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☆ China's Zeekr launches SUV to boost premium EV sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Companies Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd FollowCHENGDU, China, April 12 (Reuters) - Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Zeekr on Wednesday launched a new compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) as the Geely-owned (GEELY.UL) brand strives for market share in a premium segment previously dominated by German rivals. With a starting price of 189,800 yuan ($27,615.31), the Zeekr X SUV offers features such as the ability to unlock the car using facial recoginition technology and an in-vehicle refridgerator, CEO Andy An said at an event in China's southwestern city of Chengdu. The company will start delivering the Zeekr X from June this year, he added. ($1 = 6.8730 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Zoey Zhang and Brenda Goh Editing by Kenny Maxwell and David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/3] An applicant is measured for height during a recruiting session for cabin crew jobs at Hainan Airlines in Beijing, China, March 30, 2023. Carriers including Xiamen Airlines, China Southern Airlines (600029.SS) and Spring Airlines (601021.SS) are now on a hiring spree as domestic travel recovers and they plan to resume flights to popular international destinations. China Southern, which plans to hire 3,000 cabin crew this year, said it already had more than seven times as many applicants by the end of December. Before the pandemic, around 10% of cabin crew applications were typically successful, industry experts said. As the peak summer season approaches, Chinese airlines are adding international capacity.

☆ Off-the-radar destinations every China visitor should consider
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Maggie Hiufu Wong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

JingdezhenLarge chimneys, used for firing porcelain, dot the skyline of Jingdezhen city. gui yong nian/Adobe StockDubbed the porcelain capital of the world, Jingdezhen has been firing quality pieces of “white gold” for more than 1,700 years. For a crash course in the city’s porcelain history, visit the newly built and photogenic Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Museum of China. LinhaiLinhai's historic city wall stretches more than 6,000 meters in length. Food aside, travelers should leave time to admire this historic city that dates back more than 2,000 years.

☆ China tackles chip talent shortage with new courses, higher pay
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Josh Horwitz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

China faces a shortage of an estimated 200,000 industry workers this year, according to a white paper jointly published by the China Center for Information Industry Development, a government think tank, and the China Semiconductor Industry Association (CSIA), a trade group. A 2022 survey from Chinese research firm ICWise found more than 60% of students studying chip engineering in China graduate with no internship experience in the field. In Taiwan, top chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) (2330.TW) has established research centres at four universities. Its largest chip foundry, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) (0981.HK), in 2021 announced a jointly-established School of Integrated Circuits at Shenzhen Technology University. "If I didn't switch to chip engineering, I would probably have to find a job in a traditional manufacturing industry like cars or machinery," he said.

☆ There are more F-35s flying today than all other stealth aircraft combined
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But with over 890 F-35s delivered, there are more of them flying than all other stealth aircraft. With more than 890 F-35s delivered to date, there are more of these advanced fighters flying for nations around the world today than all other stealth aircraft on the planet ... combined. Jerod Harris/Getty ImagesAlthough the world's first stealth aircraft to enter operational service, the F-117 Nighthawk, began flying four decades ago now, the number of different stealth platforms in service today remains relatively small. There are about twice as many F-35s today than all other stealth aircraft combinedBritish Royal Air Force F-35s and a US Air Force B-2 fly along the English coast near Dover. Here are the tallies of stealth aircraft in service today, from most to least:

☆ Taiwan to allow more China flights in show of goodwill
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, March 9 (Reuters) - Taiwan's government said on Thursday it would allow the resumption of more direct flights to China that had been stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in a show of political goodwill to Beijing despite festering military tensions. Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, currently allows direct flights to only four Chinese cities - Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Xiamen - but before the pandemic multiple Chinese cities were connected to the island. China has been pressing Taiwan to resume the flights, urging against using the pandemic as an excuse for further delay. "We also hope to build on the foundation of these resumed flights to gradually increase the exchange of goodwill gestures and cooperative interactions by both sides." Taiwan and China began regular direct flights to each other in 2009, after beginning charter flights in 2003.

