https://www.scmp.com/rss/517956/feed The latest news, analysis and opinion on Qihoo 360. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Wency Chen,Ann Cao Wency Chen,Ann Cao China’s tech leaders, including Xiaomi’s Lei Jun, 360 Security Technology’s Zhou Hongyi and Xpeng’s He Xiaopeng, have put forward policy proposals ahead of the “two sessions”, as Beijing seeks to accelerate development in strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence and robotics. The executives aim to promote the industrial use of humanoid robots, speed up the deployment of AI agents and expand computing infrastructure – areas increasingly viewed as key battlegrounds in the global... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3345372/chinas-tech-leaders-urge-faster-ai-humanoid-robot-adoption-two-sessions-proposals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3345372/chinas-tech-leaders-urge-faster-ai-humanoid-robot-adoption-two-sessions-proposals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 06:37:05 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Meta Platforms’ multibillion-dollar acquisition of Manus, a Chinese-founded artificial intelligence agent start-up, has set off a mix of excitement and unease in China’s tech circles, opening what some see as a new “cash-out” route for AI entrepreneurs beyond the traditional IPO playbook. Industry observers said the acquisition was made possible by two key developments: Manus’ progress in building a globally competitive general AI agent and the founders’ decision to relocate the business... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3338316/metas-multibillion-manus-buyout-draws-plaudits-raises-spectre-china-ai-exodus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3338316/metas-multibillion-manus-buyout-draws-plaudits-raises-spectre-china-ai-exodus?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 13:00:09 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang US tech billionaire Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence start-up xAI has open-sourced Grok 2.5, an earlier version of its model series, intensifying the global race to challenge China’s lead in making AI products freely available for anyone to use, modify and share. Musk said on social media platform X.com over the weekend that Grok 2.5, touted as the company’s “best model last year”, was uploaded to Hugging Face, the world’s largest open-source AI platform. He added that Grok 3 would become... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3323049/elon-musks-xai-joins-open-source-ai-race-against-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3323049/elon-musks-xai-joins-open-source-ai-race-against-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Aug 2025 09:00:16 +0000 Wency Chen,Ann Cao Wency Chen,Ann Cao On his visit to Beijing in July, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang received a rock-star welcome as he announced to Chinese state media that Washington had assured the company that export licences for its H20 chips would soon be granted. Warmly greeted by Chinese entrepreneurs and government officials, Huang – who wore a Tang suit and addressed the audience with his rusty Mandarin at the state-backed China International Supply Chain Expo – earned national fame overnight. Just two weeks after Huang... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3322047/nvidias-efforts-please-both-us-and-china-get-harder-h20-becomes-bargaining-chip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3322047/nvidias-efforts-please-both-us-and-china-get-harder-h20-becomes-bargaining-chip?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 04:00:20 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang Taiwan’s collection of cyberhackers may not be sophisticated, but they are “diligent” when it comes to executing attacks on various mainland Chinese targets, according to one of the country’s top cybersecurity experts. Zhou Hongyi, chairman of cybersecurity company Qihoo 360 and a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, China’s top political advisory body, said in an interview with Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV that aired on Wednesday that Taiwanese hackers operated at a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3321084/taiwan-cyberattacks-below-average-widespread-beijing-political-advisor-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3321084/taiwan-cyberattacks-below-average-widespread-beijing-political-advisor-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Aug 2025 09:43:03 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Chinese cybersecurity firm Qihoo 360 is supporting Huawei Technologies for the chips it needs for artificial intelligence (AI) development, signalling a growing trend among Chinese tech companies to back mainland-developed chips in spite of the return of Nvidia’s H20 to the domestic market. Zhou Hongyi, the 54-year-old co-founder and chairman of Qihoo 360, said the company had recently been purchasing Huawei chips as part of its broader strategy to support the local industry, according to an... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3319452/chinese-cybersecurity-firm-360-backs-huawei-chips-despite-return-nvidias-h20?