3 h. ago Hotel conversions gain traction in China’s office market amid high vacancies

More economy and mid-range hotel operators in China are leasing office buildings for conversion to guest accommodation, and such flexible, mixed-use approaches are expected to increase amid a continued weakening of the office market. In some Chinese cities, the practice of multiple hotel brands co-leasing separate floors within a single building has become more prevalent, fuelled by interest from both property owners and hotel operators. In Hangzhou, the capital of eastern China’s Zhejiang...

Society

44 h. ago Alibaba’s upgraded Qwen chatbot app receives warm consumer reception

Alibaba’s ambition to turn its chatbot app into a powerful AI assistant that dramatically changes the way people interact with smart devices appears to be paying off, according to users and analysts. Instead of repeatedly swiping a screen to complete a task, a user can tell the Qwen app to conduct a range of tasks from ordering drinks to paying electricity bills after the Hangzhou-based technology giant links it to the group’s existing apps like shopping platform Taobao and payment interface...

Events

3 d. ago China’s EV makers face slowdown in export growth after doubling in 2025

China’s electric vehicle (EV) exports doubled in 2025 amid rising overseas demand for affordable cars and Beijing’s anti-involution campaign. The country – the world’s leading EV manufacturer – sold more than 2.6 million units to overseas markets last year, up 104 per cent from a year earlier, according to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) on Wednesday. Despite persistent trade tensions, Chinese brands were expected to further deepen their presence in overseas...

Politics

4 d. ago Chinese dealers call for auto brands to balance inventory levels to help ease glut

Chinese dealers call for auto brands to balance inventory levels to help ease glut  Reuters

Economics

8 d. ago Chinese smart eyewear makers shine at CES with focus on challenging Meta

Dozens of Chinese makers of smart glasses dazzled the exhibition floor at the recent CES trade show in Las Vegas, where they showed lightweight, artificial intelligence-powered eyewear aimed at a category that has been largely defined by Meta Platforms’ Ray-Ban Display. At the four-day annual trade show, which concluded on Friday, Chinese brands made up most of the roughly 60 smart eyewear exhibitors. Their products ranged from audio-first frames designed for all-day wear to augmented reality...

Politics

8 d. ago China car sales may stagnate in 2026, strong EV export growth unlikely to last

China car sales may stagnate in 2026, strong EV export growth unlikely to last  Reuters

Politics

8 d. ago China's car sales clock slowest growth in 3 years, exports strong

China's car sales clock slowest growth in 3 years, exports strong  Reuters

Politics

1 week ago UK car sales top 2 million as consumers warm to Chinese brands

UK car sales top 2 million as consumers warm to Chinese brands  Automotive News

Economics

2 w. ago China woman films dog eating from plate at restaurant; shop vows to sue after brief closure

A Chinese woman is facing a lawsuit after encouraging her pet dog to eat mutton rolls directly from a plate at a famous Beijing hotpot restaurant. The incident reportedly happened at a branch of Nanmen Hotpot, a Beijing-style hotpot restaurant brand, in the Chinese capital on December 16. A video posted by the dog-owning woman shows her encouraging her pet to eat directly from a plate. “Frankly speaking, I do not even know what the mutton rolls taste like because my dog has eaten them all. The...

Politics

2 w. ago Tesla Is No Longer the Leader in Global EV Sales as China's BYD Claims the Crown

Tesla Is No Longer the Leader in Global EV Sales as China's BYD Claims the Crown  Car and Driver

Politics

2 w. ago Italy's new car sales down 2.12% in 2025 as Chinese brands gain market share

Italy's new car sales down 2.12% in 2025 as Chinese brands gain market share  Reuters

Economics

2 w. ago Overachievers and underperformers: Chinese car manufacturers' 2025 sales results revealed

Overachievers and underperformers: Chinese car manufacturers' 2025 sales results revealed  CarNewsChina.com

Economics

2 w. ago China food delivery platform names Jay Chou as brand ambassador, supported by lookalikes

A quartet of singer Jay Chou lookalikes in China has produced a video supporting the pop idol’s new role as a delivery brand ambassador, sending social media into a frenzy of laughter. On December 18, the Chinese delivery giant Meituan unveiled Chou as its brand ambassador following their high-profile partnership with actress Liu Yifei. Known as the “King of Mandopop”, the Taiwanese singer-songwriter has amassed more than 23 million followers on mainland social media thanks to his musical...

Politics

3 w. ago Global consumer brands operating in China still have a lot to learn about Chinese consumers

Global consumer brands operating in China still have a lot to learn about Chinese consumers  MarketWatch

Politics

4 w. ago Mixue lands in U.S. as Chinese tea beverage brands go global

Mixue lands in U.S. as Chinese tea beverage brands go global  Xinhua

Politics