Alibaba

Baidu

ByteDance

Meituan

Pinduoduo

Tencent

Most Followed

KrASIA Connection

China's Auto Sector

Earnings Reports

Inside China's Startups

Venture Roundup

Our Events

View All

Collections

News

Features

Insights

Ecosystem

DeepSeek

Kuaishou

Li Auto

Xiaohongshu

Xiaomi

Xpeng

On the Radar

China is turning to its RMB 10.9 trillion housing provident fund to boost the property market as banks tighten mortgage lending. The fund now backs RM…

Events

Latest

About

36Kr (EN)

Consumer

Robotics

Fintech

What lies beyond familiar frontiers? Investigate emerging tech—like quantum computing and AI—transforming traditional sectors.

Deep Tech

How does automation advance industry? Analyze robotic arms, drones, and AI-driven tools reshaping manufacturing and services.

China

The startup is building bots that prioritize emotional presence over technical perfection, hoping that’s what wins over families.

Joyin races to rewire homes with emotionally aware robots

Decoding China&#039;s tech and business pulse

KrASIA

36Kr is China's most influential business and technology network, delivering high-quality content focused on China’s innovation and new economy trends since 2010. With its extensive traffic and network, 36Kr has built a comprehensive database and strong data analytics capabilities to provide insights into China’s technology landscape.

36Kr English

What sets the bar for convenience? Examine on-demand platforms, subscription models, and personalization transforming consumer expectations.

Consumer Economy

What grounds digital progress in physical form? Analyze chipsets, sensors, and advanced components driving device performance.

Hardware

With a Kickstarter hit in UV printing and new boundary-free robotic mowers, Anker’s sub-brands are reentering markets where it once stumbled.

Eufy and EufyMake mark Anker’s second act in lawn mowers and UV printing

How do markets shape wealth creation? Study portfolio diversification, asset classes, and strategies balancing growth and risk.

Investment

When do companies invite public investment? Understand listing criteria, underwriter roles, and regulatory steps defining initial offerings.

Why do firms join forces? Investigate synergy goals, valuation methods, and negotiations driving corporate consolidation.

Merger &amp; Acquisition

What happens after acquisitions close? Examine deal structures, operational improvements, and exit strategies molding corporate outcomes.

Private Equity

What fuels startup ecosystems? Review funding rounds, investor strategies, and market insights guiding entrepreneurial growth.

Venture Capital

Australia

India

Oceania

Singapore

Southeast Asia

Bringing you the latest updates on funding deals and activities in the Asia Pacific.

Deals in brief: RadNet acquires See-Mode, Syfe raises additional Series C funding, latest China deals, and more

An alias used when humans and machines team up in our newsroom. Articles under this byline may be shaped with the help of AI, but are always vetted by a human before publication.

Sudo Lim

KrASIA tracks China’s tech and business stories—alongside key developments across the broader Asia Pacific region.

Header Section | KrASIA

Home

Sections

Header Section

China is turning to its RMB 10.9 trillion housing provident fund to boost the property market as banks tighten mortgage lending. The fund now backs RMB 8.1 trillion in home loans, with cities easing rules and cutting rates to expand access. While demand remains soft, the fund is filling a key financing gap.

Jewelry brand Lao Feng Xiang will launch its first AI-powered smart glasses in July, targeting elderly users with voice, visual, and call features. Co-developed with <a href="/company/bytedance">ByteDance’s</a> Volcano Engine and powered by the Doubao large model, the device marks the jeweler’s entry into <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> wearables.

Global wrist-worn device shipments rose 10.5% YoY to 45.57 million units in Q1 2025, driven by China’s 37.6% surge to 17.62 million units amid government subsidies. IDC data show smartwatch and band shipments grew 4.8% and 34%, respectively, with China’s band segment alone jumping nearly 68%.

AliExpress is piloting car sales in the Middle East as part of its global 618 campaign, offering <a href="/industry/ev">EVs</a> from <a href="/company/byd">BYD</a>, <a href="/company/xiaomi">Xiaomi</a>, and others under its subsidy-backed export program. The move extends Alibaba’s cross-border strategy beyond automotive parts, tapping into demand for Chinese-made vehicles overseas.

X Square Robot founder Wang Qian said deploying <a href="/industry/robotics">humanoid robots</a> in factories is “just a PR stunt,” arguing that structured industrial settings do little to advance general-purpose <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a>. True progress, he added, depends on training models in open-ended and unpredictable environments, not repetitive tasks.

Shenzhen-based startup Digit has raised an eight-figure RMB sum in an angel plus round led by Cowin Capital to expand R&amp;D, refine its <a href="/industry/robotics">humanoid robots</a>, and boost delivery capacity. Its Juhao platform powers robots tailored for retail, service, and cultural sectors, with over 1,000 units expected to ship by the end of 2025.

Trip.com Group is accelerating its global expansion, opening over 1,100 positions across 75 cities in 23 countries and launching a RMB 1 billion travel innovation fund. With Q1 2025 international bookings up 60% YoY, CEO Jane Sun said the firm aims to double its overseas revenue share within 3–5 years.

Nintendo sold over 3.5 million Switch 2 consoles in four days, marking its fastest hardware launch to date. The company now faces mounting pressure to boost production, manage shortages, and curb scalper activity as it targets 15 million sales by March 2026 amid rising tariff risks.

Trade between China and Africa has grown more than 20-fold since 2000, reaching RMB 21 trillion in 2024 with an average annual growth rate of 14.2%, according to customs data. The China-Africa Trade Index also hit a record high of 1,056.53, reflecting robust economic ties.

Battery tech startup Voltavate has raised AUD 850,000 in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round led by Artesian, with support from Investible, Electrifi Ventures, and several angel investors. The Melbourne-based firm is developing nanomaterial-enhanced battery separators to boost safety, performance, and sustainability, targeting global growth amid rising energy storage demand.

Chinese camera maker Insta360 raised RMB 1.94 billion in its Shanghai IPO, aiming to expand further in the US as demand grows for immersive content linked to wearables and XR devices. Overseas sales make up 80% of its revenue, with the US a key growth driver. Insta360 holds over two-thirds of the global panoramic camera market.

The CEO argues that the future of robotics depends on developing models that can adapt to dynamic, unstructured environments.

“A PR stunt”: X Square Robot CEO says humanoid robots don’t belong in factories, calls for focus on generalization

https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a6b9ace74da9df391d5f7ba1892f4393?s=96&d=blank&r=g

What guides machine-led insights? Uncover AI applications, language models, and decision-making systems transforming sectors worldwide.

Artificial Intelligence

From eldercare to exhibition halls, the startup’s bionic bots blend human likeness with factory-floor grit.

Shenzhen’s Digit raises funding to scale humanoid robots built for both charm and chores

How do ideas shape industries? Learn how content, design, and digital artistry influence branding, marketing, and cultural impact.

Creative

What entertains a connected world? Track shifts in film, music, and media consumption, as platforms and audiences redefine cultural experiences.

Entertainment

Nooka turns books into conversational podcasts, creating a new form of content where storytelling starts with dialogue.

What happens when AI rewrites Kant, and you get to argue with it?

AI Now! is a global AI community of Chinese developers, professionals, and founders.

https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f0ec64bc524c1edf0ae454b5b9aabacd?s=96&d=blank&r=g

China leans on housing fund for recovery

Latest Pulses

Most Recent

“A PR stunt”: X Square Robot CEO says humanoid robots don’t belong in factories, calls for focus on generalization

Shenzhen’s Digit raises funding to scale humanoid robots built for both charm and chores

What happens when AI rewrites Kant, and you get to argue with it?