https://www.scmp.com/rss/239364/feed Doug Young has lived and worked in China for 15 years, much of that as a journalist for Reuters writing about Chinese companies. He currently lives in Shanghai where he teaches financial journalism at Fudan University. He writes daily on his blog, Young’s China Business Blog (www.youngchinabiz.com), commenting on the latest developments at Chinese companies listed in the US, China and Hong Kong. He is also author of a new book about the media in China, “The Party Line: How the Media Dictates... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Yet another report has come out about an ongoing private placement by Ant Financial, saying the financial services affiliate of e-commerce giant Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) is now planning a domestic IPO in 2017. That's a little later than was indicated in previous reports, which were probably a little too optimistic about a company whose various businesses are mostly less than two years old. But the more interesting element in this recent flurry of reports has been what valuation the new private... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1726817/soes-squash-ant-financial-valuation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1726817/soes-squash-ant-financial-valuation?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2015 06:30:57 +0000 A recent round of virtual "red envelope wars" was making waves in the microblogging realm in this final week before the Lunar New Year, in one of the many recent battles that have seen Internet titans Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) and Tencent (0700.HK) lock horns. This particular rivalry has gained wide attention in the Chinese headlines these last few weeks, though it's worth noting that many others are staging similar copycat promotions following the huge success of Tencent's original virtual hongbao... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1715981/red-envelope-wars-china-xiaomi-eyes-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1715981/red-envelope-wars-china-xiaomi-eyes-us?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2015 01:26:24 +0000 Struggling electric car maker BYD (1211.HK; Shenzhen: 002594) is starting to look a bit desperate, announcing a major asset sale just days after it received approval for a stalled finance joint venture aimed at boosting its sputtering sales. The approval this week for its auto finance joint venture comes as rival Geely (0175.HK) also has just announced its own approval for a similar stalled joint venture with France's BNP Paribas (Paris: BNP). That indicates Beijing may be starting to worry... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1713923/byd-seeks-jump-start-asset-sale-finance-jv?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1713923/byd-seeks-jump-start-asset-sale-finance-jv?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2015 06:49:12 +0000 The Super Bowl may be the most watched TV program in the US, but it's still relatively unknown in China due to the lack of popularity of American football. But the sport gained at least a few Chinese fans with its latest airing, as top executives from the likes of PC giant Lenovo (0992.HK) and online video firm LeTV (Shenzhen: 300104) tuned in to watch this year's match-up that saw the New England Patriots defeat the Seattle Seahawks. Meantime, an executive from the struggling Sina Weibo... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1708140/lenovo-watches-super-bowl-weibo-chastises-wechat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1708140/lenovo-watches-super-bowl-weibo-chastises-wechat?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2015 05:32:26 +0000 Update: It seems I was right in pointing out the sourcing on this report as being flimsy, as Wandoujiang has come out and directly denied it is being acquired by Lenovo, saying it is committed to its path of independent growth. The updated story contains the company's denial. Just days after I wrote about a new online alliance between PC giant Lenovo (0992.HK) and leading search engine Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU), yet another report is saying Lenovo is making a related move with its acquisition of... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1706539/lenovo-adds-wandoujia-app-store-smartphone-arsenal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1706539/lenovo-adds-wandoujia-app-store-smartphone-arsenal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2015 01:30:18 +0000 Two big news stories were at the center of heated discussion in of the microblogging realm this past week, led by Alibaba's (NYSE: BABA) high profile dispute with one of China's main business regulators over accusations of being soft on piracy. At the same time, Tencent's (0700.HK) roll-out of advertisements on its WeChat mobile messaging platform also drew lots of comments, as users were suddenly greeted with unsolicited messages in the popular Moments feature that functions much like... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1699417/alibaba-tencent-draw-praise-and-ire-controversy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1699417/alibaba-tencent-draw-praise-and-ire-controversy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2015 08:39:53 +0000 A new report about a potential major bank sale in Hong Kong made me realize that a widely expected rush to buy locally based lenders in the former British colony never materialized. This latest report that the Hong Kong unit of Bank of China (3988.HK) is shopping its locally-based Nanyang Commercial Bank might rekindle speculation that a flurry of new sales is coming. But the potential buyers mentioned in the report make such a gold rush look unlikely, indicating local Hong Kong banks may be... