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The Ministry of Commerce announced the total quantity, application conditions and procedures for 2027 non-state-owned crude oil imports. The announcement was made according to China's Regulations on the Administration of the Import and Export of Goods and China's WTO accession commitments.

China and the US discussed Iran at their Beijing summit in May and Washington summit in September, with China taking a firmer stance on Tehran after the latest meeting. Analysts say further Xi-Trump summits could work in Iran's favor as the two powers find more common ground on Tehran. (48 words)

The US Navy awarded a US$39.6 million contract on September 28 for three second-hand extended-range King Air 350-series aircraft for the Philippine Coast Guard, two of them modified for improved surveillance. The aircraft will be fitted with extended-range fuel systems and upgraded avionics, giving Manila greater reach and endurance to monitor Chinese coastguard, naval and research vessels across the South China Sea.

The European Parliament voted on Wednesday for a significantly tougher China position, calling Beijing a decisive enabler of Russia and urging continuous European naval presence and joint exercises in and around the Taiwan Strait. The chamber also called for swift action to counter Beijing's industrial policy, which it described as an existential threat.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security proposed requiring universities and certified schools to pay US$70,000 for each foreign student entering the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, with an additional US$30,000 for subsequent participation. The measure could sharply raise costs for thousands of Chinese graduates seeking employment experience in the U.S.

The US Treasury announced its first penalty under outbound investment rules, fining Amidi, LLC US$200,000 for failing to report a US$92,478 investment in Shanghai Qiongche Intelligent Technology, a robotics AI company. The Treasury said the parent of Plug and Play Tech Centre's Chinese fund subsidiary did not submit the required notification.

US President Donald Trump pressed Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to roll back China's export curbs on Japan during their meeting in Washington last month, urging talks between the Chinese and Japanese leaders. Xi also warned Trump about the growing risks of Japanese militarism during the sit-down. Tokyo seeks to manage mounting pressure from Beijing.

Experts recommend the United States replace "wholesale restrictions" on Chinese electric vehicles with targeted safeguards and strategic partnerships. John Helveston, associate professor at George Washington University, said this would prevent US carmakers from losing global market share. The experts spoke during a discussion on Tuesday.

Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission CEO Leung Fung-yee said at an ASIFMA conference that the regulator is researching market microstructure reforms, including extending securities trading hours, with derivatives to be implemented first. HKEX will publish a discussion paper on extending spot market trading hours in Q4. Long-term measures may include tokenized currency and digital Hong Kong dollar settlement arrangements.

The US formally ended its Operation Inherent Resolve mission in Iraq on September 30, completing a withdrawal agreed with Baghdad. Analysts said the move could give Iraq more room for diversified partnerships and indirectly benefit China's energy and commercial interests. However, they noted China lacks both the ambition and capacity to fill the US security role in Iraq.

A federal judge ordered Wanying "Heather" Zhang held in custody, blocking her release. Zhang is accused of being a Beijing agent who filmed the son of a Taiwan leader. US Magistrate Judge Steve Kim sided with prosecutors, who argued Zhang's parents and siblings lived in China, posing a flight risk.

Trump pressed Xi Jinping during last month's summit to end a freeze in relations with Japan's Sanae Takaichi, citing Japan's grievances over Chinese restrictions imposed after Takaichi's November comment about potential military intervention in the Taiwan Strait. Beijing regards Taiwan as a core interest.

Russian President Putin's aide Nikolai Patrushev arrived in China on Thursday for talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The visit is being closely watched for signs of preparation for a possible trilateral summit with the US during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' meeting next month.

China has nominated health official Song Li to run for director general of the World Health Organization, the foreign ministry confirmed on Thursday. If elected, Song would be the first person from mainland China to head the UN health agency. The nomination comes as the WHO faces a major funding shake-up following the US exit.

Japan and the US will conduct expanded military exercises near Taiwan from October 19 to 29, with about 45,000 Japanese personnel, 6,100 vehicles, 40 ships and 260 aircraft, up from 33,000 personnel, 30 ships and 250 aircraft in 2024. Analysts say the exercises could complicate Beijing's planning for a Taiwan or East China Sea conflict.

CCTV reported that a foreign warship lost power, propulsion and radar while aggressively shadowing a PLA Navy Type 055 destroyer Zunyi during routine training in the South China Sea. The Chinese account describes it as a rare encounter, resembling other incidents involving US Navy destroyers in the region this year.

Former US officials warned at a Global Taiwan Institute symposium that Washington's increasingly transactional approach to Taiwan, tied to its Beijing relationship, puts the Indo-Pacific at risk. Former AIT Taipei Office director Brent Christensen said the war on Iran is weakening US military readiness for a potential Taiwan Strait conflict.

