1. (Xinhua) Robots that are not only able to run, dance and play soccer but can also sort parts in an assembly line, and even participate in a game of mahjong and caress a piano to create music were once fantasies only confined to science fiction, but they now feature in a reality unfolding at the ongoing World Robot Conference (WRC) in Beijing.  

    The WRC 2025 showcases rapidly advancing embodied intelligence technology, with humanoid robots as the highlight, demonstrating significant progress achieved globally and particularly in China, while the event also serves to illuminate a wide range of future commercial application scenarios.

    Themed "Making Robots Smarter, Making Embodied Agents More Intelligent," the five-day conference that opened on Friday features forums, exhibitions, competitions and networking events -- with over 200 robotics companies from around the world presenting their latest innovations.  

    EMERGING INNOVATIONS

    Exhibitors at the WRC expo are showcasing the latest humanoid robots along with other varieties such as wheeled robots, collaborative robots, and quadruped or hexapod robotic dogs, as well as newly developed embodied intelligence models.  

    Unitree Robotics, headquartered in east China's Hangzhou, has brought its latest types of humanoid R1 and quadrupedal A2 robots to this expo. However, the crowd favorite has been a boxing match performed by two latest upgraded G1 robots. The mechanical boxers punched and defended like real human fighters, while getting up to continue even after being knocked down.

    Marketing manager at Unitree, Liu Jinda, said the boxing demonstration wasn't just for show. "During boxing, multiple joints need to coordinate with extremely fast reaction times. When subjected to external forces, the robots must quickly regain stability and balance. This practice provides valuable experience for developers to improve robotic performance."  

    In the exhibition area of Galaxea AI, visitors only needed to say "Please make the bed," and its new R1 Lite robot responded by completing the task in a randomly disordered bedroom all by itself.  

    Galaxea AI chief scientist Zhao Hang noted that the key to embodied intelligence robots lies in their "brain" -- the sophistication of their algorithms. R1 Lite's Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model uses a single end-to-end architecture to achieve precise control from visual perception to its sophisticated joints, enabling it to perform highly complex, long-sequence tasks like making a bed.

    At a conference forum, Ni Guangnan, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, emphasized that combining robots with AI requires elevating robotic intelligence through "brain-eye-action" coordinated systems -- enabling robots to see, understand and act in the real world.  

    Unitree CEO Wang Xingxing said that while current robotic hardware is generally sufficient, their AI capabilities still fall far short of industry needs, and developing sufficient embodied intelligence models will be the most critical task for the industry in the future.  

    ROBUST DEVELOPMENT  

    China's innovations in embodied intelligence are powered by the robust development of its robotics industry. According to data released at the conference, the country's robotics industry generated nearly 240 billion yuan (about 33.4 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue in 2024.

    In the first half of 2025, industrial robot production in China reached 370,000 units while service robot output hit 8.82 million units, representing year-on-year growth of 35.6 percent and 25.5 percent, respectively. China has also been the world's largest industrial robot application market for 12 consecutive years -- with its share of the world's newly installed robots increasing from 51 percent in 2023 to 54 percent in 2024.  

    Rev Lebaredian, vice president of Omniverse and simulation technology at NVIDIA, said in a speech at a forum that China boasts the world's largest pool of top-tier graduates in computer science and AI, while holding a distinct advantage in physical-world technology development. This enables the country to produce robots that are both cost-effective and highly efficient -- a capability unmatched by other countries.

    Moreover, China possesses not just manufacturing prowess but also the unique ability to deploy robots at scale and iterate rapidly. By deploying robots in real-world applications and collecting operational data, Chinese developers can continuously optimize robotic systems. This closed-loop improvement capability has become an essential requirement for robotics advancement, and China has already enjoyed this competitive edge, he added.

    The embodied intelligence sector, notably, is attracting not only AI innovators but also traditional industrial robotics companies. At the 2025 WRC expo, established players like Siasun and Dobot, once focused on robotic arms and autonomous forklifts, deployed humanoid robots at their most visible displays. With decades of industrial application experience, they are injecting new momentum into the application of embodied intelligence technologies.  

