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China Future Tech

China Future Tech

Key Industries:
EVs
AI
Semiconductors
Aerospace
Robotics
Biomedicine
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As China bets on tech and innovation to drive its growth, it has placed its chips on several industrial sectors that are expected to play increasingly important roles in development and trade, which will bring fresh opportunities and challenges for stakeholders. SCMP’s China Future Tech is your go-to destination for the latest news, insights, and opinions on these select industries. Explore in-depth coverage of EVs, AI, semiconductors, aerospace, robotics and biomedicine sectors. Follow us to stay ahead in China's evolving competitive landscape.

Elon Musk said the latest version of xAI’s Grok model can answer technical questions about rocket engines and electrochemistry. Photo: Reuters

Big Tech

Elon Musk teases Grok 3.5 hours after Alibaba’s Qwen3 generates buzz

Musk said the latest version of xAI’s Grok model can answer technical questions about rocket engines and electrochemistry.

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The SMC: what to see at the Shanghai AI incubator visited by Xi Jinping

China’s C919 stuck on tarmac in Europe as certification timeline extended

14

China Business

Global carmakers ‘go local’ in China to claw back EV market share

More than a dozen new EV models from foreign giants at Auto Shanghai feature the latest Chinese technologies in battery, digital cockpit and self-driving.

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Nio’s ET9 electric car on display on the first day of the Shanghai Auto show. Photo: EPA-EFE
Nio’s ET9 electric car on display on the first day of the Shanghai Auto show. Photo: EPA-EFE

Big Tech

Alibaba’s Qwen3 AI model family helps narrow US-China tech gap: analysts

It reflects Qwen’s current position as the world’s largest open-source AI ecosystem, surpassing Meta Platforms’ Llama community.

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Tech Trends

DeepSeek quietly updates open-source model that handles maths proofs

The Chinese start-up has released the Prover-V2 model a day after Alibaba released Qwen3, and ahead of an anticipated release of DeepSeek-R2.

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Policy

Chinese AI and robotics start-ups respond to Xi’s self-reliance call

The Chinese president met representatives from several AI and robotics start-ups during a visit to Shanghai.

Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE/Xinhua
Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE/Xinhua

China EVs

BYD’s new cut-price SUV, China’s shifting electric-car exports: 7 EV reads

From a Chinese robotaxi firm eyeing global expansion to Nio’s plans for right-hand-drive cars, here are seven EV stories you may have missed.

Big Tech

Smartphone giant Xiaomi unveils AI model, joining fierce competition in China

Xiaomi says its open-source MiMo reasoning model, trained completely in-house, rivals the performance of OpenAI’s o1-mini and Alibaba’s QwQ-32B.

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Big Tech

Pony.ai partners with Tencent to provide robotaxi services on WeChat

With access to more than a billion users on Tencent’s platforms, Pony.ai is set to significantly boost its revenue potential.

The interior of a Pony.ai robotaxi, seen at the Shanghai Auto Show. Photo: Reuters

Big Tech

Chinese biotech giant sees strong US revenue despite trade tensions

The company, which has been targeted by Washington, saw US revenue jump 28 per cent in the first quarter, compared with 21 per cent globally.

WuXi AppTec’s demand in the US remains strong despite the trade war, first-quarter earnings show. Photo: Shutterstock
WuXi AppTec’s demand in the US remains strong despite the trade war, first-quarter earnings show. Photo: Shutterstock

Big Tech

Huawei enlists 11 carmakers in pact on driving safety as Tesla awaits FSD nod

The ‘intelligent assisted driving safety initiative’ was signed by Audi China, state-owned SAIC Motor and Guangzhou Automobile, among others.

Economic Indicators

Shenzhen lags China in GDP, exports as tech hub preps for tariff wave

The southern metropolis failed to beat the national average, even as exporters locked in early orders to get ahead of US tariffs.

Big Tech

Alibaba unveils Qwen3 AI models that it says outperform DeepSeek R1

The release comes just days after Baidu introduced two advanced models amid speculation about the imminent release of DeepSeek’s R2.

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Alibaba has released the third generation of its Qwen AI model series. Photo: Reuters

Tech Trends

Geely-owned DreamSmart to push mobile payments via AI smart glasses

DreamSmart is working with Ant International to enable mobile payments for users of its StarV Air2 eyewear.

DreamSmart Group’s AI-powered StarV Air2 eyewear will offer mobile payments functionality from the third quarter this year. Photo: SCMP
DreamSmart Group’s AI-powered StarV Air2 eyewear will offer mobile payments functionality from the third quarter this year. Photo: SCMP

Tech Trends

Exclusive | China’s Tsinghua University snags top American AI researcher from Microsoft

Lamb will join the prestigious school’s College of AI and has already started accepting applications from prospective PhD and master’s students.

