BEIJING: Before DeepSeek shook up the tech world and put Chinese artificial intelligence on the map, Wu Chenglin&rsquo;s own startup had nearly folded three times &mdash; but in the past year, it has raised $30 million. The January 2025 release of a low-cost generative AI model from DeepSeek, which performed at a similar level to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/openai-introducing-ads-to-chatgpt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">ChatGPT </a>and other top American chatbots,&nbsp;upended assumptions of US dominance in the sensitive sector. The breakthrough has galvanised China&rsquo;s AI scene, despite relations with the United States and fears of a global market bubble. &ldquo;It gave a lot of people confidence&rdquo; that China&rsquo;s AI community previously lacked, Wu told AFP. His venture, DeepWisdom, whose flagship product is an AI-powered software development platform, had struggled to stay afloat despite its popularity among programmers. But as excitement around DeepSeek fuelled a spending boom, Wu raised 220 million yuan in two funding rounds. Meanwhile, Shi Yaqiong and her team at Beijing-based Jinqiu Capital have closed deals with more than 50 AI firms over the past 12 months. Shi, the fund&rsquo;s vice-president, described a &ldquo;clear surge&rdquo; in enthusiasm around Chinese AI and competition among investors since the DeepSeek shock. &ldquo;The kind of projects with an initial valuation in 2024 of $10-20 million were, in 2025, expected to have initial valuations around $20-40 million,&rdquo; she said. Engineer dividendShares in two leading Chinese AI startups, Zhipu AI and MiniMax, soared on their Hong Kong market debuts this month. Frenzy over the much-hyped <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/asian-markets-bounce-as-nvidia-takes-centre-stage-amid-ai-bubble-fears" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(41, 105, 176);" rel="noopener noreferrer">potential of AI </a>to change the world is driving global stocks to record highs, led by chipmakers and<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/meta-partners-with-us-nuclear-companies-to-power-ai-data-centers" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;tech giants</a>. But the big-spending euphoria has sparked fears of a market crash, with many investors hyper-focused on any sign the AI bubble could burst and questioning when new companies will become profitable. Access to top-end chips made by <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-us-will-allow-sale-of-nvidia-ai-chips-to-china" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(41, 105, 176);" rel="noopener noreferrer">US giant Nvidia</a> is also restricted in China under White House policies aimed at curbing China&rsquo;s technological development. But that hasn&rsquo;t dampened the spirits of young developers in the world&rsquo;s second-largest economy. At an AI networking event held last week on a brisk winter afternoon in a stylish Beijing cafe, animated discussion filled the air about the future of the fast-moving industry. Chip export controls mean Chinese AI is more likely to be &ldquo;open-source and cheap&rdquo;, which could make it more useful to society, said one participant, entrepreneur Li Weijia. China is often said to enjoy an &ldquo;engineer dividend&rdquo; that benefits its AI sector, and talent is flocking to the field. Online hiring platform Zhilian Zhaopin reported a 39% increase in applications to AI-related jobs in the first three quarters of 2025, after DeepSeek&rsquo;s breakout. &lsquo;Cost-efficient&rsquo;&ldquo;China has a huge application developer ecosystem, and people are very good at building apps,&rdquo; Shen Qiajin, founder of ideaFlow, told AFP. &ldquo;But for a very long time, we didn&rsquo;t have a good, cost-efficient model,&rdquo; he said. That is a gap DeepSeek has now filled. The firm began in 2023 as a side project of a data-driven hedge fund co-founded in the tech hub Hangzhou by Liang Wenfeng, which had access to a cache of powerful Nvidia processors. Today, the company &mdash; expected to release its next AI model within weeks &mdash; holds 4% of the global chatbot market share, according to web traffic analysis company Similarweb. ChatGPT dominates at 68 percent, while Google&rsquo;s Gemini is catching up at 18%, according to Similarweb estimates. DeepSeek&rsquo;s decision to make its systems&rsquo; inner workings public, in contrast to the closed AI models sold by OpenAI and other Western rivals, has boosted adoption of its tools by developers and businesses, said Neil Shah at&nbsp; Counterpoint ResearchIts tools have had &ldquo;strong adoption in cost-sensitive emerging markets&rdquo;, he said. But in the West, users are more cautious, &ldquo;primarily on account of privacy and national security concerns&rdquo;. Even so, the domestic market is huge. By June 2025, more than half a billion Chinese internet users reported having used generative AI products, according to the China Internet Network Information Center. Entrepreneur Yang Yiwen said her parents had their first meaningful encounter with AI during last year&rsquo;s Chinese New Year, when they watched her use DeepSeek to plan a family trip. &ldquo;They found it quite fun,&rdquo; she said.

