Entrepreneurship

Cheng Yong was the largest shareholder of Changzhou Huali Hydraulic Lubrication Equipment Co Ltd. (Internet)

Death of a Chinese entrepreneur sparks controversy over discipline authorities’ methods

The death of a Chinese businessman who was under questioning by the discipline inspection commission has garnered widespread attention. The public is asking, why did the private entrepreneur kill himself? Did the questioning and authorities put too much pressure on him? Was his confession coerced? Lianhe Zaobao China Desk looks into the matter and how the incident will affect the private entrepreneur community.
An employee works on a large construction equipment at a factory in Haian, Jiangsu province, China, on 16 October 2023. (AFP)

China’s family-run businesses face succession issues

China's economic boom has driven the flourishing of private entrepreneurship and led to the emergence of tens of millions of family businesses in the country. But many of these businesses are facing a challenge now: who will be their successor? Caixin journalists tell us more.
A man takes a picture of robots during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on 7 July 2023. (Wang Zhao/AFP)

Why China's AI startups stand no chance in the ChatGPT race

AI is all the rage at the moment, but technology expert Yin Ruizhi warns that China's AI-related startups may not stand a chance in the current environment as big tech platforms gobble small ones, and the business know-how is firmly in the hands of industry leaders who would choose to work with the tech bigwigs.
A woman stands next to a display at the launch ceremony for VinFast electric car models in Hanoi, Vietnam, on 7 July 2023. (Nhac Nguyen/AFP)

Chinese capital funds hesitant about Southeast Asian investments

Chinese venture capital funds are flocking to Southeast Asia in search of the next Alibaba and ByteDance. However, given the market’s nascent stage, along with the Chinese funds’ preference for Chinese-affiliated enterprises, options are limited. Liu Sha looks into the challenges these Chinese funds face in finding success in Southeast Asia.
People attend a job fair in a mall in Beijing, China, on 30 June 2023. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Stemming population decline in Chinese first-tier cities

​Population figures are going down in China's major cities, not only in Beijing and Shanghai, but also in Shenzhen and Guangzhou. This trend is not only due to higher costs of living, but deeper concerns that prevent economies from finding a certain equilibrium after headwinds. Economist Li Jingkui explains.
This illustration picture shows the AI (artificial intelligence) smartphone app ChatGPT surrounded by other AI apps in Vaasa, Finland, on 6 June 2023. (Olivier Morin/AFP)

Commercial opportunities of the new AI wave still some way away

Technology expert Yin Ruizhi believes that the current artificial intelligence fever is still at its nascent stage whereby tech companies need to focus on technical development before it becomes profitable. However, compared with the previous breakthroughs in the mobile internet era, the tech industry is exploring emerging business paradigms with no rush to capitalise on generative AI for now.
Robots on display at a CloudMinds Technology Inc. booth at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China on 7 July 2023. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

China’s strides in AI: Promising but not without its challenges

While China and the West have different strategic visions, they face the common challenge of tackling pitfalls and regulatory challenges while embracing the potential of AI, says Chinese academic Zhang Tiankan.
Students visit an educational base of AI in Handan, in China's northern Hebei province on 25 May 2023. (AFP)

China’s OpenAI starting off on the wrong foot?

As the world is getting used to generative AI tools from the West, China is struggling to get its generative AI industry started. The high-profile acquisition of AI firm Light Years Beyond by Meituan started with much fanfare but prospects of it spearheading China’s AI rise are petering out. There is no doubt that the West holds the AI lead for now, but how long will it take for China to get running and catch up?
A group photo at the 16th World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention (WCEC) in Bangkok, Thailand. (Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry)

China's growing influence on overseas Chinese businessmen: Reflections on the 16th WCEC in Bangkok

Lee Huay Leng, editor-in-chief of SPH’s Chinese Media Group, notes that she seems to have witnessed a shift in focus while attending the recent World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention in Bangkok — while earlier editions were targeted at bringing together ethnic Chinese businessmen scattered around the world, a changed world seems to have made the latest edition more China-centric, and it remains to be seen whether this will hold for future editions.