A driverless robotaxi glides through the streets of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, slowing to pick up a passenger before merging back into traffic. Roughly 70 kilometers away in Dongguan, robotic arms work in harmony on an assembly line, while in Shenzhen, an engineer uploads a circuit design to an online platform, and within hours the first prototype is already entering production. Though these technologies appear to belong to different industries, they share one thing in common: many are being developed by private enterprises from Guangdong, China’s largest provincial economy and one…
Posts published in “Business”
As leading Chinese humanoid robot makers unveil increasingly affordable models, advances in manufacturing, supply chain localization and growing production volumes are pushing the sector into a new phase of commercial adoption. Unitree Robotics recently launched its dual-arm humanoid robot R1 with a starting price of 26,900 yuan ($3,968), making it the company’s most affordable humanoid robot to date. Earlier, Noetix Robotics introduced its Bumi robot for 9,998 yuan, becoming one of the first consumer-oriented humanoid robots priced below the 10,000-yuan threshold. Around the same time, Booster Robotics also launched its…
As China enters the annual time of two sessions, the country is turning its focus toward the strategic blueprint of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30). Within this vision, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is expected to play a greater role as a strategic pivot point of China’s new development pattern, a demonstration zone for high-quality development and a leading area for Chinese modernization. Against this backdrop, the Global Times launches a commentary series, “GBA: New Voyage.” The series includes insights from National People’s Congress (NPC) deputies and Chinese…
U.S. and global oil and gas prices surged higher Monday as concerns grew that attacks by Israel and the U.S. on Iran could spiral into a broader war and disrupt global energy supplies. The U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of other senior government officials while talks between Washington and Tehran over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program were reported to be ongoing. European benchmark Brent crude oil surged by as much as 13% in early trade on Monday,…
Japanese companies will finance investments valued at $36 billion in energy and minerals projects in Ohio, Texas and Georgia as part of a trade agreement that will cut U.S. tariffs on Japanese imports to 15%, according to the Trump administration. The announcement is part of Japan’s 2025 agreement to invest $550 billion over the next four years at the direction of the U.S., with the funds aimed at rebuilding and expanding core American industries. In October, the Trump administration provided details on Japanese investments of up to $332 billion to…
The dazzling performances by humanoid robots at China’s 2026 Spring Festival Gala made headlines on multiple overseas media outlets, and their video clips flooded social media platforms within hours. Reuters noted that the four companies showcasing their products at the Gala demonstrated the China’s cutting-edge industrial policy and push to dominate humanoid robots and the future of manufacturing. The report also mentioned that Elon Musk said he expects his biggest competitor to be Chinese companies as he pivots Tesla toward a focus on embodied AI and its flagship humanoid Optimus. …
Japan is preparing to lift long-standing restrictions on lethal weapons exports, marking another step in the erosion of its post-war arms export taboo. While the reform creates new diplomatic and commercial opportunities and allows deeper security cooperation with regional partners, Japan’s defence industrial base remains small, costly and capacity-constrained. Domestic procurement demands and labour shortages mean exports will likely remain modest, limiting the policy’s practical and strategic impact on regional military balances. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government is looking to loosen Japan’s long-standing restrictions on weapons exports, marking another step…
A quiet but profound shift is reshaping the geopolitical map of South America, as revealed by an exclusive Reuters report, “Brazil signals new openness to Mercosur-China talks as Beijing seeks deeper ties”: For the first time, senior Brazilian officials are considering a push for a “partial” trade agreement between the Mercosur bloc and China. This represents a major shift for Latin America’s largest economy. While Washington is busy raising tariffs and fortifying protectionist walls, countries in the Western hemisphere are recalculating their survival strategies. The result? A pragmatic reassessment of…
The Office of the President of Uruguay on Saturday posted a recap on Instagram of President Yamandú Orsi’s seven-day state visit to China, which took place from February 1 to 7, highlighting achievements in five areas: diplomacy, production, science, education, and cooperation.The post, published on the very day Orsi concluded his China visit, described the visit as a successful “historic” official trip, noting that it consolidated Uruguay’s position as a strategic partner on the world stage. The post outlined achievements across various sectors over the seven-day period. On the diplomatic…
Some of China’s top military aviation products, including the J-35A stealth fighter and the J-10CE, are being exhibited at the Singapore Airshow that kicked off on Tuesday, with the J-10C fighters of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s Bayi Aerobatic Team making their flight-performance debut in Singapore. A Chinese aviation expert said Chinese warplanes offer high performance, reliability and reasonable pricing, giving them strong potential in the international market. At the indoor exhibition area, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) showcased a wide range of products including…