46 m. ago Alibaba leads US$14 million funding round in Chinese AI agent start

A Hangzhou-based artificial intelligence (AI) start-up specialising in enterprise AI agents has secured over 100 million yuan (US$14 million) from investors led by Alibaba Group Holding’s cloud unit, as Chinese companies strive to leverage the technology to raise business efficiency. BetterYeah AI, a prominent player in China’s enterprise AI sector founded by former Alibaba executives, said on Wednesday it had completed its latest financing round with contributions from Alibaba Cloud and venture...

Economics

66 m. ago Shimao Property Holdings Sells Stake in Beijing Project Company

Shimao Property Holdings Sells Stake in Beijing Project Company  TipRanks

Politics

1 hour ago Can Rubio’s Asia tour ease region’s anxiety over looming US tariffs?

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio heads to Asia next week on a high-profile diplomatic tour, but his visit is not expected to ease growing anxiety in Southeast Asia, which is bracing itself for the return of steep US tariffs that threaten to derail growth and test ties with Washington. Rubio is expected to fly to Kuala Lumpur for meetings on July 10-11 with foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and other Asia-Pacific countries, according to media reports. He...

Politics

1 hour ago Economist Huang Yiping floats Hong Kong as stablecoin staging ground

Issuing a stablecoin pegged to the offshore yuan in Hong Kong may be more feasible than in mainland China due to the latter’s capital controls, a central bank adviser has said. The comments from Huang Yiping, also dean of Peking University’s National School of Development, came as worries arise in Beijing’s policy circles that Washington could gain an upper hand through the cryptocurrency offshoot as a means of consolidating US dollar dominance. “As China’s capital account is not fully...

Politics

2 h. ago 'China setting up military base in Pacific' false narrative, Chinese Embassy refutes Australian media's hype over Fiji PM's China

'China setting up military base in Pacific' false narrative, Chinese Embassy refutes Australian media's hype over Fiji PM's China-related remarks  Global Times

Events

2 h. ago Vietnam strikes US tariff deal, but risks Beijing backlash | Daily Sabah

Vietnam strikes US tariff deal, but risks Beijing backlash | Daily Sabah  Daily Sabah

Events

3 h. ago Chinese stocks to stagnate in second half on lack of catalysts, top brokerages say

Chinese stocks are likely to tread water in the second half as investors refrain from big bets amid a lack of fresh catalysts, according to the nation’s top-ranked brokerages. A deflationary trend and sluggish earnings growth will continue to weigh on yuan-denominated stocks, but state intervention and an economic recovery – albeit weak – will put a floor under the market, according to GF Securities, Industrial Securities and Shenwan Hongyuan Group. China’s benchmark CSI 300 Index barely budged...

Politics

3 h. ago China flight safety in spotlight after pilot jumps to death over work dispute

A failed pilot evaluation that ended with a China Southern Airlines captain stabbing two of his colleagues before jumping to his death in Changchun in the northeast Chinese province of Jilin on Tuesday has renewed public worries about flight safety. The pilot, surnamed Li, 31, died after jumping out of a window, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Erdao district branch of the Changchun Public Security Bureau. His colleagues were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening...

Events

3 h. ago Chinese pilot stabs colleagues, jumps to death over workplace dispute: report

Police in northeastern China are investigating the case of a China Southern Airlines captain who stabbed two of his colleagues before jumping to his death on Tuesday. The 31-year-old pilot, identified only by his surname Li, died after jumping out of a window in Changchun, Jilin province, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Erdao district branch of the Changchun Public Security Bureau. His colleagues were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening wounds, the report said, adding...

Events

3 h. ago From land to sea: top spots to get a glimpse of the Shandong in Hong Kong

Crowds of fans and onlookers gave an emotional welcome to the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong and its accompanying strike group when they sailed into Hong Kong waters on Thursday for a five-day port call. Many are seeking alternatives or the best vantage points to view the fleet, as the Shandong is anchored to the west of Victoria Harbour. The other three vessels – the missile destroyers Yan’an and Zhanjiang, and the missile frigate Yuncheng hull number 571 – are moored at the PLA pier on...

