China's STAR 50 Index fell nearly 7%; the ChiNext Index dropped 6%, the Shenzhen Composite Index fell 4.8% and the Shanghai Composite Index declined 2.4%. More than 5,100 A-share stocks declined.

Dow turned higher; S&P 500 down 0.5%, Nasdaq down 1.2%.

Aug. 19 — At a regular briefing the Taiwan Affairs Office was asked about Taiwan's Han Kuang 42 military exercise, which reporters said for the first time included a mobile‑network slowdown drill island sources have blamed for disrupting food delivery and card payments. Spokesperson Zhu Fenglian accused the Democratic Progressive Party authorities of persisting in a Taiwan‑independence stance and 'relying on force' to pursue independence, saying their actions have damaged social order and residents' welfare; she said the drills demonstrate, in Beijing's view, that 'Taiwan independence' is the greatest threat to cross‑strait peace and urged adherence to the 1992 Consensus and opposition to independence to preserve stability.