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1697866/bank-china-finds-few-bidders-hong-kongs-nanyang-unit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1697866/bank-china-finds-few-bidders-hong-kongs-nanyang-unit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2015 08:12:39 +0000 Two of China's most successful tech companies, Xiaomi and Huawei, took center stage in the microblogging realm over the past week, engaging in a rare direct war of words over their competing products in the nation's overheated smartphone market. Their online sparring aside, the pair of tech stars also engaged in their own separate globally-focused activities that emphasized attempts by each to become the nation's first truly international smartphone brand. Huawei's media-shy founder Ren Zhengfei... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1692335/huawei-shows-frustration-xiaomi-elation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1692335/huawei-shows-frustration-xiaomi-elation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2015 08:23:48 +0000 Media have been focused these last two days on reports of a new mega purchase by Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) in the insurance space, but another report centers on a far more intriguing possible deal involving the e-commerce giant's long relationship with faded US search giant Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO). That particular relationship has undergone huge changes since the pair first formed their partnership a decade ago, and could easily be the subject of a book. In the latest chapter to that story, a new report... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1691232/alibaba-yahoo-dance-set-new-phase?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1691232/alibaba-yahoo-dance-set-new-phase?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2015 07:43:25 +0000 Media have been focused these last 2 days on reports of a new mega purchase by Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) in the insurance space, but another report centers on a far more intriguing possible deal involving the e-commerce giant's long relationship with faded US search giant Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO). That particular relationship has undergone huge changes since the pair first formed their partnership a decade ago, and could easily be the subject of a book. In the latest chapter to that story, a new report... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1689937/alibaba-yahoo-dance-set-new-phase?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1689937/alibaba-yahoo-dance-set-new-phase?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2015 07:32:11 +0000 Internet executives were busy quashing a number of rumors on their microblogs this week, with smartphone sensation Xiaomi trying to stamp out reports of bitter relations with SNS giant Facebook (Nasdaq: FB), and e-commerce giant Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) quashing talk of a major new investment in South Korea. But some of the more interesting chatter focused on the concept of company valuations, and just how widely such valuations can vary for China's dynamic tech firms. At the same time, a coming... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1682852/tcls-valuation-envy-jdcom-looks-back-dangdang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1682852/tcls-valuation-envy-jdcom-looks-back-dangdang?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2015 07:44:40 +0000 The microblogging realm has been buzzing with posts from tech executives this past week, many of whom were hyping their products at a major gadget show taking place in Las Vegas. But back in China, smartphone sensation Xiaomi was generating its own usual buzz with hints that it may try to go upscale and challenge Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) and Samsung (Seoul: 005930) more directly with a pricey new offering later this month. Meantime, the microblogging realm also saw some unusual noise from two tech... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1678597/weibo-talk-xiaomi-goes-upscale-sohus-zhang-deflects-rumors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1678597/weibo-talk-xiaomi-goes-upscale-sohus-zhang-deflects-rumors?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2015 04:30:59 +0000 Tech executives welcomed in the New Year with some intriguing hints on their  microblogs, with posts suggesting major new moves in China from global media titan News Corp (Nasdsaq: NWSA) and online video operator LeTV (Shenzhen: 300104). In the former case, a local tech executive posted a photo of himself meeting with Rupert Murdoch in China, indicating the News Corp chief was back doing business in the country after a long absence. In the latter case, LeTV chief Jia Yueting was hinting that his... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1674926/weibo-talk-murdoch-back-china-xiaomis-banner-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1674926/weibo-talk-murdoch-back-china-xiaomis-banner-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2015 02:39:17 +0000 The last few years have been a difficult time for telecoms equipment giant ZTE (HKEx: 763; Shenzhen: 000063), but the company is hoping to kick off a new chapter this year with the launch of a new strategy that focuses on interconnectivity at all levels. A news release and CEO's letter detailing this new approach are filled with hype and buzzwords, though the broader idea looks strategically smart. I'll admit I'm just a little skeptical that this company is capable of such a broad... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1672898/troubled-zte-seeks-transformation-2015?