https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/520306/feed 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... en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang While few dispute that China is narrowing the gap with the United States in developing artificial intelligence (AI) models, there is one area where Chinese firms are already the undisputed leaders: video. China has seen a proliferation of advanced generative AI video models – systems trained on visual data to generate or edit video content based on user inputs such as text prompts, images and audio. The country’s vast short-video ecosystems and looser copyright rules have helped give Chinese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3371915/china-shoots-ahead-ai-video-models https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3371915/china-shoots-ahead-ai-video-models Mon, 26 Oct 2026 01:06:01 +0000 Stephen Chen,Victoria Bela Stephen Chen,Victoria Bela China has begun building the world’s first utility-scale power plant combining two emerging technologies: supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) generation and large-scale molten salt energy storage. The Ruitan project, under construction at a coal-fired power station in Yantai in eastern China’s Shandong province, is intended to demonstrate how combining these technologies can reduce energy wastage and improve the stability of the electrical grid. Electricity produced when demand is low is stored... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3370584/china-bets-molten-salt-and-co2-help-meet-its-power-needs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3370584/china-bets-molten-salt-and-co2-help-meet-its-power-needs Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:41:03 +0000 Wency Chen,Howard Liu Wency Chen,Howard Liu China has set a five-year goal for the expansion of intelligent computing capacity to drive artificial intelligence (AI) that calls for a more than fourfold increase on what was in place at the end of June this year. To reach the 2030 target while being blocked by the United States from importing the most advanced Western-made AI chips will require innovation, adaptation and the application and coordination of vast resources. Judging by the 177 per cent increase in capacity achieved in the year... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/policy/article/3369537/chinas-ai-compute-ambitions-demand-innovation https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/policy/article/3369537/chinas-ai-compute-ambitions-demand-innovation Fri, 02 Oct 2026 07:05:21 +0000 Ann Cao,Iris Deng Ann Cao,Iris Deng The future of computing has arrived, according to China’s Huawei Technologies. The Shenzhen-based technology giant’s launch this week of the Mate XT 2 smartphone, its first commercial product powered by a processor with a novel architecture, is a public test of the Chinese tech giant’s claim to have invented a new chip design paradigm. It is also its first step to rewiring artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. The phone’s chip, the Kirin 9050 Pro, is the first designed according to the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3367153/novel-chip-huawei-phone-china-heads-computing-reset https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3367153/novel-chip-huawei-phone-china-heads-computing-reset Fri, 11 Sep 2026 05:05:57 +0000 Zhang Tong,Victoria Bela Zhang Tong,Victoria Bela Even as China installs new solar and wind power capacity faster than the rest of the world combined, it is setting new benchmarks for the technologies through innovation. This year alone, Chinese companies and researchers have generated the first electricity from high-altitude winds 4,000 metres above Earth, cleared the last hurdle to commercialising a cheaper and more efficient alternative to silicon solar panels, begun trials of the world’s most powerful floating and fixed-bottom offshore wind... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3366302/chinas-solar-wind-innovations-amid-rapid-green-power-buildout https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3366302/chinas-solar-wind-innovations-amid-rapid-green-power-buildout Fri, 04 Sep 2026 04:00:05 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese surgeons last month completed the world’s first commercial surgery to implant an invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) device in a patient with a spinal cord injury, a milestone in the neurotechnology development race with US companies like Elon Musk’s Neuralink. This month a Chinese company, state-owned PICC Property and Casualty, launched the world’s first commercial insurance policy covering BCI implantation surgery. September will see the first undergraduates in China to major in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3365525/china-thinks-big-brain-computer-interfaces-after-world-first-surgery https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3365525/china-thinks-big-brain-computer-interfaces-after-world-first-surgery Fri, 28 Aug 2026 03:17:36 +0000 Wency Chen,Ann Cao Wency Chen,Ann Cao Supernodes were everywhere at last month’s