Taiwan Strait Tensions: Taiwan fired 32 U.S.-supplied HIMARS rockets westward in a first-of-its-kind live-fire drill, testing “shoot-and-scoot” tactics and precision strikes; Beijing condemned it as provocation that violates the One-China policy. U.S.-China Tech Friction: China’s commerce ministry hit back after the Pentagon expanded its “military companies” blacklist, adding firms like Alibaba, Baidu, BYD and NIO, warning of “resolute and forceful” countermeasures if Chinese companies aren’t treated fairly. U.S.-China Rare Earth Push: The U.S. House passed the DOMINANCE Act to break China’s near-total rare earth processing dominance by building allied extraction and processing networks. Spying Case: China arrested a U.S. scholar focused on Myanmar, saying he was suspected of espionage; the U.S. State Department confirmed consular access. China’s Global Trade Edge: A World Bank-linked port study says China dominates container port efficiency, with seven of the top ten spots, citing automation and infrastructure resilience. AI Governance: China’s cyberspace regulator opened a special reporting channel for AI application misconduct, targeting issues like unlabeled synthetic content and AI-generated harmful misinformation. Economy Watch: China’s May loan growth slowed, with analysts pointing to weaker demand and the need for more support to spur borrowing. Regional Links: Myanmar’s president will visit Beijing next week for talks with Xi, as China seeks to deepen strategic ties after a recent India trip.