https://www.scmp.com/rss/518950/feed Wency tells stories that explore how technologies are reshaping society, with a focus on cross-border e-commerce, AI, the supply chain and others. Before joining SCMP, Wency contributed to KrASIA, Wired, Rest of World, World of Chinese, Tech in Asia, Vice China (BIE), Harper's Bazaar, etc. She attended Columbia Journalism School. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Wency Chen Wency Chen A desk with a laptop and a stack of books. A shirt waiting to be folded. A kitchen counter, a milk-tea stand and pile of building blocks – all in a single room. Robots of different shapes face their tasks with focus, controlled by a human operator. Pick up. Place. Fold. Repeat. This is not a film set, it is a data collection factory for embodied intelligence – a de facto “data foundry”. The facility, in Shanghai’s Zhangjiang hi-tech zone, is run by Agibot, a fast-rising robotics company. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351817/hype-or-real-cash-flow-chinas-robot-boom-faces-reality-check-commercialisation-lags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351817/hype-or-real-cash-flow-chinas-robot-boom-faces-reality-check-commercialisation-lags?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 03:00:06 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Ant International, the overseas spin-off of Chinese fintech giant Ant Group, has connected more than 150 million merchants with over 2 billion consumer accounts around the world, as it positions its payments network as core infrastructure for the emerging AI commerce economy. The figures, disclosed at the company’s MoMents 2026 forum in Kuala Lumpur, which ran from Monday to Wednesday, underscore the scale Ant is seeking to leverage amid the rising adoption of artificial intelligence agents. Ant... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351926/ant-international-serves-150m-merchants-2b-consumers-bets-ai-commerce-infrastructure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351926/ant-international-serves-150m-merchants-2b-consumers-bets-ai-commerce-infrastructure?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 01:31:25 +0000 Coco Feng,Wency Chen,Vincent Chow Coco Feng,Wency Chen,Vincent Chow It could be “time-consuming”, “complex” and “difficult” for Meta Platforms to unwind its acquisition of Manus, an artificial intelligence start-up that originated in China, given how far the deal has gone, according to analysts. Beijing’s order on Monday blocking the US$2 billion deal came roughly four months after the acquisition was announced. During that time, Manus – developer of what it described as the world’s first general AI agent – provided Meta employees with unlimited-usage accounts,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351718/meta-manus-ai-deal-difficult-undo-how-will-beijing-exert-its-authority?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351718/meta-manus-ai-deal-difficult-undo-how-will-beijing-exert-its-authority?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:30:09 +0000 Vincent Chow,Wency Chen Vincent Chow,Wency Chen Huawei Technologies’ newest Ascend 950PR and 950DT chips enjoyed “day zero” adaptation to DeepSeek’s latest V4 model, the Shenzhen-based tech giant said in a livestream on Friday, just hours after the model’s release. The hardware-software collaboration between the two Chinese firms underscores the progress China has made in tech self-reliance, a top national priority for Beijing amid US efforts to block its access to advanced semiconductor chips and chipmaking equipment. During the livestream... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351349/huawei-deepseek-strengthen-chinas-ai-self-reliance-collaboration-v4-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351349/huawei-deepseek-strengthen-chinas-ai-self-reliance-collaboration-v4-model?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:30:08 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen The central processing unit (CPU) – the chip technology that drove Intel’s sales and profits for decades but was overshadowed by the graphics processing unit (GPU) in the AI age – is making a comeback. That’s according to Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, speaking on the company’s latest earnings call. “The CPU is [reasserting] itself as the indispensable foundation of the AI era,” he said. “This isn’t just our wishful thinking, it’s what we hear from our customers.” Intel shares rose about 20 per cent in... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3351277/how-intel-riding-cpu-comeback-ai-shifts-and-where-china-stands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3351277/how-intel-riding-cpu-comeback-ai-shifts-and-where-china-stands?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:00:21 +0000 Vincent Chow,Wency Chen Vincent Chow,Wency Chen DeepSeek has finally released its much-anticipated next-generation foundational artificial intelligence model, the open-source V4, which it said was competitive with leading US closed-source models from the likes of OpenAI and Google DeepMind. The Hangzhou-based AI start-up released two versions of the model on Friday, with the V4-pro model boasting 1.6 trillion parameters, making it the company’s biggest-ever model by that metric, while the smaller V4-flash model has 284 billion parameters. A... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351239/deepseek-releases-next-gen-ai-model-world-leading-efficiency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351239/deepseek-releases-next-gen-ai-model-world-leading-efficiency?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:25:33 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Alibaba Group Holding has struck its first external partnership for its flagship consumer artificial intelligence app, linking it with China Eastern Airlines in a move that pushes its agentic capabilities beyond the company’s own ecosystem and into real-world services. The company said the fresh collaboration allowed users of the Qwen app to manage the full flight booking process – from search and ticket purchase to seat selection and check-in – within a single natural-language chat interface.... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351076/alibaba-opens-qwen-app-outside-partners-china-eastern-airlines-tie?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3351076/alibaba-opens-qwen-app-outside-partners-china-eastern-airlines-tie?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 03:12:43 +0000 Wency Chen,Ben Jiang Wency Chen,Ben Jiang Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek has begun raising external capital for the first time, but is keeping its initial fundraising round deliberately small to limit equity dilution while retaining key talent, according to people familiar with the matter. The Hangzhou-based company, a spin-off from hedge fund High-Flyer, is seeking to sell no more than 3 per cent of its equity, said three investors with direct knowledge of the plans, who requested anonymity as the information is... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351004/why-chinas-cash-rich-ai-firm-deepseek-still-shopping-funding-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3351004/why-chinas-cash-rich-ai-firm-deepseek-still-shopping-funding-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Ji Siqi,Coco Feng,Wency Chen Ji Siqi,Coco Feng,Wency Chen China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has levied more than 3.6 billion yuan (US$527.3 million) in fines on seven e-commerce and food delivery platforms and their representatives following an investigation, the regulator announced on Friday. SAMR said the seven platforms, which included retail and food delivery mainstays Pinduoduo (PDD), Meituan and JD.com, failed to properly verify food vendor licences and knowingly allowed unverified “ghost” catering services to operate. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3350444/chinas-e-commerce-platforms-hit-36b-yuan-fine-food-safety-violations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3350444/chinas-e-commerce-platforms-hit-36b-yuan-fine-food-safety-violations?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:11:57 +0000 Wency Chen,Yulu Ao Wency Chen,Yulu Ao Manycore Tech, a design software developer hailed as one of Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons”, made its trading debut in Hong Kong on Friday, with shares rising 172 per cent at the open, as the company positions itself at the intersection of artificial intelligence and the physical world. The stock opened at HK$20.70, surging 172 per cent from its HK$7.62 offer price before ending the day at HK$18.60, up 144 per cent. The firm raised HK$1.09 billion (US$160 million) from its initial public... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350387/manycore-one-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-surges-hong-kong-ipo-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350387/manycore-one-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-surges-hong-kong-ipo-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 01:32:52 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen The latest US restrictions on Chinese telecoms operators could ultimately force them out of the American market, analysts said, marking an escalation in Washington’s multi-year crackdown on Chinese technology. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said on Thursday that it was considering broader measures to bar Chinese telecom carriers from operating data centres in its territory, further restricting Chinese telecoms carriers’ access to US networks and infrastructure. China Mobile,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349699/china-telecoms-face-us-exit-risk-fcc-deepens-crackdown-data-centres?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349699/china-telecoms-face-us-exit-risk-fcc-deepens-crackdown-data-centres?