1. (China Daily) Nvidia's H20 artificial intelligence chip, designed specifically for the Chinese market in compliance with Washington's export controls, is encountering tepid demand, according to industry sources.  

    In the rapidly developing market, this reluctance opens a strategic window for ambitious Chinese AI chip designers to expand their market share amid growing domestic efforts to hone chip prowess, they added.  

    "The demand for H20 chips was lower than expected, according to the latest feedback of our customers," said a regional manager of a major Chinese information technology distributor, on condition of anonymity.

    The manager said that for chips like the H20, demand depends heavily on large corporations, which are reluctant to buy the products of Nvidia, a United States-based semiconductor company, after the Cyberspace Administration of China summoned the US company for alleged cybersecurity threats in late July.  

    An engineer at a Chinese internet company, also on condition of anonymity, said: "Cybersecurity is of crucial importance to us. We cannot tolerate any potential risks. Even if H20 chips are available now, we are not that eager to buy."  

    Pan Helin, a member of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's Expert Committee for Information and Communication Economy, said: "If Nvidia's chips really have backdoor risks, that will become its self-dug grave. Users, not only companies in China, but also clients across the world, may abandon their chips over fears of remote shutdowns or data theft."

    The Financial Times reported on Monday that Nvidia has agreed to pay the US government 15 percent of its revenue from H20 chip sales in China as part of a deal to secure export licenses to Beijing.  

    In response to the report, Nvidia said in a statement to China Daily, "We follow rules the US government sets for our participation in worldwide markets."  

    Charlie Dai, vice-president and principal analyst at market research company Forrester, said the 15 percent fee agreement represents an "unprecedented" move.

    "It starkly underscores how trade tensions drive up market access costs, creating substantial financial pressure and strategic ambiguity for technology firms worldwide," Dai said.  

    Xiang Ligang, director-general of the Zhongguancun Modern Information Consumer Application Industry Technology Alliance, a telecom industry association, said, "The US government's move will fuel Chinese companies' distrust toward Nvidia, which will accelerate the adoption of domestic AI chips."  

    According to Xiang, Nvidia's dominance in the global AI chip market relies not only on chip performance, but also on its entrenched CUDA ecosystem — a 20-year-old framework for AI compatibility. While Chinese chips such as Huawei's Ascend series can rival the H20 technically, they lack CUDA's universal adaptability for AI large language models.  

    "However, if security concerns and the 15 percent 'geopolitical premium' drive users toward Chinese chips, developers could shift their focus to compatibility layers for domestic alternatives, eroding Nvidia's ecosystem advantage," he added.  

    Ecosystem booming

    China's domestic AI chip ecosystem is moving quickly. In July, StepFun, a Shanghai-based Chinese AI company, formed a "model-chip synergy ecosystem innovation alliance" with nearly 10 leading domestic AI chip and infrastructure companies, including Huawei, Moore Threads, Beijing Biren Technology Development Co and Cambricon Technology.  

    The alliance's core mission is clear: to collaboratively optimize large language models to run efficiently on domestic AI chips.  

    The goal is to create a virtuous cycle. As more AI workloads shift to Chinese chips, economies of scale will drive costs down and improve performance and ecosystem maturity — making homegrown solutions increasingly viable and attractive, according to StepFun.  

    "For domestic AI chips to better support China's homegrown large language models, the first priority is ensuring a sufficient supply of advanced computing power," said Zhang Wen, founder, chairman and CEO of Beijing Biren Technology Development Co. "The production capacity of advanced domestic AI chips will be crucial for the future of China's AI industry."

    Source: By Ma Si | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2025-08-12 22:28

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  2. (Xinhua) China's auto industry registered solid year-on-year growth in both output and sales in July, according to industry data released Monday.  

    In July alone, the country's auto output was 2.591 million units -- a 13.3 percent year-on-year increase -- while sales grew 14.7 percent to 2.593 million units, per data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).  

    China's total auto output in the first seven months of the year rose 12.7 percent to 18.24 million units, with sales up 12 percent to 18.27 million units.

