China

Pantene’s “3 Minute Miracle” shampoo is trending in China due to consumer confusion over whether the name is a trademark or a product claim. Local media revealed the name is primarily a registered trademark, although customer service asserts data supports the “3 minutes to repair three months of accumulated damage” claim. Third-party experiments showed improvement in damaged hair after three minutes. However, product descriptions include a disclaimer that results may vary, sparking debate on branding versus marketing.

Malaysia is implementing a licensing regime for U.S.-made high-performance AI chip exports and transshipments to prevent diversion, especially to China. Effective immediately, entities suspecting misuse must notify authorities 30 days prior to export and obtain permits. This addresses regulatory loopholes, with plans to add AI chips to the Strategic Items List. This follows U.S. efforts to tighten export controls on advanced NVIDIA GPUs to Malaysia and Thailand, requiring licenses to prevent re-export to China.

Doxxing, involving weaponized personal data for harassment, is escalating in China as a severe digital threat. Tech giant Tencent, targeting this on its platform QQ (597 million users), purged over 100,000 abusive posts, terminated 10,000+ harassment groups, and employs advanced algorithms/AI detection. This crackdown aligns with China’s intensified cyber governance and foreshadows stricter privacy law enforcement. Tencent’s approach, utilizing tech like neural networks and judicial reporting, may set a precedent for combating industrialized “doxxing economies” and balancing innovation with safety in web ecosystems.

China has released a White Paper on Intelligent Driving Technology and Industrial Development, co-authored by CATARC, Tsinghua University, and Huawei. This document sets industry standards for intelligent driving, emphasizing safety, operational coverage (0-150 km/h), 360-degree protection, object recognition, all-weather performance, and human-intelligent driving integration. It aims to guide consumers towards trustworthy systems and clarify common misconceptions about smart driving features.

Jiangsu Times Core-Tech Semiconductor (AMS), China’s last unfinished 300mm wafer fab, has officially collapsed. The restructuring investor, Huaxinjiejian, defaulted on its obligations, terminating the revival efforts. AMS was declared insolvent, its equity written off. Previous shareholder AMT clarified its exit and continued support for AMS’s remaining procedures. The ambitious project, plagued by debt and operational issues, ultimately failed to restart, marking a significant blow to China’s semiconductor ambitions.

China’s men’s national football team opened the EAFF E-1 Championship with a 0-3 loss to South Korea. Observers criticized China’s performance, citing superior skill from South Korea and disappointing defensive tactics. China faces Japan next, with concerns about a repeat of their previous seven-goal defeat.

China, Myanmar, and Thailand are intensifying their joint crackdown on telecom and online fraud. Following successful operations repatriating over 5,400 Chinese nationals, the nations are committing to dismantling fraud hubs. This enhanced cooperation addresses the shifting tactics of criminal networks moving to remote areas, which are increasingly linked to violent crimes. Authorities urge public vigilance against deceptive job offers.

Economist Li Daokui advocated for government subsidies to help automakers like Xiaomi Auto expand production capacity, addressing demand-supply gaps in the EV market. He proposed RMB 100 million per production line for companies exiting, matched by firms like Xiaomi, to facilitate asset exchange. Li also suggested increasing national debt issuance to 40-50% of GDP to replace local government debt, enabling better public service provision.

China’s Football Association launched an innovative player self-recommendation system, attracting over 25,000 registrations. The system, involving registration, information and technical data submission, and multi-stage screening, has already identified 303 promising players, including international talent. This initiative aims to broaden talent identification, enhance transparency, and combat corruption, signaling China’s serious football ambitions.

China has responded positively to the US easing certain export restrictions on EDA software, ethane, and aircraft engines. Beijing confirmed both nations are implementing outcomes from recent economic talks, with teams accelerating groundwork. China is processing export license applications in line with its laws. Beijing urged the US to recognize the mutually beneficial nature of their economic relationship and take constructive actions to ensure stable, long-term growth.