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1、China Now Has Nearly 1.1 Billion Internet Users
China’s number of internet users grew to nearly 1.1 billion in the first half of 2024, driven mostly by signups among teenagers and the elderly.
More than 7.4 million people gained internet access in China between January and June 2024, meaning that nearly four in five people in the country are now online, outlined the report by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC).
The massive growth in China’s online population has been driven by vast investment in infrastructure. Thirty years ago, the country was connected to the World Wide Web for the first time via a single line inside the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. Since then, the government has built millions of base stations, extending coverage into even the remotest corners of the country.
https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1015791
2、China ‘mistress counsellor’ restores broken marriages by persuading lovers to depart
A woman in central China who runs a workshop persuading mistresses to leave the married men they are having an affair with has trended on mainland social media.
Wang Zhenxi, 39, is a Henan-based relationship counsellor who has been specialising in “mistress dispelling” for eight years, during which time she has received enquiries from about 10,000 potential clients.
Wang’s successes include helping a 29-year-old woman who felt suicidal upon discovering that her boyfriend was married. After multiple visits, Wang was able to persuade her to end the relationship, providing the support she needed during a difficult time.
After handling so many cases, Wang concluded that an affair is often not the cause of a failed marriage but rather a symptom of underlying issues with the relationship.
https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3277053/china-mistress-counsellor-restores-broken-marriages-persuading-lovers-depart
3、Foodie empress? KFC launches microdrama
On 2 September, fast-food chain KFC announced that it had released a microdrama at the end of August. In fact, the first-party-made series had already amassed over 100 million views across platforms like Douyin, Xiaohongshu (RED), WeChat Channels and Bilibili.
Titled Reincarnation: Don’t Mess with the Foodie Empress, the microdrama tells the story of Zhou Mo (周莫, a play on word with “周末”, meaning weekend), an empress who after a fright while trying to get chicken, is reincarnated as a modern microdrama actress. It is a female-oriented feel-good series, with KFC placements and ads starting from episode 2 for taglines such as “have KFC for 30 RMB” (4.21 USD). With new episodes streaming every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, KFC is also launching weekend discounts so you can eat while you watch.
https://daoinsights.com/news/foodie-empress-kfc-launches-microdrama/
4、Alibaba to allow payment through Tencent’s WeChat Pay for the first time on e-commerce apps
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding will add internet behemoth Tencent Holdings’ e-wallet WeChat Pay on its two e-retail platforms, Taobao and Tmall, in a landmark move that brings the once sparring rivals closer.
Enabling WeChat Pay on Taobao is expected to add several millions of daily active users, 36Kr reported, citing an analyst at an investment bank.
The two companies have been arch rivals for many years and banned the use of the other’s services and products on their platforms from 2008 to 2021. After the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology called for better connectivity between the big internet platforms from 2021, Tencent started to ease links, allowing users to be redirected to Taobao and Tmall from links in Weixin Channels, WeChat Moments and WeChat Mini App ads.
https://www.yicaiglobal.com/news/alibabas-taobao-to-enable-tencents-wechat-pay-as-chinas-internet-titans-draw-closer
5、Shanghai bets on live-streaming economy to boost China’s anaemic consumption
The Shanghai municipal government said it plans to boost the city’s live-streaming sector, targeting nearly US$85 million in online sales by 2026.
Under the “Three-Year Action Plan for High-Quality Development of Shanghai’s Live-Streaming Economy (2024-2026)” released on Monday, the local sector by 2026 should generate an annual gross merchandise value of 600 billion yuan (US$84.6 million), establish 10 top-tier live-streaming platforms, foster a batch of multichannel networks (MCNs) and brands, and come up with a hundred “distinctive scenarios” for live-streaming.
The new three-year plan, which builds on the previous 2021-2023 programme, highlighted the role of the live-streaming industry in encouraging consumer spending and promoting Shanghai’s image.
https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3276915/shanghai-bets-live-streaming-economy-boost-chinas-anaemic-consumption
6、Huawei to unveil triple foldable phone on September 10, same day as iPhone 16 launch
Huawei’s autumn product launch event is scheduled for Sept. 10, the same day Apple will release the iPhone 16 series, the Chinese tech giant announced on Weibo. Huawei will launch a range of devices, including a triple-foldable phone and HarmonyOS smart driving vehicles.
“Huawei’s most groundbreaking and innovative products are arriving. These are revolutionary creations that others could only dream of but never realized. After five years of dedication and investment, we have turned science fiction into reality,” said Yu Chengdong, the CEO of the Consumer BG at Huawei.
Another Huawei post revealed that the flagship SUV of the HarmonyOS smart driving series, the AITO M9 in a five-seat version, will be released at the autumn launch event.
https://technode.com/2024/09/02/huawei-to-unveil-triple-foldable-phone-on-september-10-same-day-as-iphone-16-launch/
7、ByteDance launches Pico 4 Ultra in China, competing with Apple Vision Pro
TikTok parent ByteDance on Monday began selling Pico 4 Ultra, its upgraded VR headset, seen as a cost-effective alternative to Apple Vision Pro, in China for RMB 4,299 ($603.9).
The original version, Pico 4, came out in 2022, since when the virtual reality arm has undertaken its largest overhaul yet, with job cuts instiged from late last year after ByteDance acquired Pico.
The headset is equipped with four environmental tracking cameras, and is compatible with the Android ecosystem, according to Pico’s post on the gadget on its WeChat account.
A launch beyond China has not yet been confirmed.
In a previous report from tech outlet The Information, ByteDance canceled Pico 5 since Pico 4’s sales fell “far short of expectations,” diverting efforts towards a new version of Pico 4.
https://technode.com/2024/09/03/bytedance-launches-pico-4-ultra-in-china-competing-with-apple-vision-pro/
8、China handles 110 mln entry-exit trips during summer vacation
Chinese border ports saw a whopping 110 million inbound and outbound trips during July and August, averaging nearly 1.78 million per day, the country's National Immigration Administration (NIA) said Tuesday.
The highest daily number of inbound and outbound travelers reached nearly 2.24 million on Aug. 24, accounting for 97.2 percent of the historical peak.
A total of 10.89 million trips were made by foreigners, marking a 52.8 percent increase from last year. In addition, visa-free inbound trips by foreign visitors (excluding residents of border regions) surged to about 1.96 million, up 117 percent compared to the same period last year.
The surge in travelers is due to China's mutual visa exemption agreements with other countries, the 144-hour visa-free transit policy and other favorable policies, which has attracted visitors for summer vacations.
http://www.china.org.cn/china/2024-09/03/content_117403808.htm
9、The bountiful chili pepper harvest in Guizhou
It's currently harvest season for chili peppers in Dafang County of Bijie, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Locals are taking advantage of the sunny weather to pick, transport, weave, and dry the peppers, creating a picturesque scene of early autumn abundance in the fields and around their homes.
Dafang has a long history of chili pepper cultivation. The region's climate and soil conditions are ideal for growing peppers. Peppers here, especially "wrinkled peppers," are known for their thick flesh, bright red color, moderate spiciness, and rich aroma. In 2008, the China National Food Industry Association (CNFIA) designated Dafang as the "Hometown of Wrinkled Peppers."
Dafang wrinkled pepper products have not only been popular in China's domestic market for many years but have also been exported to Japan, South Korea, and other Asian countries since the 1950s, earning a high reputation.
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-08-31/The-bountiful-chili-pepper-harvest-in-Guizhou-1wvXRlh4jHW/p.html
10、China’s national soccer team suffer 0:7 defeat in away game against Japan
The Chinese national soccer team lost 0-7 to Japan on Thursday in the first match of the third round of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers.
This defeat reportedly set three unfortunate records for Chinese soccer team: their biggest-ever loss to Japan, the most goals conceded in a single World Cup qualifying match, and their biggest defeat in World Cup qualifying history.
The last time the Chinese team defeated Japan was during the 1998 Dynasty Cup semifinals when they won 2-0. Since then, China has gone 14 matches without a victory against Japan in all competitions, with eight losses and six draws.
On social media, such a defeat has sparked torrents of criticism and dismay, and even satire from Chinese fans.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202409/1319331.shtml
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