China built the AI content factory that Silicon Valley imagined but never shipped
China built the AI content factory that Silicon Valley imagined but never shipped

In January 2026, a new AI-generated micro-drama went live on a Chinese streaming platform every 90 seconds. By March, approximately 50,000 AI-native titles had been added to Douyin in a single month. The production cost was roughly one-tenth of a live-…

China launches months-long campaign against AI misuse targeting deepfakes, fraud, and disinformation
China launches months-long campaign against AI misuse targeting deepfakes, fraud, and disinformation

The Cyberspace Administration’s annual ‘Qinglang’ campaign arrives in a materially different regulatory environment to last year’s edition, and in the same week the White House accused China of running ‘industrial-scale’ AI theft operations. China has …

CHINA RECAP: Beijing, Xiaomi test drive, BYD news, and a fresh home battery pilot
CHINA RECAP: Beijing, Xiaomi test drive, BYD news, and a fresh home battery pilot

On today’s totally true episode of Quick Charge, Fred returns from the Beijing Auto Show with a fresh look at the future of the car business, and a test drive in a 2nd generation Xiaomi SU7 does nothing to convince him that China hasn’t just set the ba…

China threatens the EU with broad retaliation if Huawei and ZTE are banned from European networks
China threatens the EU with broad retaliation if Huawei and ZTE are banned from European networks

Beijing’s commerce ministry has formally submitted a 30-page document warning the European Commission that its draft Cybersecurity Act, which would make vendor removal mandatory for the first time, could trigger reciprocal measures against European com…

Xpeng VLA 2.0 test drive: Tesla is not alone with ‘Full Self-Driving’ anymore
Xpeng VLA 2.0 test drive: Tesla is not alone with ‘Full Self-Driving’ anymore

I test-drove Xpeng’s new VLA 2.0 autonomous driving system in Beijing last week, and after 40 minutes of navigating one of the most aggressive driving environments in the world, I didn’t have to intervene once.

This is a major development. Tesla has…

Nio’s Onvo L80 undercuts Tesla Model Y in China with $36,000 starting price
Nio’s Onvo L80 undercuts Tesla Model Y in China with $36,000 starting price

Nio’s budget sub-brand Onvo officially launched the L80, a five-seat electric SUV priced from 245,800 yuan (~$36,020), undercutting Tesla’s Model Y by 17,700 yuan (~$2,400) in China.

The L80 opens pre-orders immediately, with first deliveries schedu…

Meta prepares to unwind its $2 billion Manus acquisition after China’s block
Meta prepares to unwind its $2 billion Manus acquisition after China’s block

Meta is preparing to unwind its approximately $2 billion acquisition of the agentic AI startup Manus after China’s National Development and Reform Commission formally ordered the deal’s cancellation on Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing p…

CATL says sodium batteries are mainstream-ready, signs massive 60 GWh deal
CATL says sodium batteries are mainstream-ready, signs massive 60 GWh deal

CATL, the world’s largest battery maker, signed a 60 GWh sodium-ion battery deal with energy storage integrator HyperStrong — the largest sodium-ion battery order ever placed. The three-year agreement is equivalent to half of all energy storage batteri…

Hacker who allegedly carried out cyberattacks for China is extradited to U.S.

Xu Zewei is accused of participating in a Chinese government hacking group that broke into thousands of U.S. organizations and stole COVID-19-related research.

First drive: next-gen Xiaomi SU7 shows how fast Chinese EVs are improving
First drive: next-gen Xiaomi SU7 shows how fast Chinese EVs are improving

I got behind the wheel of the next-generation Xiaomi SU7, and the upgrades are significant. The refreshed electric sedan delivers up to 902 km (560 miles) of CLTC range, 800V charging architecture across all trims, and standard LiDAR — all while still …