TikTok ; Premier Li in Gansu; NPCSC on targets; Xinhua head on singing the “bright-prospects narrative” of the economy; Water cannon attack near Scarborough Shoal

Summary of today’s Essential Eight:

1. More TikTok and US-China - We are still waiting for official details of the deal, but it is becoming clear that ByteDance will get approval to license the algorithm to the US entity, but exactly in what form and whether or not it complies with the US law is still not disclosed. As expected, today the Trump Administration granted TikTok another extension.

2. Li Qiang inspects Gansu and Qinghai - Premier Li paid an inspection tour to Gansu and Qinghai from September 15 to 16. According to the CCTV report:

He emphasized the need to thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on coordinating the advancement of high-quality development and high-level protection; to firmly grasp each locality’s strategic positioning within the overall national development; to adhere to innovation-driven development; to advance green development; to cultivate and strengthen new-quality productive forces in light of local conditions…