World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai. Assemblies of dozens or hundreds of computer chips and associated hardware, supernodes are China’s way around the United States’ ban on the export of the most advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips. Using greater quantities of domestic chips to deliver world-class computing power, they allow China to dodge the chokehold the US is trying to place on its AI aspirations. At this year’s WAIC,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3364660/chinas-supernodes-go-mainstream-ai-model-sizes-grow https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3364660/chinas-supernodes-go-mainstream-ai-model-sizes-grow Thu, 20 Aug 2026 06:54:50 +0000 Wency Chen,Daniel Ren Wency Chen,Daniel Ren Did the stair-climbing Chinese robot vacuum or flying robovac prototypes that wowed visitors at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas go into production? American consumers will probably not find out. Nor will US businesses and households get to buy Iron, Xpeng’s humanoid robot, so lifelike it had to be unzipped on stage to convince onlookers it was a machine. Even Elon Musk, whose Tesla is developing Optimus, praised his Chinese competitor’s model. The next generation of the dancing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3364234/chinese-robots-march-despite-tech-war-hurdles https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3364234/chinese-robots-march-despite-tech-war-hurdles Mon, 17 Aug 2026 04:15:11 +0000 Frank Chen,Ralph Jennings Frank Chen,Ralph Jennings With its first scheduled international route launching this month, the maiden flight of a high-altitude variant newly completed and a thumbs-up from European test pilots, China’s flagship C919 airliner is hitting new heights. China’s dream of a home-grown civil aviation fleet to rival Boeing and Airbus is coming closer with a national push to speed up certification of a domestically designed jet engine and smooth the development of a widebody C929 airliner, and combined orders of more than 1,200... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3363473/chinas-civil-aviation-ambitions-gain-some-lift https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3363473/chinas-civil-aviation-ambitions-gain-some-lift Mon, 10 Aug 2026 03:14:20 +0000 Paul Buck Paul Buck While China’s humanoid robots and automated “dark factories” have made headlines, another form of automation has been advancing: the collaborative robot, or cobot. Designed to operate alongside human employees, cobots have been transformed by machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). The latest models feature programming which requires no coding knowledge; instead they respond to natural-language voice commands, gesture controls and drag-to-teach demonstrations of tasks. They are also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3361664/chinese-robot-co-workers-rise-say-hello-ai-cobots https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3361664/chinese-robot-co-workers-rise-say-hello-ai-cobots Fri, 24 Jul 2026 02:35:52 +0000 Ann Cao,Minxiao Chang Ann Cao,Minxiao Chang The agentic web era has arrived, and Chinese companies are going all in. Humans were overtaken last month by artificial intelligence (AI) agents and AI bots as the majority users of the internet, data from global network company Cloudflare shows. By early July, agents and bots accounted for more than 60 per cent of web traffic. Even Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince expressed surprise in a post on X, having initially forecast AI agent-driven web use would pass the 50 per cent mark only in late 2027.... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3360487/chinese-ai-giants-start-ups-ready-agentic-web-era https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3360487/chinese-ai-giants-start-ups-ready-agentic-web-era Tue, 14 Jul 2026 07:15:10 +0000 Zhang Tong,Ann Cao Zhang Tong,Ann Cao China opened a top-level optical computing laboratory in Shanghai in June after a string of breakthroughs in the field that could help get around US curbs on its development of artificial intelligence (AI). A decade after optical computing and next-generation photonics were made national priorities, China last year began limited production of locally designed photonic chips. These transmit and process data using photons – particles of light generated by lasers – whereas silicon chips such as the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3358319/could-chinas-photonic-chips-help-it-leapfrog-us-ai https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3358319/could-chinas-photonic-chips-help-it-leapfrog-us-ai Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:01:07 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Alibaba Group delivered its strongest defence yet of an “all in” artificial intelligence strategy on Thursday, with chairman Joe Tsai arguing that AI could ultimately represent a US$50 trillion market and vowing to invest across the industry’s entire value chain rather than bet on a single winner. Speaking at the VivaTech technology conference in