Tech

Tech Trends
Tech War
Big Tech
Policy
China Future Tech
Illustration: Henry Wong

Tech War

China takes confident strides to develop more AI innovation in 2026

‘China’s tech innovation is poised for policy-driven growth in 2026, with AI placed at the centre of the country’s economic agenda,’ NYU’s Winston Ma says.

China’s top contract chipmakers pursue acquisitions amid self-sufficiency drive

DeepSeek proposes fundamental AI shift with ‘mHC’ architecture to upgrade ResNet

Banking & Finance

China’s M&A revival points to deeper investor confidence in growth prospects

Deal value is expected to rise, with strategic transactions and overseas ambitions driving momentum.

Sectors representing Chinese firms’ technology innovation will likely be the main engines of China M&A, including automobile components and life sciences, according to industry experts. Photo: Shutterstock
Sectors representing Chinese firms’ technology innovation will likely be the main engines of China M&A, including automobile components and life sciences, according to industry experts. Photo: Shutterstock

Big Tech

DeepSeek opens 2026 with paper signalling race to train bigger models for less

DeepSeek has published a technical paper co-authored by founder Liang Wenfeng proposing a rethink of its core deep learning architecture.

China EVs

China’s EV makers to corner one-third of global market by 2030, UBS says

Analysts see China’s EV edge enduring, citing overseas profits and supply chain strengths despite tariffs and Western protectionism.

7
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Big Tech

US grants TSMC annual licence to import American chipmaking tools into China

The approval ‘ensures uninterrupted fab operations and product deliveries’, according to the world’s largest contract chipmaker.

6
Washington has granted TSMC’s Nanjing operation an annual licence to import US chip manufacturing equipment into China. Photo: Shutterstock
Washington has granted TSMC’s Nanjing operation an annual licence to import US chip manufacturing equipment into China. Photo: Shutterstock

AI

How Chinese robotaxi giants are steering Middle East towards a driverless future

WeRide, Baidu and Pony.ai expand operations in the Middle East as UAE promotes clean energy and reduces dependence on oil and gas.

Tech Trends

China’s Moonshot AI raises US$500 million in latest funding round: report

The Kimi AI model developer is now valued at US$4.3 billion, with cash reserves worth US$1.4 billion.

Business

Multibillion Manus deal delights, but raises spectre of a China AI exodus

Meta’s acquisition of Manus has opened a new cash-out path for China’s AI founders, but also sparked concerns over a brain drain.

6
Manus has effectively shattered the fixation on ‘Ivy League’ degrees and marquee work histories. Photo: Shutterstock

Tech Trends

Former DJI self-driving unit seeks edge in adapting drone tech to heavy vehicles

The latest moves mean ZYT is opening up new battlefronts in China’s fiercely contested autonomous driving landscape.

ZYT is working with nine carmakers on more than 50 mass-produced models. Photo: Handout
ZYT is working with nine carmakers on more than 50 mass-produced models. Photo: Handout

Big Tech

Nvidia asks chipmaker TSMC to ramp up H200 production amid China demand: sources

Chinese tech companies place orders for more than 2 million H200 chips for 2026, according to sources.

4

China Business

China AI start-up MiniMax kicks off US$538 million Hong Kong IPO

Start of Shanghai-based company’s share sale follows launch of rival Zhipu’s US$560 million IPO a day earlier.

Big Tech

Exclusive | ByteDance to pour US$14 billion into Nvidia chips in 2026 as AI demand surges

Chinese unicorn’s computing needs have climbed across its portfolio of popular apps, cloud unit Volcano Engine and large language models.

9
ByteDance plans to spend about 100 billion yuan on AI chips from Nvidia in 2026 if the US company is allowed to sell its H200 graphic processing units in China, sources say. Photo: Handout

Tech Trends

China-founded Tripo AI updates 3D content platform as users more than double

‘This shows that we’re on the right track,’ founder and CEO Simon Song Yachen says.

