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China launched two direct international road freight routes to Hanoi on May 14, with convoys departing Nanning and Kunming under CBTA permits. The mov…

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China launched two direct international road freight routes to Hanoi on May 14, with convoys departing Nanning and Kunming under <a href="https://www.greatermekong.org/cross-border-transport-facilitation-agreement">CBTA</a> permits. The move marks the first time Chinese freight trucks enter Vietnam’s interior directly, cutting costs and transit time.

Tmall’s 618 sales event kicked off on May 13 with Chinese influencer Li Jiaqi’s live stream, which featured nearly 500 products across multiple categories and recorded a 10% YoY GMV boost in the first hour. Chinese brands, including beauty labels like Kefumei and Proya, collectively accounted for over 40% of total sales, with more than 600,000 units sold.

Chinese firms in the US cite US-China tensions as their top business risk, with 90% reporting material impact, a recent survey shows. Amid rising regulatory barriers and anti-China sentiment, cited by 73% and 67% respectively, companies are turning to localization and third-market pivots. Further expansion depends on US political stability, the report says.

Neta Auto and Toyota have both denied rumors of a takeover, even as court filings show a creditor has initiated a bankruptcy review of Neta’s parent company, Hozon. Despite a proposed RMB 4.5 billion funding round and a debt-to-equity deal with suppliers, key financing has yet to materialize, deepening the EV maker’s financial crisis.

<a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba</a> has released Wan2.1-VACE under its Tongyi Wanxiang model family, providing an all-in-one model for text-to-video, image-based video synthesis, and localized editing. The open-source release includes both lightweight and large-scale versions, enabling use across industries such as film, marketing, and short-form content production.

China and the EU concluded two days of financial talks in Brussels, pledging deeper cooperation on market access, cross-border payments, data flows, and sustainable finance. Officials agreed to formalize regular dialogue and build on the working group's momentum since 2024, as both sides seek greater financial stability and innovation amid global uncertainty.

<a href="http://kormee.com/en/">Ruili Kormee</a>, a Chinese vehicle safety systems maker, has cleared its listing application as it seeks to fund R&amp;D and a new headquarters in Guangdong. The company is moving forward with its IPO following strong growth in brake electronics, reporting nearly RMB 2 billion in 2024 revenue and RMB 257 million in profit with a 29.7% gross margin. It aims to raise RMB 1.5 billion from the offering.

China sold over 11 million <a href="/industry/ev">EVs</a> in 2024, accounting for 60% of global sales and producing 70% of the world’s total. It also emerged as the top EV exporter, responsible for 40% of global exports, with Chinese brands expanding aggressively into emerging markets such as Brazil and Thailand.

Thailand’s Muu has raised new backing from A2D Ventures and Japanese partners to scale its precision fermentation tech for animal-free dairy. The startup reportedly produces milk proteins without cows, using 90% fewer resources, and aims to supply sustainable, lactose-free ingredients to Asia’s dairy alternatives market.

Zhipu AI is leveraging the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to expand globally, pitching sovereign AI agents to governments and setting up innovation centers in Asia. The firm, planning an IPO in October, faces rising competition as <a href="/company/openai">OpenAI</a> eyes its own international data center footprint.

Chinese exporters are seeing a surge in demand on <a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba’s</a> international platform after the US cut tariffs on certain goods to 30%, with some US buyers already stocking up for Christmas. Alibaba launched a flash sale to support sellers, as analysts predict a sharp export uptick during the 90-day tariff reprieve.

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Trump's China tariffs spark shipping disruptions comparable to Covid-19

Trump&#8217;s China tariffs spark shipping disruptions comparable to Covid-19

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China opens direct truck routes to Hanoi

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