Congratulations to Beijing for the opening of the new Beijing Daxing International Airport, airport code PKX. Xi Jinping officially opened it Wednesday, just in time to praise it as another great accomplishment on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC.

President Trump popped the stock market this morning when he said that a trade deal with China could happen "sooner than you think“. Good luck for those trying to trade the trade war rumors, utterances and news…

The immediate impact on US-China relations of the impeachment inquiry into President Trump is unclear. If as some are saying all new legislation will now be put on hold then the proposed Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 may not become a law any time soon, to Beijing’s delight. As to what the inquiry means for the trade negotiations, I have no idea.

Today’s Essential Eight:

1. US-China

2. Beijing Daxing Airport

3. China and the World in the New Era

4. New report on China’s defense-industrial ecosyst…