Nepal-China Flood Disaster: The UN chief mourned deaths and destruction from the Nepal–China flash floods, as rescue teams race to find more than 1,300 missing and prevent secondary risks from barrier lakes. Cross-Border Accountability: China’s foreign ministry said nearly 100 Chinese nationals were missing on the Nepal side after the Bhotekoshi disaster, while both sides warn of fresh flooding threats. China-Japan Political Dialogue: A senior CCP official told young Japanese lawmakers in Beijing that Taiwan and history issues are the “political foundation” of ties, urging Japan to align with the one-China principle. US-China Cyber Tensions: China rejected US claims of “state-sponsored” hacking, after the DOJ/FBI said they seized platforms tied to a China-linked group targeting NASA, the Fed, DOJ and the Senate. AI and Industry: China’s chip profits surged 18.5-fold in Jan–July amid AI-driven computing demand, while humanoid robots remain too slow and unreliable for most jobs. Taiwan Defense: Taiwan lawmakers approved a $7.6B drone budget as China’s military pressure grows. US Election Security: DHS ordered mandatory random paper-ballot audits for 2026 midterms, citing security risks from Chinese-made voting components. US-Iran Sanctions Watch: Trump hinted at possible sanctions on Chinese banks over Iran links ahead of a potential Xi meeting. EU Trade Pressure: EU moves to levy small parcels from China cut imports by 30–40%, hitting Shein/Temu/AliExpress volumes.