Shanghai Pharmaceutical: plan to introduce Yunnan Baiyao as a strategic investor

Chinese Restaurant Brands Going Global: What Keeps Customers Coming Back After the Opening?

How long can the queues outside a brand’s first overseas store last? And how many customers drawn in by the novelty will become regulars? For Chinese restaurant brands expanding internationally, opening a store is only the beginning of the challenge of building a local business and retaining customers.

Geely Auto Announces Canada Entry, First Vehicles Planned for 2027

Geely Auto, the passenger-vehicle brand of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (浙江吉利控股集团), announced on October 9 that it is entering Canada, where it plans to introduce its first vehicles in 2027. The company has a Canadian team in place and is developing a retail and service network with local partners, but has not yet named models, dealers, prices or specific launch dates.

CATL and Seres Expand AITO Battery Capacity, Plan Overseas Market Push

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL, 宁德时代) and Seres Group (赛力斯集团) signed a long-term strategic cooperation agreement in Chongqing on October 10, covering battery production, charging and battery services, and overseas market development. The companies said they would jointly pursue opportunities in Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, but did not disclose specific overseas projects or a rollout schedule.

Ecosia Shifts AI Search Toward Open-Weight Models, Including Chinese LLMs

Ecosia, the Berlin-based search engine, is shifting more of its AI services toward open-weight models, including Alibaba’s Qwen, Z.ai’s GLM and Moonshot AI’s Kimi, through German AI platform Melious. Founder and CEO Christian Kroll told Politico that the change had roughly halved costs while improving quality and performance. The move shows how Chinese-developed models are entering Western products through European hosting and infrastructure.

Midea Completes Controlling Acquisition of Italian Medical Imaging Firm Esaote

Midea Group (美的集团) completed its acquisition of a controlling stake in Italian medical imaging company Esaote S.p.A. (百胜医疗) on October 9, the companies said. Esaote will join Midea Healthcare while continuing to operate as an independent business headquartered in Genoa, with research and manufacturing facilities in Italy and the Netherlands.