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:55:29 +0000 Wency Chen,Yulu Ao Wency Chen,Yulu Ao Manycore Tech, a spatial design software developer and one of Hangzhou’s fast-rising “Six Little Dragons”, launched its Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) on Thursday, aiming to raise about HK$1.02 billion (US$130 million). Manycore is issuing about 161 million shares, of which 90 per cent have been set aside for institutional investors and the rest for retail investors in Hong Kong. The shares are priced between HK$6.72 and HK$7.62 each, valuing the company at between HK$11.4 billion and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349471/hangzhou-six-little-dragons-member-manycore-seeks-us130m-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349471/hangzhou-six-little-dragons-member-manycore-seeks-us130m-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:09:20 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Artificial intelligence has emerged as the driving force behind global trade growth, fuelled by a surge in data-centre buildouts at a time when geopolitical tensions are redrawing trade flows, according to McKinsey & Company. Global trade grew 6.5 per cent last year, outpacing the world economy, with AI-linked goods accounting for about one-third of that increase, McKinsey’s research showed. The category – including semiconductors, graphics cards, routers and servers – has been propelled by the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349424/ai-fuels-global-trade-growth-china-us-flows-shift-mckinsey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349424/ai-fuels-global-trade-growth-china-us-flows-shift-mckinsey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:00:08 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Rokid, a Hangzhou-based maker of smart glasses, is preparing to file for a Hong Kong listing as early as the end of April, according to sources familiar with the matter, as artificial intelligence-powered eyewear gains traction in the mainstream market. The planned listing comes as global and domestic technology groups including Meta Platforms and Apple, as well as China’s Alibaba Group Holding – through the brand name Quark – Baidu, Xiaomi and Huawei Technologies, all rush into the market.... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349267/chinese-ai-glasses-maker-rokid-planning-hong-kong-ipo-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349267/chinese-ai-glasses-maker-rokid-planning-hong-kong-ipo-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Xiaomi has raised prices on several smartphone models, joining a broader wave of increases across China’s handset makers as surging memory chip costs ripple through the global consumer electronics supply chain. The company said on Friday that prices for three models would rise by about 200 yuan (US$29), with the adjustments taking effect next Saturday. The move follows similar increases by domestic peers including Oppo, Vivo and Honor in March. Xiaomi attributed the hike to “continued sharp... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348944/xiaomi-lifts-handset-prices-memory-chip-crunch-ripples-through-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348944/xiaomi-lifts-handset-prices-memory-chip-crunch-ripples-through-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:00:13 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen CAS Space, a leading Chinese commercial rocket maker, has filed for a listing on Shanghai’s tech-focused Star Market, joining a growing queue of private space companies seeking capital as Beijing steps up support for the sector. Founded in 2018 and incubated by the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the start-up plans to raise 4.18 billion yuan (US$600 million) to fund research and development of reusable heavy-lift rockets, spacecraft and liquid-fuel engines,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348774/countdown-starts-chinese-rocket-maker-cas-space-it-sets-course-star-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348774/countdown-starts-chinese-rocket-maker-cas-space-it-sets-course-star-market?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:29:28 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Manycore Tech, a Hangzhou-based developer of spatial design software, has passed its listing hearing in Hong Kong, moving a step closer to an initial public offering (IPO) as it pushes deeper into what it calls “spatial intelligence” – the integration of artificial intelligence with the physical world. The company is one of Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons” – a group of rising start-ups that includes AI developer DeepSeek, robotics firms Unitree Robotics and Deep Robotics, Black Myth creator Game... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348377/firing-manycore-first-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-near-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348377/firing-manycore-first-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-near-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Yuanjie Semiconductor Technology, a Chinese maker of laser chips for optical communications, has emerged as one of the mainland exchanges’ biggest beneficiaries of the artificial intelligence infrastructure boom – with its shares rising nearly ninefold over the past year as it pursues a Hong Kong listing. The Shaanxi-based integrated device manufacturer, whose shares closed at 1,100 yuan on Friday, now ranks second by share price among mainland-listed companies, trailing only Kweichow Moutai at... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348311/what-makes-yuanjie-chinese-optical-chip-star-and-hong-kong-ipo-candidate-stand-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348311/what-makes-yuanjie-chinese-optical-chip-star-and-hong-kong-ipo-candidate-stand-out?