Alibaba

ByteDance

Huawei

Meituan

Tencent

Xiaomi

Most Followed

KrASIA Connection

100 AI Creators

China's Auto Sector

Inside China's Startups

Venture Roundup

Our Events

View All

Collections

News

Features

Insights

Ecosystem

Press Releases

Anker

DeepSeek

Li Auto

MiniMax

Pop Mart

Xpeng

On the Radar

Ant Group has unveiled its first humanoid robot, R1, at a Shanghai tech conference, highlighting its shift toward AI-powered robotics. Designed to han…

Events

Latest

About

Consumer

Robotics

Fintech

Collaborate

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

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

Hardware

China

Tap the band to your phone and a digital companion appears: sometimes to comfort, sometimes to check in, and sometimes with an unexpected reply.

Duxiang probes the limits of AI intimacy with the Xiangmeng Ring, its first wearable

Decoding China&#039;s tech and business pulse

KrASIA

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

AI Now!

Focus turns to the authorities’ next moves as miners hope for a sustainable recovery.

China crackdown boosts lithium prices, but how long can the rally last?

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

Singapore

Southeast Asia

Thailand

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

Deals in brief: SGInnovate leads investment in Greenitio, Living Roots and LineWise raise funding, eight deals in China, 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/ant-group">Ant Group</a> has unveiled its first humanoid robot, R1, at a Shanghai tech conference, highlighting its shift toward AI-powered robotics. Designed to handle tasks from cooking to medical assistance, the R1 runs on Ant’s in-house large model and reflects its strategy to scale AI assistant use across China.

<a href="/company/meituan">Meituan</a> has launched Xiaomei, an agentic <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> app powered by its LongCat model, to strengthen its food delivery and local services. Xiaomei lets users place meal orders by voice and book restaurants. Shares rose in Hong Kong after the rollout, which comes as <a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba</a> and <a href="/company/jd">JD.com</a> escalate competition in China’s delivery market.

Popokii, a South Korean brand distributor on Line Gift in Japan, has secured an investment from Z Venture Capital amid a surge in South Korean consumer goods exports to Japan. The amount raised was not disclosed.

Chinese <a href="/industry/ev">EV</a> sales in Singapore hit 7,796 units by July, surpassing 2024’s total and lifting market share to 65.7%. <a href="/company/byd">BYD</a> remains the leader, but its share slipped to 70.9% as 15 other Chinese brands, including MG, Dongfeng, and <a href="/company/zeekr">Zeekr</a>, gained ground with new models, expansion plans, and rising consumer trust in Chinese-made cars.

UBTech Robotics has won a RMB 250 million contract for its Walker S2 humanoid robots, which it described as the "world’s largest order" of its kind. Deliveries will begin this year, and the deal includes operational support services. The Hong Kong-listed firm did not name the client.

<a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba</a> and <a href="/company/baidu">Baidu</a> have reportedly begun using self-designed chips to train <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> models, partly replacing <a href="/company/nvidia">Nvidia</a> hardware. Alibaba has applied its chips to smaller models, while Baidu is testing its Kunlun P800 for Ernie. The shift reflects US export curbs and Beijing’s push for tech self-sufficiency, though both firms still rely on Nvidia for top-tier models.

<a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba</a> aims to raise USD 3.2 billion through a zero-coupon convertible bond, the largest such deal this year, Dealogic data showed. About 80% of the proceeds will go toward expanding data centers and cloud services, with the remainder for <a href="/industry/e-commerce">e-commerce</a> growth. The bond, due in 2032, carries a 27.5–32.5% conversion premium over Alibaba’s US-listed stock.

Chinese pharmaceutical executives sought to reassure investors after a report said the US may restrict licensing deals for China-developed drugs. Shares of Hong Kong-listed firms fell, but at BioHK 2025, leaders from Grand Pharma, China Resources Pharma, CureGene, and Yunnan Baiyao said risks could be managed through diversification, regionalization, and overseas clinical trials.

<a href="/company/anta">Anta Group</a> has announced plans to open 1,000 stores in Southeast Asia within three years, after nearly doubling regional revenue in H1 2025. The company has set up its Southeast Asia headquarters in Singapore and intends to expand further into South Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

<a href="/company/starbucks">Starbucks</a> has reportedly advanced to final talks to sell 70% of its China business, retaining a 30% stake. Final bidders include Boyu Capital, Carlyle Group, EQT, and HongShan. A decision is expected by late October, as Starbucks expands its China store network and faces rising competition in the market.

At least three Wahaha subsidiaries have rebranded under the Hongsheng name since September, signaling broader consolidation of the group’s beverage businesses. The changes come amid an <a href="https://kr-asia.com/wahaha-heiress-takes-shareholder-fight-to-chinas-top-court">ongoing shareholder dispute</a>, though it is unclear whether the rebranding is connected.

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

Li Auto develops electric vehicles that combine smart cockpit systems, advanced safety features, and long-distance battery support.

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

Once a leading EV contender, Li Auto now finds its family-first formula under pressure.

Li Auto loses its sales crown as Huawei and rivals crowd the EV market

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

What drives digital storytelling? Examine content creation, distribution channels, and media platforms connecting audiences worldwide.

Content

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

Creative

Zhihu founder Zhou Yuan credits the string of profits to a long-term bet on trust as the platform’s foundation.

After three profitable quarters, Zhihu says its trust-first model is paying off

CHENG Zi is based in China, covering technology and business-related events. She works with her colleagues at 36Kr Global to provide coverage in both English and Chinese.

https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a1c02e0609a846ab19ab44182633a8d5?s=96&d=blank&r=g

Cheng Zi

Huawei, a global telecom and smartphone vendor, delivers networking equipment, 5G solutions, and consumer devices integrating cutting-edge tech.

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

Autonomous Vehicles

Huawei has taken a different approach to VLA, betting it offers a sturdier path to autonomous driving.

Ant Group unveils first humanoid robot

Latest Pulses

Most Recent

Li Auto loses its sales crown as Huawei and rivals crowd the EV market

After three profitable quarters, Zhihu says its trust-first model is paying off

“Nothing is free”: Huawei’s Richard Jin on assisted driving and the path to Level 4 autonomy