety management before deployment. Auto Market Pressure: China’s H1 auto spending fell 12.6% as incentives roll back and model oversupply squeezes profits, pushing policy toward cheaper ownership and repair ecosystems. Finance Liquidity: The PBoC plans a 500-billion-yuan outright reverse repo to keep banking liquidity ample. Cross-Strait Travel Controls: Taiwan’s MAC warns China’s new entry-exit rules give broad discretion and could raise risks for Taiwanese visitors. Green Push Debate: A report says China’s 78 billion-tree greening may worsen water balance by increasing evaporation, especially across water-stressed regions. Global Business: SAIC and GM renewed their China joint venture for 20 years to 2047, aiming for at least 30 new energy models by 2030. Robotics IPO Wave: X Square Robot filed confidentially for a Hong Kong IPO as more Chinese robot makers seek listings despite US trade restrictions. Services Slowdown: China’s services PMI rose to 50.4 in July, but growth is the weakest since Sep 2024 as business optimism cools.