    Commercial vehicle output last month totaled 298,000 units -- a 16.3 percent increase from the same month a year earlier -- while sales climbed 14.1 percent to 306,000 units, according to the CAAM data.  

    Sales of natural-gas-powered vehicles, however, declined 5.9 percent year on year to 16,000 units in July.  

    Commercial vehicle production rose 6 percent year on year to 2.4 million units in the January-July period, while sales reached 2.43 million units -- up 3.9 percent.  

    CAAM data has also revealed that new energy vehicle (NEV) production in the first seven months of 2025 surged 39.2 percent to over 8.23 million units, while sales jumped 38.5 percent to 8.22 million units.

    Monday's data also shows that the country's auto exports maintained steady growth momentum, with a year-on-year increase of 12.8 percent recorded during the January-July period. Notably, NEV exports during that time soared 84.6 percent to nearly 1.31 million units. 

    Source: Xinhua  2025-08-11 19:56:30

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  3. (China Daily) Chinese autonomous driving company WeRide said on Tuesday that its founder and CEO, Tony Han, has been invited by the Singapore government to join the country's steering committee on autonomous vehicles.  

    The committee brings together leaders from the autonomous vehicle and public transport industries, union representatives, and various government bodies to guide the progressive rollout of autonomous vehicles in Singapore.  

    WeRide and Waymo are the only two international enterprises represented on the committee.

    In his role, Han will serve as a key figure in shaping Singapore's national policies, operational standards, and technical roadmaps for autonomous driving, said WeRide.  

    His appointment highlights WeRide's leadership in autonomous driving technology and marks a major recognition of China's smart mobility capabilities on the global stage.  

    "WeRide will continue to prioritize a technology-driven approach, leveraging our extensive global deployment experience, and work together with various progressive governments and partners to accelerate the development and deployment autonomous mobility solutions," said Han.

    WeRide has built a strong presence in Singapore, with multiple deployments across vehicle types.  

    In November, WeRide's Robosweeper S6 and Robosweeper S1 obtained Singapore's T1 and M1 autonomous driving licenses.  

    Within just one week, both products were successfully deployed along Marina Coastal Drive and at the Esplanade, launching Singapore's first commercialized autonomous sanitation projects.  

    Last month, WeRide's Robobus began fully driverless operations at Resorts World Sentosa, becoming the first autonomous vehicle in Southeast Asia to operate without a safety driver on board.

    Source: chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2025-08-13 16:41

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  4. (China Daily) Geely Holding Group has finished its fourth satellite launch for the Geely Future Mobility Constellation in Rizhao, Shandong province.  

    All 11 satellites launched have now entered their planned low-earth orbits and are functioning normally, said the Chinese conglomerate in a statement on Monday.  

    With the latest launch, which was finished on Saturday, the number of satellites in the Geely Future Mobility Constellation has increased to 41.  

    The constellation is independently built and operated by GeeSpace, a commercial aerospace company under Geely Holding Group.

    Low-orbit satellite communications have quickly become integral to intelligent connected vehicles.  

    By leveraging the constellation, GeeSpace has established partnerships with telecom operators in over 20 countries across the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America.  

    GeeSpace's proprietary satellite communication chips and high-precision positioning modules have entered mass production and are utilized in thousands of passengers and commercial vehicles from Geely Holding Group.

    The group said it will conduct further launches in the next two months, to raise the number of satellites deployed to 64. By the end of 2025, there will be 72 satellites deployed in the constellation, said the group.  

    Geely Holding Group's portfolio brands sold over 3.33 million vehicles in 2024, with Volvo Cars sales reaching 763,389 units globally and Geely Auto Group's Hong Kong listed entity reporting sales reaching 2.18 million units.  

    Cumulative sales in the first six months of 2025 reached 1.93 million vehicles, up 30 percent with electrified vehicles accounting for over 1 million units, marking an increase of 72.8 percent year-on-year and representing 52 percent of the group's aggregated total.

    Source: By Li Fusheng | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2025-08-12 16:20

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  5. (Xinhua) China successfully launched a new group of low Earth orbit satellites from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan on Wednesday.  