Artificial Intelligence

Before DeepSeek shook up the tech world and put Chinese artificial intelligence on the map, Wu Chenglin’s own startup had nearly folded three times — but in the past year it has raised $30 million.

Inside China's buzzing AI scene year after DeepSeek shock

BEIJING: China&rsquo;s sprawling high-speed rail network passed 50,000 kilometres (31,000 miles) in total operating distance with the opening of a new line on Friday, state media reported. The country has the world&rsquo;s largest rail network &mdash; one-fifth longer than the circumference of the Earth. The trip begins in the city of Xi&rsquo;an &mdash; home to China&rsquo;s famed Terracotta Warriors &mdash; and ends in Yan&rsquo;an to its north, state broadcaster CCTV said. Both cities are in northern China&rsquo;s Shaanxi province. Some homes were demolished, and displaced residents would receive 5,000 yuan ($700) per household to relocate, local authorities said in 2020 when construction began. China&rsquo;s rail network has expanded by around 32% compared to 2020, state-owned China Railway added Friday in a statement. The Xi&rsquo;an-Yan&rsquo;an line spans a total of 299 kilometres, and the shortest trip takes 68 minutes, CCTV said. The C9309 train runs at 350 kilometres (217 miles) per hour, outpacing Japan&rsquo;s Shinkansen, which has a top speed of 320 kilometres (200 miles) per hour. Beijing has also been financing railways in other Asian countries under its Belt and Road Initiative, which funds infrastructure projects globally, but a number of plans have been stalled or mired in controversy.

Asia

 China’s sprawling high-speed rail network passed 50,000 kilometres (31,000 miles) in total operating distance with the opening of a new line on Friday, state media reported.

China's high-speed rail network passes 50,000km mark

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi on Monday held meetings with Pakistan&rsquo;s Honorary Investment Counsellors (HICs) in China to review their performance, strengthen coordination and set priorities for the coming year.&nbsp;According to a press release by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ambassador Hashmi lauded the HICs&rsquo; efforts across key regions, including the Hong Kong-Macao-Greater Bay Area, Xinjiang, Shandong, and Henan, highlighting their role in promoting trade, investment, and people-to-people contacts, and urged them to align their work with Pakistan&rsquo;s national development priorities.&nbsp;&ldquo;He encouraged them to synergize their efforts with Pakistan&rsquo;s national development priorities and mobilize Chinese investments in export-oriented sectors of Pakistan,&ldquo; the statement added.&nbsp;The ambassador shared progress made over the last year, noting that two B2B investment conferences in Shenzhen and Beijing, along with six sectoral roadshows, have resulted in more than 300 Memoranda of Understanding and 25 joint ventures worth $11 billion.&nbsp;&nbsp;The ambassador ensured a high-level follow-up mechanism is in place in Pakistan to facilitate implementation of the agreements.&nbsp;Hashmi briefed the HICs on preparations made for the first China-focused Agriculture Investment Conference, scheduled to be held in Islamabad on January 19, 2026.&nbsp;The HICs welcomed the initiative for regular reviews and expressed commitment to supporting Pakistan&rsquo;s economic diplomacy, boosting Chinese investment, increasing Pakistani exports to China, and strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi, met investment counsellors to review their work, discuss over 300 MoUs and 25 joint ventures worth $11 billion, and plan the January 2026 Agriculture Conference, which aims to boost China-Pakistan economic cooperation.

