2 h. ago Why dozens of Chinese firms are joining the weight loss drugs fray

Sales of weight-loss drugs in the West have soared in recent years, driven by the approval of a new class of more effective medication, the rapid growth in obese populations owing to poor diet and lack of exercise, and endorsements by celebrities and social media influencers. In China, over 60 late-stage drugs are undergoing clinical trials. In the coming years, these may compete with the products of incumbents such as Denmark’s Novo Nordisk and US-based Eli Lilly, Boston-based global...

Economics

20 h. ago Chinese EV maker Zeekr plugs in to hybrids to tap into soaring sales

Zeekr, a premium electric vehicle (EV) unit of Geely Auto, has jumped on the hybrid technology bandwagon to widen its customer base amid rising competition in the world’s largest automotive market. The Hangzhou-based company has become the latest mainland Chinese EV assembler to launch plug-in hybrids, leaving Shanghai-headquartered Nio as the only domestic company making pure EVs. US carmaker Tesla, which produces cars on the mainland, is another maker of pure EVs. “Nearly all Chinese carmakers...

Politics

55 h. ago Chinese power bank maker suspends production after recall, aviation ban

One of China’s biggest portable power bank makers has suspended production for at least six months and closed its stores on major Chinese e-commerce platforms after a massive recall of its products and the decision by the country’s civil aviation authority to ban unlicensed power banks on flights. Shenzhen-based Romoss Technology, which sells its products in dozens of countries around the world, notified its employees that the company would suspend operations for six months starting on Monday,...

Economics

55 h. ago Can Xiaomi disrupt the home appliance market like it did with EVs?

When Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi launched its first electric vehicle (EV) in March 2024, few believed it could rival industry leaders like Tesla, BYD, Xpeng and Li Auto. After a surprisingly strong debut and with the company’s EV segment poised to break even this year, however, the Beijing-based firm is now embarking on an ambitious push into another sector to challenge established competitors: the home appliances market. Partly fuelled by Beijing’s aggressive subsidies to boost consumption,...

Politics

5 d. ago Chinese robot maker Dobot’s humanoid cooks steak from 1,800km away using VR

A humanoid robot from the Chinese firm Shenzhen Dobot successfully cooked a steak – even sprinkling salt with its fingers – while being remotely controlled by an operator 1,800km away using a virtual reality (VR) headset. A video of the feat, published on Friday on the company’s official WeChat account, showcased its latest technology – which could eventually disrupt how humans perform housework, conduct surgeries, inspect nuclear plants and even explore outer space. The cooking was performed by...

Politics

6 d. ago Cochlear takes fast lane as it brings new hearing device to Chinese market

With a growing number of Chinese affected by hearing loss, an Australian implant maker is leveraging the special medical tourism zone in Hainan to provide faster access to its latest device. Cochlear introduced its new smart system in China in June, making the country one of the first global markets to launch the technology – through Hainan, the southern island province, and Hong Kong. Introducing it via the Boao Lecheng international medical tourism pilot zone has meant patients can receive...

Politics

6 d. ago Xpeng launches G7 ‘Super AI’ SUV, taking on Xiaomi YU7 and Tesla Model Y

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng launched its G7 SUV on Thursday, sending another contender into a fierce battle in the premium SUV segment of the world’s largest EV market, where it joins Xiaomi’s recently introduced YU7 in taking on Tesla’s market-leading Model Y. Dubbed Xpeng’s first “Super AI [artificial intelligence] car”, the G7 starts at 195,800 yuan (US$27,325), with the top-of-the-line model selling for 225,800 yuan, the Guangzhou-headquartered company said during a launch...

Politics

1 week ago Xiaomi’s SU7 SUV a hit with mainland Chinese motorists as bookings reach 240,000

Chinese smartphone and electric-vehicle (EV) maker Xiaomi has been flooded with orders for its YU7 SUV, with analysts saying the car could challenge the dominance of the Tesla Model Y, the bestselling SUV on the mainland. The company said that it received 200,000 pre-orders for the YU7 in just three minutes after bookings opened at 10pm on Thursday, with the number rising to 240,000 by 4pm on Friday. The 240,000 bookings for the YU7, priced from 253,500 yuan (US$35,366) to 329,900 yuan, are...