    This satellite group, the eighth of its kind that will constitute an internet constellation, was launched at 2:43 p.m. (Beijing Time) aboard a Long March-5B carrier rocket, featuring a Yuanzheng-2 (Expedition-2) upper stage at the top of the rocket.  

    The satellites successfully entered their preset orbit.  

    This launch marked the 588th mission of the Long March series carrier rockets. 

    Source: Xinhua  2025-08-13 17:19:15

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  6. (China Daily) Shanghai's stepped-up efforts to aid fundamental scientific research are crucial to support the development of pioneering technologies and companies specializing in emerging industries, which is conducive to the city's high-quality economic growth, said officials and company executives.  

    A set of nine new measures to better support companies' fundamental research took effect in Shanghai on Aug 1, aiming to strengthen enterprises' role in such research by providing them more subsidies, favorable tax policies and more access to scientific facilities.  

    For companies directing at least 100 million yuan ($13.9 million) to fundamental research on a yearly basis, a one-time 10 million yuan fiscal subsidy will be provided. Company expenditures used to support basic research conducted in nonprofit research institutions, universities and government-run natural science foundations can be 100 percent deductible before tax.

    Companies using the city's scientific equipment and services may be entitled to 50 percent subsidies based on actual payments, with an annual limit of 1 million yuan for each company, according to the new measures.  

    Qu Wei, deputy head of the Shanghai municipal commission of science and technology, said the new measures aim to direct more resources to companies and grant them more decision-making power regarding basic research.  

    The government also wishes to arm companies with the right research methods. In this way, companies can develop long-term objectives and dedication to technological innovation, which will help to consolidate the foundation of new drivers of high-quality economic development, Qu said.

    The municipal government underlined in the latest measures that the city's "explorer plan" — which was launched in 2021 to address the most pressing industry challenges by seeking more academic backing — should be further supported and include more companies from the emerging sectors of integrated circuits, biomedicine and artificial intelligence.  

    Therefore, Shanghai municipal commission of science and technology issued 24 detailed management measures for the "explorer plan".  

    Over the past four years, a total of 22 companies have been included in the plan, covering State-owned enterprises, private companies and foreign firms.

    Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute Co Ltd was one of the first to be part of the plan. According to the company's chairman, Yan Yan, the firm has built a national-level lab for key nuclear power materials by working with a number of Shanghai-based research institutes. This cooperation, which is part of the "explorer plan", helps to deeply integrate basic research and meet engineering demand. The most cutting-edge scientific problems can thus be solved efficiently, helping to improve China's original innovation regarding nuclear power, he said.  

    Shen Yichen, founder and CEO of Shanghai-based optoelectronic hybrid computing service provider Lightelligence, said universities are willing to take part in research projects which are not quite mature at the moment. The company is striving to come up with technologies which are required in products that the company may release in five years. This is also a major benefit of the "explorer plan", he said.  

    Shanghai Electric Group Co Ltd Central Academe has managed to attract 20 partners over the past two years by taking part in the "explorer plan". One problem, which they thought might be resolved by surrounding universities' engineering departments, was eventually tackled by a university chemistry department. Such interdisciplinary cooperation is another major benefit of the plan, according to Central Academe's assistant to the dean, Ru Bin.

    On July 30, Qiyuan Public Welfare Foundation was launched in Shanghai. Founded by 16 local State-owned enterprises, the foundation is the first of its kind initiated by SOEs which aims to support basic research.  

    Apart from helping create technological breakthroughs in IC, biomedicine and AI — three pioneering sectors in Shanghai — the foundation will also support research in frontier sectors such as quantum technology, controllable nuclear fusion, brain science, as well as deep sea and deep earth exploration.  

    Data from the municipal government showed that 11 percent of Shanghai's research spending was devoted to basic research, higher than the national level of 6.9 percent.

    Source: By Shi Jing in Shanghai | China Daily | Updated: 2025-08-07 09:38

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  7. (China Daily) China's accelerated efforts to boost the application of fast-evolving artificial intelligence in a wide range of sectors will help the country gain a competitive edge in tech frontiers and create immense business opportunities for investors amid external uncertainties, said experts and entrepreneurs.  

