China

China’s food delivery platforms are engaged in intense subsidy wars, offering deep discounts to consumers and boosting order volumes. However, restaurants are struggling to profit, with some even losing money due to platform fees, delivery costs, and merchant-funded discounts. While consumers benefit from lower prices initially, experts warn this “burning money for market share” strategy is unsustainable and could compromise food quality and safety. Platforms and industry associations are now urging for fair competition and a return to value creation.

Apple closed its Dalian Parkson Centennial Shopping Center store on August 9th, marking its first directly-operated retail closure in China. The store opened in 2015. Online footage showed staff and customers bidding farewell after a decade. Apple cited the shopping center’s declining retail presence as the reason, stating that employees would be offered positions elsewhere. The shopping center has faced financial difficulties and a change in management.

A Hunan man in China won 12.56 million yuan (about $1.75 million USD) in the Super Lotto with a 6-yuan ticket. The experienced lottery player, who has been consistently buying tickets for over a decade, views it as a fun activity and a contribution to public welfare. The win sparked online discussion, with some sharing their less fortunate experiences and others questioning lottery industry market dynamics. The winner advises a balanced approach, cautioning against treating the lottery as gambling.

A driver, Wang Mouxin, was detained in Shanxi Province, China, after a video of a road rage incident went viral. The incident occurred when Wang, driving a newly purchased Audi with a temporary license plate, forcibly overtook a Mercedes. He then allegedly threw a betel nut at the Mercedes, verbally abused the driver, and pounded on the car windows. Police detained Wang for disorderly conduct and also issued penalties for improper license plate display and illegal overtaking, including a fine, points deduction, and a warning.

A video of a car being struck by lightning at a service area in Guangxi, China went viral. The driver reported being unharmed and unaware of the strike. Experts explain that lightning is caused by the uneven distribution of electrical charges within storm clouds. Drivers are advised to stay inside vehicles during thunderstorms and avoid parking under trees or in flood-prone areas. When driving through flooded roads, ensure the water level is below half the tire height.

Alibaba’s 88VIP membership program is expanding its perks without raising prices, adding over 10 new exclusive benefits. The upgrade combines features from previous programs, offering complimentary Hema X membership, prioritized Ele.me deliveries, Feizhu perks, movie ticket discounts, and Gaode ride-hailing vouchers. This builds upon previous enhancements and brings the total number of benefits to over 20, covering dining, entertainment, travel, and daily life. With over 50 million members, 88VIP is influential in Chinese consumer spending.

The U.S. is launching “Project ATOM,” a strategic initiative to regain leadership in open-source AI amid growing competition from China, particularly Alibaba’s Qwen models. This U.S.-based non-profit AI lab will develop freely accessible AI models, supported by over 10,000 GPUs. Backed by industry leaders, the project addresses concerns about the U.S.’s lagging open-source contributions, highlighted by the dominance of Chinese-developed open-source LLMs. Project initiator Lambert emphasizes the need for coordination and funding, warning of potential U.S. decline in global AI influence if the initiative fails.

Zhejiang Hongzhen Intelligent Chip Co., Ltd., a company known for recent board reshuffles, has been officially dissolved. China’s National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System indicates the company’s status changed to “cancellation” on July 28, 2025, due to a dissolution resolution.

In Dexing City, China, a man identified as Mr. Cheng was detained for smashing pedestrian traffic lights after becoming enraged by the signal timing. He confessed to throwing stones at the lights due to frustration over waiting time. The incident, which occurred on July 30, 2025, has led to administrative detention for Cheng and liability for repair costs. The case has sparked online debate, with netizens advocating for stricter penalties to prevent similar acts of “pedestrian road rage” and deter destruction of public property.

A man in Zhejiang, China, was reportedly scammed into purchasing an $870,000 gym membership after being lured by a resale “benefit” scheme. He invested heavily in these “opportunities” but now claims he wasn’t thinking clearly. The gym owner is now unreachable, prompting the man to pursue legal action. The gym, Hangzhou Ranyan Fitness Management Co., Ltd., was established in 2022 with limited capital. Experts warn about the risks of prepaid fitness services and advise consumers to conduct due diligence and carefully review contracts before committing.