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CBI

Digua Robotics Raises $260M in 20 Days, Signaling VC Shift Toward High-Conviction Robotics Bets

In a vivid demonstration of the aggressive capital deployment characterizing China's 2026 technology sector, intelligent automation developer Digua Robotics has finalized a massive financing round, securing RMB 1.8 billion (US$260.8 million) in a span of just 20 days. This rapid capital accumulation underscores a shifting

Zhipu AI open-sources GLM-5.1, raises prices 10% as China’s models shift from price war to performance premium

Zhipu AI is betting that benchmark-leading code performance can buy pricing power: the company on April 8 open-sourced its flagship GLM-5.1 model and lifted prices by 10%, positioning it as a rare open model that can match—or beat—top closed rivals in real-world software

ChinaBiz Briefing | DeepSeek Monetization Shift, BYD Denza Tests Ceiling, Tencent Expands AI Agents

China’s tech and auto sectors are moving deeper into a phase defined by monetization, hardware substitution and intelligent systems integration. DeepSeek is reshaping AI pricing models, while Huawei, Tencent and Honor push deeper into hardware and agent ecosystems. Meanwhile, EV competition is moving upmarket and toward intelligent driving adoption.

Honor’s 600 Pro benchmark leak signals Snapdragon 8 Elite push ahead of April 23 launch

Honor has tipped its hand on its 2026 flagship strategy: a Geekbench listing for the Honor 600 Pro points to Qualcomm Inc.’s Snapdragon 8 Elite, suggesting the Chinese handset maker is prioritizing top-tier on-device performance as it prepares to unveil the phone on April 23. The benchmark

Xiaomi Accelerates EV Push to Challenge Tesla in 2026

Xiaomi is aggressively repositioning itself from a consumer electronics giant to a tier-one automotive disruptor, setting a 550,000-unit delivery target for 2026 that directly threatens Tesla's stalling momentum in the world's largest electric vehicle market. The shifting power dynamic in China's

Tencent Cloud Turns QQ Browser into a WeChat-Controlled AI Agent with QBotClaw

Tencent Cloud has rolled out QBotClaw, an automation agent that lets users direct QQ Browser tasks with a single natural-language command—positioning WeChat as a control layer for desktop workflows and raising the stakes in China’s race to embed AI agents into everyday software. The product, branded “Claw”

SAIC-GM-Wuling Bets on Huawei Qiankun to Mainstream City Pilot Assist

SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile has opened pre-orders for its new Huajing S six-seat SUV, making Huawei Technologies’s Qiankun smart driving and cockpit suite standard across the lineup—an aggressive move to push “city navigation assist” from premium brands into the mass market in 2026. The Huajing S

BYD’s Denza Tests China’s ¥450,000 SUV Ceiling With N9 Fast-Charge Pre-Sale

Denza, the premium marque under BYD, has opened pre-sales for its N9 “flash-charging” SUV at RMB 450,000 to RMB 500,000 (about US$62,500 to US$69,400), signaling a renewed push to defend pricing power in China’s crowded high-end new-energy vehicle segment.

Hisilicon’s CS5250 Sensor Debuts in Domestic Action Camera, Signaling Shift in High-End Imaging Supply

Chinese action camera maker Jiku Vision has partnered with Shanghai Hisilicon, a wholly Huawei-owned chip unit, to launch an action camera platform built around Hisilicon’s first in-house large-format CMOS image sensor, marking a rare domestic entry into a segment long dominated by overseas suppliers. The first

DeepSeek’s New AI Tiers Reveal the End of Free—And the Rise of Paid “Expert” Compute

Chinese artificial intelligence developer DeepSeek has silently implemented a tiered user interface on its flagship web platform, signaling a critical transition from its cash-burning growth phase toward compute optimization and eventual commercial monetization in 2026. The unannounced update introduces a dual-track system: a "Fast Mode" optimized