    China, they said, is at the global forefront in the development and application of AI technology, which has become a vital force bolstering its economic development and industrial upgrades, as the country recognizes AI as an essential tool in fostering new quality productive forces and building up new growth drivers.  

    The country's super-large market, robust engineering talent pool and thriving innovation ecosystem will underpin its capacity to drive technologies from research labs into the industrial arena, they added.

    Zhu Min, former deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, said China will make great strides in the use of AI technology in the next 18 months to two years, emphasizing that the country's large-scale manufacturing, vast consumer market of 1.4 billion people and abundant industrial application scenarios present unique advantages for the development of AI.  

    Zhu made the remarks during the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, in Tianjin last month. He said AI Plus will serve as an important driving force for China's economic growth.  

    China has surpassed the United States in the number of academic papers issued on AI, taking the top spot worldwide, Zhu said, adding that such papers increasingly focus on the specific industrial applications of AI.  

    Noting that Chinese AI startup DeepSeek had opened a broad space for AI deployment, he said China's services sector, technology and AI have huge growth potential, with future employment to take place in these emerging fields. It is highly significant in strengthening retraining in the job market and letting people know how best to use AI, he added.

    Goldman Sachs analysts said breakthroughs in generative AI have the potential to bring about sweeping changes to the global economy. These breakthroughs could drive a 7 percent, or about $7 trillion, increase in global GDP and lift productivity growth by 1.5 percentage points over a 10-year period, they said.

    Under the AI Plus initiative, China will work to effectively combine digital technologies with its manufacturing and market strengths, according to this year's Government Work Report.  

    China will support the extensive application of large-scale AI models, and vigorously develop new-generation intelligent terminals and smart manufacturing equipment, the report said.  

    Li Haitao, dean of Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in Beijing, said AI is profoundly reshaping the business landscape and is bound to transform various industries. Currently, China and the US have the greatest potential to lead in the next round of AI revolution, he noted.  

    According to Li, China boasts a large number of well-educated engineering talent and AI professionals, improved digital infrastructure such as 5G and computing networks, massive amounts of data, and ever-increasing innovation capabilities, which provide a solid foundation for the training and adoption of AI models.

    The emergence of Chinese AI companies such as DeepSeek is due to the country's long-term and accumulated achievements in multiple leading fields, such as education, internet, 5G communication, digital payment, technological infrastructure and renewable energy, Li added.  

    China's AI sector will make big strides in the next 10 to 15 years, with its market size reaching 1.73 trillion yuan ($241 billion) by 2035, accounting for 30.6 percent of the global total, said market research company CCID Consulting.  

    "The recent wave of AI innovation, led by open-sourced large language models, is so encouraging that companies are quickly mobilizing themselves to harness such technologies," said Samantha Zhu, chairperson of Accenture Greater China.  

    She underscored that China is emerging as "an innovation-driven economy", with breakthroughs in areas like AI, robotics, renewable energy and electric vehicles, showcasing the country's growing capability in critical technologies that underpin long-term competitiveness.

    The consultancy estimates that adopting a holistic approach to productivity, with generative AI acting as a multiplier, could boost productivity growth from 1.9 percent to 15.9 percent. It said China has one of the most vibrant AI ecosystems in the world, driven by a mix of enterprise adoption, tech startups and public-private partnerships.  

    To fully capitalize on the opportunities, multinational corporations should empower local teams to codevelop AI solutions with local partners, integrate AI into core operations and leverage China as a strategic launchpad for scalable innovation, it added.  

    Zhu emphasized that with more Chinese companies surveyed expecting their generative AI solutions to be adopted at scale within their organizations this year, there is strong momentum for AI-driven transformation as businesses quickly integrate it into decision-making, operations and customer engagement.

    "Looking at the vibrant AI ecosystem, we can say that China is not just an AI market — it's a proving ground for AI adoption by enterprises at scale."  

    Zhu's views were echoed by Karel Eloot, senior partner of McKinsey & Company.  

    China, Eloot said, has good technological infrastructure in terms of digitalization and AI, and has developed a world-class business-to-consumer ecosystem, laying a strong foundation for further innovation.  

