China Recap is a weekly roundup tracking Chinese companies expanding abroad, covering market entries, funding rounds, product launches, and global partnerships.
China’s corporate globalization strategy is evolving fast. Industry giants are rewriting the global playbook, while a new generation of companies charts fresh paths overseas.
China Recap tracks both—focusing on strategic expansion, brand building, and localized operations—to help readers make sense of shifting trends and understand how Chinese firms are reshaping their global approach.
Here’s what made headlines last week:
China’s AI sector is back in the saddle
- Sales of Nvidia’s H20 chips to China are expected to resume under a US trade deal involving rare earth exports, according to US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick. The move has drawn bipartisan concern over potential support for China’s artificial intelligence sector, as firms like Tencent reportedly prepare orders. —Reuters
- Chinese AI startup MiniMax is reportedly closing a nearly USD 300 million funding round that would push its valuation above USD 4 billion. Founded by former SenseTime executive Yan Junjie, the company recently launched its MiniMax-M1 foundation model and multimodal agents. The company declined to confirm the raise, and is also said to be nearing a Hong Kong IPO. —21st Century Business Herald
- AMD is likely to resume shipments of its MI308 chips to China after US authorities agreed to review license applications, reversing earlier export curbs. The move follows similar approval for Nvidia’s H20 chip and could soften the USD 800 million hit AMD had previously projected. —Bloomberg
WeRide debuts driverless buses in Singapore
WeRide has begun fully autonomous minibus operations at Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa, becoming the first in Southeast Asia to deploy shuttles without onboard safety operators. The launch follows regulatory approval, extensive safety testing, and what the company says were thousands of successful trial trips.
China pilots yuan expansion in Africa
China is using Africa as a testing ground to expand the Chinese yuan’s global role, signing recent deals in Egypt and South Africa on currency swaps, lending, and access to CIPS, Beijing’s alternative to SWIFT. Analysts say the region’s reliance on China trade and dollar scarcity makes it a practical site for early-stage pilots. —SCMP
GAC to debut Aion EVs in UK market
GAC Group has signed a joint venture deal with Jameel Motors, marking its official entry into the UK market. The partners plan to launch the Aion V and Aion UT electric vehicle models, with deliveries expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026. —Jiemian News
Trendyol, Ant explore Turkey fintech venture
Trendyol, Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar, ADQ, and Ant International have agreed to jointly explore a fintech venture in Turkey offering payments, loans, insurance, and more. Aimed at individuals and small businesses, especially Trendyol sellers, the initiative will blend e-commerce infrastructure with AI-driven tools. The venture is pending regulatory approval. —Reuters
ChaPanda opens two stores in Singapore
Chinese tea chain ChaPanda officially debuted in Singapore on July 18, opening outlets at *Scape and Northpoint City. To mark the launch, the brand rolled out promotions including buy-one-get-one drinks, city-themed merchandise, scratch card giveaways, and more.
RELATED ARTICLE
Apollo Go joins Uber in global push
Baidu and Uber have formed a multiyear partnership to deploy Apollo Go autonomous vehicles across select markets outside the US and mainland China. The first rollouts are expected in Asia and the Middle East later this year, giving Uber riders the option of fully driverless rides via Baidu’s fleet.
TikTok seeks talks to avoid Canada shutdown
TikTok is pushing for talks with Canadian officials to avoid a shutdown of its local operations, warning it may need to lay off staff and halt investment. The company has proposed a Canada-specific data security plan but said it has yet to receive a government response. TikTok employs 350 people in Canada and serves around 14 million users. —Bloomberg
Romoss execs flee to Malaysia amid recall
Five key executives from Chinese power bank brand Romoss have reportedly fled to Malaysia after the company suspended operations following a large-scale product recall. Insiders claim profits were siphoned off, leaving little cash to manage the fallout. The shutdown affects all but recall-related staff for six months. —Sin Chew Daily
That wraps up this edition of China Recap. If your company is expanding internationally, we’d love to hear about your latest milestones. Get in touch to share your story.