Paris, Tsai said Alibaba was pursuing a “full-stack” strategy spanning chips, cloud infrastructure, foundation models and consumer applications,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3357729/were-all-alibabas-joe-tsai-makes-biggest-ai-push-yet-vivatech https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3357729/were-all-alibabas-joe-tsai-makes-biggest-ai-push-yet-vivatech Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:24:35 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow They’ve been described as the “next frontier” of artificial intelligence (AI) – world models that go beyond large language models (LLMs) by simulating the physical environment. And in this emerging field, China has an edge over the United States. World models that understand the physical laws of the universe are already being used to train AI systems with embodied intelligence such as robots and self-driving vehicles. China has deployed such systems far more widely than the US – and this month,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3357235/ais-next-frontier-world-models-and-why-china-ahead-pack https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3357235/ais-next-frontier-world-models-and-why-china-ahead-pack Tue, 16 Jun 2026 03:32:04 +0000 Daniel Ren,Victoria Bela Daniel Ren,Victoria Bela Next-generation Chinese electric-vehicle (EV) batteries that charge in minutes are expected to add fuel to global sales of the country’s carmakers. An EV battery that goes from a 10 per cent to a 98 per cent charge in under six-and-a-half minutes was the star of the Super Technology Day event staged in Beijing in April by the world’s biggest producer of batteries for EVs, Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL). Earlier, the world’s leading EV maker, Shenzhen-based BYD, unveiled a battery... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3356331/chinas-new-battery-tech-set-turbocharge-evs-energy-storage https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3356331/chinas-new-battery-tech-set-turbocharge-evs-energy-storage Mon, 08 Jun 2026 07:55:05 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang To head off a public health crisis, China is stepping up efforts to find new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. As its population ages, the country already has more cases of these neurodegenerative diseases than anywhere else in the world and their prevalence is rising faster than the global average. Cases of Parkinson’s disease in China are forecast to rise from 3.6 million in 2024 to 10.5 million in 2050, while the number of people in China with dementia is projected... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3355620/china-steps-alzheimers-parkinsons-drug-push-looks-tcm https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3355620/china-steps-alzheimers-parkinsons-drug-push-looks-tcm Tue, 02 Jun 2026 02:37:04 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Sales of smart glasses with artificial intelligence (AI) features have rocketed in China as product designers focus on user experience, domestic big tech firms enter the market and innovation drives rapid advances in components while lowering costs. As well as full-spec AI glasses with augmented reality (AR) displays, producers are offering models tailored for different uses: translation glasses without cameras or speakers, AI shooting glasses for photography and video without an in-lens... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3354301/chinese-ai-smart-glasses-take-focus-user-needs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3354301/chinese-ai-smart-glasses-take-focus-user-needs Thu, 21 May 2026 03:11:57 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China’s rapidly growing low-altitude economy has reached a new milestone, with the first four domestically trained commercial airship pilots receiving their licences – a step officials believe could help address a critical talent shortage in the sector. Issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the licences “signify a breakthrough that addresses the vacuum”, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) said in a statement this week. AVIC said the achievement... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3352833/china-marks-milestone-first-home-certified-airship-pilots https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3352833/china-marks-milestone-first-home-certified-airship-pilots Fri, 08 May 2026 03:00:31 +0000 Wency Chen,Vincent Chow Wency Chen,Vincent Chow China and the United States are taking divergent paths to developing artificial intelligence (AI), putting their technology ecosystems increasingly at odds. This divergence was on show on April 24 when start-up DeepSeek launched its next-generation V4 AI models that were optimised for use with the Ascend chips and associated software tools of tech giant Huawei Technologies. China has for years been pursuing technological self-reliance, a policy reiterated by the Communist Party’s Politburo at... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3352563/ai-ecosystems-china-and-us-grow-apart-amid-tech-war https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3352563/ai-ecosystems-china-and-us-grow-apart-amid-tech-war Wed, 06 May 2026 04:15:04 +0000 Daniel Ren,Iris Deng Daniel Ren,Iris Deng Physical artificial intelligence (AI) – the marriage of advanced machines with “brains” that allow them to interact with their environment – is expanding rapidly in China. It’s fuelling the development of smarter robots, drones and driverless cars that are appearing on roads and factory floors, in the skies and even on stage. Delivery drones have taken flight over cities like southern China’s Shenzhen, while delivery bots are riding city subways. The first autonomous vehicles are plying public... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3351514/chinas-physical-ai-progress-seen-roads-skies-and-factories https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3351514/chinas-physical-ai-progress-seen-roads-skies-and-factories Mon, 27 Apr 2026 04:26:07 +0000 Ann Cao,Xinmei Shen Ann Cao,Xinmei Shen Say “open source” and “China” and most people will think of its world-conquering artificial intelligence (AI) large language models. Its open-source computer chips are just as significant. These chips are based on the RISC-V architecture (pronounced risk-five). At last month’s Zhongguancun Forum science festival in Beijing, experts celebrated the establishment in China of a complete RISC-V ecosystem. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) researchers recently unveiled their latest Xiangshan processor... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3350802/china-bets-risc-v-global-ai-race https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3350802/china-bets-risc-v-global-ai-race Tue, 21 Apr 2026 02:44:47 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren A pivotal year for self-driving cars has begun in China, with the first “hands off” models approved to ply public roads, carmakers gearing up to mass-produce them and the first mandatory safety standards for autonomous vehicles out for public comment. The first carmakers were given the go-ahead in mid-December to build electric vehicle (EV) models with Level 3 (L3) autonomous driving capability. On an international scale from L0 to L5, an L3 autonomous vehicle can operate independently under... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/business/china-evs/article/3349837/chinese-carmakers-gear-l3-self-driving-roll-out https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/business/china-evs/article/3349837/chinese-carmakers-gear-l3-self-driving-roll-out Mon, 13 Apr 2026 03:40:07 +0000 Wency Chen,Zhang Tong Wency Chen,Zhang Tong China is counting on artificial intelligence (AI) to help the 450 million people living in rural areas left behind by the nation’s economic boom. Farmers are already benefiting from the technology, using AI offerings such as DeepSeek or ByteDance’s Doubao for help with issues like pig rearing, pest control and government subsidies. The State Council’s “No 1 document” of 2026, extended a push for the “digital upgrading” of farming, with an emphasis on the greater integration of AI, drones, robots... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3346713/ai-narrow-chinas-rural-urban-economic-divide https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3346713/ai-narrow-chinas-rural-urban-economic-divide Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:00:11 +0000 Julie Zhang,Alice Li Julie Zhang,Alice Li In barely a decade, China has transformed from a maker of cheap generic copies of Western medicines into a global powerhouse of pharmaceutical innovation. The country now only trails the United States in novel drugs under development, with a 29 per cent share, according to McKinsey. International pharmaceutical companies are beating a path to China’s shores to license next-generation treatments for cancer, autoimmune diseases and other disorders. Government support, including regulatory and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/business/china-business/article/3342868/china-challenges-us-new-drugs-after-industry-transformation https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/business/china-business/article/3342868/china-challenges-us-new-drugs-after-industry-transformation Mon, 09 Feb 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Victoria Bela,Stephen Chen Victoria Bela,Stephen Chen Four Chinese groups are racing to build global satellite communications infrastructure to challenge the considerable head start made by US tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink. The two leaders for China so far are the central-government-backed GuoWang and Shanghai-backed Qianfan. They have the most satellites in orbit and plans to eventually deploy more than 10,000 apiece. Carmaker Geely’s Geespace also has satellites in space. The fourth group, Hongqing Technology, 48 per cent owned by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china-future-tech/aerospace/article/3340638/chinese-rivals-musks-starlink-wrestle-rocket-constraints https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china-future-tech/aerospace/article/3340638/chinese-rivals-musks-starlink-wrestle-rocket-constraints