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… Other Asian nations such as Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India, with larger land availability, lower costs and bigger populations, are positioning themselves to appeal to the same pool of investors.
Some of the buildup in Johor, he said, “is not based on strong fundamentals of local demand so ... there is a fear of oversupply.” Eventually, he believes, capacity will be distributed based on market demand.
“I don’t think there will be a single country to become an AI hub. I think everybody is just chasing which locations have the proper infrastructure to handle AI specification [computing],” Iskandar said.
Castrol’s Huang said other contenders are emerging, such as Australia, which carries less geopolitical risk and does not have to deal with restrictions on access to advanced AI chips, while also benefiting from solid demand from sectors like corporate IT and mining.
Others take a different view. “We are still in an undersupply situation," Robert Cheng, head of Asia tech hardware research with BofA Global Research, told Nikkei Asia. “Every sentence, every video AI produces relies on computing power, and there is room for AI to improve. … The demand is huge.”
For Yong, the construction management consultant and longtime Johor resident, Malaysia’s AI data center boom is a chance for the nation to elevate both its economy and its global stature.
“There are certainly challenges, such as a shortage of construction workers … but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we have to seize,” Yong said.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/technology/tech-asia/malaysia-s-data-center-boom-an-inside-look-at-asia-s-battle-for-ai-supremacy">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.kr-asia.com/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.

Malaysia's data center boom: An inside look at Asia's battle for AI supremacy

Artificial Intelligence

Deep Tech

AI Infrastructure

Malaysia

Southeast Asia

… on. At that stage, you are effectively trading vision and execution for their confidence.
<h3>36Kr: How do you organize your AI team to handle hardware manufacturing?</h3>
YY: The AI era has made information more accessible and learning faster, which allows us to stay lean. We operate like a special forces unit, fewer people, higher efficiency.
Each domain, whether joint drives or module structure, has a single accountable owner. Clear ownership eliminates finger-pointing. When issues arise, we always know who is responsible for resolving them.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3609023520998409">article</a> was written by Fu Chong for 36Kr.

Vbot unveils BoBo, a robotic dog built to live and play among humans

Robotics

China

… smart glasses, creating a broader service ecosystem. Over time, these tools may function less as standalone features and more as underlying digital infrastructure.
As access improves, emerging markets are increasingly participating in global technology cycles rather than observing from the margins. Transsion’s commercial expansion has coincided with this shift, suggesting that localization and scale are not mutually exclusive.
whereRelatedArticle
<h3>Think globally, act locally</h3>
Africa may be Transsion’s starting point, but it’s far from its endpoint. Having served hundreds of millions of users there, the company has built an efficient and adaptive market model, one it can now apply to other regions.
The data supports this expansion. In 2024, Transsion held 14% of the global smartphone market, briefly ranking among the top three. By the third quarter of 2025, it continued gaining share across Southeast Asia and the Middle East, taking leading positions in key markets such as Indonesia and the Philippines.
Internally, Transsion often repeats a guiding phrase: think globally, act locally. While market conditions vary, the process remains consistent: understand local users, design accordingly, then build brand relevance.
Indonesia offers one example. With a young population and high social media penetration, the market has proven receptive to midrange gaming phones. Transsion emphasized e-commerce channels over traditional retail and built awareness through esports events, local influencers, and online communities. Growth has been gradual but sustained in a competitive segment.
Trust in emerging markets is typically built over time, through consistent delivery rather than one-off campaigns. That perspective also shapes Transsion’s sports partnerships.
AFCON sponsorships, for many global brands, are primarily about visibility. Transsion’s approach has leaned toward integration. For AFCON 2025, Tecno introduced AI features that function alongside match viewing, allowing users to identify players, review tactics, generate highlights, and interact with match content through its assistant. These tools are designed to complement, rather than replace, the viewing experience.
<figure id="attachment_159164" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-159164" style="width: 480px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-159164" src="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Tecno-AFCON-2025-Ella-Star-Cam.jpg" alt="A promotional banner for Ella Star Cam, an AI-powered Tecno feature that generates virtual photos with football players." width="480" height="600" srcset="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Tecno-AFCON-2025-Ella-Star-Cam.jpg 1080w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Tecno-AFCON-2025-Ella-Star-Cam-576x720.jpg 576w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Tecno-AFCON-2025-Ella-Star-Cam-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Tecno-AFCON-2025-Ella-Star-Cam-768x960.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-159164" class="wp-caption-text">A promotional banner for Ella Star Cam, an AI-powered Tecno feature that generates virtual photos with football players. The tool was launched as part of Tecno’s role as a global official partner of the AFCON 2025 tournament. Image source: Tecno.</figcaption></figure>
Football in Africa is more than entertainment. It functions as a shared cultural language, closely linked to community life, identity, and social cohesion. Transsion’s AFCON partnership reflects its emphasis on locally driven innovation, using technology in ways that align with everyday experiences rather than abstract use cases.
By committing to a long-term partnership with the Confederation of African Football and supporting community football projects, Transsion is not simply buying visibility. It is positioning its brand within a broader social context. The return on that investment is unlikely to appear immediately in sales figures, but a gradual strengthening of brand recognition and trust is a plausible outcome.
More broadly, Transsion’s competitiveness cannot be reduced to a single metric. It is neither only a low-cost challenger nor a dominant technology leader. Its advantage lies in addressing practical problems through a combination of deep localization and inclusive design. That capability has allowed it to operate across regions and market cycles without frequent shifts in strategy.
Against that backdrop, Tecno’s presence at AFCON signals more than sponsorship. It reflects a long-term approach built on patience and adaptation, one that may be replicable across markets.
That, in turn, points to a working definition of a global brand: one that balances commercial objectives with durable trust, and maintains consistency amid changing global conditions.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3610699033330692">article</a> was written by Xiao Xi for 36Kr.