Pakistan envoy in China reviews investment cooperation, sets 2026 priorities

BEIJING: Brussels hit back Monday at China slapping duties of up to 42.7% on some dairy products from the European Union, calling the move &quot;unjustified.&quot;&nbsp;China&#39;s salvo on Monday is the latest in a trade spat with the EU that spans from food to electric vehicles.&nbsp;The &quot;duty deposits&quot;, which range from 21.9% to 42.7%, come into effect on Tuesday.&nbsp;They hit a range of items, including fresh and processed cheese, curd, blue cheese, and some milk and cream, the commerce ministry in Beijing said in a statement.&nbsp;Officials launched an anti-subsidy probe in August 2024 at the request of the Dairy Association of China. The probe will conclude in February.&nbsp;China&#39;s commerce ministry said Monday that preliminary findings showed a link between EU subsidies and &quot;substantial damage&quot; to its domestic dairy industry.&nbsp;European officials contested such conclusions.&nbsp;&quot;Our assessment is that the investigation is based on questionable allegations and insufficient evidence, and that the measures are therefore unjustified and unwarranted,&quot; a European Commission trade spokesman said.&nbsp;&quot;Right now, the Commission is examining the preliminary determination and will provide comments to the Chinese authorities,&quot; he added.&nbsp;The fees on EU dairy come a week after Beijing said it would impose anti-dumping levies on EU pork imports for five years.&nbsp;Those duties kicked in on Dec. 17 and range from 4.9% to 19.8%, down from temporary levies of 15.6% to 62.4% that had been in place since September.&nbsp;The two economic powerhouses have been locked in a trade spat fuelled by what many European countries view as an unbalanced economic relationship with China. Escalating spatThe current trade spat erupted in 2024 when the EU began moving towards imposing hefty tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, arguing that Beijing&#39;s subsidies were unfairly undercutting European competitors.&nbsp;Beijing denied that claim and announced what were widely seen as retaliatory probes into imported European pork, brandy, and dairy products.&nbsp;After the EU imposed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, Beijing forced EU brandy manufacturers to raise prices or face anti-dumping taxes of up to 34.9%.&nbsp;The EU ran a trade deficit of more than $350 billion with China in 2024.&nbsp;French President Emmanuel Macron said this month that Europe would consider adopting strong measures against China, including tariffs, if the trade imbalance was not addressed.&nbsp;Alongside trade frictions, China and the EU are at odds on issues such as Russia&#39;s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;The EU has urged China to exert pressure on Moscow to end the war, but Beijing has shown no sign of acceding.

Europe

China

China imposes 22–43% duties on EU dairy amid trade dispute. EU calls it unfair. Tensions rise over pork, brandy, electric vehicles, and differences on Russia, worsening China-EU economic and political relations. 

EU slams China dairy duties as 'unjustified'

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday launched its fourth Hangor-class submarine, &ldquo;Ghazi,&rdquo; at the Shuangliu Base in China&rsquo;s Wuhan, the official statement said, marking another milestone in the Pakistan Navy&rsquo;s submarine modernization program.&nbsp;In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the launch reflects steady progress on the bilateral submarine project between Pakistan and China.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Pakistan Navy has achieved a major milestone as all four submarines being constructed in China are now undergoing rigorous sea trials and are in the final stages of handover to Pakistan,&rdquo; the ISPR said.&nbsp;The military&rsquo;s media wing said the submarine program is being executed under an agreement signed between the governments of Pakistan and China for the acquisition of eight Hangor-class submarines.&nbsp;&ldquo;Under this contract, four submarines are being built in China, while the remaining four will be constructed in Pakistan by Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Limited under Transfer of Technology,&rdquo; the statement added.&nbsp;According to the ISPR, the Hangor-class submarines will be equipped with advanced weapons and sensors, enabling them to engage targets from standoff ranges.&nbsp;It said submarines would play a &ldquo;key role in maintaining peace and stability in the region.&rdquo;&nbsp;Senior officials from Pakistan and China attended the launching ceremony, underscoring the &ldquo;deepening bilateral cooperation&rdquo; between the two countries in the defense sector.&nbsp;The Hangor-class project is a central component of the Pakistan Navy&rsquo;s efforts to enhance its undersea warfare capabilities and strengthen maritime security.

