Tobias

Xiaomi’s 618 shopping festival kicked off strongly, with over RMB 16.9 billion in total channel payments by May 31st. Smartphones led the way, dominating domestic brand sales volume on major platforms like JD.com, Tmall, Douyin, Pinduoduo, and Kuaishou. Aggressive pricing, including significant discounts on the Xiaomi 15 series and Redmi Turbo 4 Pro, fueled the success. Promotional efforts extended to a range of connected devices. The 618 campaign is structured in three phases, with the kickoff phase starting May 31st.

Chinese media and government bodies are urging a halt to the EV price wars due to sustainability concerns. They emphasize the need for innovation over price cuts, citing the rising demand for high-tech EVs. The focus shifts towards value-driven competition, encouraging manufacturers to prioritize long-term success through technological and management advancements. This shift aims to create a sustainable market and foster overseas expansion, avoiding the pitfalls of solely price-focused strategies.

On International Children’s Day, Lei Jun, the founder of a major Chinese tech company, shared a childhood photo depicting him as a youth leader. This nostalgic post, accompanied by the simple caption “Three Stripes,” followed earlier well wishes. The article also briefly highlights Lei Jun’s background, including his studies at Wuhan University and later career moves, culminating in the founding of his own company in 2010.

Xiaomi founder Lei Jun shared his 49th gym visit of 2025 on social media, along with wishes for Children’s Day, projecting optimism. This update follows his ambitious 2025 goals, including delivering 300,000 vehicles and achieving 100 gym visits. The post comes after a period of subdued public presence following a recent traffic incident. Xiaomi is now emphasizing vehicle safety, aiming to exceed industry benchmarks and set new security standards.

The EU is preparing retaliatory measures in response to the Trump administration’s decision to double steel and aluminum tariffs. The EU Commission views this as detrimental to resolving trade disputes through negotiation and will implement countermeasures if necessary. Canada also faces potential economic strain due to disrupted supply chains and possible job losses. Despite a legal challenge within the US, the tariffs are moving forward, signaling escalating trade tensions.

In an interview, Fuyao Glass Chairman Cao Dewang revealed his ambitious vision for Fuyao University of Technology, aiming to create a globally recognized institution akin to Stanford. He emphasized the project’s importance in building future confidence and expressed immense pressure for its success. Despite skepticism, the university, led by President Wang Shuguo, plans to cultivate doctoral graduates by age 25 and offers personalized learning plans. Cao views the university as a crucial mission to nurture accomplished individuals.

Huawei’s Richard Yu revealed internal struggles behind the HarmonyOS-powered Smart Car initiative at the 2025 Future Automotive Pioneers Conference. He discussed challenges including external policy hurdles and internal misunderstandings. Yu highlighted the evolution of the project and drew parallels to Huawei’s earlier brand-building efforts, expressing optimism that the effort will ultimately succeed and contribute significantly to the Chinese automotive market.

At the 2025 Future Automotive Pioneers Conference, Huawei’s Richard Yu outlined the company’s automotive vision. Key takeaways include Huawei’s strong brand appeal, leading autonomous driving tech, premium AITO brand positioning, and advances in smart cockpits. Yu also emphasized Huawei’s compliance with national standards, cautioned against flawed industry practices, and criticized relying on the lowest performing benchmarks. He highlighted the need for true innovation over hype.

At the 2025 Future Automotive Pioneers Conference, Huawei’s Richard Yu criticized EV quality control. He claimed some automakers wouldn’t meet Huawei’s standards. Yu stressed that quality is paramount, advocating for consumer safety and urging the industry to avoid setting low standards. He called for innovation to prevent stagnation and challenged deceptive advertising practices.

Seres Group announced a strategic investment in Huawei’s automotive tech spin-off, InnoVision, solidifying their partnership. Chairman Zhang Xinghai described it as deepening their relationship, particularly for the AITO brand. The RMB 11.5 billion investment secures a 10% stake and a board seat. InnoVision focuses on intelligent automotive systems. This investment is a key step for Seres in advanced automotive technology, building on the successful AITO vehicle collaboration with Huawei.