More than a sponsor: How Tecno uses AFCON and football to become part of Africa’s story

Africa

… disrupted economic activity, "the current slump is broad-based and has accelerated notably since July [2025]," Mizuho Securities senior China economist Serena Zhou wrote in a note in mid-November.
In Foshan, officials are racing to lure other types of enterprises, such as <a href="/industry/ev">electric vehicle</a> frame makers and battery packaging companies, in hopes of upgrading the city's industrial base rather than risk being left hollowed out. Advertisements for factories were posted on a bulletin board near the shuttered Weiyasen facility. Factory space in the city was going for RMB 0.43 (USD 0.06) per square meter per day in November, down from RMB 0.62 (USD 0.09) in 2022, according to property site 58.com.
But while some exporters are struggling to adapt to the new era, China's overall trade performance has eased concerns about an economic slowdown and made a case for staying the course.
"The rebound of export growth in November helps to mitigate the <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/economy/china-signals-investment-push-next-year-as-domestic-demand-falters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">weak domestic demand</a>," Zhang Zhiwei, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management, wrote in a note. "It seems the economy is on track to deliver around 5% growth this year, in line with the government's target."
The momentum, however, could stoke friction with governments besides the US, from <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/asean-money/trump-tariffs-shine-spotlight-on-chinese-targeting-southeast-asian-consumers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southeast Asia</a> to <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/economy/trade/eu-pushes-for-china-trade-rebalancing-as-trump-factor-looms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Europe</a> to <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/economy/trade-war/china-urges-mexico-to-correct-erroneous-practices-over-tariff-hikes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Latin America</a>. "Let me be very blunt. China is not fair in its contribution to the world economy. It's exporting and not importing," Samy Chaar, chief economist at Swiss private bank Lombard Odier, said at a briefing on December 11. Given weak domestic demand, he said, "China is trying access demand where it can find it. … The rest of the world is trying to shield itself from the Chinese ogre in terms of production and exports."
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/policy-asia/china-revs-up-global-sales-push-despite-trump-s-trade-war">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.kr-asia.com/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.