"Most luxury retailers don't think Hong Kong will return to the dizzy levels of 2014 when the market here peaked," said Simon Smith, Savills' senior director of research and consultancy in Hong Kong. Morgan Stanley (MS.N) forecast Hong Kong visitor numbers this year will reach just 70% of 2018 arrivals. It estimates retail sales will grow 15%, holding at around 80% of retail trade from the pre-COVID year. That outstripped total Hong Kong retail sales from a peak hit in 2013 at HK$494.5 billion ($63.0 billion), according to the city's statistics department. ($1 = 6.8510 yuan)($1 = 7.8498 Hong Kong dollars)Reporting by Farah Master, Jessie Pang, Anne Marie Roantree, Angel Woo and Donny Kwok in Hong Kong, Sophie Yu in Beijing, and Mimosa Spencer in Paris; Writing by Miyoung Kim; Editing by Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China is getting rid of its 'grandpa' fighter jets, but they may make a comeback for a one-way mission against Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

China's last J-7 fighter jets may leave active service this year, according to Chinese state media. China's air force may convert some J-7s into drones, which could be used in an attack on Taiwan. (Between its air force and navy, China now has the world's third-largest aviation force, according to the Pentagon.) A J-7 fighter at the People's Liberation Army Aviation Museum in Beijing in December 2013. UCAVs make it possible for China's air force "to use relatively cheap, capable, low-risk airframes as a first-in asset to either strike or soften Taiwan's air defense systems," Rice added.

☆ China has to figure out how to care for 400 million people over the age of 60 by 2040 — and it's off to a rocky start
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

By 2040, it's expected to have 400 million people above the age of 60 — more people than in the entire US. "It's obvious that relying on contributions from medical insurance schemes to fund age care services is not likely to be viable in the longer term," she said. Alzheimer's is quickly rising as a concern in China, Luk said. "Is China aging rapidly? Beijing has been pressuring the private sector into building daycare centers, wards, and other age care infrastructure to shore up gaps in local government finances, Gu said.

☆ Why China's and Russia's 5th-generation stealth jets don't quite live up to the hype, according to a former US Navy pilot
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Peter Suciu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Those jets have advanced features but aren't quite as advanced as US stealth jets, a former Navy pilot says. However, a copy of a fifth-generation fighter does not actually make it one. Russia's Sukhoi Su-57Russian Su-57 fighter jets. A Russian Su-57 fighter jet. Associated PressThough the Chinese and Russian aircraft are likely highly capable warbirds, some US aviation experts have suggested they shouldn't rightfully be considered "fifth-generation."

☆ ByteDance is testing food delivery service via its Chinese version of TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

ByteDance's Douyin has been trialing a food delivery service since December as it looks to expand its business beyond advertising. ByteDance told CNBC on Wednesday that it has been testing a type of food delivery service in China via its short video app Douyin, potentially pitting itself against major e-commerce companies like Alibaba and Meituan . Douyin is the Chinese version of TikTok which are both owned by ByteDance. The model is very different from Meituan and Alibaba's Ele.me which are both on-demand food delivery services, much like Uber Eats. There is no detailed timeline yet," a Douyin spokesperson said.

☆ They Poured Their Savings Into Homes That Were Never Built
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Isabelle Qian | Agnes Chang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +13 min

We talked to four people who emptied their life savings and took out huge loans for homes that have not been completed. “It was a simple dream — to have a home, a family,” Mr. Tang said. Mr. Tang, who works in a restaurant, sold a small place he had out in the countryside. “When I think about the unfinished apartment, it’s as if I’m falling from heaven to hell, ” Mr. Tang said. Homeowners atop one of the unfinished apartment towers call for construction to fully resume.