    DIVERSE APPLICATION  

    At the opening ceremony of this conference, the Chinese Institute of Electronics unveiled 10 most promising application scenarios for humanoid robots, such as automotive manufacturing, petrochemical production inspection, emergency response operations, home services and agricultural production.

    The Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center showcased the multi-agent and multi-task collaborative capabilities of embodied intelligent robots in industrial scenarios. Some of the robots are responsible for power inspection and others sort parts in assembly lines, while robotic arms in the inspection area automatically identify defective light bulbs.  

    Several showcased products at the expo have achieved initial commercialization in the medical and elderly care sectors. For example, a six-legged robot dog developed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University will provide blind-assistance services as guide dogs at the upcoming 15th National Games this November.

    Longwood Valley MedTech, meanwhile, introduced its latest orthopedic surgical robot -- which enables more precise, minimally invasive and safer surgical procedures, reducing surgery time from two to three hours to just 30 minutes. It also minimizes blood loss, accelerates patient recovery, lowers the risk of postoperative complications and cuts medical costs.  

    Beijing AI-robotics Technology exhibited various wearable exoskeleton robots that can not only help paraplegic individuals stand and walk but also assist the elderly with stair climbing.  

    Shuai Mei, the company's founder, said these robots detect both the user's walking intent and terrain conditions, and then use AI algorithms to adapt to the ground and gait in real time, thereby providing appropriate assistance. The company has sold around 1,000 units of its medical and elderly care products, which are now in use at over 300 hospitals nationwide.

    Wan Gang, president of the China Association for Science and Technology, said at the opening ceremony of the conference that China is intensifying its efforts in this cutting-edge technology and future-oriented industry to spur new consumption, cultivate emerging industries, create jobs, promote economic growth and improve people's lives.  

    Source: Xinhua  2025-08-11 23:30:33

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  2. (China Daily) Robots that are not only able to run, dance and play soccer, but also sort parts on an assembly line, try their luck at a game of mahjong and even tickle the ivory were once fantasies confined to science fiction novels, but are now a reality that was unfolded at the recent World Robot Conference in Beijing.  

    The WRC 2025 showcased rapidly advancing embodied intelligence technology, with humanoid robots as the highlight, demonstrating significant progress achieved globally and particularly in China, while the event also served to illuminate a wide range of future commercial application scenarios.  

    Themed "Making Robots Smarter, Making Embodied Agents More Intelligent," the five-day conference that finished earlier this week featured forums, exhibitions, competitions and networking events — with over 200 robotics companies from around the world showcasing their latest innovations.  

    Exhibitors at the WRC showed off their latest humanoid robots along with other varieties such as wheeled robots, collaborative robots and quadruped or hexapod robotic dogs, as well as newly developed embodied intelligence models.

    Unitree Robotics, based in East China's Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, brought its latest humanoid R1 and quadrupedal A2 automatons to the conference. A crowd favorite was a boxing match by two of the latest upgraded GI robots. The mechanical boxers punched and defended like real human fighters, while getting up to continue even after being knocked down.  

    Marketing manager at Unitree, Liu Jinda, said the sparring demonstration wasn't just for show. "During boxing, multiple joints need to coordinate with extremely fast reaction times. When subjected to external forces, the robots must quickly regain stability and balance. This practice provides valuable experience for developers to improve robotic performance."

    In the exhibition area of Galaxea AI, visitors only needed to say "Please make the bed," and the company's new R1 Lite robot responded by completing the task in a randomly disordered bedroom all by itself.  

    Galaxea AI chief scientist Zhao Hang said the key to embodied intelligence robots lies in their "brain" — represented by the sophistication of their algorithms. R1 Lite's Vision-Language-Action model uses a single end-to-end architecture to achieve precise control from visual perception to its sophisticated joints, enabling it to perform highly complex, long-sequence tasks like making a bed.  

    At a conference forum, Ni Guangnan, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, emphasized that combining robots with AI requires elevating robotic intelligence through "brain-eye-action "coordinated systems — enabling automatons to see, understand and act in the real world.

    Unitree CEO Wang Xingxing said that while current robotic hardware is generally sufficient, their AI capabilities still fall far short of industry needs, and developing sufficient embodied intelligence models will be the most critical task for the industry in the future.  

