China tech

Alibaba's founder Jack Ma, pictured in October 2018: China's anti-monopoly drive is akin to a parent disciplining a badly behaved child.
Opinion

Jack Ma punishment a lesson for China's other tech bad boys

Correcting misbehavior also an attempt to spur innovation

23 December 2020
After first establishing itself as China's leading web portal, Sina launched microblogging service  Weibo which launched a new era for social media in the country.
China tech

Sina, New York's first Chinese internet stock, prepares to depart

Weibo parent pioneered workaround copied by Alibaba and Tencent

22 December 2020
Genetron has developed easy-to-use cancer screening test kits, which can be purchased on e-commerce sites. (Source photos by Daiki Katagiri and Genetron Health)
China tech

China startup finds growth with $765 cancer-screening kit

Genetron rides COVID tailwind as health awareness rises and population ages

22 December 2020
Stream article image
China tech

Ant and Tencent halt bank deposit shopping as Beijing cracks down

Chinese authorities intensify scrutiny on tech giants and financial risk

22 December 2020
A China-made Tesla Model 3 at the Shanghai Gigafactory: Tesla sold 113,655  Model 3 vehicles in China as of November this year, according to the China Passenger Car Association. 
Technology

China provides 'heart and lungs' for Tesla's S&P debut

Musk reaps golden 2020 as EV maker nears half-million delivery goal

21 December 2020
SMIC said in a statement that "the U.S. move will badly affect the company's own R&D and production capacity construction of advanced technologies of 10 nanometers and below."
US-China tensions

SMIC says US sanctions will hurt advanced-chip development

Chinese tech leader rejects alleged relationship with the military

21 December 2020
An operator flies a drone as Chinese maker DJI holds a demonstration to display an app that tracks a drone's registration and owner in Montreal, Canada.
US-China tensions

US blacklists Chinese chip king SMIC and drone champion DJI

American tech won't be allowed to help Beijing's 'destabilizing military activities:' Ross

19 December 2020
Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the Central Economic Work Conference where Communist Party leaders agreed to intensify anti-monopoly supervision and prevent disorderly capital expansion next year.
Politics

China party meeting vows to block monopolies, with eye on tech giants

Leaders agree to 'prevent disorderly capital expansion' next year

18 December 2020
Tencent is collecting donations for erecting lights on mountain paths through a WeChat game of walking to and from school in the dark in a mountainous area. (Photo by Yusuke Hinata)
Media & Entertainment

Tencent placates Beijing with 'public interest' games for China

Other Chinese developers also try to ease concerns over young players' addiction

16 December 2020
SMIC is China's biggest contract chipmaker and a key part of Beijing's goal of building a domestic semiconductor ecoystem. (Photo courtesy of SMIC)
China tech

China's top chipmaker hires sought-after former TSMC executive

Industry veteran Chiang Shang-yi to guide SMIC through US sanctions

16 December 2020
For years, Beijing encouraged runaway growth of the country's internet giants as a symbol of Chinese tech prowess. Now, though, they appear too sprawling and influential for comfort.
The Big Story

China rethinks the Jack Ma model

Alibaba, Tencent and a host of internet giants face new scrutiny from the Party

16 December 2020
The Shanghai Stock Exchange building. China last year began the first overhaul of its share indexes since 1991 to address the excess weighting given to traditional industries.
Markets

China reshuffles stock indexes in favor of high-tech companies

Overhaul comes as global compilers remove shares linked to military

14 December 2020
China's State Administration of Market Regulation on Monday fined Alibaba Group Holding in relation to its earlier acquisition of Intime Retail.  
China tech

Alibaba and Tencent hit by fines as China curbs tech giants' power

Probe launched into Huya/Douyu deal as Beijing sends antimonopoly message

14 December 2020
Tsinghua Unigroup has been aiming to establish itself as a leader in China's memory-chip industry since 2015 but has been facing investor skepticism over its finances.
China debt crunch

Tsinghua Unigroup's bond default: Five things to know

Chinese chipmaker's financial problems send shock waves in corporate debt market

11 December 2020
Singapore's digital banking licenses hold the potential to kick-start the transformation of a region that now excludes many people and businesses from financial services.
Business Spotlight

Singapore ushers ASEAN into new digital banking era

Grab, Ant and other heavyweights join drive for greater financial inclusion

11 December 2020
The tech conglomerate said Thursday it had also failed to meet a 260 million yuan interest payment for another onshore bond.
China debt crunch

China's Tsinghua Unigroup bond crisis deepens with second default

Repayment failure brings fallout for $2.5bn of offshore debt

10 December 2020
Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun attends a product launch event of Xiaomi Mi9 Pro 5G in Beijing on Sept. 24.
China tech

Xiaomi to double Japan R&D staff as Huawei stumbles

Smartphone maker sees opportunity to grow in neighboring market

10 December 2020
Tsinghua Unigroup is majority owned by Beijing science and engineering school Tsinghua University, the alma mater of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
China debt crunch

Chinese chipmaker Tsinghua Unigroup faces Thursday bond deadline

Concern among investors rises after company warns of payment risks

9 December 2020
Singapore's financial district. The banking landscape in the city-state will be transformed by four newly awarded digital banking licenses. (Photo by Akira Kodaka) 
Finance

Singapore digital bank winners surge on hopes for fintech growth

Shares in Singtel and Sea rise while banks drop after award of licenses

7 December 2020
Perfect Diary opened a physical location at this shopping center in Guangzhou, China. (Photo by Yusuke Hinata)
Startups

China's Perfect Diary woos cosmetics shoppers via social media

Its three keys to success: speed, price and big data

6 December 2020
A Treasury Department representative said late on Dec. 4 that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States "is engaging with ByteDance to complete the divestment."
US-China tensions

TikTok divestiture deadline passes but talks will continue

Sources say no extension on way as US seeks to resolve 'national security risks'

5 December 2020
The U.S. has labelled Semiconductor Manufacturing International Co. and China National Offshore Oil Corp. as "Communist Chinese military companies." (Source photos by AP and Reuters)
US-China tensions

US blacklists top China chipmaker SMIC and oil giant CNOOC

Move aims to block investment that could benefit Beijing's military

4 December 2020
Bailing out Tsinghua Unigroup is probably not a priority for the government of President Xi Jinping, an analyst says. (Nikkei montage/AP and Reuters)
Comment

Was Tsinghua Unigroup's bond default a surprise?

Chipmaker's strategic significance 'overrated' -- but its parent is different

4 December 2020
Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou is battling extradition to the U.S. to face bank fraud and other charges related to alleged violations of sanctions against Iran.
Huawei crackdown

US said to be in talks over legal deal with Huawei's Meng

Executive could return to China if she admits wrongdoing

4 December 2020
The Monetary Authority of Singapore is expected to announce the winners of five digital banking licenses soon.
Finance

Asia upstarts await word on Singapore digital banking licenses

Ant and Grab hope to win chance for fintech business post-pandemic

4 December 2020