Zhu Rongji dies, China monetary report · Aug 13

China announces death of former Premier Zhu Rongji.

Today's events

Zhu Rongji dies.
The Party Central Committee, legislature, State Council and advisory body published a joint obituary notice August 12: the former premier died in Beijing, aged 98.¹Aug 12 · Qiushi
Quarterly money report.
The central bank held its “moderately loose” stance, reporting 4.7% first-half growth and new corporate loan rates near 3.0%.²Aug 12 · People's Bank
Foreign investment.
Inbound investment fell 5% in the first half to 402 billion yuan, but high-technology industries drew 33.2% more than a year earlier.³Aug 9 · Commerce Ministry
July consumer prices.
Consumer prices rose 0.5% from a year earlier; pork fell 13.3% and eggs rose 14.4%, leaving food prices down 1.5%.⁴Aug 9 · Stats Bureau
Smart-city standard.
The market regulator said a China-led international standard for smart-city data use, drafted with experts from eleven countries, has been published.⁵Aug 13 · Market Regulator
Unified market cases.
The market regulator published ten model cases on fair-competition review, aimed at local rules that wall off provincial markets from national competition.⁶Aug 13 · Market Regulator
Party-journal economics.
Qiushi commentary, August 12, ties the new five-year plan to the July 30 Politburo call for growth that is newer, better and stronger.⁷Aug 12 · Qiushi
India place-names.
The foreign ministry called India's publication of standard names for 27 sites in the disputed border area illegal and invalid.⁸Aug 10 · Foreign Ministry
State-firm expulsion.
The Party's anti-corruption body expelled a former deputy general manager of Chongqing Construction Engineering Group and sent his bribery case to prosecutors.⁹Aug 12 · Discipline Commission

Voices

“Ensure that artificial intelligence is safe, reliable and controllable — let this thousand-li steed run both fast and steadily.”
Xi Jinping, World Artificial Intelligence Conference · July 17⁷

“His passing is a grave loss to the Party and the state. We must turn grief into strength.”
Joint obituary notice, Party Central Committee and State Council · Aug 12¹

“Zangnan is Chinese territory. China has never recognized the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ illegally set up by India; the published names are illegal and invalid.”
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun · Aug 10⁸

“The external environment is more complex and volatile, world growth momentum is weak, and geopolitical conflict and trade friction occur frequently.”
People's Bank of China, Second-Quarter Monetary Policy Report · Aug 12²

“Smart-city data use is the key factor of production driving cities from management by experience toward governance by data.”
State Administration for Market Regulation · Aug 13⁵

“He gravely violated the Party's political, organizational, integrity and work discipline, and neither restrained nor stopped himself after the 18th Party Congress.”
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection notice · Aug 12⁹

Sources

Qiushi (Party Theoretical Journal), “Joint obituary of the Party Central Committee, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the State Council and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference: Comrade Zhu Rongji has died,” Aug 12, 2026. qstheory.cn/20260812/…/zhu-rongji-obituary
People's Bank of China, “China Monetary Policy Report, Second Quarter 2026,” Aug 12, 2026. pbc.gov.cn/goutongjiaoliu/…/q2-2026-monetary-policy-report
Ministry of Commerce, “China used 402.14 billion yuan of foreign investment in January–June 2026,” Aug 9, 2026. mofcom.gov.cn/xwfb/…/h1-2026-foreign-investment
National Bureau of Statistics, “Consumer prices rose 0.5% year-on-year in July 2026,” Aug 9, 2026. stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/…/july-consumer-prices
State Administration for Market Regulation, “International standard on the top-level framework for smart-city data use, led by China, is released,” Aug 13, 2026. samr.gov.cn/xw/sj/…/smart-city-data-standard
State Administration for Market Regulation, “Ten model cases on implementing the fair-competition review system and advancing the national unified market,” Aug 13, 2026. samr.gov.cn/xw/zj/…/fair-competition-review-cases
Qiushi (Party Theoretical Journal), “The inner logic of China's economy turning newer, better and stronger,” Aug 12, 2026. qstheory.cn/20260812/…/inner-logic-of-chinas-economy
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Spokesperson Guo Jiakun answers questions from reporters, August 10, 2026,” Aug 10, 2026. mfa.gov.cn/wjdt/fyrbt/…/20260810-press-conference
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, “Cheng Liang, former Party committee member and deputy general manager of Chongqing Construction Engineering Group, expelled from the Party and from public office,” Aug 12, 2026. ccdi.gov.cn/yaowenn/…/chongqing-construction-cheng-liang