    China's innovations in embodied intelligence are powered by the robust development of its robotics industry. According to data released at the conference, the country's robotics industry generated nearly 240 billion yuan ($33.4 billion) in revenue in 2024.  

    In the first half, industrial robot production in China reached 370,000 units while service robot output hit 8.82 million units, representing year-on-year growth of 35.6 percent and 25.5 percent, respectively. China has also been the world's largest industrial robot application market for 12 consecutive years, with its share of the world's newly installed robots increasing from 51 percent in 2023 to 54 percent in 2024.

    Rev Lebaredian, vice-president of Omniverse and simulation technology at Nvidia, said in a speech at a forum that China boasts the world's largest pool of top-tier graduates in computer science and AI, while holding a distinct advantage in physical-world tech development. This enables the country to produce robots that are both cost-effective and highly efficient — a capability unmatched by other countries.  

    Moreover, China possesses not only manufacturing prowess, but also the unique ability to deploy robots at scale and iterate rapidly. By deploying robots in real-world applications and collecting operational data, Chinese developers can continuously optimize robotic systems. This closed-loop improvement capability has become an essential requirement for robotics advancement, and China already enjoys this competitive edge, Lebaredian said.  

    The embodied intelligence sector, notably, is attracting not only AI innovators, but also traditional industrial robotics companies. At WRC 2025, established players like Siasun and Dobot, once focused on robotic arms and autonomous forklifts, deployed humanoid robots at their most visible displays. With decades of industrial application experience, they are injecting new momentum into the application of embodied intelligence technologies.

    At the opening ceremony of the conference, the Chinese Institute of Electronics unveiled 10 most promising application scenarios for humanoid robots, such as automotive manufacturing, petrochemical production inspection, emergency response operations, home services and agricultural tasks.  

    The Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center showcased the multi-agent and multitasking collaborative capabilities of embodied intelligent robots in industrial scenarios. Some of the robots are responsible for power inspection and others sort parts on assembly lines, while robotic arms in the inspection area automatically identify defective light bulbs.  

    Several that showcased products at the expo have achieved initial commercialization in the medical and eldercare sectors. For example, a six-legged robotic dog developed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University will provide assistance to vision impaired individuals such as serving as seeing-eye dogs at the upcoming 15th National Games in November, jointly hosted by Guangdong province, Macao and Hong Kong.

    Longwood Valley MedTech, meanwhile, introduced its latest orthopedic surgical robot — which enables more precise, minimally invasive and safer surgical procedures, reducing surgery time from around three hours to just 30 minutes. It also minimizes blood loss, accelerates patient recovery, lowers the risk of postoperative complications and cuts medical costs.  

    Beijing AI-robotics Technology exhibited various wearable exoskeleton robots that can not only help paraplegic individuals stand and walk, but also assist the elderly with stair climbing.  

    Shuai Mei, the company's founder, said these robots detect both the user's walking intent and terrain conditions, and then use AI algorithms to adapt to the ground and gait in real time, thereby providing appropriate assistance. The company has sold around 1,000 units of its medical and eldercare products, which are now in use in over 300 hospitals nationwide.  

    Wan Gang, president of the China Association for Science and Technology, said at the conference that China is intensifying its efforts in this cutting-edge and future-oriented industry to spur new consumption, cultivate emerging industries, create jobs, promote economic growth and improve people's lives.

    Source: China Daily | Updated: 2025-08-15 10:00

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  3. (China Daily) Chinese intelligent automation platform Laiye is doubling down on building digital workforces powered by artificial intelligence agents, as part of its broader drive to enhance productivity, liberate people from repetitive work and bolster enterprises' digital transformation.  

    Wang Guanchun, chairman and CEO of Laiye, said, "We're entering a new era where AI agents will take on real work at scale," highlighting that there are huge opportunities in bolstering the application of AI agents in a wide range of sectors like manufacturing.  

    Wang estimated that all Fortune 500 companies will have more digital workers than human workers and 90 percent of knowledge work will be executed autonomously by AI agents, while emphasizing that human society will enter into the era of the AI agent economy.