Wed, 21 Jan 2026 04:45:12 +0000 Wency Chen,Xinmei Shen Wency Chen,Xinmei Shen Humanoid robot guides, stair-climbing robo-vacuum cleaners and exoskeletons for hikers were all among the exhibits at the world’s largest electronics show as artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly finds a role in the physical world. Chinese companies made up about a quarter of the 4,000-plus exhibitors at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), underlining how the country is at the forefront of developments that could turn AI-powered robots into mainstream household items. The large Chinese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3339813/humanoid-robot-guides-hiker-exoskeletons-ces-2026-round https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3339813/humanoid-robot-guides-hiker-exoskeletons-ces-2026-round Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:11:13 +0000 Yujie Xue,Mia Nurmamat Yujie Xue,Mia Nurmamat Wind turbines in blustery Tibet are a symbol of China’s rapid investment in renewable energy. The only problem is that much of this potential power goes to waste. Thirty per cent of Tibetan wind energy was lost in the first 10 months of last year, as production had to be paused to avoid overloading the power network. Sunny Qinghai province similarly had to curtail 16.4 per cent of its solar energy in the same period, according to China’s National Energy Administration. China is seeking to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3338885/china-ai-mega-batteries-stoke-renewables-power-drive https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3338885/china-ai-mega-batteries-stoke-renewables-power-drive Wed, 07 Jan 2026 01:00:15 +0000 Paul Buck Paul Buck The United States and China are racing to put humans on the moon for the first time since 1972 in a competition that goes far beyond technological bragging rights. Both countries are seeking to set up lunar bases that could be used to explore the moon and other points in the solar system. The moon also contains potentially valuable raw materials, including rare earth minerals and helium-3, a possible super-fuel, adding an economic and geopolitical edge to the lunar race. “If we fall behind, if... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3336898/lunar-race-pits-china-against-us-humans-seek-return-moon https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3336898/lunar-race-pits-china-against-us-humans-seek-return-moon Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:07:11 +0000 Ann Cao,Ben Jiang Ann Cao,Ben Jiang Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) pose questions about whether computers will be able to match – or even surpass – human ability, and how people will be able to retain control of systems vastly smarter than themselves. The first key tipping point will be the arrival of artificial general intelligence (AGI), where machines match human intelligence and possess the ability to perform any intellectual task that a person can do, such as reasoning, learning and adapting across diverse... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3336173/china-chases-superintelligent-ai-without-sci-fi-movie-risks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3336173/china-chases-superintelligent-ai-without-sci-fi-movie-risks Fri, 12 Dec 2025 05:18:32 +0000 Yujie Xue,Coco Feng,Mandy Zuo Yujie Xue,Coco Feng,Mandy Zuo Drones, unmanned aircraft and flying cars are taking to the sky in China, as the country taps new technology to pare congestion, speed deliveries and create new opportunities for economic growth. Pilotless drones carry food to tourists on the Great Wall of China and help farmers improve yields among other tasks, while unmanned aircraft fly sightseers around major cities and ferry construction materials to remote mountain sites. China’s first flying-car factory has also opened in recent months,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3335152/flying-cars-take-china-extends-drone-market-domination https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3335152/flying-cars-take-china-extends-drone-market-domination Thu, 04 Dec 2025 04:50:58 +0000 Ben Jiang,Ann Cao Ben Jiang,Ann Cao Smart glasses have been technology’s “next big thing” for at least a decade without actually getting very far. Chinese companies now hope that new developments in artificial intelligence (AI) could make the sector take off. Start-ups, such as Rokid, Xreal, Meizu and Rayneo, have introduced AI-powered smart glasses in China this year, along with established tech giants Xiaomi, Baidu and Alibaba. Facebook owner Meta, the global market leader, also debuted the AI-powered Meta Ray-Ban Display... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3334327/smart-glasses-makers-see-ai-long-awaited-killer-app https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3334327/smart-glasses-makers-see-ai-long-awaited-killer-app Thu, 27 Nov 2025 08:00:13 +0000 Coco Feng,Luna Sun Coco Feng,Luna Sun China is walking away in the humanoid robot race, while Elon Musk’s Tesla struggles to get to the starting line. Xpeng, Unitree Robotics and other Chinese robot makers are in or near mass production of ever more sophisticated robots, and already chalking up orders worth more than US$100 million. By contrast, the sales debut for Tesla’s Optimus has slipped into 2026 after repeated delays. In very public shows of progress, Chinese humanoid robots have this year danced alongside humans for a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3333635/chinas-humanoid-robots-enter-workforce-tesla-wait-goes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3333635/chinas-humanoid-robots-enter-workforce-tesla-wait-goes Fri, 21 Nov 2025 05:15:09 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Hangzhou-based AI and augmented-reality (AR) glasses maker Rokid on Thursday unveiled a lightweight, AI-powered eyewear device built in partnership with Chinese eyewear brand Bolon, as rivals race to make smart glasses the next mass-market device after the smartphone. The new model features a 38.5g D-shaped black frame and supports customised prescription lenses, allowing it to be worn like a regular pair of sunglasses with a more fashion-focused look. It includes a physical control button and a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3332766/smartphones-smart-glasses-rokids-latest-ai-frames-join-chinas-new-device-race https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3332766/smartphones-smart-glasses-rokids-latest-ai-frames-join-chinas-new-device-race Fri, 14 Nov 2025 06:30:09 +0000 Paul Buck Paul Buck Elon Musk’s SpaceX faces a looming challenge from China as the nation’s space industry races to develop reusable rockets. At least seven Chinese start-ups and two state-owned developers are preparing to blast reusable rockets into orbit, posing a potential threat to SpaceX’s dominant grip on the commercial satellite launch market. The Musk company ushered in the reusable rocket era a decade ago by successfully returning a Falcon 9 rocket stage to the launch site. Reusable rockets are key to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3332607/musks-spacex-faces-china-threat-reusable-rocket-race https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3332607/musks-spacex-faces-china-threat-reusable-rocket-race Thu, 13 Nov 2025 07:20:10 +0000 Frank Chen,Stephen Chen,Dannie Peng Frank Chen,Stephen Chen,Dannie Peng China is leading the way in nuclear power, with huge plans to boost its generating capacity and cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs. About half of the world’s under-construction nuclear power plants are in China as the country works to boost electricity production while still meeting commitments under the Paris climate accord. The goal is to raise nuclear’s share of national power supply to 28 per cent by 2050 from about 5 per cent now. Chinese research has enhanced nuclear power, including a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3331870/chinas-nuclear-power-plans-match-rest-world-combined https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3331870/chinas-nuclear-power-plans-match-rest-world-combined Fri, 07 Nov 2025 04:35:08 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Chinese artificial intelligence start-up Zhipu AI, marketed internationally as Z.ai, has seen the number of paid users overseas increase tenfold over the past two months, the head of its global operations said, in a sign of the growing appeal of Chinese AI services among global users. The Beijing-based company now has around 100,000 monthly API – or application programming interface – users, as well as 3 million free chatbot users overseas, following the launch of its flagship GLM-4.6 model, Li... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3331324/zhipu-ai-sees-tenfold-surge-overseas-users-chinese-ai-gains-traction https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3331324/zhipu-ai-sees-tenfold-surge-overseas-users-chinese-ai-gains-traction Tue, 04 Nov 2025 03:00:09 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Imagine a meeting with a colleague on the other side of the world where you can shake hands in real time as holograms. That’s one of the promises of 6th generation (6G) cellular network technology, an in-development communication system able to handle unprecedented amounts of data at speeds 100 times faster than 5G. The technology, set to hit the market around 2030, will also be ultra-reliable, with an end to buffering, lags and disconnections. China leads the world in the development of 6G,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3331271/china-races-towards-6g-networks-near-limitless-instant-data https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3331271/china-races-towards-6g-networks-near-limitless-instant-data Mon, 03 Nov 2025 03:54:07 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin Chinese researchers are at the forefront of developments in quantum computing, a superfast processing technology that could help to solve seemingly intractable challenges such as nuclear fusion and climate change. Origin Quantum has already used quantum computing in breast cancer mammography screening, producing high-dimensional medical imaging data “exponentially faster” than