US-China Trade Talks: Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will lead a Sept. 19-23 delegation to the U.S. for economic and trade consultations, aiming to build on the May tariff and non-tariff progress as Xi prepares for a Washington summit. AI Race & Security: Ahead of the Xi-Trump meeting, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to meet He Lifeng in New York to discuss AI security, trade and economic issues, while Trump also floated an “AI force” and “AI czar.” Sanctions Shock: Beijing condemned Trump’s new Russia sanctions law that authorizes secondary sanctions and potential tariffs up to 100% on major Russian energy buyers, warning it will take “all necessary measures.” Digital Platform Crackdown: Beijing market regulators opened probes into four online hotel and travel booking platforms over suspected unfair competition, including hidden fees and opaque practices. China-ASEAN Connectivity: The Pinglu Canal’s opening is expected to cut logistics costs and boost China-ASEAN trade, while CAEXPO highlighted growing AI cooperation. Energy & Oil Prices: AP argued China’s oil stockpiles and EV push helped prevent a worse global oil price spike during Middle East turmoil. EV Market Signal: China’s August auto sales hit a record 65% plug share, with BEVs rising to 45% of sales, reinforcing the pace of electrification. Foreign Travel Demand: China’s railways saw foreign passenger trips jump 33.3% in Jan-Aug, supported by visa-free transit and more cross-border services.