Mannings, one of Hong Kong’s largest health and beauty chains, will cease all retail operations in mainland China, both online and offline, as it adjusts its strategy in the highly competitive market. In a letter to its members, Mannings China said “its physical stores on the mainland will close permanently after January 15, 2026”. Its…
A draft of the “Anti-Monopoly Compliance Guidelines for Internet Platforms”, published over the weekend by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), focused heavily on the sophisticated, often opaque ways in which online platforms with significant market power can exploit technological advantages to exclude rivals and harm consumer interests. The document identified eight “new risks”,…
Apple is finally cashing in on one of the largest untapped markets in its App Store ecosystem. For years, WeChat’s “mini” apps and games in China bypassed the App Store entirely, leaving Apple out of the billions flowing through Tencent’s platform. That changes with a new deal between Apple and Tencent, which will allow Apple…
The two companies intend to leverage their respective hardware and software expertise to promote “a new indigenous AI development paradigm”, according to a WeChat post by SenseTime, in response to the “AI Plus” strategy unveiled in August by the State Council, China’s cabinet. Beijing has made self-reliance across China’s AI stack – from integrated circuits…