China’s Mobike to restrict rider parking in Beijing as authorities tighten regulation on dockless bikes – SCMP What happened: Bike rental firm Mobike is prohibiting riders from parking outside of specified operational areas. The company has set a boundary that determines how far away from the city center users can park their bikes. If they park […]
Posted inOn the Cusp
Meituan Dianping launches autonomous food delivery system
Imagine getting your lunchbox delivered by an autonomous robot straight to your office. In China, it’s already happening. O2O giant Meituan Dianping has launched the Meituan Autonomous Delivery (MAD) Platform featuring driverless delivery vehicles that shuttle meals from restaurants to consumers. The new MAD Platform was officially launched in Beijing, July 25th with Meituan Dianping’s […]
Posted inHeavy Hitters
Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler deepens partnership with Baidu
Daimler deepens ties with China’s Baidu on automated driving – TechCrunch
What happened: Baidu and Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, have signed a MoU to deepen their partnership in automated driving and vehicle connectivity services. Under the newly signed agreement, the Daimler will collaborate with specifically with Baidu’s open-source autonomous driving platform, Apollo. The German automaker said it will integrate Baidu’s connectivity services into the Mercedes-Benz’s new in-car infotainment system.
Why it’s important: Chinese internet giant Baidu has evolved into a major player in autonomous driving technology since the launch of the Apollo platform last year. Up until now, the Apollo platform has formed partnerships with 119 companies worldwide. Daimler has been making inroads into China’s self-driving scene. The automaker was granted a license to test self-driving vehicles on public roads in Beijing earlier this month, becoming the first non-Chinese automaker to earn such a license.
Posted inHeavy Hitters
China revokes license for Facebook’s subsidiary in Hangzhou
What happened: Facebook’s registration to set up an innovation center in Hangzhou disappeared on Chinese government database after only existing for several hours. According to people familiar with the matter, this came after a disagreement between Zhejiang authorities and China’s national internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China, which was angry that it hadn’t been consulted more closely.
Why it’s important: Facebook has been blocked in China for long and its effort to enter China never ceased. The short-lived success underlines how difficult it is still. Its presence, even not as a social network but a tech innovation center, is troublesome enough fo the authorities.
Posted inThe Numbers
Mobile data prices fall 46% according to government numbers
The cost of mobile data in China has dropped by more than 46% in the first half of the year compared to the same time last year, according to the government. The numbers were released by the State Council Information Office, which functions as the chief information office of the Chinese government, at a meeting […]
Posted inHeavy Hitters
Pinduoduo said to hike share price by over 20% prior to IPO
Social e-commerce platform Pinduoduo’s (拼多多) share price has been set at $22.80 ahead of its US initial public offering (IPO) tomorrow (July 26), giving it a market value of $28.8 billion, according to local media. The company’s submission to the Securities and Exchange Commision in the US shows shares were expected to be priced between […]
Posted inHeavy Hitters
Xiaomi pulls all P2P lending ads after accusations of promoting fraudulent financial products
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has pulled all ads promoting peer-to-peer (P2P) services from its smartphones. The move comes after the company received complaints that fraudulent and ill-moderated financial products were being promoted within its MIUI operating system. Xiaomi received 429 complaints relating to related risky P2P lending platforms, involving a total of RMB 40 million. […]
Posted inBranded Content, On the Cusp
O2O, data, and blockchain are revolutionizing real estate in China
Editor’s note: This article is part of our JLL proptech series, produced in cooperation with JLL, a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. We believe in transparency in our publishing and monetization model. Read more here. China is a crowded country and finding a place to call home can be daunting. […]
Posted inHeavy Hitters
Facebook has fully funded a subsidiary in Hangzhou
Update on July 26: The information regarding Facebook’s registration has been taken down from the site. According to media reports, it is because Facebook hasn’t gained solid approval from the Cyberspace Administration of China. Also, Facebook’s Hangzhou subsidiary was set to be an innovation center that aimed to help the tech community and startups, instead of a […]
Posted inHeavy Hitters
Alipay introduces new feature allowing parents to trace the vaccines their children are getting
A vaccine scandal that broke out in China last week that outraged millions of households has made parents scramble to find their children’s vaccine records to check if their kids had been injected with the faulty doses. Alipay launched an in-app function on July 24 that allows parents to check the information easier. Under the […]