    AI agents have gained worldwide attention and witnessed explosive growth this year. The term refers to a system or program that is capable of autonomously performing tasks on behalf of a user or another system by designing its workflow and utilizing available tools.  

    AI agents are more advanced than chatbots because they not only provide suggestions or answers, but autonomously execute complex actions across a multitude of industries, delivering tangible results.  

    Pre-dating the generative AI boom, Laiye built solutions via chatbots, robotic process automation and document automation. Wang said the company has been engaged in digital employees for many years and currently, with the stronger inference and planning capabilities of large language models, AI agents have become the carriers of new digital workers.

    He noted that Laiye has always attached great importance to product innovation and research and development inputs. Its value proposition is to empower every employee with AI agents, boost productivity and creativity, and build a future-ready workforce for businesses.  

    The company's work execution platform is designed to enable governments and enterprises to build digital workforces powered by large language models. Bridging the work execution gap at individual and organization levels, Laiye helps accelerate the digital transformation from robotic automation to intelligent automation with AI agents.  

    "We have seen the emergence of many outstanding Chinese AI startups. In the future, there may be more innovative companies in the field of AI application," Wang said. The fierce competition in China's AI sector has promoted the iteration and upgrade of technology. "Therefore, some unexpected innovations will occur."

    Wang said he is very confident in China's innovation capabilities in AI, including its competitiveness in the world, and the country's top-tier AI model companies have done very well in open-sourced large language models. He also underscored the importance of ensuring data security and protecting personal privacy.  

    When asked about the company's overseas expansion plans, Wang said Laiye will expand its footprint in Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as in countries in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia.  

    AI is not to replace or compete with humans, but to collaborate and coexist. For individuals, AI-powered digital workers save employees from repetitive and mechanical tasks. They are supplements to humans' limited abilities and insights, while for organizations, the combination of digital and human employees can enliven and innovate business, and optimize the workflow, according to the company.

    Global consultancy Gartner predicts that by 2028, at least 15 percent of day-to-day work decisions will be made autonomously through agentic AI. Further emphasizing the technology's potential, the consultancy has named it a top strategic technology trend in 2025.  

    It added that AI agents can plan and automate tasks, make informed decisions and interact with their surroundings. Tech services leaders can help clients revolutionize their operations by integrating AI agents into offerings that are configured with components designed for their primary purpose.  

    Moreover, Laiye recently unveiled its enterprise-level AI agent matrix designed for diverse application scenarios. Built on the Laiye work execution platform, the new AI agents integrate large language models, robotic process automation, intelligent document processing and native AI capabilities to deliver measurable outcomes across end-to-end business processes.  

    The company will continue working with customers and partners worldwide to realize its vision of "AI Agents for Everyone", helping enterprises build high-efficiency, AI-driven operations for the next generation of intelligent work.

    Source: By Fan Feifei | China Daily | Updated: 2025-07-28 09:24

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  4. (China Daily) China's artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery is accelerating its role as a prominent player in global biotech. Experts and industry insiders said the sector is drawing unprecedented international attention, even though no AI-discovered drug has yet reached the market.  

    According to SDIC Securities, the global AI-driven drug market has more than doubled since 2021, hitting $1.76 billion in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of more than 30 percent.  

    In China, the pace is even faster from 70 million yuan ($9.74 million) in 2019 to 410 million yuan in 2023, with a CAGR of 57.4 percent. Lead-Leo Research Institute projects nearly 70 percent annual growth from 2024 to 2028, when the market could top 5.86 billion yuan.

    China's AI drug sector has also been striking deals with Big Pharma. This year alone, Syneron Bio inked a $3.4 billion agreement with AstraZeneca, while Helixon signed a $1.72 billion partnership with Sanofi, among others.  

    "These collaborations show Chinese AI drug-discovery capabilities are gaining global recognition," said Fang Yang, executive director for healthcare and biotech at CEC Capital. "The industry is entering a new phase of going global and proving it can deliver results."  

    The most recent deal capturing attention is China's XtalPi Holdings Ltd's $6 billion partnership with US biotech firm DoveTree. It ranks among the largest license-out deals in China's biopharma history.