    "Chinese companies have been very open to experiment with new things so that they can learn very fast," Eloot said, adding that Chinese firms are at the forefront of digital analytics and technology transformation. He said generative AI is very important for the future development of "lighthouse factories", which represent the highest level of global intelligent manufacturing.

    "The application of AI in the high-tech manufacturing sector will bring about greater value than its use in terminal products, as this cutting-edge digital technology will significantly improve the production efficiency and competitiveness of China's manufacturing enterprises," said Li Dongsheng, founder and chairman of Chinese consumer electronics maker TCL Technology Group Corp.  

    Li said AI technology is increasingly embedded into terminal devices, intelligent production lines and product research and development, and will bolster the development of China's high-tech manufacturing sector.  

    He emphasized that China's recent breakthroughs in large language models, along with the meteoric rise of domestic AI startup DeepSeek, have enabled it to rapidly catch up with the US in the AI domain, while surpassing most other developed economies in terms of AI application.  

    Zhou Yunjie, chairman and CEO of Chinese home appliances giant Haier Group, said AI is expected to be the biggest technological revolution in the next 50 years. "At present, the deployment of AI in enterprises mainly concentrates on manufacturing, research and development, sales, procurement and services.

    "Every industry will integrate with AI, and any enterprise that does not embrace AI will eventually be weeded out," Zhou said.  

    Haier has invested heavily in developing LLMs and is promoting the adoption of AI across various fields, such as household appliances and industrial internet, he added.  

    As AI is transforming the world and data centers are leading the way, US-based smart building solutions provider Johnson Controls is promoting timely, efficient and sustainable data center deployments across countries.

    "China's focus on digitalization and decarbonization aligns seamlessly with Johnson Controls' core expertise. We are well positioned to support China's advancement in driving new quality productive forces," said Anu Rathninde, president of Johnson Controls Asia-Pacific.  

    He said China's economy is propelled by new energy, digital transformation and some key industries like smart manufacturing and modern services, which create a large number of opportunities for sustainable innovation. "We look forward to growing our business even further."  

    Cui Jingyi, vice-president and general manager of industrial software developer Aveva China, said China is becoming the market with the most extensive application of AI technologies globally, bringing new opportunities for many companies including Aveva.

    Cui said China demonstrates exceptional vitality in innovation, with rich industrial application scenarios, a complete supply chain ecosystem, and a highly open and supportive technology environment.  

    "That's why Aveva is continuously increasing our investment in the Chinese market — especially in R&D — as we deepen our roots in this dynamic landscape and cocreate a smarter, more sustainable industrial future together," she said.  

    Aveva will continue to increase investments in China, leverage local strengths and drive industrial transformation through technological innovation, Cui added.

    Source: By Fan Feifei | China Daily | Updated: 2025-07-28 09:17

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  8. (Xinhua) In a brightly lit lab in Beijing's Zhongguancun, which is known as China's Silicon Valley, a humanoid robot stands amid rows of shelves stocked with a variety of goods, its sleek, metallic frame moving with smooth precision as it navigates the aisles.  

    Bending slightly at the knees, the robot reaches for a bag of crisps from a mid-level shelf with its dexterous, multi-jointed hands, its grippers adjusting their pressure to avoid crushing the package. The robot then places the item into a cart before heading toward the next section.  

    Developed by Beijing Galbot Co., Ltd., the robot made a splash with its flexibility at the recently concluded 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference. It is evidence of the strides China has made in its humanoid robotics sector thanks to the joint efforts of the government, industry and academia.  

    POLICY SUPPORT

    The Chinese government has shown its commitment to supporting the robotics industry through multiple initiatives and a range of local government incentives.  

    According to a set of guidelines released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the country plans to launch various robotics innovation programs and encourages investment in the development of software and key components for humanoid robotics. It is also working to promote cooperation between humanoid robotics companies and universities and research institutes.  

    In Shenzhen, a dedicated "robotics valley" clusters dozens of top universities, research institutes and tech firms, creating a hub where ideas flow freely from labs to factories.  

    According to the Chinese Institute of Electronics, the nation's humanoid robot market is projected to reach 870 billion yuan (about 121.9 billion U.S. dollars) by 2030.  

