Revealing China's economic and technological progress according to China Insights Weekly. Here are some of this week's highlights:
- ByteDance launches Seedance AI, which beats Google's Veo 3.
- AstraZeneca has signed a $5.3 billion research and development agreement with the CSPC to develop AI drugs.
- Humanoid robot shop to open in Beijing in August
- Huawei has overtaken Apple in the global wearable electronics market
China to extend duty-free regime to 53 African countries
China will extend its duty-free regime to 53 African countries, excluding Eswatini, to strengthen economic cooperation. The policy will apply to 100 % tariff lines for all African countries that have diplomatic relations with China. The move includes 20 new countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt and Algeria. Since Dec. 1, when the 1,00% zero-tariff policy came into effect for 33 least-developed African countries, Chinese imports from these countries have risen by 15 % to $21.4 billion in the first three months of 2025. China remains the 16th. year as Africa's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching CNY2.1 trillion (USD292.8 billion) in 2024 and CNY963.2 billion (USD134.3 billion) in the first five months of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 12 %.
ByteDance leads the AI video generation rankings with Seedance 1.0
ByteDance has launched Seedance 1.0 Pro, setting a new standard in AI video generation. According to Artificial Analysis rankings, this model excels at text-to-video and image-to-video tasks, outperforming competitors such as Google's Veo 3. Seedance 1.0 Pro can generate a 5-second 1080p video in just 41 seconds at a cost of $0.50, offering high efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The model's technical innovations include Time Causal Variational Autoencoder (TCVAE) and Decoupled Spatio-Temporal Diffusion Transformer, which improve video coherence and detail. It is available through the Volcano Engine API, making it accessible to developers and enterprises. This release represents a significant step forward in ByteDance's AI capabilities, with broad applications in content creation, e-commerce and marketing.
UK's AstraZeneca signs US$5.3 billion deal with China's CSPC for chronic disease research using artificial intelligence
Cambridge-based AstraZeneca has signed a research agreement with Chinese pharmaceutical group CSPC, worth up to $5.3 billion, to develop AI-powered therapies for chronic diseases. The collaboration includes an initial payment of $110 million, with CSPC eligible to receive up to $1.62 billion for development milestones and $3.6 billion associated with sales milestones. The deal follows AstraZeneca's March announcement of a US$2.5 billion investment in its Beijing R&D centre and represents further investment in artificial intelligence following collaborations with Immunai, Qure.ai and Tempus AI. This strategic move underlines AstraZeneca's commitment to innovation in the treatment of chronic diseases that affect more than two billion people globally.
Huawei leads the global wearable electronics market, Xiaomi is second, Apple third
According to a new report by IDC China, Huawei led the global wearable electronics market with 10 million shipments in Q1 2025, gaining 21.9% market share, a year-on-year increase of 42.4 %. Xiaomi followed with 8.7 million shipments and 19% market share, a 42.6% increase year-on-year. In third place was Apple with 7 million shipments and 15.5% market share, an increase of 37.2 % year-on-year. Samsung and Garmin rounded out the top five with 3.4 million and 2.1 million shipments, respectively. Overall, 45.6 million units were shipped to the market, up 10.5 % from the first quarter of 2024. The Chinese market alone accounted for 17.62 million units, up 37.6 % year-on-year, thanks to government subsidies.
Xiaomi car sets new Nürburgring record for electric cars, beats Porsche and hypercar at a fraction of their price
Xiaomi's SU7 Ultra set a new record at the Nürburgring, setting the fastest lap time for a production electric car at 7:04.957. This time beat the Rimac Nevera's 7:05.298 and the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT's 7:07.55. The production model, equipped with the optional track package, reached speeds of up to 214 mph (345 km/h) and is powered by a trio of 1,527 hp and 1,306 lb-ft of torque. Despite its hypercar-level performance, the SU7 Ultra costs 529,000 yuan ($73,600), significantly less than its competitors.
World's first humanoid robot shop to open in Beijing in August
The world's first humanoid robot store will open in Beijing in August, initially with 10 confirmed brands, including Ubtech Robotics and AgiBot. The store, located in Yizhuang, a growing robotics hub in Beijing, will provide engaging interactive experiences with humanoid robots and after-sales services. More than 100 downstream and upstream robotics companies have expressed interest in joining the initiative. There are now more than 300 robotics companies operating in Yizhuang City, located in Beijing's southeastern Daxing District, and the industry's total output exceeds CNY10 billion (USD1.4 billion). This August, Beijing will also host the 10th World Robot Conference, which will feature the world's first humanoid robot sports competition.
Labubu doll fetches record $150,000 at Chinese auction
A human-sized Labubu doll created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung sold for RMB 1.08 million (US$150,000) at an auction in Beijing, highlighting the toy's popularity. The auction at the Yongle auction house included 47 other Labubu items, with a limited edition brown Labubu selling for RMB 820,000 (approximately US$114,086). Total sales reached RMB 3.73 million (US$518,953). Pop Mart, the Beijing-based Labubu manufacturer, has seen its shares increase by 180 % this year. This popularity has led Deutsche Bank to increase its target value for Pop Mart shares by 52 % to HK$303 (US$38.6) and Morgan Stanley to increase its target value to HK$302. The blind-box monster series featuring Labubu generated sales of over RMB3 billion (US$417 million) last year, accounting for nearly a quarter of Pop Mart's revenue.
Chinese firm launches flying bicycle with a speed of 44.7 km/h and a range of 31 miles
Chinese technology company Kuickwheel has unveiled its Skyrider X6 hybrid flying motorcycle, which reaches speeds of 44.7 km/h and has a range of 31 miles. The three-wheeled vehicle, which is available for pre-order for about $69,000, operates in two modes: a ground mode with a top speed of 43.5 km/h and a maximum range of 124 miles, and a flight mode using a six-axis electric system with six rotors. The bike features automatic takeoff, landing and route planning, as well as manual joystick control. It is made of carbon composites and aerospace aluminum alloy and includes safety features such as redundant motors and a ballistic parachute. The Skyrider X6 was first unveiled at CES 2025.
China has extended visa-free travel to Indonesia for 240 hours, bringing the total to 55 countries
China has extended its 240-hour visa-free transit policy to Indonesia, bringing the number of eligible countries to 55. The move is aimed at deepening relations with ASEAN members, promoting economic cooperation and strengthening cultural exchanges. Indonesian citizens, along with citizens of 54 other countries including the US, the UK and the Czech Republic, can now enter China visa-free through 60 designated ports in 24 provinces and stay for up to 10 days for tourism, business or family visits. In 2024, China saw a 61% increase in inbound tourists to 131.9 million, with spending rising by 78 % to US$94.2 billion, partly due to visa-free arrangements. Indonesia had previously cancelled visa-free travel for Chinese tourists in 2023 due to concerns over illegal immigration and public order.
Shanghai and other first-tier Chinese cities dominate the list of cities with the largest working-age populations in the world
Chinese cities dominate the list of cities with the largest working-age populations, with four of the top five cities located in China. Shanghai leads with 18.4 million working-age residents, followed by Beijing with 16.5 million. Shenzhen, which comes fifth, has the highest proportion of working-age adults aged 25-64, at 83.3 %. India also has two cities on the list, with Delhi and Mumbai among the cities with the largest working-age populations. The largest US city on the list is New York, which ranks sixth with 13.3 million working-age adults. In terms of growth, India's Bengaluru leads with an average annual growth of 2.4 % over the past five years, followed by Toronto with 2.2 % and Shenzhen with 2.1 %.
Tomas Kucera & Yereth Jansen
china-insights.com/gnews.cz - GH
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