Hong Kong national security police have charged a 52-year-old man with publishing seditious material on social media. The defendant is accused of posting content with intent to provoke hatred towards the central Chinese authorities, the Hong Kong government and the judiciary. The first court hearing took place on Wednesday.

China Vice Minister of Commerce Ling Ji met with European Commission Director-General for Trade and Economic Security Jørgensen in Beijing on October 9. The meeting took place at the Ministry of Commerce. No further details were provided.

Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) charged Zhang Yadong, former chairman of Greentown China Holdings from 2019 to 2025, with conspiracy to accept advantages for allegedly taking HK$20 million (US$2.5 million) in bribes from a mainland Chinese property developer. The bribes were allegedly in exchange for acquiring a stake in the developer's real estate project. The case was mentioned at Eastern Magistrate's Courts.

Hong Kong will deploy extra manpower and activate command centres for the opening of the revamped Huanggang Port border crossing with Shenzhen on Monday. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said his bureau would activate its Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre and establish a joint command centre with Shenzhen authorities.

Chinese President Xi Jinping made a historic state visit to the United States in September, his first in over a decade. He also visited India for the first time in seven years, meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit. China will host the APEC summit in November, where Xi will meet US President Donald Trump for the third time this year.

According to a new analysis, China is running the most systematic effort of any outside power to learn from the drone war in Ukraine, with military and defence-industry analysts typically writing up new battlefield techniques within about four months. However, it usually took a year or more before those lessons showed up publicly in People's Liberation Army training, equipment or force structure.

China's military has opened a new outpost at Ban Keun Airport in northwestern Laos, a site once used by the CIA's Air America during the Vietnam War. The base includes a 2,000-meter runway and parking for 22 aircraft, and began operations on September 29 according to China's Defense Ministry. Analysts downplay the threat to U.S. forces, noting the runway is not positioned as a dagger pointed at any target and questioning its operational necessity.

Flavio Bolsonaro said he would work with both China and the United States if he becomes Brazil's president, rejecting the idea of picking sides. He stated his side would be the Brazilian people whether dealing with China, Israel, the Middle East, Argentina or India. The comment came after a surprise election performance positioned him among conservative leaders pushing Latin America closer to Washington.

The US State Department moved Hong Kong from Tier 2 Watch List to Tier 3 in its 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, citing shortcomings in prosecutions and victim identification. Hong Kong's government rejected the assessment as entirely unfounded. The downgrade places Hong Kong alongside mainland China and Macau among 20 countries and territories at the lowest tier.

European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič met with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in Beijing on Thursday. The PRC side released only a one-sentence statement confirming the meeting. Šefčovič is scheduled to meet with He Lifeng on Friday.

The Pentagon announced a new initiative worth around US$350 million aimed at maintaining American leadership in quantum computing capabilities. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defence for Research and Engineering said the funding addresses accelerating competition between the US and China over military applications of advanced technology.

The Trump administration, through the Department of Labor's inspector general, announced an investigation into nine US universities over alleged J-1 visa fraud, with officials expressing concerns about Chinese scholars and the Chinese government. Anthony D'Esposito, inspector general of the US Department of Labor, announced the investigation at a Thursday press conference.

The People's Bank of China announced adjustments to several structural monetary policy tools on Tuesday, a day after the State Council Executive Meeting stated that "practical additional policies should be introduced" to support the economy. The Ministry of Finance was also mentioned in connection with the policy support measures. The announcement came as China began its long National Day holiday.

The Xi-Trump meetings produced a new framework describing US-China relations as a 'constructive strategic stability relationship based on respect, fairness, and reciprocity.' The two-month tariff extension pushes the November 10 deadline to January 10, 2027. The State Council executive meeting signaled potential Q4 stimulus including property market stabilization policies. Questions remain about whether Nvidia will receive licenses for more AI chips to China.

Xi Jinping arrived in Washington DC on September 24, 2026. The arrival ceremony featured warm optics. Topics for the visit include PRC nuclear weapons, PLA Daily's editorial on Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, and China's 2025 outbound investment exceeding $200 billion.

This Sinocism show notes previews Xi Jinping's visit to Washington, covering the Scott Bessent-He Lifeng meeting in New York. Outstanding issues include a proposed AI hotline, details on an operationalized trade board, rare earth frustrations that may affect the Busan truce extension, and questions about Taiwan, Iran and Chinese automakers. The September Politburo meeting officially expelled Generals Zhang and Liu, while unverified Xi rumors circulated at the BRICS Summit in India.