Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi, speaks during the SU7 electric car launch ceremony in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Xiaomi surprises with lower-than-expected pricing on new EVs

Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi has launched its much-awaited first electric vehicle, pricing the standard model at 215,900 yuan (US$29,867) to take on Tesla’s Model 3 in the world’s largest EV market.

5 hours ago

BYD expects sales growth slowdown, banks on export surge for profits

BYD, the world’s largest electric-vehicle maker, is targeting a 20 per cent increase in sales this year, just a third of last year’s tally, as overcapacity concerns and a price war loom over the sector in mainland China.

BYD, the world’s largest electric-vehicle maker, is targeting a 20 per cent increase in sales this year, just a third of last year’s tally, as overcapacity concerns and a price war loom over the sector in mainland China.

28 Mar 2024 - 9:00PM

AliExpress hopes to crack European market with Euro2024 football sponsorship

Alibaba’s e-commerce platform AliExpress is betting on the European market by sponsoring Euro 2024, a move that comes after its rival Temu cracked the US market through ads that ran in the Super Bowl.

Alibaba’s e-commerce platform AliExpress is betting on the European market by sponsoring Euro 2024, a move that comes after its rival Temu cracked the US market through ads that ran in the Super Bowl.

28 Mar 2024 - 7:00PM

China’s short video and live streaming sector now has more than 15 million hosts

That expansion shows how short video and live-streaming campaigns have boosted online retail sales on the mainland.

That expansion shows how short video and live-streaming campaigns have boosted online retail sales on the mainland.

28 Mar 2024 - 6:00PM

Amazon invests another US$2.75 billion in OpenAI rival Anthropic

The capital infusion brings Amazon’s total investment in Anthropic, whose other investors include Google, to US$4 billion.

The capital infusion brings Amazon’s total investment in Anthropic, whose other investors include Google, to US$4 billion.

28 Mar 2024 - 1:48PM

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Chinese microblogging platform Weibo has removed fake photos of Tencent founder and CEO Pony Ma Huateng. Photo: Shutterstock

China’s Weibo takes down fake images showing a rapidly ageing Pony Ma

Chinese regulators have stepped up scrutiny of online attacks targeting domestic entrepreneurs, as Beijing looks to restore private-sector confidence to revive a sluggish post-Covid economy.

27 Mar 2024 - 10:30PM

RoboSense reports 111 per cent revenue growth amid higher adoption among carmakers

Hong Kong-listed lidar specialist RoboSense saw its losses widen last year despite higher adoption of its products by carmakers and suppliers, according to a company filing on Wednesday.

Hong Kong-listed lidar specialist RoboSense saw its losses widen last year despite higher adoption of its products by carmakers and suppliers, according to a company filing on Wednesday.

28 Mar 2024 - 12:12AM

iPhone sales in China slumped by about a third in February over prior month

iPhone shipments in China fell by about one third in February from a year ago, according to official state data, a sign that the US tech giant is losing ground to local brands in the world’s No 2 economy.

iPhone shipments in China fell by about one third in February from a year ago, according to official state data, a sign that the US tech giant is losing ground to local brands in the world’s No 2 economy.

27 Mar 2024 - 9:00PM

Apple set to unveil AI strategy at developers conference on June 10

The company is set to unveil iOS 18, which is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone’s software ever, with the new AI strategy front and centre.

The company is set to unveil iOS 18, which is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone’s software ever, with the new AI strategy front and centre.

27 Mar 2024 - 10:01AM

TikTok owner ByteDance steps up generative AI efforts with increased recruitment

ByteDance’s website listed more than 320 generative artificial intelligence-related job openings as of Tuesday, up from 307 vacancies posted a month earlier.

ByteDance’s website listed more than 320 generative artificial intelligence-related job openings as of Tuesday, up from 307 vacancies posted a month earlier.