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:00:06 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen A string of Chinese analogue chipmakers have announced price increases in step with their international peers, as a broader pricing wave sweeps across the semiconductor supply chain – a shift that analysts say could hand China’s mature-node producers a rare window to gain ground. Novosense Microelectronics, SG Micro, Fortior Technology, Halo Microelectronics, Silan Micro and Kiwi Instruments are among the domestic firms recently raising prices, in line with global leaders including Texas... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3348284/chinese-analogue-chipmakers-join-wave-global-price-rises-mature-node-firms-eye-gains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3348284/chinese-analogue-chipmakers-join-wave-global-price-rises-mature-node-firms-eye-gains?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:00:13 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen PDD Holdings, the Chinese e-commerce group behind Pinduoduo and global budget marketplace Temu, on Wednesday reported an 11 per cent drop in quarterly profit amid higher sales as the company continued a pivot towards greater reinvestment. Net profit for the quarter fell to 24.5 billion yuan (US$3.6 billion), missing a consensus analyst estimate of 29.1 billion yuan. Meanwhile, revenue rose 12 per cent from a year earlier to 123.9 billion yuan, aligning with a consensus analyst estimate of 123.7... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3347894/pinduoduo-operator-pdds-profit-slides-chinese-firm-cites-higher-reinvestment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3347894/pinduoduo-operator-pdds-profit-slides-chinese-firm-cites-higher-reinvestment?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:45:50 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen China’s Unitree Robotics has filed for a long-awaited initial public offering (IPO) on Shanghai’s Star Market, seeking to raise about 4.2 billion yuan (US$607.8 million). Widely seen as a bellwether for China’s emerging humanoid robotics industry, Unitree’s listing, if approved, could become a landmark test of investor appetite for so-called embodied AI companies. Here is what you need to know about Unitree, including how it makes a profit while peers are still burning cash, its shareholder... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347611/inside-unitrees-landmark-ipo-what-know-about-chinas-humanoid-giant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347611/inside-unitrees-landmark-ipo-what-know-about-chinas-humanoid-giant?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:45:08 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen “Tokens are the new commodity,” said Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, clad in his iconic leather jacket, at the company’s annual flagship developer conference, GTC, last week in San Jose, California. The chip designer’s helmsman wants to recast his company not as a silicon vendor but as the architect of what he calls “AI [artificial intelligence] factories”, whose standard product is “token”. While Nvidia is busy writing the rules of a new token economy, a parallel debate is emerging in China around the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3347495/how-china-could-dominate-ai-eras-tokenomics-vast-power-grids-and-low-cost-models?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3347495/how-china-could-dominate-ai-eras-tokenomics-vast-power-grids-and-low-cost-models?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 23:30:22 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Unitree Robotics, a Hangzhou-based maker of quadruped and humanoid robots, has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) on Shanghai’s Star Market, seeking to raise 4.2 billion yuan (US$610 million) as revenue and profits surge on the back of rising interest in embodied artificial intelligence. The listing application has been formally accepted by Shanghai’s exchange following a “preliminary review” on Friday. The 10-year-old company recorded revenue of 1.71 billion yuan last year, up 335 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347365/chinas-unitree-robotics-rides-humanoid-tide-it-targets-us610m-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347365/chinas-unitree-robotics-rides-humanoid-tide-it-targets-us610m-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:00:16 +0000 Coco Feng,Wency Chen Coco Feng,Wency Chen ByteDance has struck a deal to sell its gaming studio Moonton to Savvy Games Group, a Saudi gaming company owned by the country’s sovereign wealth fund, for more than US$6 billion, according to information from the two sides on Friday. Moonton, known for the popular online battle title Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, recently signed an agreement to sell to Savvy, owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Moonton CEO Zhang Yunfan said in an internal memo on Thursday seen by the South China... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347352/bytedance-sells-games-studio-moonton-saudi-firm-over-us6-billion-amid-pivot-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347352/bytedance-sells-games-studio-moonton-saudi-firm-over-us6-billion-amid-pivot-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:32:59 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Alibaba Group Holding on Thursday said it aimed to generate US$100 billion in annual external revenue from its combined cloud and AI businesses within five years after disclosing for the first time the production progress of its T-Head chip unit, even as it missed its quarterly earnings estimates. “Over the past three months, token consumption on the Model Studio platform has grown by six times,” said CEO Eddie Wu Yongming on the earnings call, adding that model-as-a-service offerings would... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347177/alibaba-discloses-gpu-production-first-time-quarterly-profit-misses-estimates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347177/alibaba-discloses-gpu-production-first-time-quarterly-profit-misses-estimates?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:39:03 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Apple CEO Tim Cook kicked off his first tour of China this year on Wednesday, while the iPhone maker’s chief operating officer visited key suppliers, including Foxconn and Sunwoda, in a sign of the company’s continued focus on the country’s huge market and manufacturing ecosystem. Cook turned up at an Apple Store in Chengdu, the capital of southwestern Sichuan province, in the afternoon as part of the company’s 50th anniversary celebrations. He interacted with celebrities and customers,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347062/apples-tim-cook-visits-china-reliance-chinese-supply-chains-endures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347062/apples-tim-cook-visits-china-reliance-chinese-supply-chains-endures?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Xinyi Wu,Wency Chen,Coco Feng Xinyi Wu,Wency Chen,Coco Feng The cloud-computing units of Alibaba Group Holding and Baidu are raising prices for certain services by as much as 34 per cent, following similar moves by their American peers earlier this year as artificial intelligence demand and infrastructure costs rise. Starting April 18, Alibaba Cloud’s services running on its AI chips – such as the T-Head Zhengwu 810E unveiled in late January – would cost between 5 and 34 per cent more, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. The price of its Cloud... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347030/alibaba-and-baidu-lift-cloud-prices-34-amid-ai-demand-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347030/alibaba-and-baidu-lift-cloud-prices-34-amid-ai-demand-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:30:08 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen As semiconductor industries across South Korea, Taiwan and Japan contend with possible energy shortages due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, they also face differing levels of vulnerability regarding helium supply, according to Fitch Ratings. Helium, a by-product of natural gas extraction used in semiconductor manufacturing for ultra-clean cooling, leak detection and inert shielding, faces a global squeeze, with Qatar among the world’s most important suppliers. This comes as the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347005/korea-taiwan-chip-sectors-most-exposed-helium-shortage-amid-middle-east-war-fitch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347005/korea-taiwan-chip-sectors-most-exposed-helium-shortage-amid-middle-east-war-fitch?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:15:01 +0000 Iris Deng,Wency Chen Iris Deng,Wency Chen Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group Holding are set to report quarterly earnings this week, against a backdrop of an artificial intelligence boom that is reshaping the global economy and fuelling a frenzy in China around open-source AI agents such as OpenClaw. The South China Morning Post examines market expectations for their results and the key themes investors will be watching. What are the expectations for top line and bottom line performances? Shenzhen-based Tencent, operator of China’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346920/tencent-and-alibaba-quarterly-earnings-preview-key-things-watch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346920/tencent-and-alibaba-quarterly-earnings-preview-key-things-watch?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 01:00:15 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Alibaba Group Holding has reshuffled its artificial intelligence operations, creating a new top level business group and placing CEO Eddie Wu Yongming in charge as the AI and e-commerce powerhouse accelerates its push into the emerging token economy. The company said on Monday it had established the Alibaba Token Hub (ATH) Business Group, which brings all its core AI teams and products together under one umbrella. This includes Tongyi Laboratory – the developer of Alibaba’s Qwen series of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3346789/alibaba-reshuffles-ai-units-new-token-hub-group-led-ceo-eddie-wu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3346789/alibaba-reshuffles-ai-units-new-token-hub-group-led-ceo-eddie-wu?