    ENTREPRENEURIAL DRIVE

    The industry's potential to reshape various sectors ranging from manufacturing to health care services, coupled with government support, has incentivized many market players to turn tech visions into daily realities.  

    Wang He, a graduate of Tsinghua University and Stanford University, founded Galbot in May 2023, seeking to develop generalized, embodied, multimodal large-model AI robots. The company unveiled its first-generation robot, Galbot (G1), within just one year of its establishment. The robot features wheels, dual arms and a foldable body. It can reach upward to 2.4 meters and bend down to reach objects on the ground.  

    At present, the robots are attracting orders and are scheduled for nationwide promotion by the end of the year. They are already on duty around the clock in nearly 10 pharmacies in Beijing, handling over 5,000 types of medicine every day.

    Industrial data shows that by the end of 2024, there were over 80 humanoid robot manufacturing companies in China. In the first half of this year alone, China added more humanoid robot companies than it did over the entirety of 2024, with even more startups waiting to enter the market.  

    FOSTERING SYNERGY

    As global competition in humanoid robotics intensifies, China is leveraging its distinct ecosystem of top-tier universities, tech enterprises and government support to bridge the gap between lab breakthroughs and commercial viability.  

    "Galbot currently has R&D centers in Beijing, Shenzhen and Suzhou, deeply integrating resources from industry, academia and research," said Zhu Hui, product director of the startup, adding that the company has worked with Peking University and the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence to establish a joint embodied intelligence lab to address technological bottlenecks in the industry.  

    From Zhu's perspective, the humanoid robot industry still has to step up efforts to improve the intelligence of robots and enhance their capabilities to complete complicated tasks and adapt to unstructured environments. Additionally, the high cost of production also restricts the widespread adoption of robots in daily life.  

    Despite the challenges, the outlook of China's humanoid robot industry is promising, Zhu said, noting that with continuous technological innovation, cost reductions and the expansion of application scenarios, humanoid robots are expected to become an integral part of daily life and industrial production.

    Source: Xinhua  2025-08-08 20:53:45

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  9. (China Daily) Chinese small home appliance makers are ramping up efforts to expand their footprint in emerging overseas markets and pooling more resources into localized research and development as part of a broader push to bolster global sales and enhance international influence, industry experts said.  

    They added that an increasing number of homegrown small appliances, such as robotic vacuum cleaners, air fryers and coffee makers, are gaining popularity among overseas consumers, thanks to their creative designs, simple-to-use features and online promotional events.  

    Chinese intelligent home appliance manufacturer Dreame Technology is accelerating steps to make inroads into overseas markets and is investing heavily in research and development, while making technological innovation based on user demand.

    Currently, the company's products have been sold in more than 100 countries and regions, including Europe, North America, Southeast Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America. Revenue from international markets accounted for 65 percent of its total revenue in 2024.  

    Global sales of the company's robotic vacuum cleaners and floor-cleaning machines increased by 178 percent and 100 percent year-on-year respectively from January to May, ranking first in 18 countries and regions around the world.  

    Its gross merchandise value in Southeast Asia soared more than 150 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2024, while sales in Japan, South Korea and Australia increased 292 percent year-on-year during this period.

    The company is stepping up localization efforts and has launched tailor-made products in accordance with usage habits and application scenarios in different countries, expanded both online and offline channels — including emerging e-commerce channels — and formulated differentiated marketing strategies.  

    Yu Hao, founder and CEO of Dreame Technology, emphasized the significance of increasing investment in supply chain systems, building independent production capacity covering the entire industrial chain and establishing global retail channels. Yu said the company will take active steps to expand into overseas markets and recruit high-quality talent worldwide.  

    Bear Electric Appliance Co Ltd, a maker of small home appliances based in Foshan, Guangdong province, said its sales revenue from overseas markets reached 668 million yuan ($93.06 million) in 2024, with overseas customers mainly coming from Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Europe and North America.

    Li Yifeng, chairman and general manager of Bear Electric Appliance, said the company will continue to build brand recognition overseas, intensify promotional efforts, expand retail channels and bolster global operational capacity.  

