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

Tesla is testing its third-generation Optimus humanoid robot at US factories and plans to enter China’s consumer market this year. The V3 model is des…

Events

Latest

About

36Kr (EN)

Consumer

Robotics

Fintech

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

Artificial Intelligence

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

Deep Tech

China

Built to predict the next best word, AI has become adept at reflecting human empathy. For many, that reflection is enough to offer comfort.

“This must be painful for you”: How AI became our emotional mirror

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

Apple designs iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers, coupling sleek hardware with robust software ecosystems and service offerings.

Apple

The US market serves as both the backbone and the driving force behind global technological advancements.

Pang Ruoming built Apple’s foundational AI models, but secrecy and internal gridlock kept his team in the shadows—until he walked.

Trapped by silence: How Apple lost its top AI talent to Meta

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

Hong Kong

Oceania

Singapore

Southeast Asia

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

Deals in brief: Respiree raises Series A funding, HeyMax expands with Krip acquisition, 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

<a href="/company/tesla">Tesla</a> is testing its third-generation Optimus <a href="/industry/robotics">humanoid robot</a> at US factories and plans to enter China’s consumer market this year. The V3 model is designed for household tasks like folding laundry and childcare. Mass production is planned for 2026, with output targeted at 500,000 units annually by 2027 and one million per year within five years.

The US has reportedly frozen export controls on tech sales to China, including <a href="/company/nvidia">Nvidia’s</a> H20 chip, to avoid disrupting trade talks and a potential meeting between national leaders. Security officials warn the pause could aid China’s military ambitions in <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a>, while Nvidia maintains the chip serves civilian uses and meets global demand.

Zhipu AI plans to release its largest open-source model, GLM-4.5, as early as July 28, joining a wave of Chinese firms accelerating open-source <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> efforts, including Moonshot AI and StepFun. The company is also eyeing a Hong Kong IPO that could raise USD 300 million.

<a href="/company/shein">Shein</a> has developed over 170 apparel manufacturing tools since 2023, delivering nearly 6,000 units to suppliers. Created through its innovation center, the tools target production pain points and reportedly raise workflow efficiency by up to 80%.

<a href="/company/baidu">Baidu</a> has received a license to operate fully driverless robotaxis in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area, the city’s first approval for commercial services downtown. The move follows a year of local testing and expands Apollo Go’s footprint in the city, which began in Jiading in 2023.

<a href="/company/huawei">Huawei</a> executive Richard Yu has announced that the next-generation Aito M7 will launch in September. The redesigned model will offer both extended-range and all-electric variants, and will debut a new coral red color option.

Laopu Gold has forecast H1 2025 sales of RMB 14.3 billion and adjusted net profit of RMB 2.36 billion, up 252% and 292% YoY, respectively. With operations across more than 30 malls, the company is expected to average nearly RMB 500 million in revenue per location during the period.

Samsung Electronics has signed a USD 16.5 billion chip supply deal with a global client confirmed by Elon Musk to be <a href="/company/tesla">Tesla</a>, set to run through 2033. The agreement comes as Samsung faces pressure to improve production yields, compete with <a href="/company/tsmc">TSMC</a> in advanced chipmaking, and revive its delayed Texas foundry project.

On July 28, Taobao Shangou and Ele.me announced that joint daily orders exceeded 90 million for two consecutive weekends, excluding zero-cost and self-pickup orders. Earlier in July, the platforms had topped 80 million daily orders for two consecutive Saturdays.

Hengrui Pharmaceuticals has licensed global rights to its HRS-9821 program and granted GSK options on up to 11 additional candidates, excluding Greater China. GSK will pay USD 500 million upfront, with milestone payments tied to development, registration, and sales potentially totaling up to USD 12 billion.

On July 28, Agibot announced it will begin open-sourcing its embodied intelligence operating system in Q4 2025 to build a shared ecosystem for <a href="/industry/robotics">robotics</a>. The company also launched Genie Envisioner, a predictive world model platform for dual-arm robots, and said its X2 robot will enter mass production in the second half of 2025.

China’s tech ecosystem serves as a driving force behind the world’s second largest economy, influencing global digital markets.

Explore East Asia’s thriving tech hubs, global electronics producers, and fast-evolving digital platforms shaping cross-border innovation.

East Asia

Tencent, a Chinese tech conglomerate, invests in gaming, social media, and cloud services, supporting entertainment and connectivity worldwide.

The tech giant signals a deeper push into full-stack AI with its latest round of announcements.

Tencent ups its AI game with a flurry of releases at WAIC 2025

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

China’s tech and consumer brands are expanding across borders, laying the framework for a global lattice.

China Recap | Testing new frontiers

Vicky is a senior reporter based in Hangzhou, covering news about Chinese companies expanding their footprints abroad.

https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/dfe5e445d494bfd7f380c7d91c1df6d9?s=96&d=blank&r=g

Vicky Chang

Former chart toppers like Maoxiang and Talkie now see sharp user declines, weak monetization, and mounting regulatory pressure.

Tesla to launch Optimus robot in China

Latest Pulses

Most Recent

Tencent ups its AI game with a flurry of releases at WAIC 2025

China Recap | Testing new frontiers

Emotional companion apps stumble after early hype