    Under the deal, announced on Aug 5, XtalPi will deploy its AI platforms to run preclinical research on a mix of large — and small-molecule programs, including several targets picked by DoveTree. The US partner will hold exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize the resulting drug candidates.  

    XtalPi has already pocketed $51 million upfront, far exceeding its total 2024 revenue of 266 million yuan and is in line for another $49 million in near-term payments and as much as $5.89 billion in milestones and royalties.  

    "AI can optimize molecular structures and streamline the earliest stages of drug research and development," said Chu Lei, a researcher at the Healthcare Executive Institute. "XtalPi's role is to deliver ready-to-test clinical candidates straight to DoveTree's labs."

    Still, the potential of AI in biotech is promising. Traditional drug development can take more than a decade and cost more than $1 billion. AI, particularly deep-learning models, can speed up target screening, molecular design, and even trial planning. Consultancy McKinsey experts estimated that AI could shrink the time from lab to patient to a tenth of current timelines.  

    Ren Feng, co-CEO of Insilico Medicine, described the global AI-driven biotech sector as moving into its 2.0 phase. The first wave dating back three decades relied on physics-based computer-aided design. The arrival of generative AI around 2013 marked a turning point, allowing algorithms to create novel molecules from scratch by drawing on vast troves of historical data.  

    The next stage, Ren said, will see AI embedded in every step of drug R&D, from target discovery to clinical management — ushering in what he calls the "3.0 era" of fully integrated, intelligent drug development.

    Policy tailwinds are reinforcing the trend. In November 2024, the National Health Commission and two other ministries issued a blueprint for AI in healthcare, naming intelligent drug discovery and development and AI-assisted clinical trials as priority areas.  

    Local governments are following suit. On Aug 12, Zhejiang province laid out a plan to build a national AI medical application base by 2027, aimed at fostering homegrown innovators, attracting composite talent, and building a complete AI healthcare industry chain.  

    Despite the surge in dealmaking and investment, industry experts stress most AI-driven agreements today, including XtalPi's, focus on preclinical work. "No AI-discovered drug has yet been approved anywhere in the world, meaning the commercial loop remains incomplete," Chu noted.

    Source: By Li Jing | China Daily | Updated: 2025-08-16 08:25

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  5. (China Daily) China launched a group of internet satellites into orbit on Sunday evening, marking the fifth in-orbit deployment of such spacecraft in a month.  

    The satellites are the ninth group of low-orbit hardware in China's State-owned internet network. They were lifted by a Long March 6A carrier rocket at 10:15 pm from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province, and soon arrived in their orbital positions, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the launch contractor.  

    Over the past month, five batches of satellites have been sent into orbit for the in-orbit networking of the country's massive space-based internet system, which is often likened to a Chinese version of SpaceX's Starlink.  

    The fifth group in the network was launched on July 27, the sixth on July 30, the seventh on Aug 4, and the eighth on Aug 13.  

    The latest batch was designed and built by the Shanghai-based Innovation Academy for Micro satellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and is tasked with using its Ka-band transmitters to provide communications and internet service to users.

    The Long March 6A rocket model was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, a CASC subsidiary, as a medium-lift launch vehicle. It consists of a 50-meter, liquid-propelled core booster and four solid-fuel side boosters. The core booster has a diameter of 3.35 meters and is propelled by two 120-ton thrust engines burning liquid oxygen and kerosene.  

    The rocket has a liftoff weight of 530 metric tons and is mainly used to transport satellites to multiple types of orbit, including sun-synchronous, low-Earth and intermediate circular orbit. When used to reach to the typical sun-synchronous orbit 700 kilometers above Earth, the model can carry satellites with a combined weight of more than 4.5 tons.  

    This is the third time the Long March 6A type has been used to carry out a flight for the internet network.

    Source: China Daily by Zhao Lei  Published: 20:12, August 17, 2025 | Updated: 01:21, August 18, 2025

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  6. (China Daily) Iluvatar CoreX is considering an initial public offering in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, amid investor interest in Chinese mainland artificial intelligence chipmakers.  

    Shanghai Tianshu Zhixin Semiconductor Co, as the Centurium Capital-backed firm is formally known, is working with advisers on the potential share sale that could raise $300 million to $400 million, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked to speak on anonymity.