☆ In rural eastern China, not testing for COVID becomes the norm
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Brenda Goh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Breathing problems, body aches and lethargy had prompted her to visit a hospital in her home village in Tonglu county in eastern China's Zhejiang province' for treatment. It was a common reaction among patients in Tonglu, illustrating how COVID-19 is spreading across China without recognition, especially in its vast rural regions. Several residents around Tonglu county told Reuters they had COVID symptoms or believed they had been infected previously, but that testing was not that common, especially for those living in the villages. Medical facilities visited this week by Reuters in Tonglu county, in one of China's most prosperous regions and known for farming, were relatively calm. In Tonglu county, residents described how crowded the local crematorium was, echoing what funeral home staff in other cities such as Beijing and Shanghai have told Reuters.

☆ Waiting times for some Tesla models in China increase after automaker discounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The waiting time for orders of the rear-wheel-drive and long-range versions of Model Y were a week longer on Monday than on Friday, Tesla's website showed. The wait time for all versions of the Model 3 and the performance version of the Model Y remained at one to four weeks as of Monday. People check a Tesla Model Y electric vehicle (EV) displayed at its booth during the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, China September 4, 2021. Some of the buyers in China said they had been led to believe that the further discounts would not be coming. Comments on Chinese social media were largely negative toward the Tesla buyers who have protested, with many saying online they should have understood the terms of the contract.

☆ Tesla delivery time is longer on some China models after discounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The waiting time for orders of the rear-wheel-drive and long-range versions of Model Y was a week longer on Monday than it had been on Friday, Tesla's website showed. The wait time for all versions of the Model 3 and the performance version of the Model Y remained at one to four weeks as of Monday. A Tesla representative told Reuters on Saturday that the company has no plan to compensate those buyers for price cuts they had missed. Some of the buyers in China said they had been led to believe that the further discounts would not be coming. Comments on Chinese social media were largely negative toward the Tesla buyers who have protested, with many saying online they should have understood the terms of the contract.

☆ Hundreds of Tesla owners in China protested after missing out on big price cuts, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla owners in China gathered at delivery hubs and outlets to protest price cuts, per Reuters. The EV maker has cut prices in China for the second time in three months, with some missing out. Tesla cut prices in China for the second time in three months on Friday as it struggles to make sales. EV makers have been forced into sudden price changes in recent months as big car makers raise their game and the global economy sours. But Tesla's move to cut prices in China more reflects depressed demand due to years of COVID-19 lockdowns, as well as Tesla's floundering share price and its big bet on a Shanghai factory.

☆ Tesla owners in China protest against abrupt price cuts they missed
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

After Friday’s surprise discounts, Tesla’s EV prices in China are now between 13% and 24% below their September levels. A Tesla sign is seen at its factory in Shanghai, China, May 13, 2021. ‘Return the money’Other videos appearing to be of Tesla owners protesting were also posted to Chinese social media platforms on Saturday. Tesla does not plan to compensate buyers who took delivery before the most recent price cut, a spokesman for Tesla China told Reuters on Saturday. Analysts have been positive about the potential for Tesla’s price cuts to drive sales growth at a time when it is a year from announcing its next new vehicle, the Cybertruck.

☆ Tesla owners in China protest against surprise price cuts they missed
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] People protest at a Tesla showroom in Chengdu, Sichuan, China, released January 6, 2023 in this picture obtained by Reuters from social media. After Friday's surprise discounts, Tesla's EV prices in China are now between 13% and 24% below their September levels. 'RETURN THE MONEY'Other videos appearing to be of Tesla owners protesting were also posted to Chinese social media platforms on Saturday. Tesla does not plan to compensate buyers who took delivery before the most recent price cut, a spokesman for Tesla China told Reuters on Saturday. Analysts have been positive about the potential for Tesla's price cuts to drive sales growth at a time when it is a year from announcing its next new vehicle, the Cybertruck.

☆ China's 'great migration' kicks-off under shadow of COVID
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Casey Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

BORDER REOPENINGSunday marks the reopening of China's border with Hong Kong and the end of China's requirement for inbound international travellers to quarantine. More than a dozen countries are now demanding COVID tests from Chinese travellers, as the World Health Organisation said China's official virus data underreported the true extent of its outbreak. In Shanghai, for example, the city government on Friday announced an end to free PCR tests for residents from Jan. 8. China has relied on nine domestically-developed COVID vaccines approved for use, including inactivated vaccines, but none have been adapted to target the highly-transmissible Omicron variant and its offshoots currently in circulation. China reported three new COVID deaths in the mainland for Friday, bringing its official virus death toll to 5,267, one of the lowest in the world.