traditional computers and paring false-positive rates. The Hefei-based company has also used the technology in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3329772/chinese-quantum-computer-cracks-billion-year-problems-seconds https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3329772/chinese-quantum-computer-cracks-billion-year-problems-seconds Tue, 21 Oct 2025 08:15:11 +0000 Daniel Ren,Yujie Xue Daniel Ren,Yujie Xue Chinese robotaxi companies are outpacing US competitors in overseas markets after successfully ramping up services at home. Baidu’s Apollo Go, Pony.ai and WeRide have all pushed into the Middle East and Europe, while US-based Waymo focuses more on domestic services. The three Chinese companies are also working to introduce their driverless cars in other Asian markets. China has leapt to the lead in robotaxis thanks to its huge market of more than 1.4 billion people, supportive government... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3328923/chinas-robotaxis-lead-race-overseas-markets https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3328923/chinas-robotaxis-lead-race-overseas-markets Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:00:10 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Chinese companies are stepping out of Nvidia’s chipmaking shadow by developing processors that play a different role in artificial intelligence (AI). Application-specific integrated circuits, or ASICs, do the work when AI systems interact with the real world, for instance, performing real-time video analysis in autonomous vehicles, surveillance or surgery. The chips are custom-designed to do that one specific task as efficiently as possible. By contrast, Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs)... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3327767/ai-accelerators-offer-opportunity-china-chipmakers https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3327767/ai-accelerators-offer-opportunity-china-chipmakers Fri, 03 Oct 2025 08:42:26 +0000 Ling Xin,Dannie Peng Ling Xin,Dannie Peng China’s “artificial sun” is at the forefront of efforts to harness a dream energy source – nuclear fusion. The doughnut-shaped facility, called a tokamak, uses super-powerful magnets to control hot, charged gas plasma at temperatures more than six times hotter than the centre of the sun. It has sustained plasma for more than 17 minutes at a temperature of over 100 million degrees Celsius (180 million degrees Fahrenheit), smashing the previous record, according to a statement earlier this... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3326498/chinas-artificial-sun-aims-limitless-nuclear-fusion-energy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3326498/chinas-artificial-sun-aims-limitless-nuclear-fusion-energy Tue, 23 Sep 2025 07:00:09 +0000 Ben Jiang,Danielle Popov Ben Jiang,Danielle Popov Your next work colleague may soon be an AI agent. These digital applications are similar to proactive assistants that can understand a user’s needs and act on their behalf. They can perform real-world tasks with little or no human intervention, putting them a step beyond artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, which just answer questions and collate data. China has been at the forefront of AI agent development, notably with the March launch of Manus by Beijing start-up Butterfly Effect. This... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3325685/user-friendly-and-autonomous-ai-agents-ready-handle-any-task https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3325685/user-friendly-and-autonomous-ai-agents-ready-handle-any-task Tue, 16 Sep 2025 07:00:10 +0000 Eric Ng,Xinmei Shen Eric Ng,Xinmei Shen Chinese biotech companies are winning deals with global giants as they spearhead the race to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) in the search for new and effective drugs. In the past five months alone, British drug maker AstraZeneca, US rival Pfizer and biotech firm DoveTree Medicines have signed deals potentially worth a combined US$22 billion with four China-based companies using AI-assisted drug discovery. Three of the Chinese businesses are listed on the Hong Kong stock market. China’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3324862/ai-turns-china-biotechs-drug-discovery-leaders https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3324862/ai-turns-china-biotechs-drug-discovery-leaders Tue, 09 Sep 2025 07:00:13 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China and Pakistan have pledged to expand trade and deepen technological cooperation in areas ranging from agriculture to space exploration, at a time when Islamabad is warming to the United States. During a meeting on Thursday with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Premier Li Qiang said Beijing would advance the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship infrastructure project under the Belt and Road Initiative. “Global instability and uncertainty have grown... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3324517/china-pakistan-pledge-stronger-tech-and-trade-cooperation-amid-us-charm-offensive https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3324517/china-pakistan-pledge-stronger-tech-and-trade-cooperation-amid-us-charm-offensive Fri, 05 Sep 2025 12:30:11 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s push to become a biotech powerhouse is paying off, with innovative R&D pipelines and newly approved drugs accounting for over 30 per cent of the global total, according to the country’s top economic planner. The sector was showing strong momentum, said Xiang Libin, deputy chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), who cited the figures at the 17th China Bioindustry Convention in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Thursday. China’s bioeconomy, encompassing the research,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3324465/china-closes-biotech-gap-us-new-drugs-rd-pipelines-top-30-global-total https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3324465/china-closes-biotech-gap-us-new-drugs-rd-pipelines-top-30-global-total Fri, 05 Sep 2025 07:30:16 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Chinese pharmaceutical companies are beginning to challenge Western giants in the weight-loss drugs market, fuelled by domestic demand from the world’s largest population of overweight and obese people. More than 60 late-stage weight-loss drug candidates are undergoing clinical trials in China, according to Boston-based L.E.K. Consulting, creating potential competition for Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide (marketed as Wegovy for weight loss and Ozempic for treating type 2 diabetes) and Eli Lilly’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3324006/china-goes-big-weight-loss-drugs-novo-eli-lilly-challenge https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3324006/china-goes-big-weight-loss-drugs-novo-eli-lilly-challenge Tue, 02 Sep 2025 06:02:15 +0000 Ann Cao,Wency Chen Ann Cao,Wency Chen Chinese chipmakers are trying to catch up with Nvidia in the market for artificial intelligence (AI) processors, spurred by government efforts to achieve technological self-sufficiency and US trade embargoes that prevent China from buying advanced chips. Telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies, Cambricon Technologies and Enflame Technology are among companies at the forefront of the Chinese chip push. Local internet giants Baidu, Tencent and South China Morning Post owner Alibaba have also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3323164/china-chipmakers-seek-loosen-nvidias-ai-stranglehold https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3323164/china-chipmakers-seek-loosen-nvidias-ai-stranglehold Tue, 26 Aug 2025 07:40:38 +0000 Mia Nulimaimaiti Mia Nulimaimaiti Hangzhou, in China’s Zhejiang province, will introduce mandatory artificial intelligence (AI) courses for primary and secondary schools starting in the new semester – part of a nationwide strategy to nurture talent in the rapidly growing sector. The initiative seeks to build a talent pipeline while improving educators’ ability to use smart tools and protect data, covering both student and teacher training, according to two documents released by the city’s education bureau. Schools will have... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3323082/chinas-hangzhou-makes-ai-classes-compulsory-schools-amid-nationwide-push https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3323082/chinas-hangzhou-makes-ai-classes-compulsory-schools-amid-nationwide-push Tue, 26 Aug 2025 01:00:13 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Alibaba Group Holding plans to spin off its Banma Network Technology unit through an initial public offering (IPO), as one of China’s largest technology behemoths moves ahead with a separate listing for its autonomous driving unit to raise capital. Alibaba has received an initial go-ahead from the Hong Kong stock exchange for the proposed spin-off, the company said in a statement on Thursday. The stake held by the Hangzhou-based conglomerate in Banma will drop to 30 per cent from the current... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3322596/alibaba-spin-its-banma-autonomous-driving-business-ipo-hong-kong-exchange https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3322596/alibaba-spin-its-banma-autonomous-driving-business-ipo-hong-kong-exchange Thu, 21 Aug 2025 04:00:12 +0000 Coco Feng,Mia Nulimaimaiti Coco Feng,Mia Nulimaimaiti The explosive growth in artificial intelligence (AI) requires a corresponding increase in data centres and energy infrastructure to host and power new applications. This boom will fuel compound growth in the global scale of computing power of 50 per cent per year between 2023 and 2030, according to research firm International Data Corporation. Computing power refers to the capacity of computer processors to perform tasks. The US-China tech war is stoking huge investments in data centres, which... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3322356/china-us-lead-ai-fuelled-data-centre-construction-surge https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3322356/china-us-lead-ai-fuelled-data-centre-construction-surge Tue, 19 Aug 2025 08:10:56 +0000