China Inc by BBW

In a landmark validation for Chinese AI, Facebook parent Meta has agreed to buy general AI agent maker Manus. But why is Meta also quite vehement about cutting all of Manus' China ties, both in terms of investors and business activity? And regional Chinese lender Weihai Bank has just received a major cash infusion from its local government in Shandong province. Is this a worrisome sign for investors?

Hong Kong has completed just its third listing using a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) since the program's launch four years ago. Why has uptake been so anemic? And Hong Kong's popular Mannings health and beauty chain is pulling out of Mainland China after more than two decades in the market. Why is it calling it quits?

Hong Kong's stock regulator has warned IPO underwriters over the declining quality of new listing applications. Is this a red flag for the city's booming IPO market, or just the usual regulatory caution? And the U.S. could fine telecoms equipment maker ZTE $1 billion for bribery in Brazil. Why does Washington think it can force ZTE to pay such a large amount?

A new survey is showing foreign investors in China are most concerned about cutthroat competition from Chinese rivals rather than the traditional concerns over market access. What's behind this changing mindset? And Q&A knowledge-sharing site Zhihu is facing an existential challenge from AI. How can the company compete in the face of such a big threat?

China's central bank is shutting down an IOU system used by BYD to pay its suppliers. Why is it taking this step? And revenue for a stock broker called GoFintech has soared more than 40-fold after it entered the commodities trading business. How should investors look at such a move?

British retailer Harrods is pulling out of China, just five years after launching its luxury lifestyle brand in the market. Why is it leaving, and are other luxury brands going to follow? And university campus operator XJ International has been selling assets as college education loses its luster. Why are less Chinese interested in such secondary education these days?

Luckin could be preparing a bid for Costa Coffee. What's driving this potential deal, and what are its chances for success? And this year's Double 11 festival looks like a dud, with most big e-commerce companies failing to publish any big numbers. What does the future hold for this fast-fading shopping fest? 

Alibaba will retire the Ele.me takeout dining brand and merge it with its newer Taobao Instant Commerce. What's driving the move? And WuXi AppTec is the latest Chinese major to jump on the Middle Eastern bandwagon, with plans to potentially open a new center in Saudi Arabia. Why are a growing number of Chinese companies taking the Middle Eastern plunge?

Vocational educator Hiducation has become one of the few education companies to test the waters in Hong Kong's booming IPO market. Are investors ready to welcome this group again after a bloody crackdown three years ago? And budget carrier Spring Air is rolling out the welcome mat for more senior flight attendants as old as 40. Are other Asian airlines like to follow this "air auntie" trend, and what's behind it?

Solar and wind farm builder Xinte has announced plans to start collateralizing its assets using asset backed securities. Is this the start of a new trend for such companies? And China International Travel is spinning off its real estate business that was once a money spinner but has become a dud lately with the sinking property market. How should investors view this kind of move?

Observers noticed a key government document on rare earths was created using homegrown Chinese word processing software. Is this part of China's "delete America" campaign? And China's homegrown C919 regional jet has suffered a setback after Vietnam's Vietjet returned two leased models. What does this mean for the aircraft's future?

Team China has pumped $550 billion into the country's two main stock markets, buying up nearly 5% of the market value of all listed companies. What's the thinking behind this strategy? And pre-made foods are in the spotlight after a popular blogger criticized a major restaurant chain for using such products. Why is this such a sensitive subject in China?

The Nasdaq is preparing to crack down on smaller listings by Chinese companies. What's driving the move, and what are the broader implications? And energy storage has become the latest flavor of the day by new Chinese IPO candidates. What's driving this trend, and is it real or just another bubble?

Cango's public relations and investor relations director Juliet Ye details the company's strategic pivot to transform from a pure-play crypto miner into an integrated energy and high-performance computing (HPC) platform. The multi-phase strategy leverages Cango's existing energy and computing infrastructure as a foundation to build a more diverse business model with revenues from mining, AI client services, and energy trading.

Unitree plans to file for an IPO by year end, capitalizing on the recent popularity of its dancing humanoid robots. But are these products really ready for market? And China has quietly lifted a nearly decade-old ban on K-Pop. What's behind the sudden change of heart?

China is floating yet another plan to rescue its oversupplied solar sector, including a mass shuttering of excess capacity. Will the government-led effort work this time? And a former online educator says it wants to become the new online Sam's Club of China. Does East Buy have what it takes to succeed?