FB Pixel no scriptKrASIA | Decoding China's tech and business pulse
MENU
KrASIA

Insights

China’s coffee market splits in two as Luckin moves upmarket and Mixue digs deeper

7 mins read

Pulses

Alibaba launches Qwen3.6-Plus model

just now
Alibaba
Alibaba has released Qwen3.6-Plus, adding agentic coding and multimodal reasoning with a context window of one million tokens, supporting autonomous code generation and integration across its Wukong platform and Qwen app.

Doubao usage tops 120 trillion tokens

just now
Sina
ByteDance's Volcano Engine said its Doubao model surpassed 120 trillion daily token usage as of March, doubling in three months. It has also launched public beta access to the Seedance 2.0 API for enterprise AI video creation.

WeRide, Grab start Singapore robotaxi service

just now
WeRide
WeRide and Grab have launched autonomous ride services in Singapore's Punggol district, the first in a residential area, after trials covering 30,000 kilometers. The service is free during the initial phase, with commercial operations planned for mid-2026.

Xiaomi hires former Tesla exec

just now
Jiemian News
Former Tesla China executive Kong Yanshuang is said to have joined Xiaomi to oversee automotive sales, as the company strengthens its retail operations while targeting 550,000 vehicle deliveries in 2026.

CaoCao gets driverless test approval

just now
Guandian
CaoCao Mobility has gained approval to test autonomous vehicles without safety drivers in Hangzhou, becoming the city's first to do so, as it advances robotaxi deployment with the target of 100,000 vehicles across 100 cities by 2030.

Miniso’s Top Toy refiles for IPO

just now
Jiemian News
Miniso's Top Toy refiled for a Hong Kong IPO on March 31 with JPMorgan and UBS as sponsors, after its first application lapsed. The toy retailer also reported 2025 revenue of RMB 3.59 billion and profit of RMB 101 million.

Apollo Go starts driverless rides in Dubai

just now
Baidu
Baidu’s Apollo Go began fully driverless commercial operations in Dubai on March 30, deploying fleets under regulatory oversight and partnering with Dubai Taxi Company and Uber, as it expands a global robotaxi network with over 20 million completed rides.

Volvo to run Lynk & Co ops in Europe

just now
Volvo
Volvo has signed a memorandum of understanding with Geely to become the exclusive importer and operator of Lynk & Co in Europe, using its retail and service network to sell and support the brand, while Lynk & Co's global operations remain under Geely.

Moore Threads signs RMB 660 million deal

just now
Moore Threads
Moore Threads said it signed a RMB 660 million contract to supply its KUAE computing cluster to an undisclosed client, with payments staged through 2026. The company said the deal is expected to support revenue growth if fully executed.

iQiyi files for Hong Kong listing

just now
Securities Times
iQiyi has confidentially filed for a Hong Kong listing and approved a share buyback of up to USD 100 million, aiming to expand its investor base and funding channels. The plan remains subject to regulatory approvals, with details yet to be finalized.

TikTok responds to Australia probe

just now
Bloomberg
TikTok said it is cooperating with Australia’s eSafety regulator as it reviews compliance with the country’s under-16 social media law, which took effect on December 10, 2025. The company added that it is focused on strengthening age assurance technology and enforcement, and will continue engaging with authorities as the assessment proceeds.

Chinese ships exit Hormuz strait

just now
Nikkei Asia
Two COSCO-operated Chinese container ships sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on March 30 on their second attempt, becoming the first non-Iranian container vessels to leave the Persian Gulf since the US-Israeli conflict with Iran began on February 28. The ships moved in close formation toward the Gulf of Oman.

Moonshot’s ARR tops USD 100 million

just now
Jiemian News
Moonshot AI’s ARR surpassed USD 100 million in early March, roughly a month after the launch of its Kimi K2.5 model, according to a person familiar with the matter. API token-per-minute quotas have tightened, with some clients offering higher spending commitments and prepayments for priority access.

Alibaba Health partners AstraZeneca

just now
Guandian
Alibaba Health has signed a partnership agreement with AstraZeneca to co-develop digital healthcare services focused on disease management. The collaboration will target areas including respiratory, cardiovascular and metabolic conditions, combining medical expertise with digital tools for patient support.

BYD raises 2026 export outlook

just now
Bloomberg
BYD told analysts it now expects exports to reach 1.5 million vehicles in 2026, about 15% above its previous 1.3 million target disclosed in January, according to people familiar with the matter. The higher goal follows weaker domestic sales and the company’s first annual profit decline in four years, increasing reliance on overseas markets.

Japan slashes BYD EV subsidies

just now
Nikkei Asia
Japan will cut subsidies for BYD cars to JPY 150,000 from about JPY 350,000–400,000 under revised rules that favor automakers using domestically produced batteries. The change, announced by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, take effect in April.

Manycore clears HKEX IPO hearing

just now
21st Century Business Herald
Manycore Tech passed HKEX’s listing hearing on March 29 after updating its post-hearing materials, entering the final phase of its Hong Kong IPO with JPMorgan and CCB International as joint sponsors. The spatial intelligence company reported RMB 829 million in 2025 revenue, 82.2% gross margin, and RMB 57.1 million in non-IFRS adjusted net profit, turning profitable.

Shanghai to host Unitree store

just now
Securities Times
Unitree Robotics will open its first Asia experience center in late May at Jiuguang Department Store in Shanghai’s West Nanjing Road commercial district. The more than 100-square-meter outlet will showcase the company’s full lineup of latest products.

DeepSeek chatbot suffers outage

just now
Bloomberg
DeepSeek's chatbot suffered an outage lasting more than seven hours in China, with issues reported on March 29 evening. The company rolled out multiple updates and said a fix had been implemented, though service stability remained unclear.

ByteDance adds Seedance safeguards

just now
SCMP
ByteDance has added watermarking and IP protection features to Seedance 2.0 ahead of its global rollout on CapCut. The update includes C2PA tagging, IP monitoring, and limits on generating real faces or copyrighted characters following scrutiny from Hollywood studios.
See All

Big TechBig Tech

  • Features

    Alibaba’s Wukong recasts DingTalk as part of AI-native work platform

    6 mins read
    • See All

    AutomotivesAutomotives

    • The lack of an ecosystem is a hindrance, but BYD, Sany, and others are expanding capacity.

      News

      China’s e-trucks are poised to dominate the nascent EU market

      4 mins read

    Retail and CommerceRetail and Commerce

    Market NewsMarket News

    • See All

    Listings (IPO)Listings (IPO)

    • See All

    Earnings ReportsEarnings Reports

    • See All

    Icon for Editor’s PicksEditor’s Picks

    Insights

    The bull case for Chinese automakers, beyond EV margins

    Low EV profits obscure a broader push to expand globally, adapt to local demand, and build long-term positions abroad.

    7 mins read

    APAC SpotlightAPAC Spotlight

    MENA WatchMENA Watch

    Venture RoundupVenture Roundup

    • See All