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Baidu has approved a multi-year share buyback program of up to USD 5 billion running through December 31, 2028, and said it plans to pay its first div…

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China’s tech ecosystem serves as a driving force behind the world’s second largest economy, influencing global digital markets.

China

Dingdong Maicai, a fresh grocery delivery service, caters to busy urbanites seeking high-quality produce at their doorstep.

Dingdong Maicai

Explore East Asia’s thriving tech hubs, global electronics producers, and fast-evolving digital platforms shaping cross-border innovation.

East Asia

JD.com, a Chinese e-commerce leader, ensures trusted transactions, efficient logistics, and a wide product selection for online shoppers.

JD.com

Meituan, China’s all-in-one local services platform, covers food delivery, travel bookings, and lifestyle deals, simplifying daily consumer choices.

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

Consumer Economy

What changes the way we shop? Review fresh inventory management, dark stores, and logistics driving door-to-door grocery services.

Grocery Delivery

Why do firms join forces? Investigate synergy goals, valuation methods, and negotiations driving corporate consolidation.

Merger &amp; Acquisition

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

On-demand Services

E-commerce

Meituan’s takeover closes a chapter in China’s fresh grocery e-commerce race.

Meituan beats JD.com to acquire Dingdong Maicai’s China business

Decoding China&#039;s tech and business pulse

KrASIA

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.

Cheng Zi

Baidu leads Chinese search engines, voice assistants, autonomous driving research, and AI platforms connecting users with information and services.

Baidu

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

Foundation and Large Models

Ernie is embedded into Baidu’s main app to leverage its search dominance.

Baidu integrates AI into search as rivals pursue superapp ambitions

From left to right: Joseph Lin, investment manager at Kymco Capital; Gary Ting, CEO of Kymco Capital; Kantinan Tunveenukoon, CEO of Sleek EV; and Ong Zhang Quan, COO of Sleek EV.

Sea Group operates digital entertainment (Garena), e-commerce (Shopee), and fintech (SeaMoney) platforms across Southeast Asia.

Sea Group

Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystem is a melting pot of startups and businesses of all sizes, all vying for rapid growth.

Southeast 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.

What happens after acquisitions close? Examine deal structures, operational improvements, and exit strategies molding corporate outcomes.

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What fuels startup ecosystems? Review funding rounds, investor strategies, and market insights guiding entrepreneurial growth.

Venture Capital

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Bringing you the latest updates on funding and investment activity across the Asia Pacific.

Deals in brief: Sleek EV and Polybee raise funding, Sea Limited backs Noematrix, eight other China investments, 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.

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<a href="/company/baidu">Baidu</a> has approved a multi-year share buyback program of up to USD 5 billion running through December 31, 2028, and said it plans to pay its first dividend in 2026.

ChatGPT maker <a href="/company/openai">OpenAI</a> has told US lawmakers that <a href="/company/deepseek">DeepSeek</a> used distillation and “new, obfuscated methods” to extract outputs from US-made <a href="/industry">AI</a> models to train its R1 chatbot, according to a memo. The company said accounts tied to DeepSeek sought to bypass safeguards via third-party access routes.

<a href="/company/grab">Grab</a>, operator of the eponymous Southeast Asian app, has signed definitive agreements to acquire 100% of US digital investment platform Stash, valuing an initial 50.1% stake at a USD 425 million enterprise value at closing, with the remainder to be acquired over three years. The deal, expected to close in Q3 2026, expands Grab’s fintech operations beyond Southeast Asia.

E-Power, formerly Sunrise New Energy, has signed an MoU with Kehui International to establish a US joint venture focused on microgrids for <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> compute and power automation. E-Power will hold at least 55% and invest USD 1.5 million, while Kehui contributes patented technology with exclusive rights in the US and Canada. The venture targets USD 3 million in sales within three years.

WeRide and Uber have launched commercial robotaxi services in downtown Abu Dhabi, marking the emirate’s first deployment in its city center. The network covers about 70% of core areas, with the fleet quadrupling since December 2024. Rides are available via the Uber app under a phased rollout toward fully driverless operations.

<a href="/company/bytedance">ByteDance</a> has launched Seedance 2.0, a multimodal generation model that supports text, image, audio, and video inputs. The system enables up to 15-second multi-shot outputs with dual-channel audio, expanded editing, and video extension features, and is available on Dreamina, Doubao, and Volcano Engine’s Model Ark.

<a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba</a> said its Qwen app completed more than 120 million orders in six days during a Lunar New Year campaign backed by up to RMB 3 billion in subsidies, after users made 4.1 billion requests. Alipay’s “AI Pay” also surpassed 120 million transactions in a week.

<a href="/company/bytedance">ByteDance</a> is developing an <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> inference chip and negotiating with Samsung Electronics for manufacturing and memory supply, with sample units targeted by end-March, sources said. The company plans to produce at least 100,000 chips this year, potentially scaling to 350,000. ByteDance said the reported in-house chip details are inaccurate.

<a href="/company/xiaomi">Xiaomi</a> has discontinued production of the first-generation SU7, with the final unit shipped, founder Lei Jun said. The new SU7 will begin arriving in stores from February 13 ahead of an April launch. The company delivered more than 410,000 vehicles in 2025 and has set a 2026 sales target of 550,000 units.

<a href="/company/byd">BYD</a> reported 4.6 million vehicle sales in 2025, surpassing Ford’s nearly 4.4 million as the US automaker’s wholesale numbers fell almost 2%. The result lifts BYD to sixth in global rankings, one spot ahead of Ford. Toyota remained in first place for a sixth straight year with 11.3 million units sold, up 4.6% YoY.

<a href="/company/li-auto">Li Auto</a> confirmed it will roll out a "store partner" program after the 2026 Lunar New Year, granting store managers greater decision-making power and replacing single sales targets with metrics covering sales, profit, and user satisfaction. It is also evaluating the closure of low-efficiency stores opened during its expansion phase.

Photo shows the exterior of a BYD showroom in Sendai, Japan.

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

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

Japan

The Chinese automaker is eyeing growth overseas from minicars amid struggles at home.

BYD to rev up Japan sales with EV mini dealerships

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

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Nikkei Asia

Lenovo supplies laptops, PCs, smartphones, and data center solutions, supporting business productivity and personal computing across markets.

Lenovo

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

Hardware

A USD 285 million charge weighed on earnings as Lenovo repositions for AI-driven growth.

Lenovo profit slips in latest quarter as restructuring offsets gains

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Hong Kong

Trust and prudence are central to Distinct Healthcare’s path to the public market.

“Costco of healthcare” makes Hong Kong debut with trust at its core

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Baidu launches buyback, plans dividend

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BYD to rev up Japan sales with EV mini dealerships

Lenovo profit slips in latest quarter as restructuring offsets gains

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