Tripo AI’s flagship platform, Tripo Studio 1.0, generates 3D content from text or images in seconds. Photo: Handout
Tripo AI’s flagship platform, Tripo Studio 1.0, generates 3D content from text or images in seconds. Photo: Handout

Tech Trends

China’s tech giants offer lavish year-end bonuses amid AI talent war

ByteDance is expanding its bonus pool by 35 per cent from a year earlier, as well as increasing the budget for pay rises by 150 per cent.

Big Tech

China-founded AI start-up Manus acquired by Meta for ‘billions’

Deal will bring Singapore-based Manus’ ‘leading agent to billions of people’, Meta says.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Tech War

How Nexperia saga exposes Europe’s waning influence in US-China chip war

The dispute around the Dutch chipmaker shows the erosion of Europe’s geopolitical neutrality in the face of escalating US-China rivalry.

19
Nexperia is caught in a geopolitical tussle between the Netherlands and China. Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Nexperia is caught in a geopolitical tussle between the Netherlands and China. Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Tech War

China’s lesson for the US: it takes more than chips to win the AI race

The AI war is increasingly waged among ‘hyperscalers’ – companies with full-stack capabilities across software, hardware and applications.

videocam
80

Tech War

How Huawei and DeepSeek are tending the garden of China’s AI aspirations

Amid growing AI rivalry with the US, the two companies are leading China’s drive to shake off the nation’s dependence on Nvidia processors.

14

Big Tech

Immediate gratification: instant commerce transforms China’s retail market

Instant commerce has developed over a short period of time, as providers expanded their on-demand delivery coverage beyond food.

Illustration: Henry Wong
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
China Future Tech
HIGHLIGHTS FROM
China Future Tech

Tech

China’s Qwen and DeepSeek edge out US AI models in Christian values benchmark

14
The questions in FAI-C were reviewed by a panel of Biblical experts, including theologians, pastors, psychologists and scholars of ethics. Photo: SCMP

Tech War

China takes confident strides to develop more AI innovation in 2026

Illustration: Henry Wong

Tech Trends

China’s top contract chipmakers pursue acquisitions amid self-sufficiency drive

Big-ticket acquisitions by Hua Hong Semiconductor and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp signal a fresh round of consolidation in the country’s chip industry. Photo: Shutterstock

Tech Trends

DeepSeek proposes fundamental AI shift with ‘mHC’ architecture to upgrade ResNet

The DeepSeek paper triggered interest and debate among developers despite its dense technical details. Photo: Reuters

Semiconductors

Baidu spin-off Kunlunxin joins wave of Chinese semiconductor IPOs in Hong Kong

The Baidu logo is pictured at the company’s headquarters in Beijing, March 16, 2023. Photo: Reuters
MORE IN China Future Tech
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
OPINION
Patrick Winter

Opinion | Asia needs AI talent to fuel its future growth

Patrick Winter
Anthony Rowley

Macroscope | Can AI deliver the economic goods and high returns? Don’t count on it

Anthony Rowley
Jake Sullivan

Opinion | US and China must get serious about AI risk

Jake Sullivan
Christine Loh

Opinion | Arguing about China’s overcapacity overlooks its drive for clean energy

Christine Loh
Winston Mok

Opinion | How China can help Africa build human capital

Winston Mok
James David Spellman

Opinion | Why 2026 will be the year AI hype collides with reality

James David Spellman
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
MULTIMEDIA
Video

Hongkongers urged to use eMPF to ward off scams

Hongkongers urged to sign up for eMPF platform as defence against scams
Video

How a Shanghai start-up is digitalising Chinese tea

Safety, verification and trust behind start-up company Teakan Technology’s goal to make traditional Chinese tea digitally traceable
Video

Humanoid robots take centre stage at Shanghai summit

Competitions mainly focused on robotic applications in industrial assembly, home services, flower arranging, healthcare and elderly care, as well as restaurant services
Video

Australia’s under-16 social media ban due to take effect

dsfewd
02:58
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
TRENDING TOPICS
Huawei Technologies
Artificial intelligence
Smartphones
Alibaba
Tencent Holdings
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement