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Unitree Robotics’ R1 is one of the world’s most affordable humanoids. Photo: Handout

Tech

Unitree to debut cheapest humanoid robot globally via Alibaba: sources

The international launch of the company’s cheapest humanoid robot next week is expected to cover North America, Europe, Japan and Singapore.

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Hangzhou ‘Six Little Dragons’ member Manycore seeks US$130m from Hong Kong IPO

AI fuels global trade growth as China-US flows shift, McKinsey finds

Tech

Alibaba sets up top tech committee led by CEO to sharpen AI push

Restructuring brings core AI teams under tighter leadership as competition in China’s model and agent space intensifies.

Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu Yongming says the changes are aimed at accelerating Alibaba’s AI push. Photo: Handout
Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu Yongming says the changes are aimed at accelerating Alibaba’s AI push. Photo: Handout

Policy

China’s Zhipu AI open-sources GLM-5.1, raises prices to trim gap with US rivals

The company’s second price increase this year signals a push to monetise advanced AI models while keeping costs below US peers.

Tech War

Proposed US chip curbs on China risk deeper supply chain disruption

New US bill pressures Japan and the Netherlands to align on China chip curbs, with potential fallout for global supply chains.

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Policy

China’s DeepSeek adds expert chatbot mode ahead of much-awaited V4 release

The Hangzhou start-up’s latest chatbot update sparks speculation over whether the expert mode is linked to the long-delayed V4 model.

The changes come ahead of the much-anticipated release of DeepSeek’s next-generation flagship model V4 this month. Photo: Reuters
The changes come ahead of the much-anticipated release of DeepSeek’s next-generation flagship model V4 this month. Photo: Reuters

Tech

As AI race with US intensifies, Alibaba launches 10,000-card computing cluster

Cluster in Shaoguan powered by domestically developed Zhenwu chips latest evidence that China is doubling down on home-grown infrastructure.

Big Tech

ByteDance valuation exceeds US$600 billion after proposed equity sale: sources

The seller originally had the valuation at US$550 billion, but raised the amount after multiple parties expressed interest, one source said.

Big Tech

China taps offshore wind, subsea data centres to ease AI computing bottleneck

The underwater data centre, located 10 kilometres off Shanghai’s eastern coast, was built by Shanghai HiCloud Technology.

An underwater data centre being developed by Highlander is seen under construction at a shipyard in Nantong, Jiangsu province on September 11, 2025. Photo: AFP

Tech

Chinese memory giants seen grabbing market share on lower prices, more capacity

Firms like YMTC and CXMT are scaling NAND and DRAM production, leveraging cost advantages and subsidies to challenge global leaders.

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Leading Chinese memory producers like CXMT are working on boosting capacity this year. Photo: Handout
Leading Chinese memory producers like CXMT are working on boosting capacity this year. Photo: Handout

Tech Trends

Chinese AI glasses maker Rokid planning Hong Kong IPO: sources

Listing plan comes as giants Apple, Meta, Alibaba, Baidu, Xiaomi and Huawei, plus start-ups like Xreal, Rayneo, anticipate market growth.

Banking & Finance

Stricter Chinese scrutiny of offshore vehicles a blow for tech IPO candidates

Mainland’s stock market watchdog is discouraging establishment of ‘red-chip-structured’ companies in sensitive industries.

Tech Trends

Chinese AI rivals clash over Anthropic’s OpenClaw exit amid global token crunch

Chinese companies are competing to offer the cheapest alternatives to premium US services from the likes of OpenAI and Anthropic.

A lobster-shaped cutout representing OpenClaw stands outside the Baidu offices in Beijing, March 17, 2026. Photo: Reuters

Tech War

Chip, AI talent race heats up as Taiwan tightens crackdown on alleged poaching

The latest probes are part of Taiwan’s crackdown on mainland Chinese talent poaching, with 100 cases handled since 2020, according to MJIB.

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Technicians work on chip processing equipment at a semiconductor manufacturing plant in Suqian, Jiangsu province, in October. Photo: AFP
Technicians work on chip processing equipment at a semiconductor manufacturing plant in Suqian, Jiangsu province, in October. Photo: AFP

Policy

China’s rigid corporate culture slows AI adoption, ex-OpenAI executive says

China’s tech-savvy consumers embrace AI, but rigid corporate hierarchies hold back enterprises, Zack Kass says.

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Tech Trends

Who is Xu Rui, the ex-ByteDance executive tapped by Meta to lead AI hardware?

The veteran Chinese executive will lead a team that develops AI devices at the Facebook parent’s superintelligence unit.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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
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China Future Tech
HIGHLIGHTS FROM
China Future Tech

Tech Trends

Chinese AI rivals clash over Anthropic’s OpenClaw exit amid global token crunch

A lobster-shaped cutout representing OpenClaw stands outside the Baidu offices in Beijing, March 17, 2026. Photo: Reuters

Banking & Finance

Mainland China and Hong Kong IPOs drive Citic to the top of banking fee rankings

Citic Securities led Asia-Pacific with a 6.4 per cent share of the total investment banking fee pool in the first quarter: Photo. Reuters

Tech

Unitree to debut cheapest humanoid robot globally via Alibaba: sources

videocam
Unitree Robotics’ R1 is one of the world’s most affordable humanoids. Photo: Handout

China EVs

Volkswagen tests China’s appetite for locally developed EVs

Volkswagen unveiled the ID. ERA 9X, ID. AURA T6 and ID. UNYX 08 electric vehicles in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
MORE IN China Future Tech
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OPINION
Elina Noor

Opinion | AI infrastructure on the front line: Lessons for Asean from the Iran war

Elina Noor
Phoebe Zhang

Opinion | China’s OpenClaw mania driven by fear of missing next tech gold rush

Phoebe Zhang
Ken Ip

Opinion | Frenzy over AI agent OpenClaw shows the lobster has escaped the pot

Ken Ip
Denis Simon

Opinion | 3 realities shaping China-US tech competition

Denis Simon
5
Aldo Giovannitti

Opinion | Jet engines can provide the thrust for AI firms seeking power solutions

Aldo Giovannitti
Clarissa Lui

Opinion | To make AI safe, put women and girls at the heart of the technology

Clarissa Lui
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MULTIMEDIA
Video

Artemis starts return journey to Earth after historic moon fly-by

NASA astronaut and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows, looking back at Earth, as the crew travels towards the Moon April 2, 2026. NASA/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. REFILE - CORRECTING YEAR FROM "2024" TO "2026".
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Video

Historic Artemis II moon mission lifts off

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Video

Baidu driverless taxis freeze in citywide breakdown

Many autonomous driving vehicles belonging to Chinese tech giant Baidu broke down in Wuhan on Tuesday evening, affecting the company’s services for hours and stranding some passengers for hours in a setback to the Chinese tech giant’s autonomous driving ambition at a time when it pushes to expand its robotaxi business globally. Photo: Weibo/ 闫跃龙
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Video

Indonesia bans social media for under 16s

Authorities say the move aims to protect children and young teens against addiction, abuse and exposure to harmful content.
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