China revs up global sales push despite Trump's trade war

Consumer Economy

Chinese consumers are increasingly shifting to stores that offer competitive prices such as conveyor belt sushi chains as the impact of the government's stimulus spending faded in the latter half of 2025, signaling weakening domestic demand.
An office worker in Beijing said he used his government subsidy to buy a smartphone for his mother. The subsidy, worth about USD 70, lowered the price of the purchase to RMB 4,500 (USD 630). "We didn't urgently need it, but the subsidy made it cheaper, so we went ahead and bought it," he said.
But he bought nothing during the Singles' Day sales campaign, a major retail event that runs in November. "I can't just open up my wallet" when there is no prospect for a salary increase, he said, adding that there was nothing he particularly wanted to buy.
Sales during the Singles' Day campaign rose 14.2% on the year, according to a Chinese research firm, but growth slowed compared to the 26.6% increase that companies logged in 2024.
The government allocated RMB 300 billion (USD 42 billion) to the subsidy program in 2025, and from January it expanded the policy to apply to purchases of such devices as smartphones and tablets. But areas such as Shanghai and Anhui switched to a lottery system for the subsidies from summer, dampening consumer enthusiasm. Some places have already ended the payments.
The subsidy program had the effect of front-loading demand. A Morgan Stanley survey of about 2,000 Chinese consumers found that about 70% moved forward their purchases by up to six months because of the subsidies. Even with the financial boost from the program, the effect is proving short-lived.
There were only a few customers in a Beijing smartphone store in early December 2025. Smartphone makers are trying to lure their customers by taking such steps as selling new models at cheaper prices. Smartphone shipments in the July-September quarter fell 0.6% on the year, according to US-based research firm IDC.
Chinese leadership set the country's economic policy at the Central Economic Work Conference, which concluded on December 11. While moving to curb a sharp rise in the deficit, officials maintained their position on using active spending measures to boost domestic demand. While the leadership agreed on improvements on the incentive program, leaning on similar schemes risks further eating into future demand.
With consumption tepid, companies offering strong value at low prices are performing well.
On December 6, Japan's Food &amp; Life Companies (F&amp;LC) opened <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/food-beverage/japan-s-sushiro-opens-to-14-hour-wait-times-in-shanghai" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two locations</a> of its Sushiro conveyor belt sushi restaurant chain in Shanghai. Crowds gathered early on opening day to get seating tickets. By opening, the restaurant had handed out 697 tickets, with waiting times reaching up to 14 hours.
Sushi plates cost between RMB 10–28 (USD 1.4–3.9) . A local man, his wife and ten-year-old son together ate nearly 30 plates. "It's really good, and it's cheap," he said.
As high-end restaurants in China close one after another, cost-conscious dining options like conveyor belt sushi are gaining popularity. "I care about the value along with the taste when choosing a place to eat out," said the local man.
F&amp;LC plans to expand its Greater China store count by more than 30% in the fiscal year ending September 2026 from the 160 locations at the end of fiscal 2025. Hotpot chain Haidilao is entering the conveyor belt sushi market, recently opening a store in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/economy/china-s-consumers-hunt-for-bargains-after-subsidy-fueled-demand-fizzles">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.kr-asia.com/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.

China's consumers hunt for bargains after subsidy-fueled demand fizzles

Retail

… demand window.
<h3>36Kr: It has been nearly three years since Baozun took over. What stands out most from that journey?</h3>
KH: After acquiring such a large international brand, we had to overhaul everything, from people and products to channels and organizational systems. When other companies ask what the hardest part was, I say “everything.”
Our priorities have evolved over time. In the first phase, we focused on rebuilding core infrastructure. Last year, we aligned brand positioning and product strategy. This year, we are deepening and expanding our retail channels.
<h3>36Kr: Foreign brands have long been manufacturing in China. Is there still room to improve the supply chain?</h3>
KH: Absolutely. During the first two years, offline expansion was limited, but our e-commerce business continued to grow. For example, we developed a matrix of <a href="/company/douyin">Douyin</a> accounts to better reach target audiences. When a product gains traction online, local supply chains must respond quickly.
That requires end-to-end agility, from design to manufacturing. By synchronizing supply and demand, we have built faster and more efficient production cycles.
<h3>36Kr: Given today’s price-sensitive environment, will your reduced reliance on discounts hold?</h3>
KH: Before the acquisition, Gap often relied on deep discounts to clear inventory. We have since returned to a more rational level.
Gap remains a mass market brand. We aim to leverage scale to achieve supply chain efficiencies and pass value to consumers through quality rather than markdowns.
<h3>36Kr: Your local supply chain ratio is around 70%, correct?</h3>
KH: Yes, and that is a healthy balance. It fluctuates by about 10% depending on seasonal collections. We do not localize for its own sake. Our goal is to offer both locally developed products and selected global pieces that align with the brand’s positioning.
<h3>36Kr: After two years of localization, what are the biggest challenges in driving further growth?</h3>
KH: I would not frame them as challenges. Our direction is clear. It simply takes time for consumers to feel the change and for results to mature.
<h3>36Kr: Has your experience in China influenced Gap globally?</h3>
KH: Yes. Our fall 2025 campaign in China performed well and gave the global team confidence. Platforms such as Douyin have become case studies for Gap’s international <a href="/industry/e-commerce">e-commerce</a> strategy. The global team frequently visits China to study our operations.
We have also received interest from Gap’s other Asia partners, who want to source from our China-developed collections because they better suit regional body types and aesthetics. That creates new opportunities for Gap China’s design team.
<h3>36Kr: Beyond financial targets, what expectations does Baozun’s leadership have?</h3>
KH: They place strong emphasis on organizational capability, particularly end-to-end execution from design through supply chain, as well as long-term brand influence.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3600585711157249">article</a> was written by Li Xiaoxia for 36Kr.

Baozun takes a “local for local” approach to rewire apparel brand Gap for China

Fashion

Creative

… href="https://asia.nikkei.com/politics/international-relations/trump-says-he-ll-visit-china-in-april-and-host-xi-next-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US-China trade tensions</a>. "Our sales performance in the US this year has grown several times despite tariff challenges," he said.
Pudu is reportedly nearing breakeven after nearly a decade of operations, and Zhang confirmed that the company is preparing for an IPO, though he declined to provide a timeline.
"Globally, the penetration rate of our B2B robots is still probably under 5%," he said. "There's tremendous room for growth."
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/editor-s-picks/interview/china-s-pudu-takes-robot-dogs-outdoors-to-fuel-growth">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.kr-asia.com/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.

