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Tencent has begun an internal beta of WorkBuddy, an agentic desktop tool developed by Tencent Cloud’s CodeBuddy team. Designed for non-technical users…

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ByteDance, a Chinese internet company, uses machine learning to recommend engaging videos, news, and social content (via TikTok and Douyin).

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The chatbot is providing real-time interpretation for two exhibitions featuring works from the Louvre and Picasso.

ByteDance’s Doubao turns from chatbot to docent at Shanghai art museum

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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.

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The company’s rise traces back to a founder who has avoided the spotlight for years.

How Busy Ming rose behind a low-profile but resolute founder

From left to right: Joseph Lin, investment manager at Kymco Capital; Gary Ting, CEO of Kymco Capital; Kantinan Tunveenukoon, CEO of Sleek EV; and Ong Zhang Quan, COO of Sleek EV.

Sea Group operates digital entertainment (Garena), e-commerce (Shopee), and fintech (SeaMoney) platforms across Southeast Asia.

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

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<a href="/company/tencent">Tencent</a> has begun an internal beta of WorkBuddy, an agentic desktop tool developed by Tencent Cloud’s CodeBuddy team. Designed for non-technical users, WorkBuddy executes tasks through authorized local files rather than full system access.

<a href="/company/xpeng">Xpeng</a> launched in-app <a href="/industry/ev">EV</a> charging payments in Hong Kong on February 9 through Ant International’s Antom, its first global payment partner for vehicle charging. Drivers can start, stop, and pay for charging in the Xpeng app using AlipayHK, with cards and regional wallets to be added as the rollout expands across Southeast Asia and other markets in 2026.

Mainland China’s cloud infrastructure services market grew 24% YoY to USD 13.4 billion in Q3 2025, marking a second consecutive quarter of growth above 20% as <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> adoption lifted demand for compute, storage, and database services. Alibaba Cloud led the market with a 36% share, followed by Huawei Cloud at 16% and Tencent Cloud at 9%.

<a href="/company/byd">BYD</a> is expanding its Japan lineup with plug-in hybrid vehicles after revised clean energy subsidies eroded its price competitiveness for pure <a href="/industry/ev">EVs</a>. The move reflects the automaker’s effort to adapt its strategy as it seeks growth outside China.

Shares of Chinese chip designer Montage Technology surged more than 60% after its Hong Kong debut on February 9, following a USD 902 million IPO priced at the top of the range.

Carro has been appointed an authorized dealer for Dongfeng Motor, opening exclusive showrooms in Singapore and Malaysia. The partnership expands Carro’s retail strategy for new cars and brings Dongfeng <a href="/industry/ev">EV</a> models to customers with integrated sales, financing, and after-sales support.

<a href="/company/pony-ai">Pony.ai</a> said the first bZ4X robotaxi it co-developed with Toyota has rolled off the production line, marking a step toward mass commercial deployment. The companies plan to produce more than 1,000 vehicles in 2026 as Pony.ai expands robotaxi services across China’s major cities.

<a href="/company/luckin-coffee">Luckin Coffee</a> has opened its 30,000th store in Shenzhen, debuting its first “origin flagship” focused on global sourcing and premium coffee. The milestone highlights the chain’s expanding scale and ambitions, while the new format reflects a shift beyond rapid expansion toward higher-end offerings.

Innovent Biologics said it has reached an agreement with Eli Lilly to co-develop new oncology and immunology medicines. The deal includes USD 350 million upfront and up to USD 8.5 billion in milestone payments, with Innovent leading early development in China and Eli Lilly holding global rights outside Greater China.

Aito has signed a partnership agreement with Performance Plus Motors, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Motors, to sell its high-end vehicles in the UAE. The deal covers sales, delivery, and after-sales service, supporting Aito’s entry into the Middle East as its models complete local certification and begin test drives.

<a href="/company/xiaohongshu">Xiaohongshu</a> is testing OpenStoryline, its first <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a>-driven video editing platform. The agent-based tool lets users upload images and edit videos through conversation, with results said to be comparable to Dreamina’s Xiaoyunque and <a href="/company/sensetime">SenseTime’s</a> Seko 2.0.

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

Semiconductors

China’s largest foundry reported higher sales and strong utilization, but depreciation from new capacity compressed profitability.

SMIC posts revenue growth in Q4 as expansion weighs on margins

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Baidu leads Chinese search engines, voice assistants, autonomous driving research, and AI platforms connecting users with information and services.

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Ernie is embedded into Baidu’s main app to leverage its search dominance.

Baidu integrates AI into search as rivals pursue superapp ambitions

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Close-up of a 3D printer made by Chinese company Bambu Lab.

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Europe

Chinese players lead the desktop segment as the EU struggles to focus on deployment and demand creation.

Europe urged to follow China's industrial 3D printing strategy

Europe urged to follow China&#8217;s industrial 3D printing strategy

As part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with Nikkei, you can read selected content from Nikkei Asia on KrASIA.

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Tencent tests WorkBuddy desktop agent

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