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

Press Releases

Anker

DeepSeek

Li Auto

MiniMax

Xiaomi

Xpeng

On the Radar

The dispute between battery makers CATL and Hithium has escalated after a former Hithium executive was detained in Ningde over alleged trade secret vi…

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

Forget syntax. This startup’s AI tool builds apps without a single line of code, for users who just want to get back to business.

No code, no problem: How CodeFlying is turning mahjong players and couriers into app creators

Decoding China&#039;s tech and business pulse

KrASIA

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

AI Now!

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

Consumer Economy

How does dinner arrive at your door? Study platform partnerships, last-mile delivery, and culinary trends powering the takeaway economy.

Food Delivery

How do platforms deliver on immediacy? Analyze ride-hailing, instant deliveries, and gig models meeting consumer needs fast.

On-demand Services

How do stores adapt to digital shifts? Explore e-commerce integration, inventory analytics, and omnichannel strategies for modern shoppers.

Retail

Hong Kong

From EVs to Meituan food deliveries and Mixue bubble tea, newcomers are edging out rivals.

Hong Kong retail gets mainland makeover as Chinese brands move in

As part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with Nikkei, you can read selected content from Nikkei Asia on KrASIA.

Nikkei Asia

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

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

The dispute between battery makers <a href="/company/catl">CATL</a> and Hithium has escalated after a former Hithium executive was detained in Ningde over alleged trade secret violations. CATL filed the complaint and submitted evidence to police. The case is separate from a pending unfair competition lawsuit and comes as Hithium faces scrutiny ahead of its Hong Kong IPO hearing.

Forever 21 is making a fourth attempt to reenter the Chinese market, this time through a partnership with a firm partly owned by <a href="/industry/e-commerce">e-commerce</a> platform Vipshop. Supported by new marketing and online storefronts, the brand is seeking to regain relevance in a crowded fast fashion landscape but faces hurdles in brand cohesion and offline growth.

Mexico has raised import taxes on small <a href="/industry/e-commerce">e-commerce</a> purchases from countries without trade agreements, increasing the rate to 33.5%. The change affects goods from China, impacting retailers like <a href="/company/shein">Shein</a> and <a href="/company/temu">Temu</a>. The move is seen as part of Mexico’s strategy to ease US trade tensions while boosting revenue and protecting local industry.

<a href="/company/xiaomi">Xiaomi</a> has reportedly sold 50,000 units of its <a href="https://kr-asia.com/xiaomi-steps-into-smart-eyewear-with-voice-enabled-glasses-built-for-everyday-use">new AI glasses</a> since their June launch and could reach annual sales of over five million pairs within three years, according to a company executive. Priced at RMB 1,999, the glasses feature video capture, translation, and integration with Xiaomi’s smart ecosystem.

Groq is set to raise about USD 600 million in a new round led by VC firm Disruptive, valuing the AI chip startup at roughly USD 6 billion. The deal will double Groq’s valuation and bring its total funding to over USD 2 billion, even as it revises its 2025 revenue outlook.

A potential extension of the US-China tariff pause won’t be finalized without President Donald Trump’s approval, officials said after the latest round of talks in Stockholm on July 29. The current truce is set to expire August 12, after which tariffs could snap back to earlier levels.

China’s solar installations fell from nearly 100 GW in May to under 15 GW in June as developers lost access to fixed-rate subsidies. Authorities are also tightening price controls on solar products to curb bankruptcies and stabilize a market strained by overcapacity and fierce competition.

Anthropic is in advanced talks to raise up to USD 5 billion in a new funding round led by Iconiq Capital, potentially valuing the startup at USD 170 billion. The company has reached USD 5 billion in annual recurring revenue and aims to hit USD 9 billion by year's end. Amazon, GIC, and the Qatar Investment Authority are among those in talks to join.

<a href="/company/li-auto">Li Auto</a> has launched the Li i8, a six-seat electric SUV with dual-motor all-wheel drive, up to 720 kilometers of range, and 5C fast charging. The model features a proprietary drive system, LiDAR-based assisted driving, and a smart assistant powered by Mind GPT. Deliveries are set to begin August 20.

<a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba</a> has launched Wan 2.2, a suite of open-source video generation models built on MoE architecture. The models enable high-quality cinematic video generation from text or images and promise significant improvements in motion control, visual detail, and computational efficiency.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) said the first batch of stablecoin licences will be issued in early 2026, following the city’s new regulatory framework taking effect on August 1. Only a limited number of licences will be granted initially, as the HKMA urges caution and warns against unrealistic market expectations.

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

Creative

Who thrives in a digitally democratized landscape? Discover how independent creators, influencers, and educators monetize content and expertise.

Creator Economy

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

Entertainment

Japan

Masamune Shirow's sci-fi manga universe is thriving 40 years after his debut.

AI will not change humans, says "Ghost in the Shell" creator

AI will not change humans, says &#8220;Ghost in the Shell&#8221; creator

https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/aec5e55596415464d13490d0e0caa9a2?s=96&d=blank&r=g

BYD, a Chinese EV maker, produces electric cars, buses, and batteries, accelerating adoption of sustainable transportation worldwide.

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

How are driverless systems redefining mobility? Uncover sensor technologies, regulatory frameworks, and AI driving cars without human intervention.

Autonomous Vehicles

What powers tomorrow’s roads? Explore EV adoption, charging infrastructure, and battery advances sparking the shift toward sustainable transport.

Electric Vehicles

How is the way we move evolving? Explore developments in autonomous transportation, electric vehicles, and more efficient urban transit.

Mobility

How do goods and people flow worldwide? Examine transport networks, logistics innovations, and policies shaping global connectivity.

Transportation

The Chinese automaker is keeping its foot on the gas in its push toward vehicle autonomy.

BYD says it will stay the course on assisted and smart driving

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.

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

36Kr English

Ant Group, a fintech powerhouse, offers digital payments, wealth management tools, and micro loans, enabling borderless, mobile-first financial services.

Ant Group

What happens when banking goes virtual? Study no-branch platforms, biometric authentication, and seamless financial services.

Digital Banks

How does finance become frictionless? Examine digital banking, payment innovation, and lending platforms redefining financial access.

How do policies adjust to a data-rich world? Explore usage-based coverage, automated claims, and analytics guiding risk assessment.

Insurance

How does credit flow online? Explore digital lending tools, alternative scoring, and services accelerating capital access.

Lending

What streamlines global commerce? Examine digital wallets, cross-border remittances, and instant settlement technologies.

Payments

The rollout reflects a broader shift in financial AI from experimentation to scaled deployment.

CATL-Hithium dispute deepens over trade secrets

Latest Pulses

Most Recent

AI will not change humans, says “Ghost in the Shell” creator

BYD says it will stay the course on assisted and smart driving

Ant debuts finance-focused large model as AI takes hold in banking