59 h. ago China’s AI race heats up as SenseTime, ByteDance unveil model updates

China’s artificial intelligence (AI) market sees heightened competition, as various model providers – from SenseTime to ByteDance – step up efforts to enhance their services. Hong Kong-listed SenseTime has upgraded its Cantonese-speaking chatbot, Sensechat, with a comprehensive set of new features that include real-time audio and video-interaction capabilities, according to the company’s announcement on Thursday. Other enhancements include visual reasoning capabilities, which allow Sensechat to...

Culture

3 d. ago China approves world’s biggest amphibious plane, AG600, for mass production

China’s home-grown AG600, the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, has been given the green light for mass production, marking a step forward in building an independent and globally competitive aviation industry. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) certified the plane on Wednesday, confirming that its developer, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic), has established a reliable system to consistently produce aircraft that meet safety standards, according to...

Politics

3 d. ago 2025 Beijing Youth Curling Competition concludes at National Aquatics Center

2025 Beijing Youth Curling Competition concludes at National Aquatics Center  China.org.cn

Politics

4 d. ago China’s film distributors pledge more imports to diversify market

China’s film distributors have called for diversifying the country’s cinematic offerings with more and better titles from overseas, at a time when domestic productions have seized the lion’s share of the market from their imported competitors. At a work conference held by the state-owned China Film Group Corporation, as well as Huaxia Film Distribution, companies vowed to bring in “good titles from multiple countries” to improve the number, quality and market share of foreign films, state media...

Politics

4 d. ago US crackdowns on academia will only send global talent elsewhere

Where would the United States be without immigrant talent? Some of the country’s leading tech companies, including Alphabet and Nvidia, were founded or co-founded by immigrants. Two-thirds of the tech workers in Silicon Valley are foreign-born. According to research by the Institute for Progress, 60 per cent of the US’ top artificial intelligence (AI) companies have immigrant founders, including former international students. The role of Cambridge, Massachusetts as a magnet for global talent is...

Politics

1 week ago Novo Nordisk faces fierce competition in China’s diabetes drug market

Competition in the mainland Chinese market for diabetes and weight loss drugs is set to intensify as more than 60 late-stage drug candidates are undergoing clinical trials, according to a recent report. Up to 20 biosimilar or generic copies will vie for market share and add pricing pressure after Denmark-based Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide product loses patent protection in China next year, according to Boston-based global consultancy L.E.K. Consulting. Novo Nordisk’s patent will expire in 2031 in...

Events

1 week ago How US tech curbs pushed China to innovate, and where a ‘super AI’ could emerge

Angela Zhang is a law professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. Zhang is an expert on technology regulation and antitrust in China, and her research focus has recently been on artificial intelligence oversight. This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here. How will the new US-China tariff war affect the Chinese technology sector and competition between the two countries on artificial intelligence? Tariffs...

Politics

1 week ago China actress, 54, wins UK dance competition, prompting many to seek fitness tips

A 54-year-old actress from China has claimed third place at a prestigious international dancing competition, earning immense admiration from mainland internet users for her dedication to staying fit and healthy. At the annual Blackpool Dance Festival held in Britain in May, Wang Lin and her dancing partner Evgeny Moshenin secured the third position in the Teacher-Student group for their impressive foxtrot performance. The festival is recognised as the world’s most renowned annual ballroom dance...

Sport

2 w. ago Opinion | Why China’s problem of cutthroat competition demands the world’s attention

Opinion | Why China’s problem of cutthroat competition demands the world’s attention  South China Morning Post

Politics

2 w. ago China Auto Body Slams ‘Vicious Competition’ After BYD Price Cuts

China Auto Body Slams ‘Vicious Competition’ After BYD Price Cuts  Bloomberg.com

Politics

2 w. ago China's DeepSeek quietly releases upgraded R1 AI model, ramping up competition with OpenAI

China's DeepSeek quietly releases upgraded R1 AI model, ramping up competition with OpenAI  CNBC

Politics

2 w. ago European companies cut costs, scale back investments in China

European companies cut costs, scale back investments in China  Taipei Times

Economics

2 w. ago Dimash Qudaibergen to Launch International Vocal Competition with China’s Hunan TV

Dimash Qudaibergen to Launch International Vocal Competition with China’s Hunan TV  The Astana Times

Politics

2 w. ago Musk’s ’24/7′ return to Tesla and business world comes as competition intensifies in China

Musk’s ’24/7′ return to Tesla and business world comes as competition intensifies in China  MarketWatch

Politics

2 w. ago China’s EV giant BYD decimates local competition with cheaper cars

China’s EV giant BYD decimates local competition with cheaper cars  Interesting Engineering

Politics

2 w. ago 'Scale at all costs', Silicon Valley uses competition with China as excuse to push for lighter regulation: Author

'Scale at all costs', Silicon Valley uses competition with China as excuse to push for lighter regulation: Author  MSN

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong stocks extend drop as BYD, Meituan pace losses amid competition

Hong Kong stocks erased gains amid concerns that escalating competition among China’s leading carmakers and e-commerce operators will hurt margins and prompt investors to retreat. The Hang Seng Index fell 0.2 per cent to 23,241.23 at the local noon trading break on Tuesday, reversing an earlier gain of as much as 0.4 per cent. The Hang Seng Tech Index lost 0.6 per cent. On the mainland, the CSI 300 Index slipped 0.3 per cent while the Shanghai Composite Index declined 0.7 per cent. BYD tumbled...

Politics

2 w. ago Ready, set, fight: Unitree humanoid robots test skills in kickboxing competition

Humanoid robots from start-up Unitree Robotics showed off their fighting form at a unique kickboxing competition held in Hangzhou on Sunday, weeks after Beijing hosted the world’s first half-marathon where these machines raced alongside humans. Organised by state-owned China Media Group and broadcast live by China Central Television (CCTV), the competition saw four Unitree G1 humanoid robots square off in one-on-one matches where they punched, kicked and even did a kip-up – an acrobatic...

Sport

2 w. ago Congo eyes U.S. minerals deal by June amid China competition

Congo eyes U.S. minerals deal by June amid China competition  Business Insider Africa

Politics

3 w. ago China’s Effort to Build a Competitor to Starlink Is Off to a Bumpy Start

China’s Effort to Build a Competitor to Starlink Is Off to a Bumpy Start  WIRED

Politics