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<a href="/company/tiktok">TikTok</a>, along with platforms like Meta and Google, has been ordered by Australia to enforce a December 10 ban on users under 16. Companies must verify age beyond self-declaration and block circumvention attempts, with fines of up to AUD 50 million for noncompliance.

Lightelligence, a Chinese photonic computing startup, has raised more than RMB 1.5 billion in Series C funding from investors including China Mobile, <a href="/company/tencent">Tencent</a>, Shanghai State-owned Capital Investment, China Reform Securities Fund, and Pudong Venture Capital. The capital will be used to speed development and commercialization of its optoelectronic hybrid computing and photonic chip technologies.

<a href="/company/pop-mart">Pop Mart</a> said 7.91 million counterfeit products have been seized since it filed customs recordals in 27 countries and regions. European customs have been especially active, with the Netherlands intercepting more than 260,000 items. The company also issued multilingual guides to help identify fakes of its popular IPs.

<a href="/company/openai">OpenAI</a> will reportedly launch its first custom AI chip next year with Broadcom, aiming to reduce reliance on <a href="/company/nvidia">Nvidia</a> and support future models such as GPT-5. Sources said OpenAI is the unnamed client behind Broadcom’s USD 10 billion order commitment, with shipments expected in 2026.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government is weighing tariffs on imports from countries without trade agreements, including China. The measure, part of “Plan Mexico” to bolster domestic industry, comes as the US imposes tariffs on Mexican goods under US President Donald Trump.

<a href="/company/openai">OpenAI</a> will launch an <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a>-powered jobs platform next year to connect employers with candidates trained in AI, and is rolling out a certification program with Walmart to upskill workers. The initiative aims to certify ten million people in the US by 2030 as a response to both the opportunities and disruptions of AI adoption.

LineWise, a Thai-founded startup, has raised USD 1.1 million in pre-seed funding after joining Y Combinator’s X25 cohort. A2D Ventures and other investors backed the round. Rooted in Thailand’s manufacturing hub, the company is scaling its AI-driven “virtual engineer” globally to cut factory downtime and defects.

YiLab, a startup co-founded by Stanford professor Yi Cui with operations in China and the US, has raised more than USD 10 million in pre-Series A funding to expand its LifeLabs Design line of sustainable, thermoregulating textiles. The funds will go toward a new R&amp;D lab and factory in Asia to speed scaling and commercialization.

In an unusual tie-in, Kaiyi Auto, partly owned by Wuliangye Group, is reportedly offering new car buyers a 25% discount on Wuliangye liquor through its app. The perk coincides with the launch of updated Shiyue Mate models, though Wuliangye said it was unaware of the promotion.

Roblox will suspend in-game chat and step up Arabic content moderation across the Middle East, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia, after safety concerns and regulatory scrutiny. The move follows recent bans in Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey, and adds to global pressure on the platform over child protection.

<a href="/company/nvidia">Nvidia’s</a> NVentures joined a USD 600 million funding round for Quantinuum, valuing the quantum computing firm at USD 10 billion. Nvidia invested alongside JPMorgan Chase, Mitsui, Amgen, and other backers. The financing will support the launch of Quantinuum’s Helios system and efforts toward universal fault-tolerant quantum computing.

Africa

Undercut on price, Japanese brands emphasize after-sales service and longevity.

Yamaha Motor, Kubota, others aim to shake Chinese rivals' Africa footholds

Yamaha Motor, Kubota, others aim to shake Chinese rivals&#8217; Africa footholds

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TikTok faces age law deadline in Australia

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Yamaha Motor, Kubota, others aim to shake Chinese rivals’ Africa footholds

Chinese brands vie for the spotlight abroad with tech, tea, and toys

From rejection letters to red carpets: How Ding Xiaoyin brought Chinese cinema to the world