Security

Pakistan Navy’s fourth Hangor-class submarine, Ghazi, launched in China, all four China-built vessels undergo sea trials, while remaining submarines will be locally built under technology transfer agreement.

Pakistan launches fourth Hangor-class submarine ‘Ghazi’ at China shipyard naval

SEOUL: South Korea and Japan reacted furiously on Wednesday after Chinese and Russian military aircraft conducted joint patrols around the two countries, with both Seoul and Tokyo scrambling jets.&nbsp;South Korea said it had lodged a protest with representatives of China and Russia, while Japan said it had conveyed its &quot;serious concerns&quot; over national security.&nbsp;According to Tokyo, two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable bombers on Tuesday flew from the Sea of Japan to rendezvous with two Chinese H-6 bombers in the East China Sea, then conducted a joint flight around the country.&nbsp;The incident comes as Japan is locked in a dispute with China over comments Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made about Taiwan.&nbsp;The bombers&#39; joint flights were &quot;clearly intended as a show of force against our nation&quot;, defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi wrote on X Wednesday.&nbsp;Top government spokesman Minoru Kihara said that Tokyo had &quot;conveyed to both China and Russia our serious concerns over our national security through diplomatic channels&quot;.&nbsp;Seoul said Tuesday the Russian and Chinese warplanes entered its air defence zone and that a complaint had been lodged with the defence attaches of both countries in the South Korean capital.&nbsp;&quot;Our military will continue to respond actively to the activities of neighbouring countries&#39; aircraft within the KADIZ in compliance with international law,&quot; said Lee Kwang-suk, director general of the International Policy Bureau at Seoul&#39;s defence ministry, referring to the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone.&nbsp;South Korea also said it deployed &quot;fighter jets to take tactical measures in preparation for any contingencies&quot; in response to the Chinese and Russian incursion into the KADIZ.&nbsp;The planes were spotted before they entered the air defense identification zone, defined as a broader area in which countries police aircraft for security reasons but which does not constitute their airspace.&nbsp;Japan&#39;s defense ministry also scrambled fighter jets to intercept the warplanes.&nbsp;&nbsp;Routine exerciseBeijing later Tuesday confirmed it had organized drills with Russia&#39;s military according to &quot;annual cooperation plans&quot;.&nbsp;Moscow also described it as a routine exercise, saying it lasted eight hours and that some foreign fighter jets followed the Russian and Chinese aircraft.&nbsp;Since 2019 China and Russia have regularly flown military aircraft into South Korea&#39;s air defence zone without prior notice, citing joint exercises.&nbsp;In November last year Seoul scrambled jets as five Chinese and six Russian military planes flew through its air defence zone.&nbsp;Similar incidents occurred in June and December 2023, and in May and November 2022.&nbsp;Meanwhile Tokyo said Monday it had scrambled jets in response to repeated takeoff and landing exercises involving fighter jets and military helicopters from China&#39;s Liaoning aircraft carrier as it cruised in international waters near Japan.&nbsp;It also summoned Beijing&#39;s ambassador after military aircraft from the Liaoning locked radar onto Japanese jets, the latest incident in the row ignited by Takaichi&#39;s comments backing Taiwan.&nbsp;Takaichi suggested last month that Japan would intervene militarily in any Chinese attack on the self-ruled island, which Beijing claims as its own and has not ruled out seizing by force.

South Korea and Japan condemned joint Russian and Chinese military aircraft patrols near their borders, with both countries scrambling jets. The incident, amid rising tensions over Taiwan, sparked diplomatic protests over national security concerns.