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3319452/chinese-cybersecurity-firm-360-backs-huawei-chips-despite-return-nvidias-h20?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 10:00:13 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng DeepSeek’s namesake chatbot recorded lower downloads and user numbers in the second quarter, according to a new report, as artificial intelligence (AI) apps specifically designed for study or office work gained traction. In the three months to June, the average monthly download of DeepSeek’s chatbot fell 72 per cent to 22.6 million from the previous quarter, when the Hangzhou-based start-up benefited from the wide popularity of its V3 and R1 AI models, according to Monday’s report by market... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3319168/deepseeks-namesake-chatbot-sees-drop-downloads-ai-apps-work-education-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3319168/deepseeks-namesake-chatbot-sees-drop-downloads-ai-apps-work-education-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 11:03:05 +0000 A series of cyberattacks originating from India have been highlighted in recent reports by Chinese cybersecurity firms, with the attacks targeting China and Pakistan, among others. So far, the foreign ministries of China and India have not issued any responses. One cyberattack on the Chinese military, which was intercepted by a cybersecurity organisation in China in December, was believed to be orchestrated by a group of hackers from India. The attack bore striking similarities to previous ones... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3251536/india-has-become-major-source-cybersecurity-threats-china-security-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3251536/india-has-become-major-source-cybersecurity-threats-china-security-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Feb 2024 09:14:17 +0000 IDG Capital, a venture firm with offices in Beijing and Hong Kong, said it’s working to clear up “confusion” over its inclusion on a US Pentagon list of companies with ties to the Chinese military. The company was surprised to discover its name on the list and said that it had not been consulted ahead of time or asked for information. The firm plans to seek clarification and redress. “We are not a Chinese military company, nor do we have any association with the Chinese military, and we do not... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3251202/idg-capital-works-rebut-us-confusion-over-its-inclusion-pentagons-list-companies-ties-chinas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3251202/idg-capital-works-rebut-us-confusion-over-its-inclusion-pentagons-list-companies-ties-chinas?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Feb 2024 02:46:02 +0000 Local Chinese governments are rushing to build rapport with Big Tech companies in the country, as Beijing is once again pinning its hopes on the so-called platform economy to deliver growth and jobs. This year, several Chinese municipalities have already inked cooperation deals with internet giants, whose ability to expand their businesses had been curtailed by Beijing’s two-year effort to prevent the “irrational expansion of capital”. Qihoo 360 is the latest among major Chinese tech companies... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3229324/chinese-local-governments-roll-out-red-carpet-big-tech-firms-beijing-shifts-stance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3229324/chinese-local-governments-roll-out-red-carpet-big-tech-firms-beijing-shifts-stance?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Jul 2023 02:00:15 +0000 Tencent Holdings’ usually low-profile founder and chairman Pony Ma Huateng has sung the praises of the Chinese government’s latest economic guideline, breaking his silence after the gaming and social media empire suffered years of regulatory hostility. The 51-year-old billionaire, who rarely makes public statements, was among the first private entrepreneurs in the country to applaud the 31-point action plan published on Wednesday by the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council, offering... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3228347/tencent-billionaire-founder-pony-ma-hails-chinas-new-plan-boost-private-economy-after-tech-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3228347/tencent-billionaire-founder-pony-ma-hails-chinas-new-plan-boost-private-economy-after-tech-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jul 2023 10:30:08 +0000 China’s ChatGPT-frenzy was on full display at the country’s largest artificial intelligence (AI) fair in Shanghai this week, with local firms eager to show their services despite US sanctions on chips and Beijing’s cautious attitude towards generative AI. At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), a three-day event organised by Chinese authorities to showcase the country’s AI ambitions and capabilities, chat bots and large language models (LLMs) were all the rage. However, ChatGPT,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3226926/chinas-frenzy-over-chatgpt-style-services-full-display-ai-show-despite-beijings-caution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3226926/chinas-frenzy-over-chatgpt-style-services-full-display-ai-show-despite-beijings-caution?