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China Future Tech briefing

China Future Tech briefing
As China bets on tech and innovation to drive its growth, it has placed its chips on several industrial sectors that are expected to play increasingly important roles in development and trade, which will bring fresh opportunities and challenges for stakeholders. SCMP’s China Future Tech is your go-to destination for the latest news, insights, and opinions on these select industries. Explore in-depth coverage of EVs, AI, semiconductors, aerospace, robotics and biomedicine sectors. Follow us to stay ahead in China's evolving competitive landscape.
Could China’s photonic chips help it leapfrog US on AI?
Semiconductors

Semiconductors | Could China’s photonic chips help it leapfrog US on AI?

Light-based chips could take over AI model training and inference from US-made GPUs – and launch next-generation optical computing.

Artificial intelligence

‘We’re all in’: Alibaba’s Joe Tsai makes biggest AI push yet at VivaTech

Artificial intelligence

AI | AI’s next frontier, world models, and why China is leading

Science

New Energy | China’s new battery tech set to turbocharge EVs, energy storage

Car batteries that charge in under 10 minutes, innovations in renewable-energy storage – Chinese advances make alternatives to fossil-fuel power more appealing.

China’s new battery tech set to turbocharge EVs, energy storage
Science

Biomedicine | China steps up Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s drug push, looks to TCM

With the most cases of the two leading neurodegenerative diseases, and affected population rising as country ages, China needs to find new treatments.

Artificial intelligence

AI | Chinese AI smart glasses take off with focus on user needs

Longer battery life, real-world use cases and a less-is-more strategy to reduce weight and increase comfort help intelligent eyewear shed novelty image, boost sales.

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China manufacturing

China’s airship ambitions progress as first commercial pilots certified at home

The sector is advancing faster than the available talent pool – but officials call licences a ‘breakthrough’ moment.

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An AS700 airship conducts a test flight above the city of Jingmen in central China’s Hubei province. Photo: Xinhua
US-China tech war

AI | AI ecosystems in China and US grow apart amid tech war

China and US have different goals for artificial intelligence and ways of developing it. Washington’s curbs on tech exports have widened the gap between them.

Robotics

AI | China’s physical AI prowess on roads, in skies and factories

Innovation and competition drive rapid advances in Chinese humanoid robots, drones, autonomous vehicles and flying cars. America is playing catch-up.

Science

Semiconductors | China bets on RISC-V in global AI race

RISC-V, an open-source chip architecture, has gained popularity in China in reaction to widening US restrictions on exports of advanced technology.

China bets on RISC-V in global AI race
Electric & new energy vehicles

EVs | Chinese carmakers gear up for L3 self-driving roll-out

Industry ramps up testing of vehicles with Level 3 autonomous driving capabilities as regulators publish draft safety standards set to take effect in July 2027.

Chinese carmakers gear up for L3 self-driving roll-out
Artificial intelligence

AI | AI to narrow China’s rural-urban economic divide

Farmers, schools and healthcare facilities in rural China are benefiting from policies designed to promote the use of artificial intelligence nationwide.

China’s private sector

Biomedicine | China challenges US in new drugs after industry transformation

Drug makers in China are performing cutting-edge research and licensing products to global giants after a 10-year government push supercharged the industry.

Space

Aerospace | Chinese rivals to Musk’s Starlink wrestle with rocket constraints

The slow pace of Chinese rocket launches is hampering efforts to create alternatives to SpaceX’s Starlink and damping the government’s drive to pare reliance on US technology.

Chinese rivals to Musk’s Starlink wrestle with rocket constraints
CES

AI | Humanoid robot guides to hiker exoskeletons: CES 2026 round-up

Chinese companies comprised about one in four exhibitors at the world’s largest electronics expo, and they showcased everything from stair-climbing robot vacuum cleaners to AI-powered pet companions.

Humanoid robot guides to hiker exoskeletons: CES 2026 round-up
Energy storage

New Energy | China AI, mega-batteries stoke renewables power drive

Artificial intelligence, new energy-storage facilities and power lines stretching across the country are helping China boost energy efficiency and take advantage of its renewable power resources.

China's space programme

Aerospace | Lunar race pits China against US as humans seek return to moon

China and the US are vying to put people on the moon for the first time in more than 50 years in a contest that is as much about economics and geopolitics as it is about technology.

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Artificial intelligence

AI | China chases superintelligent AI without sci-fi movie risks

AI systems with human-level intelligence, or higher, offer the promise of solutions to humanity’s biggest challenges but the risk of humans losing control.

China chases superintelligent AI without sci-fi movie risks
Hong Kong

Aerospace | Flying cars take off as China extends drone-market domination

Chinese electric-vehicle makers are branching into making flying cars, adding to the nation’s booming low-altitude economy.

Wearables

AI | Smart-glasses makers see AI as long-awaited must-have app

Chinese smart-glasses makers, such as Rokid and Alibaba, and global giant Meta are counting on artificial intelligence to kick-start demand for the devices.

Robotics

Robotics | China’s humanoid robots enter workforce as Tesla wait goes on

Xpeng, Unitree and other Chinese robot makers are nearing mass production of humanoid units as problems including hands delay Elon Musk’s plans.

China’s humanoid robots enter workforce as Tesla wait goes on
US-China tech war

Rokid’s AI eyewear joins the quest to be the biggest thing since the smartphone

Start-up Rokid is teaming up with eyewear brand Bolon on lightweight AI glasses as competition heats up to deliver the next ‘iPhone moment’.

The Rokid AI glasses (left) and the newly launched Bolon-branded AI glasses without a display. Photo: Wency Chen
Aerospace: Companies

Aerospace | Musk’s SpaceX faces China threat in reusable rocket race

At least nine reusable rocket projects are nearing maiden flights in China, posing a potential threat to Elon Musk-led SpaceX’s grip on the commercial satellite launch market.

China National Nuclear Corporation

China’s nuclear power plans match rest of world combined

About half of the world’s under-construction nuclear power plants are in China as the country races to boost electricity supply and meet emissions reduction pledges.

Artificial intelligence

Exclusive | Zhipu AI sees tenfold surge in foreign users as Chinese AI gains traction

The Beijing start-up is leveraging its affordable ‘good enough’ open model to compete in the fast-growing AI coding market.

Mobile phone shows the website of Beijing Zhipu Huazhang Technology (Z.ai). Photo: Shutterstock
China Telecom

AI | China races towards 6G networks’ near-limitless, instant data

Next-generation cellular networking promises speeds 100 times faster than 5G, enabling holograms in meetings and real-time digital twins.

China races towards 6G networks’ near-limitless, instant data
Quantum computing

Semiconductors | Chinese quantum computer cracks billion-year problems in seconds

Superfast and powerful, quantum computers could help solve some of humanity’s biggest challenges, as well as transforming finance, drug discovery and other fields.

Autonomous vehicles

EVs | China’s robotaxis lead race into overseas markets

Apollo Go, Pony.ai and WeRide are all expanding beyond China and into the Middle East and Europe, giving them a head start over potential US competitors.

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