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1672898/troubled-zte-seeks-transformation-2015?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2015 04:01:54 +0000 The final week of the year has seen two of China's top technology leaders looking inward, with Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) founder Jack Ma and TCL (Shenzhen: 000100) chief Li Dongsheng both taking the occasion to reflect on some of the people and events that put them on their paths to success. In one of his occasional posts since recently resuming microblogging, Ma reflects on an impressionable meal with a friend more than 20 years ago, when China was a far different place from now and he was a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1670399/weibo-talk-alibaba-tcl-chiefs-reflect-qihoo-blasts-baidu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1670399/weibo-talk-alibaba-tcl-chiefs-reflect-qihoo-blasts-baidu?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2014 03:49:47 +0000 Quiet has fallen over much of the Chinese blogosphere in this week before Christmas, though buzz was lingering around smartphone sensation Xiaomi as it wrestled with a patent dispute that threatened to halt its nascent overseas expansion. Xiaomi chief Lei Jun was also full of congratulations for his company as it scored a court victory that partially lifted an order banning the sale of its phones in India. Meantime, Lei's many friends and admirers were offering their congratulations as Xiaomi's... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1667735/weibo-talk-xiaomi-celebrates-jumei-mired-class-action-suits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1667735/weibo-talk-xiaomi-celebrates-jumei-mired-class-action-suits?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2014 07:24:27 +0000 What started as a couple of stories highlighting the shady business practices that are all too common in China is starting to snowball, with home appliance giant Gree and a local start-up air purifier maker adding their voices to this entertaining year-end war of words. At the heart of this verbal mudslinging is a toxic Chinese business culture where practices like illegal copycatting, corporate espionage and violation of business contracts are quite common and even accepted to a certain... https://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1663555/more-appliance-makers-join-chinas-year-end-chorus-piracy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1663555/more-appliance-makers-join-chinas-year-end-chorus-piracy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2014 06:51:44 +0000 Two scandals in China's tech world were hot topics in the microblogging realm this past week, drawing heated discussion on allegations of copycatting and other unethical business behavior at smartphone sensation Xiaomi and newly listed social networking app maker Momo (Nasdaq: MOMO). The debate reflected the wide range of views on the many dubious business practices like intellectual property theft and violation of business contracts that are a regular feature in China's corporate business... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1662937/momo-fingers-netease-xiaomis-copycat-defense?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1662937/momo-fingers-netease-xiaomis-copycat-defense?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2014 08:30:30 +0000 The last couple of months have been a tough time for smartphone sensation Xiaomi, which is becoming a growing target of accusations that increasingly portray the company as China’s leading copycat. The latest such accusations are coming from a Japanese firm, which says its designs were ripped off for a new line of high-tech air purifiers that Xiaomi announced earlier this week. Those allegations come the same week that Xiaomi was penalised in India for illegally using patented technology from... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1662348/xiaomi-hit-more-copycat-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1662348/xiaomi-hit-more-copycat-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2014 11:28:12 +0000 This week's microblogging round-up continues a recent trend that's seen China's high-tech executives keep relatively quiet in cyberspace as they wrap up various year-end business and prepare for the long holiday period between western and Chinese new years. During this busy period there's less time for chatter, and executives often take to the road for one last trip before a needed year-end rest. Two of China's most recognized tech chiefs, Lenovo (0992.HK) CEO Yang Yuanqing and TCL (Shenzhen:... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1657364/lenovo-tcl-chiefs-road-xiaomis-misfit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1657364/lenovo-tcl-chiefs-road-xiaomis-misfit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2014 08:29:19 +0000 A new wave of Sino-foreign tie-ups in the financial services arena could be taking shape, with word that China’s Haitong Securities (6837.HK; Shanghai: 600837) is in talks to buy a Portuguese investment bank. I predicted just a couple of weeks ago that such a wave of tie-ups could be coming, following the launch of a historic Hong Kong-Shanghai financial link that will give average western and Chinese investors access to each other’s stock markets for the first time. This potential new wave of... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1657132/haitong-kicks-wave-cross-border-brokerage-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1657132/haitong-kicks-wave-cross-border-brokerage-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2014 10:31:55 +0000 Tech executives have been uncharacteristically quiet on their microblogs this past week, possibly due to the US Thanksgiving holiday that saw light activity in New York where most of their stocks are traded. But all the holidays in the world could never quiet the talkative Lei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi, who was busy talking up one of his company's latest investments. That particular investment came in the unlikely property management space, involving a developer of YMCA-style buildings that rent out... