Cross-border Archives

Blizzard Bans Players in China From Hearthstone Competition

US-based video game developer Blizzard on January 20 released competition rules for this year's Hearthstone tournament, showing that players in mainland China will not be able to participate.

Venemous Blue-Ringed Octopus Found at Sam’s Club in China’s Shenzhen

A consumer in China's southern city of Shenzhen recently purchased octopus at Sam's Club, a US chain of membership-only retail warehouse stores owned by Walmart, only to find that there was a highly venemous blue-ringed octopus in the container.

Microsoft to Cut 10,000 Jobs, Affecting Chinese Division

US tech giant Microsoft would lay off 10,000 workers by the end of this year's third quarter, accounting for just under 5% of its total employee count. The firm's China division reportedly will be involved, but the layoff ratio is lower than 5%.

Tesla China Denies 54% Drop in Production Costs for 4680 Batteries

News emerged recently that Tesla's production of 4680 large cylindrical batteries has achieved a major breakthrough, and that costs have dropped by 54%. However, many staff members of Tesla's China division stated, "At present, there is no related news."

Renewal of Deal Between Blizzard and NetEase Breaks Down

Two months after the announcement of a game license termination between NetEase and Blizzard, both parties confirmed that negotiations had failed and they would not renew their contracts.

Tesla Global VP Grace Tao Explains China Price Adjustment Strategy

Tesla China recently reduced the prices of its Model 3 and Model Y, inciting the frustration of previous buyers and driving an uptick in new customers. On January 9, Grace Tao, global vice president of Tesla, attempted to clarify the company's pricing logic.

Tim Hortons Unveils Chinese Brand Name After Local Division Lists on Nasdaq

Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons officially announced on January 9 the new name of its Chinese brand – "Tianhao Coffee" – in Shanghai. It indicates another important market strategy of its local division since listing on the Nasdaq.

Pfizer to Provide COVID Pill Paxlovid to China in First Half of 2023

Albert Bourla, the CEO of US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, said that the company is working with Chinese partners to provide Paxlovid, a COVID-19 pill developed by the firm, to China from the first half of this year.

Tesla’s Sharp Price Drop in China Spurs Car Owner Complaints

Tesla suddenly posted record-low vehicle prices for the Chinese market on January 6, causing many Chinese car owners to organize in an attempt to defend their consumer rights.

Sony China’s Weibo Account Banned

A certified account belonging to the Chinese division of Japanese electronics giant Sony has recently been banned. On January 5, the CEO of Weibo responded that a blog post from Sony China was interpreted as attacking medical experts, and that a final punishment had just been approved.

Tesla Cuts Price of Model 3 and Y in China, Announces Price of Model S and X

On January 6, the starting prices of Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y in China dropped to 229,900 yuan ($33,458) and 259,900 yuan ($37,825) respectively, the lowest prices ever for both vehicles, with an estimated delivery period of one to four weeks.

Luxshare Precision Denies That Apple Cut Orders

News that Apple will cut manufacturing orders caused its major Chinese supplier Luxshare Precision's stock price to fall on Wednesday. However, Luxshare clarified the situation in its latest announcement on Thursday morning.

Tesla China Regional GM: We Will Contribute to Global Expansion of “Made in China”

During the Guangzhou Auto Show, Kong Yanshuang, Regional General Manager of Tesla China, said in an interview that the company is looking forward to accelerating the release of vitality in the Chinese auto market after the end of the pandemic.

Tom Zhu to Run Tesla’s Global Sales, Delivery, Services and Production, Reports Say

Tom Zhu, Tesla's head of China and global vice president, was reportedly given a new position on January 3. Going forward, he will be responsible for the US-based automaker's global sales, delivery, after-sales and factory production.

Tesla Discloses Shanghai Production Plan for Spring Festival

Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory will reportedly suspend production from January 20-31, longer than China's national Spring Festival holiday from January 21-27. The EV maker responded that most employees at the factory will have a holiday from January 20 to 28.

Tom Zhu Steps Down As Legal Representative of Tesla China Subsidiary

Tesla's China chief Tom Zhu stepped down as legal representative of Tesla (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., but will remain its chairman. This may be another signal that Zhu is fading out of Tesla's business in China.

Chips Shortage Fuels Wave of Smuggling Attempts Into China

Affected by the pandemic and global logistics complications, computer chips have become the latest precious cargo for smugglers entering China.

Tencent’s WeChat Restricts ChatGPT Mini Programs

Since the global surge in use of ChatGPT, a prototype chatbot developed by San Francisco-based artificial intelligence lab OpenAI, many related mini-programs have appeared on Tencent's WeChat app popular in China, although they now appear to have been restricted.

STMicroelectronics CEO Visits Chinese Customers in Automotive and Industrial Fields

Jean-Marc Chery, president and CEO of STMicroelectronics, and Jerome Roux, president of sales and marketing of STMicroelectronics, started visiting customers in China in November again, demonstrating the company's support for the Chinese market and its commitment to local customers.

Volkswagen’s Skoda Reportedly Reassessing Future Strategy in China

Czech carmaker Skoda Auto, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, is reportedly considering a withdrawal from China and will make a final decision next year. A spokesperson for Skoda China said that the company has not made any decision on the necessity of adjusting its strategy.

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