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China’s private sector

China’s private sector
The latest news, analysis and opinion on China’s private sector. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
A setup session to install OpenClaw outside the Baidu offices in Beijing, March 17, 2026. Photo: Reuters
Artificial intelligence

OpenClaw, government support fuel rise of 1-person companies in China

Guangdong is the first provincial-level government to roll out comprehensive action plans to support AI-powered OPCs.

Shanghai

Shanghai certifies 30 overseas offices amid China’s investment sales pitch

Biomedicine: Companies

US reshoring drive casts shadow over China’s contract drug makers, analyst says

Biomedicine: Companies

Eli Lilly boosts China footprint with US$3 billion plan to expand supply chain

US firm is strengthening its China operations amid an intensifying expansion race with other pharmaceutical giants.

The move will bring the total cumulative investment of Eli Lilly in China to nearly US$6 billion. Photo: Reuters
Focus

Why China’s red-hot tech push is leaving some sectors out in the cold

Beijing’s preferences for innovation and emerging industries are affecting businesses’ development paths and reshaping the corporate landscape.

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South Korea

From oil to saffron: how US-Iran conflict is rattling Chinese retail investors

Retail investors on Chinese platforms probe companies about supply-chain risks and opportunities as tensions escalate in the Middle East.

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Artificial intelligence

Will users stick around after China’s US$1 billion AI marketing battle?

Vouchers, red packets and sponsorships drove a surge in AI users over Chinese New Year, but now the tech giants face a retention test.

Red-packet battle: AI tech giants spent a collective US$1 billion on marketing this Chinese New Year. Photo: Getty Images
Two Sessions 2026

How China could untangle its private firms’ complex debt burdens

As private businesses grapple with cash flow challenges, entrepreneurs say they want the settling of outstanding debts to be made a priority.

Retailing

Warm winter no match: China’s sportswear sector posts surprise growth

Policy support, Chinese New Year demand and Winter Olympics exposure lift China’s sportswear makers, with Li Ning and Anta leading gains.

Biomedicine: Companies

Wave of Chinese biotech deals builds with US$1.2 billion Harbour BioMed pact

Deal involving an antibody asset ‘goes beyond a traditional licensing transaction’, founder and CEO says.

Harbour BioMed’s antibody programme focuses on tumour-killing effects. Photo: Handout
Electric & new energy vehicles

Speed bump ahead: rising battery costs nudge Chinese drivers towards hybrids

Higher lithium prices and the end of incentives are reshaping China’s EV market, with hybrids emerging as a more practical option for many.

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Workers produce lithium batteries in Qinyang, central China’s Henan province. Photo: Xinhua
Biomedicine: Industry Trends

Lab monkey price tag climbs to US$20,000 thanks to China’s biotech boom

The cost of a single monkey exceeds the average annual salary in China and approaches a pandemic-era spike amid growth in drug licensing deals.

China energy security

Chinese power line projects seek private capital in sign of infrastructure shift

Beijing is encouraging more private investment in a range of critical infrastructure projects, from railways to nuclear power plants.

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China’s crackdowns

China charges former AstraZeneca executive – a sign of the times?

Foreign drug makers face pressure in the Chinese market, from tighter regulatory oversight to growing local competition.

In January, AstraZeneca announced plans to invest US$15 billion in China, its second-largest market. Photo: Shutterstock
Robotics

Before the factory floor, the dance floor: robots find path to market at US$145

Humanoid robots may one day transform factories and warehouses, but for now their most immediate role is keeping the party going.

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What the butler saw ... costumed robots perform a skit. Photo: Handout
Colombia

Luckin’s 30,000th store milestone adds buzz to China’s brewing coffee battle

Xiamen-headquartered chain pushes to integrate supply network worldwide and accelerate growth in markets from Asia to the US.

DJI

Insta360, Vivo challenge DJI’s turf, eyeing a slice of the gimbal camera boom

Insta360 and Vivo plan new handheld cameras to challenge DJI, but analysts say building a content ecosystem will be the tougher battle.

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Middle East

China’s Pop Mart gains on earnings hopes as investors eye growth beyond Labubu

The toymaker’s stock gains as user growth, livestream sales and overseas expansion signal resilience despite softer consumer demand in China.

Sales of Labubu, the group’s flagship intellectual property, exceeded 100 million units last year. Photo: Xinhua
China Future Tech briefing

Biomedicine | China challenges US in new drugs after industry transformation

Drug makers in China are performing cutting-edge research and licensing products to global giants after a 10-year government push supercharged the industry.

China jobs

As jobs dry up, China’s graduates turn to booming ‘micro drama’ industry

The bite-sized series now rival box office hits in popularity – and with that success comes opportunity.

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Mainland China

China’s Year of the Horse shoppers let emotional satisfaction take the reins

Brand prestige fades in importance as consumers favour festival-themed toys, playful designs and pet items.

Pop Mart sold out of its Have a Good Run series. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong

How Western brands are adapting to China’s changing consumer landscape

Starbucks’ China stake sale signals a seismic shift, as global firms retreat amid rising competition, price wars and evolving consumer tastes.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Hong Kong

China’s Kuaishou slapped with US$17 million fine after explicit content probe

The fine comes days after a separate e-commerce penalty, adding pressure on China’s No 2 short-video platform to tighten controls.

Mainland China

Meituan snaps up Dingdong to deepen push into fresh grocery retail

The US$717 million Dingdong acquisition highlights Meituan’s long-term bet on grocery e-commerce and on-demand consumption in China.

China deflation

China raises taxes on select sectors: a one-off fix or tough times ahead?

A broader push to raise taxes across the private sector is not on the cards, economists say.

China’s three state-owned telecoms giants – China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom – have all announced the tax adjustments will have an impact on their revenues and profits. Photo: AP
Investing

China’s gold trading hub on edge: what is happening – and why now?

Uncertainty spreads in Shuibei as second platform falters, spooking investors.

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Chinese retail investors had rushed to capitalise on the unprecedented rally in global gold prices in recent months, leading many to put their funds into the online metals trading platform JWR. Photo: Xinhua
Banking & finance

China pushes to shore up government finances with tax rises on several sectors

Beijing targets tax incentives in telecoms and other industries after seeing fiscal revenue drop sharply in late 2025.

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China economy

Opinion | Fears of overcapacity ignore China’s full balance of payments picture

The right question to ask is whether China’s overall current account represents a destabilising imbalance that siphons growth from trading partners.

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