    Deliberations are preliminary and details such as size of the possible IPO are subject to change, the people said. Iluvatar CoreX, which makes the graphics processing units that are crucial to running AI services, didn’t respond to requests for comment.

    Iluvatar CoreX joins a pipeline of Chinese AI companies looking to go public in the HKSAR to tap investor interest in the sector.  

    The HKSAR’s market has picked up this year, with the emergence of DeepSeek spurring a rotation into the mainland stocks and helping to fuel a near 28 percent rally by the Hang Seng Index.

    Others planning IPOs in the HKSAR include MiniMax and Zhipu. Chipmaker Shanghai Biren Intelligent Technology Co is in the queue too, people with knowledge of the matter said. Biren didn’t respond to requests for comment.  

    Iluvatar CoreX is one of several startups vying to make chips to boost the mainland’s semiconductor capabilities. Founded in 2015, the company raised 1.2 billion yuan ($167 million) in a funding round in 2021 led by Centurium and Cedarlake Capital. Another round in 2022 included Beijing Financial Street Capital and Hopu and raised 1 billion yuan. 

    Source: China Daily by Bloomberg Published: 01:45, August 13, 2025 | Updated: 02:48, August 13, 2025

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  7. (Xinhua) Building on President Xi Jinping's 2023 proposal for the Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance Initiative, the Chinese government has now called for the creation of a global AI cooperation organization.  

    In July, Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced the proposal during his address at the opening ceremony of the 2025 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, a three-day event held in Shanghai.  

    China's call comes amid intensifying competition among major global countries at a time when efforts to regulate AI remain fragmented. Despite mounting geopolitical tensions, there is a shared international interest in addressing risks posed by AI, including machine hallucinations, deepfakes and unchecked proliferation.

    An urgent need exists to build a consensus on how to strike a sustainable balance between technological advancement and security. As AI becomes embedded in every aspect of daily life, including public services, healthcare, finance and national defence, societies face the dual challenge of fostering innovation while managing complex risks.  

    Addressing these challenges requires inclusive dialogue among governments, industry leaders, researchers and civil society. The goal must be to ensure that AI develops responsibly, ethically and in alignment with the public interest and global stability. Much like the global financial architecture that has long been dominated by Western hegemony, there is increasing recognition that AI governance should follow a more multipolar trajectory. A balanced approach is crucial to prevent any single bloc from unilaterally shaping the future of this transformative technology.

    China envisions the proposed organization as a comprehensive, inclusive platform for international AI cooperation. It aims to foster broad participation that reflects the diverse priorities of countries across the globe. A key objective is to address the growing "AI divide" -- the technological gap between advanced economies and developing countries. Without coordinated action, the objective will be further marginalized in the accelerating global AI race, deepening existing inequalities.  

    The initiative emphasizes pragmatic, action-oriented collaboration to translate shared objectives into tangible outcomes. China seeks to unite countries to promote innovation, share technological expertise, and coordinate AI-related policies in a spirit of mutual benefit.

    The proposed organization would also work to unlock the transformative potential of AI across sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and industry. China hopes this will catalyse more equitable global development, fostering inclusive growth, shared prosperity and stability in an increasingly interconnected digital world.

    The fragmentation in global AI governance stems in large part from the dominance of a few powerful countries pursuing narrow national interests. For decades, the West has disproportionately benefited from technological progress. However, the emergence of China, India, Singapore and other innovation-driven Global South countries is beginning to challenge this status quo.  

    Now is the time for the international community to align efforts toward establishing a robust, consensus-based framework for global AI governance, one that equitably serves the interests of all countries.  

    China is taking the lead by inviting interested countries to participate in shaping the proposed organization's structure and agenda. It is reaffirming its commitment to advancing both multilateral and bilateral cooperation -- a strategic yet inclusive approach.

    China's proposal signals a shift from passive participation to active leadership in global AI rulemaking. Its growing confidence in its AI capabilities, including large language models, facial recognition and industrial applications, positions it as a credible leader in this arena.  

    China is also offering to share its technologies, resources, and insights with the international community. This includes providing training, infrastructure and technology transfer to support other countries. By doing so, China positions itself as a partner in equitable development and a counterbalance to Western dominance in AI.  

