Articles (Page 4) | Meridiano

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JD builds AI control system that can save China’s thermal power plants billions and reduce pollution

(Innovation - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-15 11:15)

JD Digits, the digital technology arm of JD.com, has launched an AI system to improve the efficiency of thermal power plants. The system automatically adjusts boiler variables like coal feeding and air distribution in real time.

In testing, the AI system increased boiler combustion efficiency, which the company states could save China billions annually in coal and pollution costs. The project is a partnership with a state-owned energy firm and is being deployed in multiple Chinese cities.

The main topics covered are: the deployment of an AI efficiency system in thermal power plants, the resulting economic and environmental benefits, and the collaboration between tech and state-owned enterprises in China.

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Zoom to set up R&D centre and hire hundreds of engineers in Singapore following pandemic-related boom in videoconferencing

(Innovation - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-16 07:40)

Zoom is expanding its operations in Singapore by opening a new research and development center and immediately hiring hundreds of engineers. The company is also doubling the capacity of its Singapore data center, which opened in August.

This expansion capitalizes on the pandemic-driven surge in videoconferencing usage as people work and study from home. The new R&D center will join Zoom's existing facilities in the United States, India, and China.

The move aligns with Singapore's broader strategy to attract major technology firms to power its economic growth, including recent policies to draw foreign tech talent.

Main topics: Zoom's business expansion, Singapore's tech sector growth, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on videoconferencing.

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Bitcoin rises above US$20,000 for first time after sustained rally

(Innovation - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-16 15:11)

Bitcoin reached a new milestone, trading above $20,000 for the first time and setting a record high of $20,398.50 before a slight pullback. Its value has surged dramatically since March, partly driven by PayPal's announcement to enable cryptocurrency use for its users.

The article also notes that central banks are responding to the rise of cryptocurrencies and declining cash use by developing their own digital currencies. Examples include the central banks of China, Sweden, and the U.S. Federal Reserve, which are testing digital applications in part due to initiatives like Facebook's proposed Libra currency.

Main topics: Bitcoin's price milestone and rally; influence of corporate adoption (PayPal); central bank digital currency initiatives in response to cryptocurrencies.

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China’s market regulator flexes muscles, signalling Wild West era of unchecked Big Tech growth is over

(Innovation - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-17 21:15)

China's market regulator has fined Alibaba, Tencent-backed China Literature, and Shenzhen Hive Box for failing to properly report past acquisitions for antitrust clearance. The regulator stated this action signals a tightening of antitrust enforcement within the internet industry, which is not exempt from such laws.

The fines follow new draft rules aimed at preventing monopolistic practices and protecting fair competition in the internet sector. While the fined deals were not found to restrict competition, the move underscores a broader regulatory shift.

The main topics covered are antitrust enforcement actions against major tech firms, new regulatory rules for the internet industry, and a specific review of a major merger in the game-streaming sector.

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Hong Kong team behind Chang’e 5 moon rock sampling set sights on Chang’e 6

(Science & Research - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-18 00:00)

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University team that developed the sampling tools for China's Chang'e 5 lunar mission is now focusing on the upcoming Chang'e 6 mission. They will analyze data from the completed mission to evaluate and potentially improve their scoop and container designs for the next launch, expected in 2023 or 2024.

The researchers also hope to receive a portion of the 2.5kg of moon rocks and soil successfully returned by Chang'e 5 for their own scientific study.

The main topics covered are the Hong Kong team's role in lunar sampling technology, the transition from the completed Chang'e 5 to the planned Chang'e 6 mission, and the handling of the returned moon samples.

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Apple aims to produce first self-driving car by 2024, eyes ‘next level’ battery technology, sources say

(Innovation - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-22 01:51)

Apple is targeting 2024 to produce a self-driving passenger vehicle for the mass market, advancing its long-running Project Titan. A key element of its strategy is a new battery design intended to radically reduce costs and increase vehicle range.

The project has proceeded unevenly since 2014, including a past shift to focus on software and a 2019 team layoff. Building a car presents a significant supply chain challenge for Apple, a company with no prior automotive manufacturing experience.

The main topics covered are Apple's self-driving car project, its target timeline, its battery technology goals, and the historical challenges of the endeavor.

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China’s WeRide raises US$200 million from bus maker Yutong Group as autonomous driving race heats up

(Innovation - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-23 03:14)

Chinese autonomous driving start-up WeRide has raised $200 million from the commercial bus manufacturer Yutong Group. This strategic investment aims to promote the large-scale commercial use of driverless buses and minibuses through joint development.

The deal highlights the increasing interest from traditional automakers in the competitive autonomous driving sector. The industry is anticipating further policy support from the Chinese government.

The main topics covered are a major investment in an autonomous vehicle start-up, collaboration between a tech firm and a traditional manufacturer, and the heated competitive landscape for self-driving technology in China.

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New anti-money-laundering regulations should exclude Hong Kong’s bitcoin ATMs to sustain innovation, says industry body

(Innovation - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-24 06:01)

Hong Kong's proposed anti-money-laundering regulations would license cryptocurrency exchanges and forbid them from servicing retail investors. An industry body argues that the city's bitcoin ATMs should be excluded from these new rules to sustain innovation, as they could become one of the last avenues for retail investing.

