ASEAN Summit: The Philippines is preparing to host regional leaders in Manila on Nov. 15–17, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inspecting summit venues and security preparations underway. China’s Trade: China’s surplus topped $1 trillion in the first 10 months of the year as October exports jumped 35.2%, led by AI-related demand. The boom highlights Beijing’s reliance on overseas markets even as domestic demand remains weak, and sets the stage for trade talks at next week’s APEC summit in Shenzhen. US-China Tensions: Nvidia has opened an independent board inquiry after CEO Jensen Huang admitted an affair with a businesswoman accused of ties to Chinese intelligence. The allegations remain unproven; Beijing has rejected them as a smear. Regional Diplomacy: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says he will raise foreign-interference concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping at APEC. Japan is also pushing for summit language on transparency in measures that could disrupt supply chains, amid concerns over China’s rare-earth controls. Kenya-China Ties: Kenya’s exports to China rose nearly 60% in the first quarter of duty-free trade, driven by coffee and copper scrap, while Chinese-made electric buses are helping expand Nairobi’s public transport fleet.