Pandaily's Digest #20221104
According to an official document released on October 27, Tencent and state-owned telecommunications operator China Unicom have gained unconditional approval to establish a joint venture.
Tencent and China Unicom Approved to Set Up Mixed-Ownership JV
According to an official document released on October 27 by the Anti-Monopoly Bureau under China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), internet giant Tencent and state-owned telecommunications operator China Unicom have gained unconditional approval to establish a joint venture following the completion of a review on October 18. Affected by this news, China Unicom’s A shares rose on Wednesday afternoon to reach their daily limit. Meanwhile, as of 15:00 on November 2, China Unicom’s H shares had risen slightly by 1.2%, and those of Tencent Holdings were up by 1.4%.
Structural Biologist Nieng Yan Comments on Return to China From US
Nieng Yan, a well-known Chinese structural biologist, announced on November 1 that she would resign as a tenured faculty member at Princeton University and return to China as the founding dean of the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART). She was previously the youngest doctoral supervisor at China’s prestigious Tsinghua University, and once triggered widespread discussion around her decision to leave China for the US. On November 2, Yan responded to the matter on a Chinese social media platform, explaining her reasons for returning home.
Meituan CEO No Longer Directly Hold Shares in Company’s Ride-Hailing Business Operator
According to Tianyancha App, a business information query platform, on October 31, Wang Xing, chairman and CEO of Meituan, and Mu Rongjun, executive director, both no longer shareholders of Shanghai Tutuan Technology Co., Ltd., the main operator of Meituan’s online ride-hailing business.
XPeng Founder Responds to Sales Decline and Restructuring
Chinese electric vehicle maker XPeng initiated its largest organizational restructuring to date in October, and its delivery data that month suffered monthly and annual declines. On November 3, He Xiaopeng, Chairman of XPeng, was given the opportunity to respond to consumer concerns in an interview with domestic media in Guangzhou.
Huawei Releases Pocket S Foldable Smartphone and Other New Products
Chinese tech giant Huawei held a launch event on November 2 during which it released its foldable Pocket S smartphone, equipped with a 40MP main camera and HarmonyOS 3.0, starting from 5,988 yuan ($820). In addition to the new smartphone, the event also saw the unveiling of the Huawei WATCH GT Cyber, a new generation of all-in-one MateStation X, and other products.
DJI’s New Mavic 3 Classic Drone Expands Possibilities for Creators
DJI, a civilian drone and aerial imaging technology provider based in China, on November 2 unveiled the Mavic 3 Classic, giving creators a new way to experience the Hasselblad camera and flight performance of the firm’s Mavic 3 Series.
Zeekr to Launch SUV and Sedan, Enter Europe Next Year
Geely-owned premium electric vehicle brand Zeekr launched its second model, the Zeekr 009, on November 2. In addition, CEO An Conghui revealed that the company will launch two new cars during mid-to-late 2023, and that one is an SUV and the other is a sedan.
Xiaomi Unveils 12S Ultra Concept Edition, with Removable Leica Lens
On November 2, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra Concept Edition was officially unveiled, which features a unique rear camera setup that includes a removable Leica lens for enhanced photography. Xiaomi and German camera maker Leica jointly released the Xiaomi 12S Ultra in July this year.
BYD Refutes Report of DM-i/DM-p Hybrid Systems on Some China-Made Audis
Certain vehicle models of FAW-Volkswagen’s China-based Audi production unit that are due for manufacturing in 2023 will adopt BYD’s DM-i/DM-p hybrid systems, according to various reports on November 2. The first model might be the Audi A4L sedan. However, Li Yunfei, the general manager of BYD’s branding and public relations division has said that “this rumor is untrue.”
Xiaomi Invests in Automotive Chip Developer Pride Silicon
Pride Silicon, an automotive chip developer, completed a pre-A round of financing worth tens of millions of yuan, which was exclusively invested by Xiaomi’s industrial investment affiliate, 36Kr reported on November 2. This is another investment made by Xiaomi in the chip industry after the launch of the company’s automobile manufacturing plans plan last year.