Technology
China's four largest tech companies committed a combined $40 billion in AI capital spending for 2026, doubling their 2025 investments as the race for AI self-sufficiency intensified.
Technology
Alibaba Cloud committed $2.8 billion to build data centers in Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, intensifying competition with AWS and Microsoft Azure in Southeast Asia.
Trade
Washington expanded semiconductor export controls targeting China, adding mid-range AI inference chips to the restricted list and tightening enforcement on third-country transshipment.
Retail
China's live-streaming e-commerce market surpassed $500 billion in GMV through November, driven by Douyin, Taobao Live, and a new generation of influencer-merchants.