    Its support for open-source development reflects a commitment to shared growth over control or profit, signaling a willingness to empower other countries, particularly in the Global South, through collaborative innovation.

    China has consistently promoted international cooperation in both software and hardware technologies, recognizing that addressing global AI challenges requires collective action. Through joint research, technical partnerships and knowledge exchange, China aims to democratize access to advanced tools, frameworks and platforms.  

    This strategy aligns with China's broader vision of inclusive technological growth. It emphasizes key principles such as "AI for good," fairness, respect for national sovereignty, and the development of non-discriminatory global standards.  

    Facilitating cross-border research collaboration is another major goal. By undertaking such efforts, China aims to reshape its image from a strategic rival to a constructive global partner.

    Yet a key question remains: can a truly inclusive AI governance framework be built in a deeply divided geopolitical landscape? Like it or not, China's approach, especially its willingness to share knowledge and promote open-source collaboration, is gaining traction, particularly among Global South countries. These countries increasingly view China as a transparent and reliable partner, in contrast to traditional Western frameworks that often come with geopolitical conditions.  

    China believes that by providing access to advanced AI tools, it can forge stronger political and economic ties through technology-driven diplomacy. Western powers, by contrast, tend to restrict AI access to preserve their strategic advantage and profit through technological concentration.

    As the AI arms race accelerates, the architecture of global technology governance is undergoing a profound transformation. China's latest proposal is more than a call for cooperation -- it is a strategic move to shape how AI is regulated, applied and understood globally.  

    Ultimately, the success of this initiative will hinge on its reception, particularly among Global South countries. These countries will play a decisive role in determining whether a truly multipolar AI governance structure emerges or whether current Western-led frameworks continue to prevail.

    Editor's note: Maya Majueran currently serves as the director of Belt & Road Initiative Sri Lanka, an independent and pioneering organization with strong expertise in Belt and Road Initiative advice and support.

    Source: Xinhua  2025-08-14 16:44:16

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  8. (China Daily) China's top market regulator and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology have issued a draft notice seeking public feedback on tighter oversight of recalls, production consistency and marketing practices for intelligent connected new energy vehicles.  

    According to the State Administration for Market Regulation, the draft rules prohibit carmakers from naming or promoting combined driver assistance systems in ways that could lead consumers to believe they are autonomous driving systems or have functions they do not actually possess, in a bid to prevent driver misuse.  

    Companies should also avoid overstating vehicle performance or misleading consumers into driving at unsafe speeds, the notice said.  

    The market regulator will step up inspections of advertising and commercial promotions that exaggerate driver assistance capabilities or mislead consumers.  

    It will also direct recall technical bodies to assess cases of excessive marketing and conduct joint investigations with the ministry, taking enforcement action where necessary.

    Source: By Cheng Yu | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2025-08-13 20:26

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  9. (China Daily) Mid-tier premium brands such as Volvo and Jaguar are struggling to stay relevant in the competitive Chinese market, as local EV marques woo their customers and more popular global brands, including Audi and BMW, push downward into their previous domains.  

    Once positioned well above mass-market offerings, these brands have been forced to slash prices in recent months to draw customers back into their showrooms.  

    Volvo is offering incentives with its XC60 SUV, which is priced starting from 250,000 yuan ($34,500). Jaguar's XEL now starts at just 160,000 yuan, and Lincoln's Z sedan begins at 170,000 yuan, according to the China Automotive News.

    Even Lexus — long known for holding firm on pricing — has joined the discounting wave, it reported.  

    The discounts have drawn some consumer interest, but they also point to deeper structural challenges.  

    Many of these brands have been slow to electrify their lineups or invest meaningfully in intelligent driving systems — areas where domestic EV players have rapidly gained ground.  

    "Consumers are no longer buying based on badge alone," Shi Hongtao, general manager at car rental and service platform Yian Yongche, told China Automotive News.

    Models such as the Arcfox S5 and Dongfeng eπ007, Shi noted, come equipped with large infotainment displays, voice control, and semi-autonomous driving features — technologies that were once confined to the high-end segment.  