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:19:03 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Chinese smartphone maker Vivo on Monday said it will increase handset prices, citing surging semiconductor and memory costs, joining peers such as Oppo and Honor. Vivo, along with its sub-brand iQOO, will adjust prices from Wednesday, though the scale has not yet been disclosed. The move came in response to the “continued sharp rise in global semiconductor and memory costs”, the company said. Last week, Oppo said it would adjust prices, with the new pricing taking effect on Monday. “We... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346758/chinese-smartphone-makers-vivo-oppo-raise-prices-memory-costs-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346758/chinese-smartphone-makers-vivo-oppo-raise-prices-memory-costs-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 10:30:08 +0000 Wency Chen,Zhang Tong Wency Chen,Zhang Tong China is counting on artificial intelligence (AI) to help the 450 million people living in rural areas left behind by the nation’s economic boom. Farmers are already benefiting from the technology, using AI offerings such as DeepSeek or ByteDance’s Doubao for help with issues like pig rearing, pest control and government subsidies. The State Council’s “No 1 document” of 2026, extended a push for the “digital upgrading” of farming, with an emphasis on the greater integration of AI, drones, robots... https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3346713/ai-narrow-chinas-rural-urban-economic-divide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3346713/ai-narrow-chinas-rural-urban-economic-divide?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:00:11 +0000 Wency Chen,Ben Jiang Wency Chen,Ben Jiang The OpenClaw craze is rapidly driving up prices and depleting stock of Apple’s Mac Mini compact computer across China, according to local sellers, as consumers scramble to secure machines capable of safely running the open-source artificial intelligence agent amid a nationwide rush to “raise a lobster”. Beijing electronics seller Frank Chai said he was asking for a mark-up of at least 500 yuan (US$73) for a basic Mac Mini model, which comes with 16 gigabytes (GB) of memory and 256GB storage and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346538/apples-mac-mini-selling-out-across-china-openclaw-fever-rages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346538/apples-mac-mini-selling-out-across-china-openclaw-fever-rages?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 14:00:11 +0000 Wency Chen,Ann Cao Wency Chen,Ann Cao A wave of caution is sweeping through China’s financial and state institutions over OpenClaw, the open-source artificial intelligence (AI) agent that has recently gone viral. Several brokerages, banks and government bodies have moved to restrict staff access. At one of China’s leading brokerages, an employee, who asked not to be named, said the firm had issued an explicit risk warning earlier this week, banning OpenClaw from company computers. Staff who had already installed it were told to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346331/chinas-financial-institutions-regulators-draw-line-openclaw-ai-frenzy-spreads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346331/chinas-financial-institutions-regulators-draw-line-openclaw-ai-frenzy-spreads?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:20:55 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen China’s semiconductor entrepreneurs – including artificial intelligence chipmaker Cambricon Technologies and testing-and-packaging leader Tongfu Microelectronics – have voiced support for the country’s 15th five-year plan, which places renewed emphasis on the chip industry as a cornerstone of Beijing’s technology ambitions. “National policy direction and planning are very well designed,” said Chen Tianshi, founder and CEO of Beijing-based Cambricon. Speaking on the sidelines of the opening of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345996/chinas-chip-bosses-endorse-semiconductor-push-next-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345996/chinas-chip-bosses-endorse-semiconductor-push-next-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 23:00:11 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen China’s telecom and computing equipment maker ZTE on Friday reported revenue of 134 billion yuan (US$19 billion) in 2025, up 10.4 per cent, with its computing business surging 150 per cent year on year to account for 24.6 per cent of total sales amid the computing boom. However, net profit attributable to shareholders fell 33.3 per cent to 5.62 billion yuan, while net profit excluding non-recurring items dropped 45.5 per cent to 3.37 billion yuan, according to a post-trading earnings filing.... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3345799/ztes-computing-revenue-jumps-150-amid-ai-boom-profits-fall-33?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3345799/ztes-computing-revenue-jumps-150-amid-ai-boom-profits-fall-33?