The stricter oversight creates uncertainties for crypto start-ups and blockchain investments. If the appeal to exclude ATMs is not heeded, those machines could also eventually be placed off limits to retail traders.

The main topics covered are Hong Kong's proposed cryptocurrency regulations, their potential impact on retail investors and bitcoin ATMs, and industry concerns regarding innovation and start-up uncertainty.

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Ten Chinese semiconductor start-ups that got a leg up from their founders’ foreign experience

(Innovation - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-26 00:00)

China's semiconductor industry is benefiting from entrepreneurs with foreign experience who establish start-ups in areas like chip design and manufacturing equipment. These founders are responding to national calls for greater self-reliance in core technologies, though many began their companies before the current US-China tech tensions.

The companies, such as AMEC and GigaDevice, have achieved notable market share domestically by filling gaps in China's supply chain, despite the country remaining a net importer of chips. Their growth now occurs within a challenging environment shaped by US technology export restrictions over national security concerns.

The main topics covered are the development of China's semiconductor industry, the role of returning entrepreneurs with foreign expertise, and the impact of US-China tech tensions and the push for technological self-reliance.

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China’s carbon neutral goal: Hitachi to build world’s biggest plant in Shaanxi to mix carbon dioxide, hydrogen into methane

(Science & Research - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-28 03:00)

Hitachi Zosen will build the world's largest pilot plant in Shaanxi, China, to produce methane from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. This project is part of a Sino-Japanese collaboration on carbon reduction and clean energy, announced at a bilateral forum.

The methanation technology aims to create a low-carbon, recycling-oriented hydrogen society by providing a synthetic natural gas alternative to fossil fuels. The process uses a high-performance catalyst developed by Hitachi and Tohoku University.

The main topics covered are the Sino-Japanese energy collaboration, the specific methanation project, and the related carbon neutrality technology.

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Tencent-backed online trading platform Futu presses ahead with Singapore, US expansion plans

(Innovation - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-28 04:30)

Futu Holdings is advancing global expansion plans, targeting a Singapore launch by April to serve as both a financial hub and gateway to Southeast Asia. The company also aims to enter the US market next year, seeking to attract millions of users and reduce reliance on third-party service providers. Founder Leaf Li Hua expresses ambition to emulate the success of US firm Charles Schwab, but with a distinct approach tailored for its strategy.

The main topics covered are Futu's international expansion into Singapore and the US, its strategic rationale for these markets, and its operational evolution in the United States.

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Coinbase to suspend trading in cryptocurrency XRP after US watchdog filed charges against its creator, Ripple

(Innovation - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-29 02:36)

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is suspending trading of the digital currency XRP. This action follows charges by U.S. regulators against Ripple, XRP's creator, for conducting a $1.3 billion unregistered securities offering.

The suspension will begin with limitations and be fully in effect by January 19. This move occurs as Coinbase is preparing for its own landmark stock market listing.

The main topics covered are Coinbase's suspension of XRP trading, the SEC's charges against Ripple, and Coinbase's impending public stock listing.

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Hong Kong takes a tentative step towards paperless home sales, with New World’s proptech platform for The Pavilia Farm

(Innovation - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-30 02:00)

Hong Kong's property market is taking a tentative step toward digitization with New World Development's proptech platform for The Pavilia Farm. This move replaces a traditionally paper-heavy registration process, which previously required multiple physical documents per applicant.

The old system was laborious, involving cashier's orders and manual paperwork, with a single large launch potentially using tens of thousands of sheets of paper. Industry leaders note the market has seen little innovation for decades and that the time is now ripe for proptech to streamline purchases.

The main topics covered are the digitization of property sales, the inefficiency of the traditional paper-based process, and the introduction of proptech in Hong Kong's real estate market.

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Shenzhen to focus on chips, AI and biomedicine to grow GDP 40 per cent over five years in the face of US hostility and economic slowdown

(Science & Research - South China Morning Post / 2020-12-31 11:00)

Shenzhen has announced a plan to grow its GDP by 40% over five years, targeting 4 trillion yuan by 2025. The city aims to become a global innovation hub by prioritizing fundamental research in integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, and biomedicine.

This ambition faces significant challenges from US sanctions, which have already impacted major Shenzhen-based tech firms like Huawei and ZTE. The city is consequently pushing for greater technological self-reliance amid this external pressure.

The main topics covered are Shenzhen's economic growth targets, its strategic focus on key technology sectors, and the challenges posed by US sanctions.

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C919: what is China’s home-grown alternative to Airbus, Boeing duopoly, and why is it important?

(Science & Research - South China Morning Post / 2021-01-01 10:30)

The C919 is a narrow-body passenger jet developed by China's state-owned Comac to compete with the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. While it is a Chinese project, most of its key components, including engines and avionics, are currently sourced from foreign suppliers, particularly from the United States and Europe.

China aims to increase the aircraft's domestic manufacturing content over time, with plans to develop an indigenous engine. The program represents China's strategic effort to break into the global commercial aviation duopoly and achieve greater technological self-sufficiency.

The main topics covered are the development of the C919 aircraft, its supply chain dependencies, and its strategic importance to China's aerospace ambitions.