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Jul 2023 10:30:13 +0000 Alibaba Group Holding’s development of artificial intelligence (AI) could be in for a bumpy ride, as the company’s outgoing chairman and CEO Daniel Zhang Yong said on Monday that the cloud business group will be hitting the accelerator and also pumping the brakes when appropriate, aligning with Beijing’s goal of trying to simultaneously tame and harness the technology. Zhang, who is set to leave his roles at the e-commerce giant on September 10 to focus on leading Alibaba Cloud, told a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3225442/alibabas-ai-development-could-be-stop-and-go-outgoing-ceo-highlights-regulatory-restraint-speech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3225442/alibabas-ai-development-could-be-stop-and-go-outgoing-ceo-highlights-regulatory-restraint-speech?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jun 2023 13:00:20 +0000 A Chinese tech firm’s explanation of how its ChatGPT-like service complies with China’s strict censorship regime has offered a rare glimpse into how generative artificial intelligence (AI) operates in a tightly controlled internet environment. 360 Security Technology unveiled its ChatGPT-like technology, called Zhinao, or “intelligent brain”, at a ceremony in Beijing on Tuesday, where founder and chairman Zhou Hongyi referenced an embedded “multilevel filtering and moderation” system in his... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3224170/chinas-360-explains-how-generative-ai-adapts-censorship-during-unveiling-its-chatgpt-rival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3224170/chinas-360-explains-how-generative-ai-adapts-censorship-during-unveiling-its-chatgpt-rival?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:00:21 +0000 Baidu’s Ernie Bot ranked top among ChatGPT alternatives offered by Chinese tech companies, according to a recent test conducted by Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with the Xinhua state news agency. The internet search giant’s chatbot, launched in March, led Alibaba Group Holding’s Tongyi Qianwen, voice recognition firm iFlytek’s SparkDesk, and image recognition company SenseTime’s SenseChat in Xinhua’s test of large language models (LLMs). Alibaba owns the South China Morning... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3223804/baidus-ernie-bot-tops-chinese-large-language-model-rankings-xinhua-think-tank-lags-openais-chatgpt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3223804/baidus-ernie-bot-tops-chinese-large-language-model-rankings-xinhua-think-tank-lags-openais-chatgpt?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jun 2023 11:00:15 +0000 Ever since Microsoft-backed OpenAI launched its ChatGPT product to critical acclaim last November, a growing list of Chinese tech firms have been rushing to push out competing technology for the domestic market, where the US-made generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot is not officially available. Here is a run-through of some of the leading Chinese competitor products in this emerging technology hotspot: Baidu The Beijing-based search engine was among the first Chinese hopefuls to get... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3217617/chinese-tech-firms-are-looking-create-their-own-chatgpt-moment-do-they-match-us-front-runner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3217617/chinese-tech-firms-are-looking-create-their-own-chatgpt-moment-do-they-match-us-front-runner?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Apr 2023 14:00:11 +0000 A group of mainland Chinese and Hong Kong artificial intelligence (AI) experts have joined calls by some global tech veterans to pause development of AI technologies more advanced than GPT-4, warning that the current rate of progress is “too fast”. The Future of Life Institute (FLI), a research facility that researches technological risks to human society, drafted an open letter last month that counts Tesla’s Elon Musk, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and published historian Yuval Harari among... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3215994/several-chinese-ai-experts-back-call-musk-and-others-pause-rapid-development-chatgpt-technologies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3215994/several-chinese-ai-experts-back-call-musk-and-others-pause-rapid-development-chatgpt-technologies?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Apr 2023 23:00:13 +0000 China’s technology entrepreneurs have started to debate how far the country lags behind OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT and its updated GPT4 large language model (LLM), with Baidu’s founder Robin Li seeing a gap of months while Qihoo 360 Zhou Hongyi founder sees a gap of about “two or three years”. Baidu’s Li, who this month unveiled Ernie Bot – the search engine’s rival to artificial intelligence (AI) powered ChatGPT, said in a live broadcast at Geekpark, a community for Chinese technology... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3214999/chatgpt-has-sparked-new-round-soul-searching-among-chinas-tech-heavyweights-over-how-far-country?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3214999/chatgpt-has-sparked-new-round-soul-searching-among-chinas-tech-heavyweights-over-how-far-country?