China's Pudu takes quadruped robots outdoors to fuel growth

Doubao’s daily active users (DAUs) have officially exceeded 100 million, reinforcing its position as a major app within <a href="/company/bytedance">ByteDance’s</a> portfolio. Multiple sources confirmed the milestone, 36Kr reported.
A ByteDance insider said Doubao’s user growth and marketing spend were the lowest among any company product that has surpassed the threshold of 100 million DAUs. Sources also said user retention has remained strong through 2025. Doubao’s image generation model Seedream and video generation model Seedance have continued to fuel creative use cases, while viral tools such as the “three-frame collage” photo feature have driven millions of downloads daily.
ByteDance was among the first Chinese tech firms to bet heavily on <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a>. It began internal testing of Doubao in June 2023 and launched the app publicly two months later, ahead of competitors such as Kimi, which debuted in October 2023, and <a href="/company/tencent">Tencent’s</a> Yuanbao, released in May 2024. That early start helped Doubao dominate app store charts for months.
Beyond this milestone, Doubao has advanced on multiple fronts. It rolled out the Doubao smartphone to integrate hardware with AI, and expanded Douyin’s <a href="/industry/e-commerce">e-commerce</a> platform to explore AI-enabled shopping scenarios.
The app’s rapid growth reflects both technological strength and organizational coordination. Doubao’s large language model is developed by ByteDance’s Seed team, a key internal division. This year, Seed merged with ByteDance’s AI Lab and underwent an organizational upgrade under new leader Wu Yonghui. The team now focuses on foundational AI research and product deployment. To boost morale, ByteDance offered additional stock options to Seed team members and suspended quarterly performance reviews for certain long-term research projects.
With massive traffic and strong engagement metrics, Doubao’s rise is pushing rivals to accelerate their own AI investments.
Earlier this year, Tencent’s Yuanbao intensified its marketing push. According to AppGrowing data, Yuanbao’s ad spending rose steadily from February, reaching nearly RMB 6 billion (USD 840 million) by July, and briefly topped China’s free app download charts.
By year’s end, <a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba</a> launched an aggressive campaign to promote Qwen, alongside <a href="/company/ant-group">Ant Group’s</a> AQ and LingGuang applications. The Qwen app gained particular momentum, attracting more than 30 million monthly active users within 23 days of its launch.
Meanwhile, ByteDance’s Volcano Engine will serve as the exclusive AI cloud partner for China Media Group’s 2026 Lunar New Year gala, one of the country’s most-watched events. Doubao will also provide interactive features for the broadcast. The competition for this partnership has long been fierce, with Douyin previously holding the role in 2019 and 2021.
The year 2025 is widely seen as the dawn of China’s “AI era,” marked by the breakout of <a href="/company/deepseek">DeepSeek</a>. As 2026 begins, Doubao may carry the task of bringing AI into the everyday lives of hundreds of millions.
Still, some within ByteDance cautioned that Doubao’s path to commercialization remains unclear. Supporting such a large user base entails significant inference costs, which could weigh on margins.
Even so, insiders said Doubao’s model-as-a-service business has exceeded internal expectations, delivering healthy margins through technical optimization and competitive pricing.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3609313072153862">article</a> was written by Li Xiaoxia for 36Kr.

Doubao hits 100 million DAUs as ByteDance extends its AI lead

East Asia

… Aito M7, publicly said he intended to learn from Huawei’s management model. Soon after, Li Auto hired several former Huawei executives, including Li Wenzhi, Zou Liangjun, and Yuan Chunfeng, signaling a push toward more systematized operations.
Since 2024, however, the results have been mixed. According to 36Kr, Li Auto’s sales teams engaged in aggressive internal competition, including cross-region poaching and internal kickbacks, in an effort to meet targets. The company’s heavy emphasis on sales performance also contributed to strategic missteps in the <a href="/industry/ev">electric vehicle</a> market. By this year, many Huawei-affiliated executives had departed, with CEO Li resuming direct oversight of organizational and personnel matters. A similar pattern emerged at <a href="/company/zeekr">Zeekr</a>.
Still, it would be reductive to conclude that Huawei-trained managers are inherently ill-suited to startups. The outcome often depends on whether these executives can integrate with existing teams, whether responsibilities are clearly defined, and whether their management systems align with the company’s stage of development.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3607842072560902">article</a> was written by Huang Nan for 36Kr.

EcoFlow hires Huawei veteran Peter Tong ahead of US IPO push

Energy