Breaking news and analysis on China, covering politics, economy, technology, trade relations, and social developments in the world's second-largest economy.
Eleven carmakers, including Tesla with nearly three million vehicles, initiated China's largest automotive recall to address emergency door release issues. The move follows incidents where passengers were trapped in burning vehicles, including a reported death involving a Xiaomi SU7 sedan. Tesla will begin implementing remedies such as software changes and warning labels on September 25.
Battery electric vehicles captured a record 44% of China's auto market in July, driven by a 44% year-over-year crash in pure petrol sales. Overall car sales declined 21% to 1.5 million units, while plug-in vehicles reached a combined 65% share as BEV volumes grew 6% despite fewer incentives.
China's People's Daily published commentaries asserting the country will meet its annual economic goals despite missing second-quarter GDP targets. The articles claimed domestic risks are being resolved and highlighted continued expansion in hi-tech manufacturing as evidence of growth quality.
The article argues that Asian nations are adopting Chinese open-source AI models to achieve sovereign capabilities, driven by the prohibitive costs of developing frontier systems. It contends that Chinese models offer a cost-effective alternative to US platforms, aligning with regional desires for data control and local deployment.
China is evaluating a proposal to host the 2028 U.N. climate summit, COP33, in the Asia-Pacific region. Beijing has not yet made a final decision on the offer, which became available after India withdrew its previous bid in April. Hosting the talks could help China position itself as a climate leader while the US under President Donald Trump seeks to boost fossil fuels.
Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is scheduled to visit Beijing on Monday for the 25th round of Special Representatives talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. The discussions focus on the ongoing boundary dispute and precede the anticipated visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India for the BRICS summit in mid-September.
Europe's largest luxury companies are growing more optimistic about the Chinese market as household consumption stabilizes. Bloomberg Intelligence analysts note a fragile but emerging spending recovery, particularly in high-end cosmetics and other key categories.
China enacted its first national regulation on July 15, issued by five state agencies, prohibiting AI providers from psychologically controlling users or inducing reliance through anthropomorphic services. Platforms must clearly identify AI interlocutors and warn users if excessive dependence is detected.
Major Chinese carmakers including Geely Auto and Changan Automobile are aggressively targeting the full-hybrid vehicle sector to compete with international brands like Toyota. Building on their previous dominance in electric vehicles, these manufacturers are leveraging advanced computing power for smart driving and entertainment features to attract domestic consumers.
A Hong Kong court convicted activists Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan of inciting subversion for organizing the annual Tiananmen Square vigil. Both face up to 10 years in jail after being remanded in custody for nearly five years, marking a significant development in the post-2019 crackdown.