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Mar 2023 14:30:11 +0000 Fang Bingxing, considered the father of China’s Great Firewall, has raised concerns over GPT-4, warning that it could lead to an “information cocoon” as the generative artificial intelligence (AI) service can provide answers to everything. Fang said the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI and now released as the more powerful ChatGPT-4 version, pose a big challenge to governments around the world, according to an interview published on Thursday by Red... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3214074/father-chinas-great-firewall-raises-concerns-about-chatgpt-services?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3214074/father-chinas-great-firewall-raises-concerns-about-chatgpt-services?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Mar 2023 00:00:17 +0000 Several of China’s biggest names in technology have stepped down from their delegate roles in China’s top political advisory body, which announced its latest list of members on Wednesday. Robin Li Yanhong, co-founder and CEO of internet search and artificial intelligence giant Baidu; William Ding Lei, founder and CEO of China’s second-largest video gaming firm by revenue NetEase; and Wang Xiaochuan, founder of the country’s second-largest search engine Sogou, are not among the 2,172 delegates of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3207284/big-tech-cppcc-baidus-robin-li-neteases-ding-lei-no-longer-delegates-chinas-top-political-advisory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3207284/big-tech-cppcc-baidus-robin-li-neteases-ding-lei-no-longer-delegates-chinas-top-political-advisory?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jan 2023 12:15:12 +0000 Chinese optical storage firm Amethystum Storage faces a delisting from Shanghai’s Nasdaq-like tech board amid a fraud investigation, two years after its initial public offering and raising concerns over the rapid increase in listings amid the country’s drive towards greater technology self-reliance. The China Securities Regulatory Commission, the country’s securities watchdog, has fined Amethystum Storage 36.7 million yuan (US$5.1 million) for fabricating sales and profit figures in its... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3200585/amethystum-storage-faces-delisting-after-us5-million-fine-accounting-fraud-raising-questions-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3200585/amethystum-storage-faces-delisting-after-us5-million-fine-accounting-fraud-raising-questions-over?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Nov 2022 13:30:08 +0000 Chinese cybersecurity company 360 Security Technology (Qihoo 360), which has been working with Beijing to track and expose American hackers attacking mainland targets, reported a wider net loss in the September quarter and the departure of its chief financial officer. Shanghai-listed Qihoo 360 on Thursday posted a net loss of 1.56 billion yuan (US$216 million) in the third quarter, compared with a 431 million yuan profit in the same period last year, that it attributed to declining sales and a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3197660/chinese-security-firm-qihoo-360-which-helped-expose-us-cyberattacks-under-review-shanghai-after-big?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3197660/chinese-security-firm-qihoo-360-which-helped-expose-us-cyberattacks-under-review-shanghai-after-big?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Oct 2022 15:30:09 +0000 The US defence department’s latest move to add 13 Chinese technology companies to a blacklist of entities deemed to be tied to Beijing’s military has been met with silence from China, as the Chinese government and business sector have already been bracing for escalating sanctions, analysts said. The blacklisted companies – which include Shenzhen-based DJI Technology, the world’s largest maker of consumer drones; BGI Genomics, China’s largest genomics firm; and infrastructure giant China State... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3195230/tech-war-china-silent-over-pentagon-blacklist-tech-firms-brace-rising?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3195230/tech-war-china-silent-over-pentagon-blacklist-tech-firms-brace-rising?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Oct 2022 15:00:11 +0000 China has slammed alleged US hacking of its top state-funded university, urging Washington to “stop stealing [from] and attacking other countries” and help to maintain cybersecurity. This comes after a joint investigation by the university and cyber sleuths concluded that Trojan attacks which saw nearly 140 gigabytes of high-value data stolen in recent years from networks across China had originated in the United States. The Chinese foreign ministry condemned the alleged hacking, saying “China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3191449/china-slams-us-over-alleged-trojan-horse-attack-university?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3191449/china-slams-us-over-alleged-trojan-horse-attack-university?