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Tech

Chinese quantum computing firm tackles breast cancer screenings, drug design

Hefei-based Origin Quantum has demonstrated its computer’s ability to process medical imaging data ‘exponentially faster’ than classical machines.

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China Business

Wuxi AppTec’s upbeat business update boosts stock despite US bill

A presentation persuaded investors that risk of a potential US blacklisting is low while growth in some business areas is ‘unprecedented’.

Shares in Chinese drug research and development group Wuxi AppTec closed up 23.9 per cent on Friday, the most since its listing in 2018. Photo: Reuters
Shares in Chinese drug research and development group Wuxi AppTec closed up 23.9 per cent on Friday, the most since its listing in 2018. Photo: Reuters

Big Tech

China Telecom say AI model with 1 trillion parameters trained with Chinese chips

The state-owned telecoms operator did not reveal what chips it used for its 1 trillion-parameter model, but it has a partnership with Huawei.

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Tech War

Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou back at the helm of firm ahead of next smartphone launch

In her latest tenure as rotating chairwoman, Meng is expected to oversee the launch of Huawei’s next flagship 5G smartphone series, the Mate 70.

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China Business

5 Chinese EV makers set monthly sales records as discounts draw buyers

BYD, Li Auto, Xpeng, Zeekr and Leapmotor posted new monthly delivery records in September as new models and promotions proved enticing.

Employees work on an EV production line at a Leapmotor factory in Jinhua, in China’s eastern Zhejiang province, on September 18, 2024. Photo: AFP
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China Future TechChina Future Tech
Oppo expects to roll out generative artificial intelligence functions to its 50 million smartphone users by the end of this year. Photo: Shutterstock

Oppo enters tech pact with top EV maker BYD, acquires AI start-up

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OPINION
Zhou Xin

My Take | China’s ambitions in electric vehicles go beyond making lots of cars

Zhou Xin
Genevieve Donnellon-May

Opinion | How China’s agricultural modernisation is reshaping global food systems

Genevieve Donnellon-May
George Chen

Opinion | In AI race against US, China is racking up real-world wins

George Chen
Jeffrey Wu

Opinion | The AI rivalry to watch is between China and Chinese in the US

Jeffrey Wu
Zhou Xin

My Take | DeepSeek has changed China’s AI model landscape – what’s next?

Zhou Xin
6
Christopher Tang

Opinion | Forget Doge, it’s Musk’s Tesla that looks in need of a rescue

Christopher Tang
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Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong’s Li Ka-shing appears in person for first time since ports deal

Li Ka-shing (left) with Dr Walton Li, CEO of HKSH Medical Group and Medical Superintendent of Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital. Photo: Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital

Military

China’s Shandong carrier sends ‘assertive’ message during US-Philippine drills

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The Shandong, launched eight years ago, is China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier. Photo: Handout via Reuters

Southeast Asia

‘If I were God, I wouldn’t choose me’: Filipino cardinal tipped to be next pope

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Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle attends a rosary prayer at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome on April 24. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle & Culture

Viral manga, feng shui earthquake prophecies shake tourist confidence in Japan

Foreign tourists gather on a platform at Kyoto station on April 16. Photo: AFP

Science

China’s Shenzhou-19 astronauts return home after forced landing site switch

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Astronaut Wang Haoze emerges from the Shenzhou-19 return capsule at the Dongfeng landing site in north China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua
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EVs
Employees work on the assembly line at Chinese carmaker Seres’ factory in Chongqing. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
Electric & new energy vehicles

Seres, Huawei’s carmaking partner, plans Hong Kong listing to fund expansion

Chongqing-based Seres joins state-owned Chery Automobile and EV battery maker CATL in seeking to raise funds in Hong Kong.

Pure EVs regain market share in China on lithium cost, battery technology

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Digital cockpit is the key to the Russian EV buyer’s wallet, vendors say

Chinese EV exports shift to Russia, Middle East amid US, Europe tariffs: report

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BYD electric cars, bound for South America, are stacked at the Taicang Port in Suzhou in eastern Jiangsu province on April 8, 2025. Photo: AFP

Hesai to quadruple lidar output to extend lead in laser range finders

ATX lidar sensors made by Hesai can identify conditions such as rain, fog and exhaust fumes in real time at a pixel level. Photo: Reuters

No-shows at Shanghai car expo reflect brutal mainland competition

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People throng the Shanghai auto show during a media day, in Shanghai on April 23, 2025. Photo: Reuters

Geely’s Zeekr debuts luxury SUV as Chinese auto giant takes on Mercedes, BMW

Zeekr’s first hybrid model, the SUV 9X, was launched at the Shanghai Auto Show on Wednesday. Photo: Handout
AI
DeepSeek’s R2 artificial intelligence model was said to have been trained on a server cluster of Huawei Technologies’ Ascend 910B chips, according to Chinese social-media posts. Photo: Shutterstock
DeepSeek

DeepSeek speculation swirls online over Chinese AI start-up’s R2 model

The latest speculation includes R2’s imminent launch and the new benchmarks that it set in terms of cost-efficiency and performance.