[1/2] Chinese travellers wear face masks outside the border checkpoint with the neighbouring city of Zhuhai, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Macau, China, December 29, 2022. Over the three-day New Year's Day holiday, businesses and consumers caught their first glimpse of a return to post-pandemic life -- holiday-makers flocked to beaches, flight numbers ticked up, and hotels turned some guests away because they were fully booked. Flight numbers on the last working day ahead of the holiday only recovered 70% compared with pre-pandemic levels, however. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsBOON FOR RESTAURANTSMany businesses have been forced to adapt how they reach customers over the course of the pandemic. As the Lunar New Year rolls in, Chinese officials also expect a significant uptick in activity.

☆ Only 3 countries have managed to build 5th-generation fighters, but nearly a dozen are already working on 6th-gen jets
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

(The recently unveiled B-21 bomber is billed as the world's first sixth-gen aircraft, but little is known about its capabilities.) Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, and Boeing are believed to be competing to build the jets, and all have released illustrations of sixth-gen aircraft. FCAS/SCAFA full-scale model of the Future Combat Air System at the Paris Air Show in June 2019. An illustration of Japan's next-generation fighter aircraft concept. While China is making heavy investment in military aviation, Russia's ability to develop next-generation jets may be shrinking.

☆ Chinese state media seek to reassure public over COVID-19
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Martin Quin Pollard | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

WUHAN, Jan 1 (Reuters) - Thousands of Chinese took to the streets to mark the New Year as authorities and state media sought to reassure the public that the COVID-19 outbreak sweeping across the country was under control and nearing its peak. China reported one new COVID-19 death in the mainland for Dec. 31, the same as a day earlier, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said on Sunday. State media in the city of Guangzhou in southeastern China said on Sunday that daily cases peaked at around 60,000 recently, and now stand at around 19,000. On Sunday, Australia and Canada joined the United States and others in requiring travellers from China to provide negative COVID-19 tests when they arrive. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen offered on Sunday to provide China with "necessary assistance" to help it deal with the surge in COVID-19 cases.

[1/6] People release balloons as they gather to celebrate New Year's Eve, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China January 1, 2023. “I was still afraid when I came out tonight, but I just wanted to come out, because everyone has come out." In late November hundreds of people took part in lockdown demonstrations on the streets of cities across the country including Wuhan. “Those restrictions were in place for too long, so perhaps people were pretty unhappy," said 24-year-old Wuhan resident surnamed Chen, who works in e-commerce. “People have been afraid to come out since the COVID policy was loosened,” he said.

Experts say the elderly in rural areas may be particularly vulnerable because of their vaccine hesitancy and inadequate medical resources. Most patients have the same symptoms suggesting a COVID infection, and most are elderly, she said. "Many elderly people have underlying diseases such as chronic bronchitis and this virus can easily lead to a lung infection." Paxlovid, the Pfizer-made COVID medicine, is in particularly high demand, with many Chinese attempting to get the drug abroad and have it shipped to China. In Lezhi county, Liao, a farmer with two children whose husband is working in a faraway province, bought an oxygen concentrator online to help with her mother's breathing.

Li's predicament underscores challenges for China's economically crucial services sector as it bets on a post-COVID revival. With the virus spreading unchecked across the country now, representatives from the services sector say frequent lockdowns have left them without money to expand. "There is still a shortage of labour in the services sector in the big cities, and the loss of productivity is quite obvious," said Dan Wang, chief economist at Hang Seng Bank China. CONSUMPTION REVIVALRetail sales, a key gauge of consumption, dropped 5.9% in November from a year earlier, and catering fell by 8.4% amid broad-based weakness in the services sector. Some in the service sector say there remains some hope.

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