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Sep 2022 22:00:28 +0000 Newly enacted US legislation that offers financial incentives to tech companies making big semiconductor investments on American soil will further divide Chinese and American academics, analysts say. The US Chips and Science Act, which was signed into law on August 9, offers subsidies of up to US$53 billion for semiconductor investments in the United States. Observers say it is the latest such legislation to target academics in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, who... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3191161/us-chips-act-wedge-push-academics-tech-companies-pick-sides?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3191161/us-chips-act-wedge-push-academics-tech-companies-pick-sides?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Sep 2022 14:00:18 +0000 A database allegedly containing the personal information of 48.5 million citizens based on Shanghai’s health code system has been put on sale online, according to a post on a hacker community website, just one month after a previous alleged data leak involving one billion Chinese residents. In a post on the online hacker community Breach Forum on Wednesday, a poster – using the handle name XJP – asked for US$4,000 to hand over a database based on Shanghai’s health code system containing the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3188746/shanghai-health-code-system-containing-personal-data-485-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3188746/shanghai-health-code-system-containing-personal-data-485-million?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Aug 2022 13:01:06 +0000 Gary Wang, 25, could not pay for all his purchases, but he kept buying anyway. The smartphones and clothes that appeared on the Chinese apps he used for watching short videos or ordering takeaways seemed too good to miss, and the platforms offered easy credit. “It is a lot easier to borrow from platforms than acquaintances,” said Wang, a software tester living in the landlocked Hubei province, who earns a monthly income of 8,000 yuan (US$1,191). By the time he realised he could not afford his... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3185463/too-easy-borrow-debt-plagues-young-people-despite-chinas-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3185463/too-easy-borrow-debt-plagues-young-people-despite-chinas-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Jul 2022 02:00:19 +0000 China’s research institutes have come under a cyberattack launched by the US government, according to China’s cybersecurity authorities. The National Computer Virus Emergency Response Centre in Beijing said on Wednesday that FoxAcid, a hacking program linked to the US National Security Agency (NSA), was found in hundreds of key information systems used by scientific research institutes. The centre said the attack could signal NSA preparations for larger-scale cyberwarfare. “We encourage all... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3183902/china-accuses-nsa-foxacid-hack-attack-science-research-groups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3183902/china-accuses-nsa-foxacid-hack-attack-science-research-groups?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Jul 2022 11:30:18 +0000 Debate about whether China can rely on open source codes, particularly those that originate in the West, has been growing in the country amid rising geopolitical and technology tensions, fanned by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February. One view gaining traction in China, the world’s second-biggest economy and a major consumer of open-source technologies, is that it must become more independent from the global open source community and bolster its indigenous ecosystem to avoid being... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3182835/china-questions-safety-open-source-code-amid-sanctions-and-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3182835/china-questions-safety-open-source-code-amid-sanctions-and-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jun 2022 00:00:12 +0000 For years, the US government and American cybersecurity companies have alleged that China is behind brazen hacks that have pilfered troves of sensitive documents. Chinese government officials have denied the claims and repeatedly accused the US of its own cyber-espionage, without providing evidence. That changed in February, when a well-connected Chinese cybersecurity firm went public with what it claimed was a US National Security Agency campaign aimed at computers in 45 countries and regions,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3179949/chinese-cybersecurity-firm-accused-nsa-hacking-has-global?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3179949/chinese-cybersecurity-firm-accused-nsa-hacking-has-global?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Jun 2022 02:57:46 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng China has re-emerged as a major bitcoin mining hub, despite the country’s complete ban on the practice a year ago, according to data from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) on Tuesday. From last September to January, traffic from China accounted for about 20 per cent of bitcoin’s total hash rate, a measure of the network’s processing power for verifying transactions and mining new cryptocurrency tokens. The uptick in activity came after data suggested it had fallen to zero in... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3178028/china-may-have-massive-underground-bitcoin-mining-operations-despite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3178028/china-may-have-massive-underground-bitcoin-mining-operations-despite?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 May 2022 07:00:16 +0000 Top Chinese communist party officials, including vice premier Liu He and No 4 party ranking member Wang Yang, met Big Tech leaders on Tuesday to encourage them to play a constructive role in the national economy, sending a signal of support to the Chinese tech sector after 18 months of regulatory crackdowns. The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country’s top political advisory body, held a special symposium on Tuesday to promote the digital economy, confirming... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3178017/chinas-top-political-advisory-body-hosts-special-symposium-help?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3178017/chinas-top-political-advisory-body-hosts-special-symposium-help?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 May 2022 03:28:32 +0000 The state-backed China Computer Industry Association has formed a metaverse committee amid the country’s growing interest in the concept, the trade group for domestic computer manufacturers announced on Wednesday. The computer association, which is supervised by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), created the Metaverse Industry Professional Committee to help members join “the new racetrack of the digital economy, and to lead the healthy and orderly development of the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3177349/chinas-state-backed-metaverse-committee-aims-help-industry-join?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3177349/chinas-state-backed-metaverse-committee-aims-help-industry-join?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 May 2022 13:00:21 +0000 A Chinese cybersecurity company subject to US sanctions has alleged that a group of hackers backed by the US government has been attacking China for over a decade. Qihoo 360, founded by Chinese entrepreneur Zhou Hongyi, said in a recent report that a hacking group known as APT-C-40 is affiliated with the US government and has been secretly attacking China’s leading companies, governments, research institutes and infrastructures over the past decade. This is the second time in a month that Qihoo... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3171587/china-cybersecurity-firm-alleges-us-national-security-agency-behind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3171587/china-cybersecurity-firm-alleges-us-national-security-agency-behind?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Mar 2022 15:00:25 +0000 China Mobile is planning what could be the world’s second-largest initial public offering (IPO) this year, almost a year after delisting from the New York Stock Exchange. The world’s largest mobile network operator by subscribers will sell between 845.7 million and 972.6 million shares, inclusive of an over-allotment option to meet strong investor demand, at 57.58 yuan each in Shanghai, according to an exchange filing. The proceeds of 56 billion yuan (US$8.78 billion) would also rank as the... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3160489/china-mobile-set-raise-us878-billion-shanghai-ipo-complete?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3160489/china-mobile-set-raise-us878-billion-shanghai-ipo-complete?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Dec 2021 01:36:09 +0000 Apple was ordered to pay 12 million yuan (US$1.9 million) to a Chinese online publisher in an initial ruling handed down by the Tianjin Binhai People’s Court on Monday, months after the country’s highest court decided against the US technology giant in another lawsuit. That ruling in favour of the Tianjin subsidiary of COL Digital Publishing Group, which has been locked in a legal battle with Apple for a decade, found that several unnamed apps on the US firm’s online App Store in mainland China... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3154904/apple-pay-us19-million-online-chinese-publisher-copyright?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3154904/apple-pay-us19-million-online-chinese-publisher-copyright?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Nov 2021 13:14:59 +0000 Labour exploitation is often a product of unchecked management power. In China’s tech industry, labour exploitation occurs in the form of the “996” work culture. This culture, in which employees often work from 9am to 9pm, six days a week, has provoked nationwide debate as China’s tech workers, most of them young and college-educated, take to the internet to complain. The tone for this culture is set at the top. Alibaba’s founder defended the 996 schedule as “a huge blessing” as these companies... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3154115/chinas-996-work-culture-labour-exploitation-another-name?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3154115/chinas-996-work-culture-labour-exploitation-another-name?