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Baidu offers new AI models at lower cost than DeepSeek’s products

German, Japan carmakers embrace Chinese AI as Tesla awaits Beijing’s nod on FSD

Intel, Chinese partners ModelBest and Black Sesame push smart car systems

Flurry of Chinese AI updates come amid tightening Nvidia restrictions

Semiconductors
DeepSeek’s R2 artificial intelligence model was said to have been trained on a server cluster of Huawei Technologies’ Ascend 910B chips, according to Chinese social-media posts. Photo: Shutterstock
DeepSeek

DeepSeek speculation swirls online over Chinese AI start-up’s R2 model

The latest speculation includes R2’s imminent launch and the new benchmarks that it set in terms of cost-efficiency and performance.

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Unitree leads influx of mainland companies eyeing IPOs in Hong Kong

Baidu offers new AI models at lower cost than DeepSeek’s products

US-China trade war drives demand for Intel’s older chips

The headquarters of Intel in Santa Clara, California. Photo: Reuters

Intel, Chinese partners ModelBest and Black Sesame push smart car systems

Intel’s latest collaborations come amid the rapid development of intelligent cockpits in China’s electric vehicle industry. Photo: Shutterstock

TSMC shows off new tech for stitching together bigger, faster chips

A TSMC logo is seen at the Hsinchu Science Park in Taiwan. Photo: AFP

Shanghai chip firm doubles quarterly profit as China expands supply chain role

Montage Technology’s latest input/output hub chip for cloud computing, big data and enterprise storage applications. Photo: Montage Technology
Aerospace
A Long March-2F carrier rocket carrying the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft and a crew of three astronauts lifts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua
China's space programme

Shanghai aims for leading role in China’s commercial space sector

China’s financial hub steps up challenge to American space giants such as SpaceX and Blue Origin.

Sky-high US tariffs to hit Boeing, Chinese airliners and China’s home-grown jets

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China’s C909 jet expands reach as VietJet Air becomes third operator in region

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Who is the female engineer leading China’s challenge to Boeing and Airbus?

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Pentagon urges faster militarisation of space, citing China’s advances

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Robotics
A demonstration of one of UBTech’s Walker-series humanoid robots during a media tour of the company’s offices in Shenzhen on April 23. Photo: Edmond So
Robotics

China’s UBTech, Midea push humanoid robots into factories amid push for adoption

UBTech’s Walker humanoids are headed for a car plant, while Midea plans to have its own robots in an appliance factory by next month.

Unitree leads influx of mainland companies eyeing IPOs in Hong Kong

China’s humanoid robot half-marathon puts technology’s limits on public display

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China’s humanoid robot half marathon winner wants to be ‘Android’ of robotics

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The Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre’s Tien Kung Ultra robot competes in China’s first half marathon for humanoid robots as engineers run alongside it. Photo: Xinhua

Tesla can’t make Optimus robot for US$20,000 without China, humanoid experts say

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One humanoid-industry insider estimates that hands account for about 10 per cent of the cost to make Tesla’s Optimus robot. Photo: AFP

Guangdong boosts AI and robotics subsidies after DeepSeek’s success

A staff member tests a humanoid robot from a company based in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. Photo: Xinhua

Unitree Robotics profitable since 2020, eyes expansion amid high demand

A Unitree G1 humanoid robot waves to children at a kindergarten in Yantai, Shandong province. Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images
Biomedicine
Akeso’s new immunotherapy drug called ivonescimab allowed half of its patients to go 11.1 months without their condition worsening. Photo: Shutterstock
Biomedicine: Companies

Akeso shares slump despite second China approval for lung cancer drug

Chinese regulator grants second approval for lung cancer drug ivonescimab, which has outperformed Merck’s Keytruda in phase three trial.

Hutchmed weighs cancer drug’s supply-chain options amid trade war

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US report highlights China’s biotech rise, urges action to boost local industry

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China makes advances in commercialisation of brain-computer interface technology

Is AstraZeneca’s new US$2.5 billion plan a blueprint for foreign firms in China?

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