    For many buyers, particularly younger consumers, such tech has become non-negotiable.  

    The effect is already visible. In the first half of 2025, China's car market grew 11.4 percent year-on-year, with new energy vehicles leading the charge.  

    But mid-tier premium brands bucked the trend. Volvo's China sales fell 5.9 percent to 59,400 units. Lincoln posted a steep 32.5 percent drop to 33,000 vehicles, while Jaguar Land Rover sold just 22,000 units — a fraction of their former volumes.

    For quite a while, these brands relied on large discounts to attract customers, particularly during market downturns.  

    But this strategy is rapidly losing effectiveness. "The model of trading margin for volume is breaking down," said one Beijing-based dealer for a European brand.  

    "Today, even if you cut prices by 40 percent, customers may still walk away. There's growing skepticism about the long-term value and brand direction."  

    Adding to their woes, second-tier premium players now find themselves caught in the middle.  

    If they maintain higher prices, they risk being undercut by more competitive EV offerings.

    Meanwhile, first-tier luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW are coming close to their pricing territory, eroding any justification for choosing the lesser-known marques.  

    Brand erosion is becoming a real concern. "If you sell a 300,000-yuan car at 150,000, the brand suffers," said Liu Jun, an auto dealer in Beijing.  "

    Consumers start to question whether the product was ever worth the original price. It undermines trust."  

    Liu believes the better path is to maintain pricing discipline and reinforce brand positioning through more exclusive offerings — such as personalized vehicle options, premium after-sales service, and a more curated ownership experience.

    "There is still demand for niche, high-quality products," he said, "but not if brands try to compete as volume players in a market they're not equipped to serve."  

    With competition in China intensifying and EVs commanding ever-greater mindshare, some foreign premium brands may shift their focus to overseas markets, where EV infrastructure remains underdeveloped and fuel cars retain a stronger foothold.  

    Some industry insiders believe a quiet retreat may already be underway. "The intensity of competition in China is unlike anything in Europe or North America," said Shi.  

    "If these brands cannot adapt to the pace of change — not just in technology, but in consumer expectations — their role in this market will continue to shrink. A full exit may not be imminent, but marginalization is already happening," he said.

    By Li Fusheng | China Daily | Updated: 2025-08-11 09:25

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  10. (China Daily) Researchers from Tianjin University have synthesized a human genome fragment exceeding 1 million base pairs in length — specifically 1.14 million base pairs — and successfully transferred it into mouse cells to verify its biological function.  

    This milestone overcomes critical technological bottlenecks in human genome synthesis and transfer, opening new pathways for biomedicine and genetic disease treatment.  

    The accomplishment addresses two long-standing challenges.  

    First, over 50 percent of the human genome consists of complex repetitive sequences, which academician Yuan Yingjin likened to "assembling a million-piece puzzle with near-identical fragments".

    Second, transferring lengthy DNA segments is exceptionally delicate; core team member Liu Yue described it as moving "a fragile artwork of glass beads prone to shattering".  

    The team focused on the AZFa region of the Y chromosome, where deletions cause untreatable male infertility. This segment posed extreme difficulties with over 69 percent repetitive content.  

    Using their novel "SynNICE" system, scientists employed a stepwise strategy: dividing sequences into over 200 fragments, assembling them hierarchically using the homologous recombination capabilities of baker's yeast and integrating components with CRISPR-Cas9.

    For transfer, they pioneered yeast nuclei as protective carriers. Yuan explained: "If DNA transfer is a moon mission, yeast nuclei are the spacecraft safeguarding genetic material."  

    Liu Yue added that this "natural transport capsule" prevents damage by shielding synthetic DNA within intact nuclei.  

    The breakthrough enables direct study of gene-function-disease relationships. Peking University professor Tang Fuchou noted SynNICE could extend viability of pig-to-human organ transplants from "years to decades".  

    Yuan emphasized interdisciplinary collaboration with Tsinghua University and hospitals, plus adherence to WHO-endorsed Tianjin Biosecurity Guidelines.  

    Supported by national resources, the team is now expanding SynNICE applications to tackle more health challenges.

    Source: By Yan Dongjie | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2025-08-14 16:42

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