Xi to meet new Vietnam leader; Weak July data; PBoC head sounds confident; Export controls on antimony; Easier to marry, harder to divorce?

Summary of today’s Essential Eight:

1. Xi to meet Vietnam’s General Secretary Lam - Xi will reappear by August 20th at the latest, though I assume we will see him before then. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and State President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, will visit the PRC from August 18-20 and he will meet with Xi, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji and Wang Huning.

2. Weak July economic data - On the one hand it looks the policymakers will need to add more stimulus measures to hit the 5% GDP growth target for the year, on the other hand they keep saying steady as she goes and the existing policies will start to kick in soon. Something has to give?

3. PBoC head Pan Gongsheng talks to Xinhua and CCTV - PBoC head Pan Gongsheng gave interviews to CCTV and Xinhua. He sounds confident that they have the right policies and financial risk is under control, telling CCTV that "China's entire financial sy…