China’s Lunar New Year travellers try to outsmart algorithms for cheaper fares

China’s Lunar New Year travellers try to outsmart algorithms for cheaper fares

The Lunar New Year holiday is among the priciest time to travel in China, but this year, Chinese internet user Lan He managed to score a one-way flight ticket from Kunming, Yunnan province, to her parents’ home about two hours away in Jian, Jiangxi province, for less than 500 yuan (US$68). The trick? Fool the … Read more

Black Pearl Restaurant Guide 2025 awards 7 Hong Kong spots diamond ratings for first time

Black Pearl Restaurant Guide 2025 awards 7 Hong Kong spots diamond ratings for first time

The Black Pearl Restaurant Guide 2025, published by Meituan – China’s largest shopping platform – was unveiled at a ceremony held in the Chinese city of Nanchang on January 6. Compared to last year, the number of restaurants selected in Hong Kong and Macau in the 2025 guide has increased. There are 37 Hong Kong … Read more

China’s tech giants vow to fix algorithm issues amid government crackdown

China’s tech giants vow to fix algorithm issues amid government crackdown

Major Chinese internet platforms have vowed to improve their algorithms, after the mainland’s internet watchdog launched a campaign to address the misuse of the technology underpinning the recommendation functions of apps and websites. ByteDance’s TikTok alternative for its home market, Douyin, said on Friday it would establish a safety centre this year to make its … Read more

China’s food delivery platforms enforce breaks for riders clocking more gig economy hours

China’s food delivery platforms enforce breaks for riders clocking more gig economy hours

China’s two major on-demand delivery service providers, Meituan and Ele.me, have introduced new features that alert or forcibly log out couriers who work excessively long hours, aiming to prevent rider fatigue. In a similar system imposed on China’s long-haul truck drivers, Meituan has been piloting a “fatigue management” system in select cities. This system detects … Read more

Walmart partners with China’s Meituan for 30-minute deliveries ‘anytime, anywhere’

Walmart partners with China’s Meituan for 30-minute deliveries ‘anytime, anywhere’

US retail giant Walmart is teaming up with Chinese on-demand delivery giant Meituan, promising speedy door-to-door service on the mainland, four months after it sold its stake JD.com, winding down the long-time partnership. Walmart’s China unit said on its official WeChat account that all of its stores across the country are now listed on Meituan’s … Read more

Exclusive | China’s Meituan to expand Keeta food delivery service to more Middle East cities, sources say

Exclusive | China’s Meituan to expand Keeta food delivery service to more Middle East cities, sources say

Chinese food delivery giant Meituan, which operates the Keeta brand in Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia, is set to expand to more Middle Eastern and North African countries, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Keeta, which launched in the Saudi Arabian city of Al-Kharj in September and has since entered the capital Riyadh, … Read more

ByteDance seeks US$1.1 million in damages from ex-intern who sabotaged AI project

ByteDance seeks US.1 million in damages from ex-intern who sabotaged AI project

ByteDance, the owner of TikTok and Douyin, filed a lawsuit against a former intern, accusing him of tampering with code and sabotaging an artificial intelligence (AI) training project and demanding 8 million yuan (US$1.1 million) in compensation as well as a public apology, according to a local media report. The case has already been accepted … Read more

Google names Meituan-owned Keeta, video game AFK Journey among ‘Best of 2024’ Android apps

Google names Meituan-owned Keeta, video game AFK Journey among ‘Best of 2024’ Android apps

Google Play, the official online store for Android-based apps, has named Meituan-owned online delivery platform Keeta and fantasy role-playing game AFK Journey, developed by the global publishing unit of Shanghai firm Lilith Games, among the winners of its “Best of 2024” awards in Hong Kong. Keeta, which was rolled out in Hong Kong in May … Read more

The fight for AI talent heats up in China, as tech employers boost pay

The fight for AI talent heats up in China, as tech employers boost pay

A scramble for artificial intelligence (AI) talent is intensifying in China, as local tech giants dangle eye-watering salaries to hire top-notch professionals to compete in a heated AI race. Beijing-based smartphone giant Xiaomi will be hosting a special hiring session for AI experts in areas spanning AI models, computer vision, deep learning, autonomous driving and … Read more

Meituan co-founder Wang Huiwen returns to lead AI push after hiatus, report says

Meituan co-founder Wang Huiwen returns to lead AI push after hiatus, report says

A co-founder of China’s food delivery giant Meituan has returned to the company to lead its efforts in artificial intelligence (AI), as Big Tech firms rush to adopt the fast-developing technology in their operations, according to local media. Wang Huiwen, who stepped down last year as non-executive director and member of the nomination committee, will … Read more