The inside story on the Asia tech trends that matter, from Nikkei Asia and the Financial TimesFinancial Times
Month: August 2026
Founder of collapsed Chinese property giant given life sentence
Evergrande chair Hui Ka Yan jailed following developer’s default almost five years agoFinancial Times
Founder of collapsed Chinese property giant Evergrande sentenced to life in prison
The founder of Evergrande, the property giant at the centre of China’s housing market slump, has been sentenced to life in prison and had all of his personal property confiscated. Hui Ka Yan pleaded guilty in April to several charges, including embezzlement of assets and corporate bribery. Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court also fined Evergrande Group 8.82bn yuan (£960m; $1.31bn), while its real estate unit was ordered to pay 7bn yuan, according to state media. Hui’s sentencing marks a key moment in the fallout from Evergrande’s collapse, which shook China’s property…
China hits out at EU probe into JD.com bid for German retailer
Beijing may ‘resolutely retaliate’ over probe into Ceconomy offer, says justice ministryFinancial Times
Chinese green tea is bringing people together in West Africa, 3 cups at a time
West Africa has embraced Chinese green tea – from government offices in Mauritania to roadside stalls in Senegal, Mali and Niger, it is at the heart of a tradition that brings people together. The ritual – known as ataya, or attaya in some countries – involves preparing and serving strong, sweet green tea in three rounds, giving family, friends and colleagues the time to talk and socialise. Chinese tea dominates several markets where ataya is widely consumed. Farmers harvest tea leaves at a plantation in Hubei province, central China. Photo:…
‘How bad can it be?’ Chinese animated film becomes viral sensation
Low-budget production from mother-and-son team proves unlikely hit with cinemagoers and social media usersFinancial Times
Who is really buying China’s humanoid robots?
Companies are selling machines to government-backed centres that then sell training data back to robot makersFinancial Times
Why Chinese film-goers are flocking to a movie they hate
This past week, another unlikely film went viral in Chinese cinemas. On its August 5 debut, the animated film Niu Lai, or The Arrival of the Ox, only earned 3,420 yuan (US$507) at the box office. About 10 days later, it suddenly saw a spike in viewers and generated six figures of revenue. On Saturday, its box office climbed to 717,000 yuan and reached more than 11 million yuan on Monday. Its accumulated earnings placed it in the top 10 of China’s domestic animated film box office charts for this…
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi calls on US to change ‘hostile policy’ on North Korea
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing welcomed South and North Korea moving towards peaceful coexistence and called on Washington to change its “hostile policy” on Pyongyang. In talks with his counterpart Cho Hyun in Seoul on Wednesday, Wang said China was “always committed to playing a constructive role in the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula”, according to a readout from the Chinese foreign ministry. But he sidestepped a reporter’s question after the meeting about whether Beijing could help broker a summit between US President Donald Trump and…
Be wary of defence contractors, Chinese study warns, pointing to US system
A new study from China has warned Beijing of the danger of defence contractors having too much influence over defence policy, pointing to the profit-driven expansion of the US military-industrial complex as a salutary example. In the study published on Monday, researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s National Institute of Strategic Studies said Washington’s “iron triangle” – linking the Department of Defence, private contractors and congressional committees – had hijacked US national security policy. Defence contractors, the military, and politicians formed a mutually reinforcing alliance where profits, expanded budgets, and…