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Qatar has launched Qai, a new subsidiary of its USD 524 billion sovereign wealth fund, to invest in and develop AI. The firm will fund AI infrastructu…

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Qatar has launched Qai, a new subsidiary of its USD 524 billion sovereign wealth fund, to invest in and develop <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a>. The firm will fund AI infrastructure and tools in Qatar and abroad while focusing on building “trusted” AI systems. Chairman Abdulla Al-Misnad said Qai will not create LLMs but will evaluate and commercialize frontier technologies.

<a href="/company/huawei">Huawei’s</a> Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) has announced a comprehensive cooperation upgrade with partners Seres, <a href="/company/chery">Chery</a>, BAIC, JAC, and SAIC in Shanghai. The alliance will standardize smart systems, services, and charging networks while jointly developing next-generation automotive technologies.

Chinese automakers overtook South Korean rivals in Western Europe for the first time in September, claiming 8% of the market versus South Korea’s 7.8%, according to Schmidt Automotive Research. Sales rose 77.5% YoY despite EU tariffs on Chinese <a href="/industry/ev">EVs</a>. Analysts expect momentum to continue as <a href="/company/byd">BYD</a>, <a href="/company/chery">Chery</a>, and <a href="/company/changan-automobile">Changan Automobile</a> expand production and model offerings across Europe.

The US government will allow <a href="/company/nvidia">Nvidia</a> to sell its H200 <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> chips to approved Chinese buyers in exchange for 25% of sales revenue, said President Donald Trump on December 8. The deal excludes Nvidia’s Blackwell and Rubin models. Nvidia welcomed the move as a “thoughtful balance” between competition and national security, after months of export restrictions.

Paramount Skydance has launched a hostile USD 30-per-share bid for Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), valued at USD 108.4 billion, after losing out to Netflix’s offer. The all-cash proposal, backed by the Ellison family, RedBird Capital, and Middle Eastern funds, bypasses WBD’s board to appeal directly to shareholders. CEO David Ellison said the deal promises higher cash value and quicker approval than Netflix’s bid.

Z.ai has open-sourced its AutoGLM model on December 9, calling it the world’s first with “phone use” capabilities. The model can visually interpret smartphone screens and perform humanlike actions across more than 50 Chinese apps, including WeChat and Taobao. The release aims to lower technical barriers for <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a>-powered phones and promote an open, developer-driven ecosystem.

<a href="/company/xiaomi">Xiaomi</a> has reorganized its China management team, naming president Wang Xiaoyan to oversee one division of its sales operations and promoting Guo Jinbao to lead the other while retaining his role as Jiangsu branch head. Zhang Jian now heads the new retail business, Xia Zhiguo will manage the car sales and service unit, and He Junling will lead the Gansu-Qinghai-Ningxia region.

Agibot said it has produced its 5,000th humanoid robot across three product lines. Co-founder Peng Zhihui said the company has achieved end-to-end scaling in hardware, software, and supply chain operations.

China’s trade surplus exceeded USD 1 trillion for the first time in the first 11 months of 2025, supported by rising exports to Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. November shipments grew 5.9% YoY, offsetting a sharp fall in US trade. Economists said the record surplus underscores China’s export resilience amid growing trade tensions.

<a href="/company/xiaohongshu">Xiaohongshu</a> will suspend its membership program trial on January 1 to refocus on local lifestyle content and product tools. Introduced in September across Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou, the program offered curated discounts at selected dining and leisure venues. The company said the pause will not affect its other local services.

Jingdong Industrials, <a href="/company/jd">JD.com’s</a> supply chain technology unit, plans to raise HKD 2.98 billion in its Hong Kong IPO after pricing shares at HKD 14.1 each, the midpoint of its range. The company said proceeds will be used to enhance <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> and supply chain capabilities and to fund expansion, investments, and acquisitions. Trading begins December 11.

Chagee

Once a market favorite, the Yunnan-based teahouse chain faces intensifying competition in China even as its overseas business strengthens.

Chagee looks to regain momentum as post-IPO cooldown deepens in Q3

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Once overlooked for its lack of mass production experience, DeepRoute.ai has emerged as a key supplier through tie-ups with GWM and Geely.

China’s assisted driving race narrows to three, and DeepRoute.ai is catching up fast

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The latest raise marks a turning point for the startup following early production and logistics setbacks.

Qatar launches AI investment firm Qai

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