Every fortnight we compile a list of important news updates and events covering the Chinese FINTECH, MFGTECH, CLNTECH, AGRTECH and MEDTECH sectors.

FINTECH Roundup

Livestreaming becoming a necessity for many retailers, Via China Daily.
Live streaming, an increasingly popular tool in China’s digital marketing landscape, is quickly turning from novelty to necessity.

Alibaba’s online market to sponsor 100,000 influencers worldwide, Via ecns.
AliExpress, a global online retail marketplace and part of Alibaba Group, announced on Thursday that it will empower over 100,000 content creators and influencers worldwide to bring new jobs and help them generate incomes to recover from the global economic downturn caused by COVID-19.

Guangzhou to set up China’s first blockchain development pilot zone, Via China Daily.
Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, has been approved by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to construct the first blockchain development pilot demonstration zone in China, accelerating the city’s development of its blockchain technology and industry in the years ahead.

China details measures to boost rural e-commerce,Via Xinhua.
Chinese authorities have detailed new measures to boost e-commerce in rural areas, pledging diversified financial support to tap consumption potential in the underdeveloped market.

Tencent to invest 500 bln yuan on new infrastructure in next 5 years, Via Xinhua.
China’s tech giant Tencent announced it will invest about 70.11 billion U.S. dollars in the next 5 years to develop new infrastructure across the country. The funds will be mainly invested in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, blockchain, supercomputer center, quantum computing and data center.

Rural e-commerce gains momentum in China as stay-at-home economy thrives, Via Xinhua.
China’s rural e-commerce has been growing at a fast pace amid government initiatives to support rural consumption, data showed.

Alibaba Adds Freight Service, Includes Trade Financing Solution as Part of the Package,Via crowdfundinsider.
Alibaba, one of the largest tech firms in the world, has announced a new shipping service that includes a trade financing option. Alibaba’s Payment Terms claims to be the first-ever trade financing solution embedded directly into a cross-border B2B e-commerce marketplace.

Ant Financial Partners with China Merchants Port to Launch Blockchain Platform for Local Banking and Logistics Businesses, Via crowdfundinsider.
China Merchants Port, the largest port operator in the country, has teamed up with e-commerce giant, Alibaba Group, and its Fintech-focused subsidiary, Ant Financial. Through the partnership, the companies will work towards developing a blockchain or distributed ledger technology (DLT)-enabled platform.

MFGTECH Roundup

Baidu continues self-driving push, Via China Daily.
Chinese search giant Baidu Inc is accelerating its steps to commercialize self-driving technology as part of its broader drive to boost the smart transportation industry across the nation.

CLNTECH Roundup

China’s coal-rich province takes active role in B&R projects, Via ecns.
Actively responding to the Belt and Road Initiative, Energy China is making a new breakthrough in the field of new energy via the Phu Yen Solar Power Plant and aims to contribute more to global energy governance. As a standalone plant, the project is now the largest solar plant in Vietnam, playing a positive role in local economic development and employment.

MEDTECH Roundup

Chinese doctors use 3D printing technology in TAVR surgery, Via Xinhua.
Doctors in China have used 3D printing technology to assist a cardiovascular surgery. The doctors used 3D printing technology to simulate the surgery before making the final plan. The technology could also help doctors design more personalized treatment solutions.

Honor unveils temperature-taking 5G smartphones, Via China Daily.
Honor, one of the two signature smartphone brands of Huawei Technologies Co, unveiled its latest 5G smartphones, which can take users’ temperature via infrared ray.

Upcoming Events

The 10th Shenzhen International Factory Supplies & Equipment Exhibition 2020
The 10th Shenzhen International Industrial Automation and Robot Exhibition 2020 (“ARE Shenzhen 2020” for short), which is jointly sponsored by Shenzhen Association of Automation and Hong Kong Trade Development Exhibit Group Co., Limited will be grandly opened at Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center from September 2-4, 2020.