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Oct 2021 18:00:27 +0000 This is the sixth and final part in a series of stories looking at China’s Xinjiang province and how the far-western region is coping economically under a series of US sanctions over alleged human rights violations and the widespread use of forced labour. Since 2017, China has faced international criticism over alleged forced labour, genocide and other abuses against the Uygur Muslim population in Xinjiang province. Beijing has continually denied these allegations. “Since at least March 2017,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3145489/xinjiang-timeline-key-dates-events-china-denies-western?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3145489/xinjiang-timeline-key-dates-events-china-denies-western?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Oct 2021 14:15:16 +0000 Some of the biggest names in China’s tech industry made an appearance at the World Internet Conference (WIC) in Wuzhen on Sunday to pledge support for the country’s “common prosperity” and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) nearly a year after the government began an extensive crackdown on the sector. Xiaomi co-founder Lei Jun and Alibaba Group Holding CEO Daniel Zhang Yong were two of the more high-profile names to deliver speeches at the state-run conference. Both men asserted their... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3150191/chinese-tech-moguls-pledge-support-xi-jinpings-common-prosperity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3150191/chinese-tech-moguls-pledge-support-xi-jinpings-common-prosperity?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Sep 2021 13:33:16 +0000 China’s largest tech companies, including Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings, are rushing to announce donations amounting to almost 1 billion yuan (US$154 million) to flood relief efforts in central Henan province where heavy rains have killed at least 12 in the capital city of Zhengzhou and displaced over 100,000 throughout the province. Alibaba, the owner of the South China Morning Post, has announced a 100 million yuan donation to Henan. Its payment affiliate Ant Group will also... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3141928/floods-central-china-alibaba-tencent-bytedance-and-meituan-rush?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3141928/floods-central-china-alibaba-tencent-bytedance-and-meituan-rush?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jul 2021 06:10:57 +0000 The United States and its allies have accused China of hacking a Microsoft email server as part of a state-backed campaign, adding to growing claims of Chinese involvement in high-profile cyberattacks. Already an issue between China and the US before their relations deteriorated, cyber espionage has become another of the fronts on which Beijing and Washington are set to confront each other in the coming years. A coalition of accusers The US, Britain, the European Union and Nato on Monday accused... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3141865/what-are-hacking-accusations-against-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3141865/what-are-hacking-accusations-against-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jul 2021 14:30:15 +0000 Cyberspace has become the latest front in tensions between China and the United States, with each accusing the other of widespread hacking. The war of words between the two largest economies started on Monday when the US and its allies said cyber actors working with China’s Ministry of State Security had sponsored a massive hack of the Microsoft Exchange email software. Beijing hit back, rejecting the claims and accusing the US of “indiscriminate eavesdropping across the world”. “The US mustered... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3141765/china-rejects-microsoft-exchange-cyber-hacking-charge-accuses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3141765/china-rejects-microsoft-exchange-cyber-hacking-charge-accuses?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jul 2021 04:22:17 +0000 Pony Ma Huateng, the founder and CEO of Tencent Holdings, China’s most valuable internet conglomerate, said technology can be used for good in an appearance at an artificial intelligence conference (AI) in Shanghai on Thursday, avoiding any mention of Beijing’s recent crackdown on Big Tech. In a speech delivered remotely by audio, delegates at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Thursday heard Ma talk about the collaboration between his company and the National... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3140321/tencent-boss-pony-ma-promotes-tech-good-shanghai-ai-conference-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3140321/tencent-boss-pony-ma-promotes-tech-good-shanghai-ai-conference-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jul 2021 07:59:13 +0000 Beijing ordered domestic app stores to remove 90 apps on Thursday over the alleged “irregular collection of personal information” in a show of strength from regulators that have been increasingly cracking down on how tech companies manage data. China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced that the apps were being taken “offline” for an indefinite period. The affected apps include online ticket booking platform Damai, online travel booking app Tuniu, China’s biggest... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3133493/beijing-removes-90-apps-crackdown-information-collection-flexing-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3133493/beijing-removes-90-apps-crackdown-information-collection-flexing-new?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 May 2021 10:00:07 +0000 The US and China are now engaged in a full-blown tech war. It began under the Trump administration but is continuing under US President Joe Biden. In fact, Biden has cast US competition with China as the most important front in a generational struggle between democracy and autocracy.  US-China tech war: calls for more tech bans on China get louder in Washington The tech war started as a trade dispute, but soon morphed into a battle for leadership in core technologies like 5G, artificial... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3130587/us-china-tech-war-everything-you-need-know-about-us-china-tech-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3130587/us-china-tech-war-everything-you-need-know-about-us-china-tech-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Apr 2021 22:00:12 +0000 A browser owned by Alibaba Group Holding and a search engine from security giant Qihoo 360 are among several apps that have disappeared from major Chinese app stores after being named and shamed by state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) in its recently aired annual consumer rights show, intensifying Beijing’s campaign against unauthorised collection and use of personal data and other malpractices by tech companies. UC Browser, 360 Search and a host of other tech products were called... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3125793/china-orders-more-apps-removed-crackdown-personal-data-violations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3125793/china-orders-more-apps-removed-crackdown-personal-data-violations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Mar 2021 13:00:09 +0000 China’s market watchdog announced on Monday the updated rules for online sales, including those conducted via live-streaming campaigns, during the country’s annual consumer rights show, which was broadcast nationwide from Beijing to expose cases of fake advertising, data leaks and abuse of facial recognition systems by tech companies. The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) introduced on state-run China Central Television’s (CCTV) 315 Gala show the new Administrative Measures for... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3125667/chinas-big-tech-market-watchdog-reveals-tightened-e-commerce-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3125667/chinas-big-tech-market-watchdog-reveals-tightened-e-commerce-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Mar 2021 10:30:12 +0000 Every year, China’s most notable tech industry leaders are invited to the country’s two most important political meetings, known as the “two sessions”, to help formulate a national vision for the country’s technological development. As delegates of the National People‘s Congress (NPC) and Chinese People‘s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), they submit proposals and suggestions in advance of the meetings, although there is no guarantee those proposals will be enacted as legislation. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3124133/chinas-two-sessions-tech-titans-proposals-echo-government-goals-5g-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3124133/chinas-two-sessions-tech-titans-proposals-echo-government-goals-5g-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Mar 2021 22:00:25 +0000 Tech entrepreneurs at China’s biggest annual political gala next week will be under pressure on two fronts as Beijing pushes its national strategy of technology independence while ratcheting up regulatory scrutiny of their business operations. This year’s meetings, informally known as the “two sessions”, carry even greater importance because they not only kick off the nation’s latest five-year plan, but commemorate the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party too. The event will also be the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3123332/big-tech-set-starring-role-beijings-two-sessions-political-gala-amid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3123332/big-tech-set-starring-role-beijings-two-sessions-political-gala-amid?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Feb 2021 02:00:17 +0000 The long hours and gruelling schedules of the so-called “996” work culture have been the scourge of workers in the Chinese tech industry for many years. The term, which means working from 9am to 9pm six days a week, has led many white-collar professionals to start self-identifying as “labourers,” or dagong ren – a term commonly used by blue-collar workers.  But not everyone working in the technology industry is subscribing to this hectic work schedule, with some deciding to take the opposite... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3122448/burned-out-chinese-tech-workers-becoming-buddhist-entrepreneurs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3122448/burned-out-chinese-tech-workers-becoming-buddhist-entrepreneurs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Feb 2021 12:15:14 +0000