27 Mar 2024 - 8:35AM

Tsinghua University offers ‘disruptive tech’ programme to undergraduates

China’s prestigious Tsinghua University launched new programme to cultivate disruptive talent amid country’s push for more self-sufficiency in strategic tech sectors.

China’s prestigious Tsinghua University launched new programme to cultivate disruptive talent amid country’s push for more self-sufficiency in strategic tech sectors.

26 Mar 2024 - 11:51PM

ByteDance-owned Douyin launches shopping app to rival Alibaba, JD.com, PDD

This initiative escalates ByteDance’s efforts to expand the reach of its social media operation into a potentially large e-commerce revenue stream.

This initiative escalates ByteDance’s efforts to expand the reach of its social media operation into a potentially large e-commerce revenue stream.

26 Mar 2024 - 10:37PM

Alibaba scraps Hong Kong IPO plan for logistics unit Cainiao

Alibaba has scrapped the planned Hong Kong IPO for its logistics unit Cainiao, deciding to double down on its investment in the strategically important unit.

Alibaba has scrapped the planned Hong Kong IPO for its logistics unit Cainiao, deciding to double down on its investment in the strategically important unit.

26 Mar 2024 - 10:23PM

exclusive | ByteDance to slash 1,000 jobs at office tool unit Feishu to ‘streamline’ operations

ByteDance, owner of hit short video app TikTok, is cutting jobs at its enterprise collaboration unit Feishu, affecting about 1,000 employees, according to a person familiar with the matter.

ByteDance, owner of hit short video app TikTok, is cutting jobs at its enterprise collaboration unit Feishu, affecting about 1,000 employees, according to a person familiar with the matter.

27 Mar 2024 - 8:46AM

Apple picks Baidu’s Ernie Bot for its iPhone 16 in China, report says

Apple taps Baidu’s Ernie Bot to provide AI services for its iPhone 16 in China as CEO Tim Cook tours country.

Apple taps Baidu’s Ernie Bot to provide AI services for its iPhone 16 in China as CEO Tim Cook tours country.

25 Mar 2024 - 7:00PM

3 Body Problem piracy in China shows some American shows can still break through

BitTorrent downloads topped 90,500 on the first day of release, far surpassing those of other popular Netflix series like Squid Game and Stranger Things.

BitTorrent downloads topped 90,500 on the first day of release, far surpassing those of other popular Netflix series like Squid Game and Stranger Things.

25 Mar 2024 - 3:35PM

Meet Teleport, the Australian-designed, Chinese-made robot challenging Zoom

Created by entrepreneur Marita Cheng, Aubot’s Teleport is a mobile teleconferencing robot designed to offer a more natural social experience.

Created by entrepreneur Marita Cheng, Aubot’s Teleport is a mobile teleconferencing robot designed to offer a more natural social experience.

24 Mar 2024 - 7:00PM

Asian courier J&T turns first profit in China as it weathers logistics price war

J&T Global Express made US$58.8 million in gross profit in China while fending off fierce competition from SF Express, STO Express and YTO Express.

J&T Global Express made US$58.8 million in gross profit in China while fending off fierce competition from SF Express, STO Express and YTO Express.

24 Mar 2024 - 12:10PM

Hong Kong’s Animoca Brands enters Saudi Arabia’s Web3 ground floor

The Web3 video gaming unicorn has signed an MOU with Saudi Arabia’s state-backed science park, months after a US$50 million investment in its Neom smart city.

The Web3 video gaming unicorn has signed an MOU with Saudi Arabia’s state-backed science park, months after a US$50 million investment in its Neom smart city.

24 Mar 2024 - 1:36AM

Chinese unicorn Moonshot AI blames chatbot outage on surging traffic

The AI start-up says it is working to expand the service capacity of its Kimi chatbot, which has been adding new users rapidly after announcing a technological breakthrough.

The AI start-up says it is working to expand the service capacity of its Kimi chatbot, which has been adding new users rapidly after announcing a technological breakthrough.

22 Mar 2024 - 9:04PM