    Li said the overseas business mainly focused on the original design manufacturer model, but now it is beefing up efforts to promote its self-owned brands to go global and develop the cross-border e-commerce business.  

    The company, founded in 2006, has developed and produced a series of creative electrical appliances, including yogurt makers, egg boilers, crock pots and steamers to entice young consumers.

    "Expanding into overseas markets could not only relieve the pressure of high inventories in the domestic market, but also increase the brand awareness and international influence of Chinese small home appliance brands," said Liu Jiyuan, deputy head of the research innovation department of Beijing-based market consultancy All View Cloud.  

    Liu said globalization is both an opportunity and a challenge for Chinese home appliance manufacturers, adding this will promote the sector's high-quality transformation and upgrading.  

    Guangdong Xinbao Electrical Appliances Holdings Co Ltd said due to tariff increases from the United States, the company will actively explore emerging markets such as Europe and Southeast Asia, increase investment in the research and development of high value-added products, and strengthen the construction of overseas manufacturing bases.

    The Foshan, Guangdong province-based company specializes in designing and manufacturing small home appliances such as electric kettles, blenders, toasters and coffee makers.  

    Overseas consumers are paying greater attention to quality of life, personal health and food safety, and showing increasing demand for Chinese-made small household appliances with high cost-effectiveness, said Liu Buchen, an independent researcher tracking the home appliance sector.  

    Chinese home appliance makers should attach great importance to products' R&D, and invest more in technological innovation in order to enhance the core competitiveness of enterprises on the global stage, he added.

    Source: By Fan Feifei | China Daily | Updated: 2025-08-07 10:01

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  10. (China Daily) Ikea China is opening an official flagship store on JD on Friday, marking a major step in the Swedish household goods giant's continued expansion of its omnichannel ecosystem in the Chinese market.  

    The store will offer more than 6,500 products across 168 categories, including furniture and home accessories, while integrating Ikea's logistics and membership services. It will serve as a new online touchpoint for the brand, complementing existing channels such as its official online store, Tmall flagship store, mobile app and WeChat mini programs.  

    "This launch is another step forward under our 'growth plus' strategy," said Pontus Erntell, president and chief sustainability officer at Ikea China.

    "It will help us reach more Chinese families who value convenience, quality and service, and further enhance Ikea's omnichannel ecosystem."  

    Since 2018, Ikea China has steadily expanded its digital presence. In fiscal year 2024, the brand's online platforms attracted 370 million visits, with over 70 percent initiated by consumers — underscoring strong demand for digital home shopping, said the company.  

    The move to JD strengthens the Swedish firm's collaboration with third-party platforms and aligns with its strategy to integrate online and offline services.

    JD, the country's leading e-commerce platform, sees the partnership as a boost to its growing home category.  

    "Ikea's arrival enriches JD's home furnishings portfolio and provides customers with more inspiring, high-quality options," said Yao Yanzhong, senior vice-president of JD and president of JD Electronics and Home Appliances.  

    "We will leverage our strengths in supply chain management and digital operations to enhance the online home shopping experience."  

    During the launch period, two new Ikea products — the Bastboll esports chair and Malomrade gaming desk — will debut across all Ikea channels. Certain product categories such as foodstuffs, knives and houseplants will not be available on JD for now.

    Ikea will use its own warehouses for inventory storage, while last-mile delivery will be handled by partners. JDLogistics will be responsible for parcel deliveries, while larger shipments will follow Ikea's existing omnichannel logistics framework. The delivery coverage is expected to reach 301 cities nationwide.  

    The collaboration comes amid intensifying competition in China's household products and lifestyle market, with both local and foreign brands investing in digital transformation and supply chain upgrades.  

    JD has been actively expanding its home category with a growing number of domestic and international brands. In the first half, the number of international home brands joining JD surged over 130 percent year-on-year. Recent additions include Muji, Natuzzi Italia and Hay, according to JD.  

    The partnership with Ikea further signals the platform's ambition to "bring global design into Chinese households", while supporting Ikea's efforts to deepen localization and broaden market reach in China.

    Source: By Wang Zhuoqiong | China Daily | Updated: 2025-08-08 09:43

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