Japan-Yasukuni Row: China lodged fresh protests after Japan’s PM Sanae Takaichi sent an offering and Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited the Yasukuni Shrine on the 81st WWII surrender anniversary, with Beijing calling it a bid to rehabilitate war criminals and fuel remilitarization. Green Governance: China’s landmark Ecological and Environmental Code took effect, consolidating pollution control and ecological protection into a 1,242-article legal framework aimed at accelerating green and low-carbon modernization. China-Africa Trade: Under China’s zero-tariff regime for 53 African countries, imports from Nigeria jumped 80% to $2.3bn in H1 2026, while Beijing and Abuja urged a shift from raw exports to higher-value processing. Uyghur Rights Abroad: The World Uyghur Congress highlighted research on China’s expanding transnational repression of Uyghurs, including surveillance and pressure tied to travel and family visits. US-China Friction: Reports say US preparations for Xi’s Washington visit are unsettled by Trump administration disorganization, while Washington also escalated scrutiny of “shadow transshipment” routes tied to China. Regional Security: North Korea warned it may exercise self-defence as US-South Korea drills begin, calling them a rehearsal for aggressive war. Domestic Policy Quirk: China put marriage registration services inside a bank branch in Tianjin, as weddings hit record lows.