China

China's Tencent to Reduce Transaction Fees on WeChat Payments for SMEs

Chinese social media giant Tencent Holdings Ltd will reduce transaction fees for small and medium-sized merchants using its WeChat payments system by 10%, the company said in a statement on Thursday. The reductions will apply beginning Sept. 1, 2021, and extend up to Sept. 30, 2024, the company added. In order to qualify for the […]

Saudi Aramco in Talks on More Investments in China

Oil giant Saudi Aramco is in talks with partners in China about further investments in the country, CEO Amin Nasser said on Monday. “China is an important part of Aramco’s base,” Nasser told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Saudi Arabia. “And we are currently in discussions with a number of our partners […]

China Says it is Concerned about 'Worsening' Situation in Ukraine

China is concerned about the “worsening” situation in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday, repeating his call for all parties to show restraint and resolve differences through dialogue. The legitimate security concerns of any country should be respected, Wang, who is also a Chinese state counselor, told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken […]

China Allows COVID Boosters of Different Technologies Than Primary Shots

China is giving COVID-19 booster vaccines using technologies different from the initial injections, in an effort to improve immunisation strategies amid concerns that its most-used jabs appeared to be weaker against variants such as Omicron. Boosting population immunity could be crucial to preparing China to eventually reopen its borders and pivot from its “dynamic zero” […]

Six African Countries to Receive mRNA Vaccine Technology in WHO Project

The World Health Organization said on Friday six African countries – Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia – would be the first on the continent to receive the technology needed to produce mRNA vaccines. The technology transfer project, launched last year, aims to help low- and middle-income countries manufacture mRNA vaccines at scale […]

India Expands Chinese Tech Apps Ban, Increasing Geopolitical Tension

In its latest move to expand its banned list of Chinese applications, India has placed tech companies in a much more difficult position for operational oversight in South Africa. India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology added 54 Chinese tech companies to its list of banned companies under security pretenses, according to the Economic Times on Monday. […]

China's Potential mRNA COVID Vaccine Weaker Against Omicron-Study

A Chinese mRNA vaccine candidate showed a sharp drop in neutralising antibody activity against Omicron in a small study, but a booster readily induced antibody production in animal tests, researchers said. The ARCoV vaccine, jointly developed by the Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Suzhou Abogen Biosciences and Walvax Biotechnology, is being tested in an […]

China's Cyber Watchdog Spells Out Development Strategies for Tech Giants

China’s cyberspace watchdog said a symposium it held with Chinese tech giants last month had given the industry a “clearer understanding” and more confidence in how to pursue development and opportunities as they adjust to a new regulatory landscape. The Cyberspace Administration of China said its official publication had carried out interviews with companies such […]

China Revises Draft Rules on Data Security for Business Sectors

China’s industry ministry published revisions to draft rules on Thursday dictating how companies and localities should manage data, bringing more specificity to the country’s evolving data governance regime. The updated rules, which China’s Ministry of Industry (MIIT) and Information Technology first published in September, removes a previous statement that “core data,” defined as data that […]