Politics

3 h. ago China is not US, and challenges to Europe won’t come from Beijing: Top diplomat

China is not US, and challenges to Europe won’t come from Beijing: Top diplomat  usmuslims.com

Politics

4 h. ago Xinhua News | Beijing launches cities alliance to boost global digital economy ties

Xinhua News | Beijing launches cities alliance to boost global digital economy ties  Xinhua

Politics

4 h. ago Chinese team creates blockchain tech to resist attacks from quantum computers

Chinese scientists have developed a new blockchain storage technology that they say can resist attacks from quantum computers. Blockchain technology – which provides a shared, decentralised digital ledger that stores tamper-proof records – has shown revolutionary potential in areas like financial services and supply chain management. Usually, blockchains use specialised encryption algorithms to verify each transaction, ensure the ledger’s security, and provide transparent access to...

Events

4 h. ago China urges pupils to dance when studying to boost brains, morale, ease pressure

Secondary schools in China have urged pupils to dance while studying in a bid to activate their brains, boost morale and relieve heavy academic pressure. Several schools across the nation have applied the “passionate morning reading” method with their pupils. In video clips posted online, teenagers can be seen wiggling their bodies and waving their arms wildly while reading textbooks. In some schools, pupils stand still while studying but are encouraged to chant the text loudly. The activity...

Events

4 h. ago Europe has many challenges but none come from China, Wang Yi tells EU

China has presented itself as a “peaceful, inclusive and cooperative” partner for the European Union and pledged it will not follow the path taken by the US. In a meeting with EU representatives in Brussels on Wednesday, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi urged the bloc to “truly foster a rational understanding” of China and not seek confrontation despite their division. “China and Europe have different histories, cultures and values. We should not regard each other as opponents just because of...

Politics

5 h. ago ‘Better than expected’: Chinese firms in Vietnam upbeat over US tariff deal

Chinese manufacturers in Vietnam breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday, after Washington and Hanoi agreed a “better than expected” trade deal that will reduce US tariffs to 20 per cent and bring an end to three months of uncertainty. Most Chinese exporters are likely to continue operating in the Southeast Asian nation in the wake of the agreement, with firms viewing the final tariff rate as manageable, analysts and businesspeople in the country told the Post. US President Donald Trump announced...

Economics

7 h. ago Hong Kong tourists undeterred by prediction that quake will hit Japan on July 5

Hong Kong travel agencies have not recorded widespread cancellations of Japan-bound tour groups for the coming weekend, despite a manga artist’s widely discussed prediction that a mega-earthquake will hit the country on Saturday. But some business insiders suggested the number of tours this summer was expected to fall by half compared with last year. The Japan National Tourism Organisation reported that only 193,100 visitors from Hong Kong were recorded coming to the country in May, down by 11.2...

Events

7 h. ago Beijing wary as US plots quiet trade war to isolate China; India in negotiation room

Beijing wary as US plots quiet trade war to isolate China; India in negotiation room  The Economic Times

Events

7 h. ago China Caixin Services PMI Dips, Profit Margins Squeezed—Will Beijing Act?

China Caixin Services PMI Dips, Profit Margins Squeezed—Will Beijing Act?  FXEmpire

Politics

7 h. ago Sabah bribery scandal: Singapore firm comes under Malaysian scrutiny

Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency is now targeting a Singapore-registered mining company as part of its investigation into a bribery scandal in Sabah that has already seen two state lawmakers and a businessman charged in court on Monday. The case captured public attention after the businessman, Albert Tei Jiann Cheing, released covert videos showing state lawmakers engaged in bribe negotiations with him, implicating several prominent figures in Malaysia’s second-largest state. Despite claiming...

Politics