Technology

A woman looks at a new iPhone 15 Pro and a Huawei Mate 60 Pro as Apple's new iPhone 15 officially goes on sale across China, at an Apple store in Shanghai, China, on 22 September 2023. (Aly Song/Reuters)

China-US smartphone tech war: Apple losing the Chinese market?

China’s smartphone giants have made great strides over the past decade or so, catching up with companies such as Apple in terms of sales as well as research and development. However, there is still a long way to go for China’s smartphone ecosystems to crack the global market.
Most self-driving cars still have a safety driver in the driver's seat, but they only intervene in the event of an emergency. (Photo: Zeng Shi)

[Big read] Guangzhou remains at the forefront of the nascent autonomous car industry

Guangzhou’s open policies towards the development of intelligent connected vehicles have created a favourable business environment to boost the industry. However, autonomous driving for robobuses and robotaxis is still largely in the research and development stage, with small steps in commercial trials. It will be difficult for companies to achieve economic balance in the short term. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zeng Shi speaks with industry insiders to learn more about this nascent sector.
An AI (artificial intelligence) sign is seen at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China, on 6 July 2023. (Aly Song/Reuters)

China's ambiguous attitude towards generative AI

China put forth a draft Degree Law recently that includes harsh consequences for degree holders who use artificial intelligence tools to ghostwrite their dissertations. These aggressive measures reflect a conundrum that the country’s academia and wider community finds themselves in: how can China balance between the desire for technological progress and the fear of losing its identity and autonomy?
A player from Team China reacts during the Arena of Valor Asian Games Version Final, Hangzhou Esports Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, on 26 September 2023. (Ann Wang/Reuters)

What it will take for e-sports to go mainstream in China

The Chinese national team won the first e-sports gold medal at the Asian Games, marking a landmark moment in the country’s gaming history. But with Beijing cracking down on youth gaming addiction and parents frowning upon it as a professional career path, what will it take for e-sports to go mainstream in China?
Web3.0's ultimate value lies in integrating with real-world finance, economy and society. (iStock)

Web 3.0 should be a network to create and maintain a global community of shared future

Hong Kong and Singapore can and should leverage their position as international financial and technological hubs to help build an inclusive and fair digital global network that brings people all over the world together for a more equitable and mutually-beneficial collaboration and development, says academic Pei Sai Fan.
Pedestrians walk past an advertisement for Huawei's Mate 60 series smartphones outside a Huawei store in Shanghai, China, 8 September 2023. (Aly Song/Reuters)

Has China’s chip sector reached the end of the line?

While many are impressed by the release of Huawei’s Mate series smartphone equipped with 7-nanometre chips, some would believe that China has reached the pinnacle of its semiconductor development. Commentator Gu Erde takes a look at China’s chip sector thus far as it grapples with the US's tech blockade.
A child visits the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China, on 6 July 2023. (Wang Zhao/AFP)

Breaking ground: China’s strides in AI regulation

While countries the world over are grappling with ways of regulating emergent AI technology, China has issued a raft of regulations, including a set of “Measures” released in August, which made explicit provisions for the research and development and services of generative AI. What insights can other countries glean? Academic James Pang examines the issue.
Semiconductor chips are seen on a circuit board of a computer in this illustration picture taken 25 February 2022. (Florence Lo/Reuters)

ASEAN's role in the global semiconductor race

Academics Lili Yan Ing and Ivana Markus take stock of the current state of the global semiconductor race between China and the US. While ASEAN is looking to capture a part of the high-tech equipment and supply chain, it still needs to navigate the complex US-China rivalry.
China is placing greater emphasis on S&T and R&D. This picture taken on 22 September 2023 shows an employee from Chinese AR startup Rokid demonstrating an AR helmet at the company's office at the 2022 Asian Games host city Hangzhou, in China's eastern Zhejiang province. (AFP)

Can a new governance model boost China's chance for innovation-driven growth?

To overcome limitations in chokepoint technologies and improve its investment in basic research, China has rolled out a series of governance changes to the science and technology (S&T) ecosystem. Researcher Qian Jiwei examines the changes which could potentially result in a centralised leadership and decentralised fund allocation mechanism. Will it work?