Month: March 2018

Tmall, Shanghai Fashion Week in New Retail Tie-Up

March 31, 2018

Tmall has partnered with Shanghai Fashion Week to help one of the industry’s most influential events in China up its digital game. Per the agreement, the Alibaba Group-owned B2C shopping site will bring New Retail technology to Shanghai Fashion Week, enhancing the attendee experience and delivering valuable consumer insights to organizers, buyers and designers over … More Tmall, Shanghai Fashion Week in New Retail Tie-Up

Why China and the US are fighting over 5G

March 30, 2018

5G has been making headlines recently. It came up in a White House memo leaked in January that argued creating a nationalized 5G network was the only way for the US to protect itself from Chinese security threats. Though lawmakers quickly dismissed the idea as an infringement on the private sector—”We’re not Venezuela,” said one … More Why China and the US are fighting over 5G

JD forms new strategic partnership with Sina

March 29, 2018

Online retailer JD has struck a new strategic partnership deal with Sina Corp dubbed “京浪计划” (the JD-Sina Program; our translation) local media is reporting. Sina is the newest member of the JD alliance, joining other big-name members including Jinri Toutiao, Baidu, Qihoo 360, NetEase and Sougou. Both JD and Sina are expecting to get a … More JD forms new strategic partnership with Sina

Alibaba’s Mapping Unit AutoNavi Declares War On Didi Via Launch Of Carpooling Business

March 29, 2018

Alibaba’s mapping unit, AutoNavi Holdings Ltd. that is also known as Gaode Map, has launched its own carpooling business, starting in Chengdu and Wuhan city initially with plans to roll out nationally. In a move that declares war to existing ride-sharing leader Didi Chuxing, AutoNavi’s expansion into the shared mobility space further complicates a sector … More Alibaba’s Mapping Unit AutoNavi Declares War On Didi Via Launch Of Carpooling Business

The Mysterious Chinese Company Filling the Void Left by Failing Conglomerates

March 28, 2018

When asked to name some of China’s most successful companies, most people would probably name Alibaba, Tencent, as well as tech success stories like Huawei and ZTE. In travel, companies like China’s three state-owned airlines, Ctrip, and (also state-owned) Jin Jiang hotels may come to mind. As a matter of fact, big corporate in China’s … More The Mysterious Chinese Company Filling the Void Left by Failing Conglomerates

Europe Takes a Beating in Lunar New Year Travel and Shopping

March 26, 2018

Lunar New Year travel to Europe made a 180-degree turn from last year, with travel spending and visits down in key Chinese tourist destinations. This according to Global Blue, perhaps the biggest player in European tax refund, which has monitored Lunar New Year spending in Europe in recent years. In 2017, Global Blue recorded a … More Europe Takes a Beating in Lunar New Year Travel and Shopping

Tencent’s Pony Ma Says Retail Investment Grows Online Advertising, Mobile Payment

March 26, 2018

Retail investments benefit Tencent in three ways: mobile payment and related financial services, cloud development and advertisement, according to the tech giant’s Founder and CEO Pony Ma. Ma’s comments come as Tencent accelerates its investments in the retail sector, a move seen to rival and take market share from China’s largest retailer Alibaba Group. “People … More Tencent’s Pony Ma Says Retail Investment Grows Online Advertising, Mobile Payment

Sino-U.S. Trade War: What the Travel Industry Needs to Know

March 23, 2018

It has been a long time coming, and now it finally happened: the United States is imposing tariffs on as much as $60 billion worth of Chinese goods, and China swiftly retaliated with a proposal to impose tariffs on $3 billion worth of U.S. goods. While it still remains unclear where this will eventually take … More Sino-U.S. Trade War: What the Travel Industry Needs to Know

Ant Financial, Didi and Xiaomi named top unicorns in China

March 23, 2018

China’s Ministry of Science and Technology has announced the 2017 China Unicorn Enterprise Development Report (in Chinese) and the Zhongguancun Unicorn Enterprise Development Report. 164 companies have made the top unicorn list, with a total valuation of $628.4 billion. Ant Financial took the crown with a valuation at $75 billion. Didi Chuxing and Xiaomi were … More Ant Financial, Didi and Xiaomi named top unicorns in China

Launching a WeChat mini-program? There’s already a new player in town that hopes to substitute WeChat mini-programs.

March 22, 2018

Just starting to evaluate the possibility of launching a WeChat mini-program to stay on top of the latest Chinese marketing trends? There’s already a new player in town that hopes to substitute WeChat mini-programs, and it’s backed by all of China’s largest smartphone manufacturers, as well as the Chinese government’s Ministry of Industry and Information … More Launching a WeChat mini-program? There’s already a new player in town that hopes to substitute WeChat mini-programs.