Today is a bit slow. I made an error in yesterday’s newsletter. The meeting Li Keqiang chaired was not help on Monday, a holiday, but on September 8, but for some reason was only disclosed on the 12th.

Summary of today’s Essential Eight:

1. Outbreak - Beijing’s outbreak is still not under control and now Sanhe, Hebei, which includes Yanjiao and borders Beijing, has gone into four days of "silent management" and everyone will get tested. I am sorry to say but it is hard to see how the dynamic zero-Covid measures nationwide, but especially in Beijing, don’t get even tighter between now and the conclusion of the 20th Party Congress next month. Do you want to be the local official to have a mass outbreak when everyone is supposed to welcoming the victory of the 20th Party Congress?

2. Xi heading to the SCO summit Wednesday - The Kremlin says Xi and Putin will meet, the Chinese side still has not confirmed it. The PRC has been very cautious about providing any sort of material support to Russia t…