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 07:36:00 +0000 Yulu Ao,Ann Cao,Wency Chen Yulu Ao,Ann Cao,Wency Chen China’s most powerful economic regions – the Yangtze River Delta and the Greater Bay Area – are racing to meet President Xi Jinping’s call for breakthroughs in core technologies including artificial intelligence, as Beijing maps out priorities for the coming 15th five-year plan during the “two sessions”. As part of the annual meeting on Friday, provincial and municipal leaders of Zhejiang province outlined an ambitious strategy to become a key area of AI development and cement the province’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345770/chinas-zhejiang-guangdong-provinces-vie-heed-xi-jinpings-call-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345770/chinas-zhejiang-guangdong-provinces-vie-heed-xi-jinpings-call-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:41:21 +0000 Ben Jiang,Wency Chen Ben Jiang,Wency Chen China has pledged to provide a range of supportive measures to promote the diffusion of advanced technology through all levels of the country’s economy, as Beijing seeks to strengthen frontier industries such as artificial intelligence amid an intensifying rivalry with the United States. In its annual work report, the government urged state-owned enterprises to take the lead in opening their vast industrial ecosystems to emerging technologies, and vowed to supply the necessary funding for all... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345595/china-put-state-owned-firms-capital-work-nurturing-tech-champions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345595/china-put-state-owned-firms-capital-work-nurturing-tech-champions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Vincent Chow,Wency Chen,Enoch Yiu Vincent Chow,Wency Chen,Enoch Yiu Beijing has emphasised the safe and orderly development of artificial intelligence amid growing global anxiety about the disruptive impact of the rapidly advancing technology, as the country’s leaders put the final stamp of approval on China’s next five-year plan at this year’s “two sessions”. The 15th five-year plan elevates China’s AI Plus initiative as a top national priority, according to a draft version of the document submitted for review to the National People’s Congress, China’s top... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3345586/chinas-five-year-plan-emphasises-orderly-ai-development-amid-global-tech-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3345586/chinas-five-year-plan-emphasises-orderly-ai-development-amid-global-tech-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:30:08 +0000 Wency Chen,Ann Cao,Ben Jiang Wency Chen,Ann Cao,Ben Jiang Wang Jian, a prominent Chinese artificial intelligence scholar and director at Zhejiang Lab, said China had both the “resources and responsibility” to make AI more accessible globally at a time when other countries, such as the US, were increasingly acting in their own interests. Speaking to the South China Morning Post on Wednesday on the sidelines of China’s annual legislative “two sessions” meetings in Beijing, Wang said the world remained far from the goal of turning AI into an... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345451/china-poised-expand-global-access-ai-despite-rivalry-us-wang-jian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345451/china-poised-expand-global-access-ai-despite-rivalry-us-wang-jian?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:01:18 +0000 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 Wency Chen,Coco Feng Wency Chen,Coco Feng Chinese technology companies that have rapidly expanded across the Middle East face a sudden test amid Iran’s response to the US-Israel attack, as mounting hostilities disrupt their operations. Several firms that accelerated investment in the region over the past year have temporarily suspended services, shifted staff to remote work and reviewed contingency plans as security risks mount in the short term. Baidu, which began operating its Apollo robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3345148/iran-war-disrupts-chinese-tech-firms-middle-east-operations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3345148/iran-war-disrupts-chinese-tech-firms-middle-east-operations?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen The artificial intelligence boom has swept through consumer electronics – from smart wearables and AI-powered home devices to voice-interactive toys and robotic pets – but its most significant impact may be on the interface itself. Technology is moving off the screen and onto the face, with smart glasses increasingly seen as the next frontier. “The next interaction revolution will happen right in front of our eyes – driven by AI agents and the inevitable miniaturisation of hardware,” said Wu... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344101/next-interface-race-how-ai-bringing-smart-glasses-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344101/next-interface-race-how-ai-bringing-smart-glasses-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 06:38:47 +0000 Wency Chen,Vincent Chow Wency Chen,Vincent Chow China’s leading humanoid robotics companies dominated the opening of this year’s Spring Festival Gala, the annual variety spectacle staged by state broadcaster CCTV that offers a rare nationwide marketing platform akin to the US Super Bowl, highlighting the central role of the industry in Beijing’s industrial policy. Four robotics firms – Hangzhou-based Unitree, Wuxi-based Magiclab, Beijing-based Galbot and Noetix – had announced partnerships with this year’s gala in deals said to be valued at... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343634/chinas-tech-companies-vie-attention-cctvs-festival-gala-years-biggest-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343634/chinas-tech-companies-vie-attention-cctvs-festival-gala-years-biggest-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen China’s supply chain is stepping up investments in liquid cooling technology as the global AI build-out pushes data centre power densities to levels that air cooling can no longer efficiently handle. Dozens of Chinese listed companies have in recent months announced plans to expand into, or ramp up, liquid-cooling systems as demand surges for technology that uses circulating fluids to keep racks of AI chips from overheating. Among them are HVAC specialist Sanhua Intelligent Controls, electronics... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343582/china-moves-deeper-liquid-cooling-ai-data-centres-push-their-thermal-limits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343582/china-moves-deeper-liquid-cooling-ai-data-centres-push-their-thermal-limits?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 08:00:13 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Artificial intelligence chip designer Enflame Technology on Wednesday entered the inquiry stage of its initial public offering, moving a step closer to joining a string of high-profile semiconductor sector listings on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s technology-focused Star Market. The listing of the Shanghai-based unicorn is the next closely watched chip offering, as investor appetite for domestic AI chipmakers remains strong. In this explainer, the South China Morning Post examines the next steps... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343336/will-chinese-ai-chip-designer-enflames-shanghai-ipo-be-another-blockbuster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343336/will-chinese-ai-chip-designer-enflames-shanghai-ipo-be-another-blockbuster?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:20 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Before humanoid robots realise their longer-term potential as efficient industrial workers, a more immediate role is emerging in China: on-demand entertainment. For 999 yuan (US$145), customers can now rent a humanoid robot to dance, perform and pose to order. That proposition is being trialled by Botshare – known in Chinese as Qingtianzu, or “Optimus rent” – which last weekend rolled out a “999 yuan robot experience programme for everyone” ahead of Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342943/factory-floor-dance-floor-humanoids-find-path-market-us145?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342943/factory-floor-dance-floor-humanoids-find-path-market-us145?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Fears that increasingly capable AI agents pose existential threats to the traditional software business have rippled through global equity markets, triggering a sharp sell-off in US software stocks this week and spilling over to China’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) sector. Analysts say the impact on China could be just as profound, but shaped by different structural dynamics. “SaaS growth in China in the next few years will be driven by several leading companies in cloud services and AI –... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3342763/chinas-software-sector-braces-spillover-ai-led-global-sell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3342763/chinas-software-sector-braces-spillover-ai-led-global-sell?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 09:18:22 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been sounding out multiple Chinese solar suppliers in recent weeks, industry insiders and companies confirmed, as the world’s richest man advances his vision for space-based data centres powered by constant solar energy – drawing fresh attention to China’s solar supply chain. The discussions, which have not yet resulted in confirmed orders, triggered a rally in shares of several solar-related companies earlier this week, before sentiment cooled on Thursday. Analysts and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342557/space-computing-push-elon-musks-spacex-shines-beam-chinas-solar-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342557/space-computing-push-elon-musks-spacex-shines-beam-chinas-solar-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 22:00:19 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Innoscience, China’s pioneer in gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors, said it completed design-ins for Google’s AI hardware platforms, signalling continued tech collaboration between Chinese and US companies despite broader geopolitical tensions. The collaboration demonstrated “the company’s leading position in terms of technological advancement, product performance and quality,” Suzhou-based Innoscience said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that it would focus on “fields with high growth... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3342376/chinas-gan-pioneer-innoscience-founded-nasa-scientist-secures-google-ai-hardware-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3342376/chinas-gan-pioneer-innoscience-founded-nasa-scientist-secures-google-ai-hardware-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 09:45:36 +0000