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Kunlunxin began pre-listing counseling for a Star Market IPO on May 7, appointing CICC as its advisor. The AI chip developer is majority owned by Baid…

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China’s tech ecosystem serves as a driving force behind the world’s second largest economy, influencing global digital markets.

China

DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, develops large language models and machine learning solutions for enterprise applications and scientific research.

Explore East Asia’s thriving tech hubs, global electronics producers, and fast-evolving digital platforms shaping cross-border innovation.

East Asia

What guides machine-led insights? Uncover AI applications, language models, and decision-making systems transforming sectors worldwide.

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What lies beyond familiar frontiers? Investigate emerging tech—like quantum computing and AI—transforming traditional sectors.

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Foundation and Large Models

DeepSeek V4 has clear advantages, but it also shows why no AI model can serve every use case yet.

How do industry professionals in China view DeepSeek V4’s strengths and limits?

Decoding China&#039;s tech and business pulse

KrASIA

Cheng Zi is based in China, covering technology- and business-related events. She works with her colleagues at 36Kr Global to provide coverage in both English and Chinese.

Cheng Zi

How do ideas shape industries? Learn how content, design, and digital artistry influence branding, marketing, and cultural impact.

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Where do style and commerce meet? Examine supply chains, sustainable sourcing, and digital trends influencing global fashion markets.

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How does automation advance industry? Analyze robotic arms, drones, and AI-driven tools reshaping manufacturing and services.

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The company has unveiled SynReal, a system designed to narrow the gap in deformable object simulation.

Style3D’s fashion tech offers unexpected answer to a tough robotics problem

From left to right: Genping Liu, Dennis Sze, Lemuel Low, Edmund Tan, and Chan Yip Pang. Sze, Low, and Tan are co-founders of ReN3, while Liu and Chan serve as general partner and executive director of investments, respectively, at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India.

How do markets shape wealth creation? Study portfolio diversification, asset classes, and strategies balancing growth and risk.

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When do companies invite public investment? Understand listing criteria, underwriter roles, and regulatory steps defining initial offerings.

Why do firms join forces? Investigate synergy goals, valuation methods, and negotiations driving corporate consolidation.

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What happens after acquisitions close? Examine deal structures, operational improvements, and exit strategies molding corporate outcomes.

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What fuels startup ecosystems? Review funding rounds, investor strategies, and market insights guiding entrepreneurial growth.

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Bringing you the latest updates on funding and investment activity across the Asia Pacific.

Deals in brief: Vertex Ventures backs ReN3 and Formas.ai; Featherless and SiamDL raise Series A funding; latest China investments, and more

An alias used when humans and machines team up in our newsroom. Articles under this byline may be shaped with the help of AI, but are always vetted by a human before publication.

Sudo Lim

KrASIA tracks China’s tech and business stories, alongside key developments across the broader Asia Pacific region.

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Kunlunxin began pre-listing counseling for a Star Market IPO on May 7, appointing CICC as its advisor. The <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> chip developer is majority owned by <a href="/company/baidu">Baidu</a>.

Aito has launched the M6, a five-seat SUV starting at RMB 259,800, targeting buyers aged 25–35. The model includes <a href="/company/huawei">Huawei</a> ADS 4.1 driving assistance and air suspension as standard. It logged over 100,000 preorders within 20 days of its March 23 presale and delivered 6,500 units in its first week.

<a href="/company/xpeng">Xpeng</a> said its second-generation VLA system reached a 50% share of driving assistance mileage one month after launch. Disengagements per 100 kilometers fell 25.87%, while trips using the system exclusively rose 27.84%. During the Golden Week holiday, users reportedly logged 84.46 million kilometers of AI-assisted driving.

Hillhouse Investment is nearing a deal to acquire Marsh’s Asia high-net-worth financial risk management and life insurance brokerage unit. The firm reportedly outbid other private equity bidders, with an announcement possible as early as this week.

Hikvision reported 2025 revenue of RMB 92.51 billion, up 0.01% YoY, and net profit of RMB 14.2 billion, up 18.52%. In Q1 2026, revenue rose 11.78% to RMB 20.72 billion and net profit climbed 36.42% to RMB 2.78 billion. The company also declared a RMB 10.54 billion dividend for 2025.

<a href="/company/nio">Nio’s</a> Onvo brand will launch the L80 SUV on May 15, with preorders starting at RMB 245,800. The five-seat model offers two driving assistance options: a LiDAR-based system using the Shenji NX9031 chip and a vision-only version powered by Nvidia Orin X.

Horizon Robotics reported 2025 revenue of RMB 3.76 billion, up 57.7% YoY, while adjusted net losses widened to RMB 2.81 billion. R&amp;D spending rose 63.3% to RMB 5.15 billion as the company shifts toward integrated cockpit and driving solutions.

<a href="/company/bytedance">ByteDance’s</a> Duoshan app has surpassed 30 million MAUs, up 1727.9% YoY, driven by <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a>-powered features that increase interaction among existing users. QuestMobile data shows 93.5% overlap with Douyin, indicating growth primarily from internal traffic rather than new user acquisition.

Zeekr will launch the updated 009 MPV on May 19, with test drives starting May 9. The model features a 900V architecture and Nvidia Thor-U chip, with three variants available. Preorder incentives include benefits of up to RMB 80,000.

Honor launched the 600 and 600 Pro smartphones in Turkey on May 6. Both feature 6.57-inch AMOLED displays, 6400 mAh batteries, and 200 MP cameras. The Pro runs on Snapdragon 8 Elite, while the standard version uses Snapdragon 7 Gen 4.

<a href="/company/xiaomi">Xiaomi</a> has appointed vice president Yu Liguo to lead its overseas automotive business preparation group, reporting to Lei Jun and Lu Weibing. Vice president Song Gang will now oversee production, manufacturing, and systems operations, reporting to Lei Jun.

What powers digital devices? Delve into chip design, manufacturing bottlenecks, and semiconductor breakthroughs fueling global electronics.

Semiconductors

Local chip leaders, led by Eswin, are expanding capacity in a push for self-sufficiency

China targets 70% advanced domestic silicon wafer use by 2026

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Photo shows Huawei’s “Now Is Your Spark” product launch event in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 7, 2026.

Huawei, a global telecom and smartphone vendor, delivers networking equipment, 5G solutions, and consumer devices integrating cutting-edge tech.

What sets the bar for convenience? Examine on-demand platforms, subscription models, and personalization transforming consumer expectations.

Consumer Economy

What fits the world in your pocket? Track device innovation, OS ecosystems, and connectivity shaping smartphone usage.

Smartphones

The flagship tablet anchored a wider lineup aimed at strengthening Huawei’s position across consumer devices.

Huawei’s MatePad Pro Max leads Bangkok launch as tablets, wearables take focus

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T. K. Lin

Photo shows the MagicBot Z1 humanoid robot, developed by MagicLab.

Real-world data remains essential, but it may not be enough to support deployment at scale.

Robotics companies like MagicLab turn to synthetic data in the embodied intelligence race

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Kunlunxin starts Star Market IPO process

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China targets 70% advanced domestic silicon wafer use by 2026

Huawei’s MatePad Pro Max leads Bangkok launch as tablets, wearables take focus

Robotics companies like MagicLab turn to synthetic data in the embodied intelligence race