South Korea, Japan accuse China, Russia over aircraft incursions

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have started their joint military exercise Warrior-IX, the ninth edition of the annual counterterrorism drills conducted between the two militaries, the military&#39;s media wing&nbsp;said on Tuesday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the exercise, which began on Monday at the National Counter Terrorism Center, Pabbi, focuses on counterterrorism operations and aims to enhance interoperability, improve professional skills, and facilitate the exchange of best practices in modern warfare. ISPR said the Pakistan Army and the People&rsquo;s Liberation Army of China continue to maintain time-tested defence cooperation built on mutual trust and strategic partnership. The Warrior series, it added, reflects the strong military-to-military ties and the shared commitment of both countries to regional peace, stability, and security. The Mangla Corps Commander, along with Major General Bian Xiaoming, Deputy Chief of Staff of the PLA Western Theatre Command, and senior military officials from both sides, attended the opening ceremony.

The exercise focuses on counterterrorism operations and aims to enhance interoperability, improve professional skills and facilitate the exchange of best practices in modern warfare.

Pakistan, China begin Warrior-IX joint military exercise

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China reaffirmed their strategic partnership and explored deeper cooperation in the energy and mineral sectors during a meeting at the Chinese embassy in Islamabad on Wednesday, according to an official statement.&nbsp;The information ministry said Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik met China&rsquo;s Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, to discuss mutual support, economic collaboration, and a shared commitment to regional stability and prosperity.&nbsp;Malik extended a formal invitation for China to participate in the Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum (PMIF) 2026, stressing that the mining sector remains a national priority and offers &ldquo;significant opportunities for expanding bilateral cooperation.&rdquo;&nbsp;Ambassador Zaidong welcomed the invitation, stating, &ldquo;We will encourage the heads of our relevant institutions to participate in the Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum.&rdquo;&nbsp;He noted that mining remains a key pillar of China-Pakistan collaboration, highlighting the strong presence of Chinese companies in Pakistan&rsquo;s petroleum and mineral sectors, including the Saindak and Siadak projects.&nbsp;Malik reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s support for China, including its stance on China&rsquo;s sovereignty and regional stability.&nbsp;Zaidong praised Pakistan&rsquo;s reform efforts, saying, &ldquo;We are committed to supporting Pakistan&rsquo;s development and will continue to facilitate the economic development of the people of Pakistan through our cooperation.&rdquo;&nbsp;The meeting concluded with both sides expressing a firm commitment to further strengthen their all-weather strategic partnership through increased investment and expanded collaboration in the mining and energy sectors.

Pakistan and China reaffirmed their strategic partnership, focusing on energy and mineral cooperation. Both sides discussed economic collaboration, regional stability, and investment opportunities, including the Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum 2026, highlighting ongoing Chinese projects in Pakistan.

Pakistan, China deepen energy and mineral cooperation to strengthen strategic partnership

HONG KONG: A cargo aircraft skidded off a Hong Kong runway into the sea when landing early Monday, killing two people. The Emirates flight, arriving from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was landing at Hong Kong International Airport around 3:50 a.m., according to Hong Kong&rsquo;s airport authority. Four crew members on the plane were rescued and taken to a hospital. Initial reports from police said two people in an airport ground vehicle were killed. Emirates said the Boeing 747 freighter flying as EK9788 was wet leased and operated by Turkish cargo carrier Act Airlines. In wet leases, the company supplying the plane also provides the crew, maintenance, and insurance. The airline said there was cargo on board. Local Hong Kong broadcasters showed the aircraft partially submerged just off the edge of the airport&rsquo;s sea wall. The aircraft&rsquo;s front half and cockpit were visible above water, but the tail end appeared to have broken off. The crash occurred on the north runway of Hong Kong&rsquo;s airport, one of Asia&rsquo;s busiest. That runway remained closed, while the two other runways at the airport continue to operate. Hong Kong&#39;s Civil Aviation Department said in a statement it was following up with the airlines and other parties involved in the crash.

A Turkish-operated Emirates cargo plane skidded off Hong Kong’s runway into the sea during landing, killing two airport workers and injuring four crew members, prompting runway closure and an ongoing aviation investigation.

Articles tagged with "china"