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1654553/weibo-xiaomis-apartment-play-china-mobiles-nakedness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1654553/weibo-xiaomis-apartment-play-china-mobiles-nakedness?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2014 01:03:24 +0000 New York has posted a banner year for Chinese IPOs, culminating with the record-breaking $25 billion (HK$153 billion) listing for Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) in September. But Hong Kong is showing it still has plenty to offer too, with a flurry of major new listings coming in the final month of 2015. At least three major new offerings are bubbling around the headlines as we head into December, led by one for China's largest nuclear plant builder, CGN Power Co. Meantime, Beijing-based auto maker BAIC... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1651552/ipos-hong-kong-overtakes-new-york-year-end-ipo-flurry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1651552/ipos-hong-kong-overtakes-new-york-year-end-ipo-flurry?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2014 03:47:19 +0000 Most of China's high-tech attention was focused on the scenic canal city of Wuzhen near Shanghai this past week, as a who's-who of top Internet executives gathered for a conference that billed itself as a global gathering. Most of China's top names were reportedly at the event, including Baidu's (Nasdaq: BIDU) Robin Li, Alibaba's (NYSE: BABA) Jack Ma and NetEase's (Nasdaq: NTES) Ding Lei. But the guest list was notably lacking in major global names, and at least one executive commented on the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1647763/internet-execs-hobnob-wuzhen-xiaomi-aims-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1647763/internet-execs-hobnob-wuzhen-xiaomi-aims-high?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2014 09:04:39 +0000 It seems that anything with the Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) name is in huge demand these days, with word that a massive US$8 billion (HK$62.1 billion) bond offering by China's leading e-commerce company was massively oversubscribed. To put things in perspective, the previous largest bond program by a Chinese Internet firm came earlier this year from social networking leader Tencent (0700.HK), which announced plans to raise up to $5 billion. But unlike Tencent, which had to sell the bonds in several... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1647003/speculators-gobble-alibaba-bonds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1647003/speculators-gobble-alibaba-bonds?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2014 08:20:53 +0000 Chatter in the microblogging realm this past week was squarely focused on the Double Eleven shopping binge that saw e-commerce sites and smartphone makers log impressive sales on the date also known as Singles Day. But not everyone was boasting about huge sales, as executives from early e-commerce leader Dangdang (NYSE: DANG) and smartphone aspirant Smartisan were both uncharacteristically quiet on their microblogs, hinting at mediocre results on the shopping holiday. The situation was just the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1642265/double-eleven-intoxication-motos-china-homecoming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1642265/double-eleven-intoxication-motos-china-homecoming?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2014 11:10:57 +0000 Leading Internet companies Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) and Tencent (0700.HK) are both in the headlines today with major new deals, spotlighting their growing need to stay in the news to remind investors why they are valued so high. The larger of the two news bits has Alibaba planning to raise a hefty $8 billion (HK$62 billion) through a bond offer, while the other has Tencent in a major new tie-up with Warner Music, one of the world's top record labels. I was mostly impressed by the sheer size of... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1641283/alibaba-raises-cash-tencent-ties-warner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1641283/alibaba-raises-cash-tencent-ties-warner?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Nov 2014 05:41:35 +0000 Lenovo's (0992.HK) talkative CEO Yang Yuanqing was headline news in the microblogging realm over the past week, as the chatty executive formally launched his own account on Sina Weibo and proceeded to bombard the airwaves with a steady series of thoughts on a wide range of topics. Yang is already quite talkative in general, granting numerous media interviews and giving his thoughts on just about anything to anyone who will listen. So this kind of move isn't really that surprising, and I expect... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1637827/web-debut-lenovos-yang-xiaomi-touts-sina-steal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1637827/web-debut-lenovos-yang-xiaomi-touts-sina-steal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2014 17:56:17 +0000 I've watched with interest over the last two years as Shanghai-based Bright Food has quietly gobbled up a stream of high-profile global investments, positioning the company to potentially become one of China's first international consumer brands to rival giants like Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) and Kraft Foods (Nasdaq: KRFT). Now we're getting further details of Bright's growing global aspirations, with word that it's planning a series of international IPOs including potential major listings in... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1635710/bright-offers-china-food-hong-kong-investors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1635710/bright-offers-china-food-hong-kong-investors?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2014 07:03:57 +0000 Global gadget leader Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) and its chief Chinese imitator Xiaomi have been filling the online airwaves these last few days, though for very different reasons. Apple's CEO Tim Cook was drawing praise and admiration from a wide range of tech executives on their microblogs, following his widely publicized editorial in which he disclosed that he is gay. Meantime, a number of top officials from the talkative Xiaomi were also talking up a storm, which verged on gloating, as their... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1631183/weibo-praise-cooks-coming-out-xiaomi-glows-rankings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1631183/weibo-praise-cooks-coming-out-xiaomi-glows-rankings?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2014 08:30:27 +0000 A trans-Pacific war of words that began with critical remarks made by Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) chief designer two weeks ago is continuing, with the foreign face of Chinese smartphone sensation Xiaomi giving fresh remarks on the copycat controversy in his company's defense. The comments from Xiaomi's international marketing head Hugo Barra are a bit lame in my view, and I really doubt he would have made such remarks last year when he was still a rising star at global Internet giant Google (Nasdaq:... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1628248/xiaomi-continues-self-defense-after-apple-slam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1628248/xiaomi-continues-self-defense-after-apple-slam?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2014 08:37:07 +0000 Chinese tech executives have been buzzing for much of the past week over Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) founder Mark Zuckerberg, who was working hard to charm many of China's high-tech elite on a semi-official visit to Beijing. Zuckerberg was in town to attend an event at the prestigious Tsinghua University, often called the MIT of China. But he also found time to visit smartphone sensation Xiaomi, where he received abundant praise from company officials led by the increasingly influential and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1625829/weibo-zuckerberg-charms-china-tsinghua-xiaomi-events?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1625829/weibo-zuckerberg-charms-china-tsinghua-xiaomi-events?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2014 08:29:38 +0000 I previously wrote that Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) plain-spoken CEO Tim Cook should consider buying a second home in China due to his frequent visits to the country, and the same could be said for Facebook's (Nasdaq: FB) more brash founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. While Cook's frequent visits are quite official and include many stops at government and company offices, Zuckerberg has been far more low-key in his equally regular visits due to Facebook's lack of official presence in the country where... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1624945/facebooks-zuckerberg-seeks-china-entree-tsinghua?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1624945/facebooks-zuckerberg-seeks-china-entree-tsinghua?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2014 01:05:25 +0000 Beijing's notorious smog was thick in the blogosphere this past week, with tech executives sending out a flurry of cautionary messages as the city held its annual marathon. This particular issue shines an important spotlight on the fact that many of China's top tech firms are clustered in the Chinese capital, running the range from search leader Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) to top portal Sina (Nasdaq: SINA) and PC giant Lenovo (0992.HK).  Meantime, other interesting buzz in the blogosphere was coming... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1620640/weibo-smog-worries-execs-qihoo-admits-defeat-tencent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1620640/weibo-smog-worries-execs-qihoo-admits-defeat-tencent?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2014 08:48:50 +0000 Wanda Group is already one of China's leading commercial property owners, and now it's taking aim at the fast-growing travel sector with word that it's purchased a major travel agency in affluent Zhejiang province. There's no financial detail on the deal, but the purchase should help to bolster Wanda's position that has already made it China's leading travel company just two years after its formation. The group could ultimately become one of China's leading integrated travel and leisure... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1620510/wanda-leisure-drive-travel-buy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1620510/wanda-leisure-drive-travel-buy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2014 04:20:23 +0000 Publicity savvy smartphone maker Xiaomi was making awkward noises in the blogosphere this past week, as it found itself stinging from critical remarks made by a top executive at Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), the company's role model. At the same time, the company got an unexpected show of support from another source, as controversial Qihoo 360 (NYSE: QIHU) CEO Zhou Hongyi defended the smartphone maker over a different brouhaha involving involving an embarrassing data security investigation in Taiwan. In... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1615645/weibo-xiaomi-hit-apples-ive-lifted-qihoos-zhou?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1615645/weibo-xiaomi-hit-apples-ive-lifted-qihoos-zhou?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2014 04:08:09 +0000 Lofty targets contained in a new report show that China intends to push ahead with ambitious plans to build up its renewable energy sector. But perhaps the most interesting thing about this new report is word that Beijing finally intends to sharply reduce the inflated state-set fees now paid for solar and wind-produced power, in one of the sharpest indicators that it expects the industry to stop depending on government support and become commercially viable on its own. Such state support through... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1612827/beijing-finally-tackles-excessive-solar-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1612827/beijing-finally-tackles-excessive-solar-support?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2014 06:36:21 +0000 The microblogging realm has been relatively quiet this past week as Chinese tech executives enjoy the long October 1 holiday. Still, a few couldn't completely stay away from their online accounts, led by TCL's (Shenzhen: 000100) thoughtful Chairman Li Dongsheng who hinted at a possible tie-up with struggling former Taiwanese smartphone giant HTC (Taipei: 2498). Meantime, LinkedIn's (NYSE: LNKD) China chief Derek Shen commented on the current overheated investment environment in China's Internet,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1610558/weibo-tcl-dotes-htc-linkedins-shen-warns-bubble?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1610558/weibo-tcl-dotes-htc-linkedins-shen-warns-bubble?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2014 03:08:12 +0000 So much has been written already about the sudden approval of the iPhone 6 in China, after several weeks of unexplained delays, that I thought I would focus on the broader implications of this surprise move in the ongoing war of words between the US and China over cyber security. I praised iPhone maker Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) in August for emerging as a voice of reason in this war of words after it decided to use China-based servers for to store some of its local user data, and it seems like more... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1609841/cyber-security-wars-pause-iphone-6-nod?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1609841/cyber-security-wars-pause-iphone-6-nod?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Oct 2014 16:53:19 +0000 Senior and mid-level executives from a wide range of Chinese tech firms were on the move this past week, crossing the Pacific to tour some of the top US tech names in Silicon Valley. Stops on the tour, co-organized by a Chinese outfit with the colorful name of Geek Park, included such Internet giants as Google (Nasdaq: GOOG), Twitter (NYSE: TWTR), as well as newer companies like Airbnb and Pinterest, and electric car powerhouse Tesla (Nasdaq: TSLA). But certainly the biggest and most intriguing... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1603828/weibo-tech-execs-call-facebook-silicon-valley-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1603828/weibo-tech-execs-call-facebook-silicon-valley-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2014 03:48:26 +0000 A trio of headlines are shining a spotlight on a new twist in the brutally competitive smartphone market, where national security is suddenly becoming a major new headache for manufacturers. In one headline, Chinese smartphone sensation Xiaomi is being investigated in Taiwan for national security risks related to the storage of local user data on some offshore mainland Chinese-based computers. In a similar news bit, Beijing is reportedly considering forbidding government workers from using... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1600871/national-security-concerns-heat-smartphone-wars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1600871/national-security-concerns-heat-smartphone-wars?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2014 06:33:55 +0000 Two major news events were at the center of the microblogging realm this past week, as tech executives from across the spectrum commented on the blockbuster IPO for Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) and the debut of latest iPhone from Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL). Executives were generally full of praise for the Alibaba IPO, which shattered numerous records when the stock began trading last Friday in New York. But there were also some hints of jealousy, as top executives from fast-fading e-commerce rival Dangdang... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1598017/weibo-alibaba-ipo-iphone-6-draw-praise-comparisons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1598017/weibo-alibaba-ipo-iphone-6-draw-praise-comparisons?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2014 08:23:32 +0000 Several news bits are casting a spotlight on growing stress in the low-end smartphone market, where a crowded field of Chinese companies have been engaged in a cut-throat series of price wars for the past year. Leading the headlines is word that Coolpad, a leading homegrown brand, is cutting 10 per cent of its workforce as it explores a new joint venture with some of its distributors. At the same time, other reports say that China Mobile (0941.HK; NYSE: CHL) won't be coming to the rescue of... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1595376/smartphone-stress-coolpad-cuts-china-mobile-naked-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1595376/smartphone-stress-coolpad-cuts-china-mobile-naked-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2014 07:23:44 +0000 Conspiracy talk was buzzing through the microblogging realm this past week, as numerous executives weighed in on two major news events in the China tech world. One of those saw Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) finally unveil its new iPhone 6, only to mysteriously yank China from its global launch map without any explanation. The other saw executives speculating on the significance of and reasons behind the surprise defection of Zhang Yaqin, a longtime China-based Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) executive who... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1593159/weibo-conspiracy-theorists-chat-microsoft-defection-iphone-6-delay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1593159/weibo-conspiracy-theorists-chat-microsoft-defection-iphone-6-delay?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2014 08:49:21 +0000 A couple of smaller deals are in the headlines today, with smartphone sensation Xiaomi dipping its toe into the financial services market and online news portal Phoenix New Media (NYSE: FENG) eying the news feed business. Both deals are relatively small in terms of size, but each provides some interesting insight on the thinking at these two different companies in the tech and new media space. The first deal has Xiaomi joining a group of investors betting on a peer-to-peer (P2P) online lending... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1590205/xiaomi-eyes-finance-phoenix-tries-news-feeds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1590205/xiaomi-eyes-finance-phoenix-tries-news-feeds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2014 08:39:04 +0000 This week’s tech round-up from the microblogging realm is a flurry of interesting but unrelated news bits, as the world gets back to work following the end of the summer holidays. Leading the list is the latest effort by Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) to find a backdoor into China, which comes in the form of a new Weibo account that isn’t verified but has at least one tech executive spreading the word and encouraging people to follow the page. Meantime, online search leader Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) generated... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1588471/weibo-facebooks-new-shop-baidus-new-gadget-xue-manzis-drivel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1588471/weibo-facebooks-new-shop-baidus-new-gadget-xue-manzis-drivel?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2014 01:56:20 +0000 It's rare that one issue dominates the blogosphere among the many tech executives who like to tweet about their companies on their microblog accounts. But the past week saw one such debate occur around a spat between 2 old friends in the smartphone space. In one corner was Luo Yonghao, a celebrity English teacher who in the last few years moved into the highly competitive smartphone space. In the other was Wang Ziru, a self-styled gadget critic who has become quite influential. As many might... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1582925/weibo-smartisan-hammered-qihoo-hints-shakeup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1582925/weibo-smartisan-hammered-qihoo-hints-shakeup?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2014 06:43:23 +0000 I've become a big fan lately of top Internet company Tencent (0700.HK), which has taken a more focused, measured approach to M&A in a recent string of major acquisitions and tie-ups by China's top three web firms. But the company seems to be rapidly moving into M&A overdrive, following word of three major new deals this week alone, none of which looks too exciting or focused. Whereas nearly all of Tencent's tie-ups to date have been with other online firms, the trio of rumored new deals all... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1581396/tencent-ma-overdrive-new-tie-ups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1581396/tencent-ma-overdrive-new-tie-ups?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2014 03:20:58 +0000 Corporate culture is seldom on public display for most of China's top tech firms, even though such culture often determines the success or failure of a company and is well known to industry insiders. The internal cultures at PC giant Lenovo (0992.HK) and smartphone sensation Xiaomi were the subject of chatter in the blogosphere this past week, as executives from inside and outside the companies discussed the less visible side of these well-known names. In Lenovo's case, the talk came from a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1580536/weibo-lenovo-xiaomi-corporate-culture-ice-buckets-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1580536/weibo-lenovo-xiaomi-corporate-culture-ice-buckets-all?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Aug 2014 07:03:00 +0000 Two of the world's biggest retailers are in the e-commerce headlines, led by a move into Shanghai's new pilot free trade zone by global giant Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN). At the same time, Wal-Mart-controlled (NYSE: WMT) Yhd has become China's first e-commerce firm licensed to operate online drugstores, giving it a potential edge over other rivals also eying the space. Both of these stories highlight how the big international names are trying to use their clout and global connections to carve out a... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1578580/amazon-shanghai-wal-mart-drugstores?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1578580/amazon-shanghai-wal-mart-drugstores?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2014 10:58:39 +0000