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

Pony.ai has reportedly secured a permit to operate fully driverless commercial Robotaxi services in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area. Launching in Jinqiao a…

Events

Latest

About

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

What began as a crowdsourced knowledge base now spans 37 cities, driven by a culture of curiosity, co-building, and radical openness.

From a shared doc to nine million members: How WaytoAGI grew into a global AI tribe

Decoding China&#039;s tech and business pulse

KrASIA

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

AI Now!

Companies are buying rivals and tapping into e-commerce to gain market share.

Chinese consumer brands surge in Southeast Asia, challenge legacy names

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

Hong Kong

Malaysia

Singapore

Southeast Asia

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

Deals in brief: Chocolate Finance raises Series A+ funding, Gobi Partners backs NanoSkunkWorkX, 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/pony-ai">Pony.ai</a> has reportedly secured a permit to operate fully driverless commercial Robotaxi services in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area. Launching in Jinqiao and Huamu, the move makes Pony.ai the only company currently licensed in all four of China’s first-tier cities.

China’s plastic exports surged in H1 2025, with volumes doubling in some resins and prices falling by as much as 20%. Amid weak domestic demand, China ramped up shipments of PVC, polystyrene, and polypropylene, putting pressure on regional producers. Japan’s imports rose sharply as Chinese supply rippled through Asian markets.

Beijing’s E-Town is hosting a <a href="/industry/robotics">robot</a> shopping festival through August 17, offering subsidies of up to RMB 250,000 for buyers. Featuring 63 brands including Unitree and UBTech, among others, the event includes the launch of a new robot store and over 680 models available via JD.com. It follows a national surge in robot production in H1 2025.

Xgimi Technology, a Chinese consumer electronics firm, said it plans to issue H-shares and seek a listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s Main Board. The company is in talks with intermediaries, but the details of the offering have not yet been finalized.

<a href="/company/anta">Anta Sports</a> has declined to comment on reports that it is nearing an acquisition of US sportswear brand Reebok. In a statement, the company said it does not respond to market rumors and advised relying on official announcements for accurate information.

<a href="/company/tencent">Tencent</a> has open-sourced four compact language models under its Hunyuan family, ranging from 500 million to seven billion parameters. Built to run on consumer-grade GPUs, the models support low-power use in laptops, smartphones, smart cockpits, and smart homes, and enable cost-effective fine-tuning for vertical applications.

<a href="/company/baidu">Baidu</a> and Lyft will launch Apollo Go robotaxi services in Germany and the UK in 2026, pending regulatory approval. The partnership combines Baidu’s autonomous driving tech with Lyft’s European footprint via Freenow, aiming to scale autonomous ride-hailing across key markets while meeting safety and compliance standards.

Chinese tea chain Tianlala opened three new stores in Bali on August 3, expanding to 130 signed stores in Indonesia and over 200 globally. Located in key commercial areas, the stores reportedly drew more than 1,000 visitors on day one. The brand aims to deepen its Southeast Asia presence while exploring expansion into Europe and the Middle East.

Haidilao has introduced a “nightclub mode” at select hotpot restaurants across China, featuring DJs, ambient lighting, and male dancers performing for mostly female diners after 9:40 p.m. First launched in Guangzhou in January, the format has drawn full crowds and sparked debate over brand image and the rise of female-driven spending.

China's <a href="/industry/gaming">game</a> makers are accelerating overseas expansion, with exports reaching USD 9.5 billion in H1 2025, up 11% YoY, according to the China Digital Entertainment Industry Congress. Firms like Century Games now earn most of their revenue abroad, as titles like <em>Black Myth: Wukong</em> and <em>Wuchang: Fallen Feathers</em> boost global visibility and appeal.

Sohu reported USD 126 million in revenue for Q2 2025, down 27% YoY, with a net loss of USD 20 million. Online game revenue fell 28% to USD 106 million, while marketing services rose 14% from the previous quarter. Modest user growth in legacy PC titles helped offset a steep decline in mobile game engagement.

The Midea-backed brand is pitching a full-stack system that unifies household tech through large models and adaptive learning.

Would you trust AI to run your home? Colmo thinks you will

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

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

Chery

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

Geely, a Chinese automaker, integrates advanced engineering, EV tech, and international brand acquisitions to expand its global footprint.

Geely

Great Wall Motor produces SUVs, pickup trucks, and passenger cars across multiple brands, with a focus on expanding EV and smart vehicle capabilities.

Great Wall Motor

Leapmotor

Xpeng Motors builds intelligent EVs equipped with advanced infotainment systems, autonomous features, and sleek electric mobility designs.

Xpeng Motors

Zeekr crafts premium electric vehicles with smart connectivity, performance enhancements, and sleek luxury appeal for modern drivers.

Zeekr

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

With rising exports, factory rollouts, and new listings, Chinese automakers are redefining what it means to go global.

China’s carmakers are chasing the world, and catching up fast

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

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

Creative

How does interactive entertainment evolve? Assess gaming ecosystems, esports growth, and technology enhancing virtual play.

Gaming

Fewer social taboos for female gamers support the rise of games like Love and Deepspace.

Women power China's USD 1 billion romance gaming market

Women power China&#8217;s USD 1 billion romance gaming market

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

Shanghai clears Pony.ai for rollout

Latest Pulses

Most Recent

Would you trust AI to run your home? Colmo thinks you will

China’s carmakers are chasing the world, and catching up fast

Women power China’s USD 1 billion romance gaming market