Events

1 week ago Anker partners with Apple battery supplier ATL after massive power bank recall

Chinese charging peripherals maker Anker Innovations has forged a strategic partnership with battery maker Amperex Technology Limited (ATL), moving swiftly to secure a new battery cell supplier after jointly recalling more than a million power banks in one of the country’s largest consumer electronics recalls in recent years. The Shenzhen-based gadget maker planned to purchase an initial batch of 45 million lithium-ion batteries from ATL, according to a statement published on Anker’s website on...

Politics

1 week ago Chinese smartphone maker Honor moves closer to onshore share listing

China’s fourth-largest smartphone maker Honor took an important step towards a domestic stock market debut on Thursday by filing documents with securities regulators. The company completed initial public offering (IPO) counselling recordation, the formal filing of pre-IPO guidance with the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). The step is required for companies seeking to list mainland shares, known as A shares. The Shenzhen-based company, a spin-off from smartphone and...

Politics

1 week ago Xiaomi takes aim at Tesla with 4% cheaper YU7 SUV, a Model Y competitor

Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone maker and electric-car start-up, priced its YU7 sport-utility vehicle (SUV) at a 4 per cent discount to Tesla’s bestselling Model Y, a move that is expected to draw a wave of orders in a cutthroat market where even the strongest players struggle to break even. The YU7, Xiaomi’s second production model, starts at 253,500 yuan (US$35,322), compared with 263,500 yuan for the Model Y’s basic edition, the Beijing-based company announced at a launch event on Thursday...

Politics

2 w. ago Chinese EV maker Hozon enters bankruptcy proceedings, state media reports

Chinese EV maker Hozon enters bankruptcy proceedings, state media reports  Reuters

Politics

3 w. ago Investors lap up soy sauce maker Haitian’s stock in Hong Kong debut

Investors lapped up the stock of the Chinese condiment maker Foshan Haitian Flavouring and Food during its trading debut on the Hong Kong exchange, after its HK$10.1 billion (US$1.3 billion) listing became the bourse’s second-largest of the year and cemented Hong Kong as the leading global fundraising venue. Trading under code 3288, Haitian’s shares first changed hands on Thursday at HK$37.50, up 3.3 per cent from their offer price of HK$36.30 – the top of their marketed range – as the Hang Seng...

Economics

3 w. ago Chinese EVs: Xiaomi accelerates launch of Tesla Model Y rival YU7

Chinese smartphone and car maker Xiaomi has moved up the launch of its latest electric vehicle (EV) model amid strong consumer interest in the SUV, which is seen as a potential challenger to the dominance of Tesla’s Model Y. Sales of the YU7, the Beijing-based company’s second production model, would start at the end of this month instead of in July as previously planned, founder and CEO Lei Jun said in a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Monday. “We are making the preparations, and...

Politics

3 w. ago Xpeng and Chinese EV peers aim to win over Hongkongers amid global push

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng aims to start offering Hong Kong consumers smart cars featuring semi-autonomous driving systems next year as it gears up to take on Tesla’s FSD (Full Self-Driving) feature outside mainland China. He Xiaopeng, co-founder and CEO of the Guangzhou-based carmaker, said in Hong Kong on Thursday that testing of its Xpeng Navigation Guided Pilot (X NGP) driver-assistance system in the city would take only two months before sales could begin. However, he added...

Politics

4 w. ago GoPro rival Insta360 eyes global expansion after strong Shanghai IPO

Insta360, the Chinese action camera maker challenging GoPro, surged 285 per cent in its trading debut on Shanghai’s Star Market after raising 1.9 billion yuan (US$264.5 million) in the city’s largest initial public offering (IPO) in 17 months. Max Richter, who co-founded the company with 34-year-old Chinese entrepreneur Liu Jingkang in 2015, said Insta360 is “committed to expanding [its] global presence and elevating brand influence to boost [its] market share worldwide”. He identified China,...

Politics

4 w. ago Chinese EV battery maker Eve Energy jumps on Hong Kong IPO bandwagon

Eve Energy, China’s fifth-largest producer of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, plans to raise fresh capital on the Hong Kong stock exchange, following the lead of its bigger rival Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) as international investors show a growing appetite for the country’s industrial gems. The Shenzhen-listed company said on Tuesday that its board had endorsed a fundraising plan aimed at bolstering its international expansion, but details about the share offering were still in the...

Science