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ByteDance’s Volcano Engine has launched Seedream 5.0 Lite, a lightweight image‑generation model that for the first time supports real‑time web retrieval and chain‑of‑thought reasoning. Available now on the JiMeng creative platform and due for API rollout later in February, the release tightens the gap between static generative systems and live, context‑aware content creation while raising new questions about provenance, copyright and content safety.

Rapid generational gains in Chinese AI models and compute infrastructure, paired with Waymo’s adoption of a China‑made chassis for its new Ojai taxi, underscore 2026 as an inflection point for AI and autonomous vehicle commercialisation. Index funds such as Tianhong’s CSI AI thematic product are positioning to capture demand across optics, chips, servers and applications, though deployment risks and regulatory hurdles remain.

Amazon launched 32 more low-Earth-orbit satellites for its Kuiper broadband network aboard a European rocket, marking another incremental step toward its multi-thousand-satellite constellation. The flight highlights Kuiper’s reliance on international launch partners, Europe's competitiveness in commercial launches, and mounting concerns about orbital congestion and governance.

Oriental Youxuan — the company behind the popular Oriental Selection livestream brand — has sued a Xi'an individual merchant called Zhenxuan Jubao for unfair competition. The Xi'an Xincheng People's Court issued service by public notice and scheduled an open hearing after the evidence phase, highlighting broader tensions over name imitation in China's livestream e‑commerce sector.

Yu Donglai, founder of Henan retailer Pangdonglai, has formalised his retirement after a prior symbolic exit failed to stick. He has relinquished executive power to a decision committee while retaining an advisory role; the move — backed by explicit age limits for executives — is a rare example of a founder stepping aside at a company high point, but maintaining the firm’s culture without his magnetic leadership remains a key uncertainty.

A proposed NT$1.25 trillion special defence budget in Taiwan has sparked a domestic row after defence officials claimed it would generate NT$400 billion in output and 90,000 jobs, while critics say most spending will go to US arms purchases and demand greater transparency. The dispute draws in US pressure, opposition allegations of corruption, and Beijing’s condemnation, underscoring tensions between urgent rearmament needs and demands for legislative oversight.

Anthropic raised about $30 billion in a financing that values the AI startup at around $380 billion, placing it with OpenAI and SpaceX among the most valuable private companies. The round cements deep commercial ties with Microsoft and other cloud and chip vendors, sharpens the race toward high‑profile AI IPOs, and highlights risks around profitability, compute concentration and regulatory scrutiny.

Images of a J‑15T carrying what appear to be long‑range YJ‑15 anti‑ship missiles suggest China is extending the reach of its carrier aviation to counter a US move to lengthen carrier strike range via the MQ‑25 aerial tanker. The interaction reflects a broader shift from platform v. platform engagements to system‑level contests of surveillance, networking and standoff firepower across the western Pacific.

A hastily arranged pre-summit breakfast hosted by Italy with Germany and Belgium delayed the start of an EU summit and provoked complaints from several member states who said they were not invited. The meeting—intended to coordinate tougher migration policy—produced little substance but highlighted risks to EU cohesion from informal, selective gatherings.

In Jiangxi’s Ji'an region, militia-led teams are delivering patriotic lectures, performances and livestreams at Jinggangshan sites and villages ahead of the Lunar New Year. Combining on-site storytelling, cultural services and digital outreach, the campaign reinforces revolutionary memory while supporting local red-tourism economies and civic education efforts.

Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi said she is trying to create a “suitable environment” for visiting Yasukuni Shrine and expects neighbouring countries to understand. The statement signals an effort to normalize a contentious nationalist symbol that enshrines Class-A war criminals and is likely to aggravate tensions with China and South Korea while complicating regional cooperation.

KMT vice‑chair Zhang Rong‑gong vowed to revitalise cross‑Strait exchanges following a Beijing think‑tank forum that produced 15 joint opinions across five areas. He accused the DPP of blocking cooperation and argued that promoting a Chinese identity in Taiwan will deliver economic benefits and greater stability in the Taiwan Strait.

January 2026 housing data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics show month‑on‑month price declines across first, second and third‑tier cities have narrowed, but year‑on‑year drops remain substantial, particularly in resale markets. Shanghai bucks the national trend with annual gains in new‑home prices, highlighting persistent city‑level divergence.

Ping An Good Doctor's CEO and chairman Li Dou will step down effective 7 October 2025, prompting a modest share decline and extending a four-month sell-off that has erased roughly HK$8.65 billion in market value. The board appointed Guo Xiaotao as chairman and He Mingke as CEO; investors will look for a clear strategic reset to restore confidence.

Denmark has declared a temporary military zone in Kangerlussuaq as a NATO-led "Arctic Endurance" exercise brings multiple European forces to Greenland, prompting local anxiety. Residents and Greenlandic officials welcome security cooperation in principle but warn that rhetoric suggesting external control of the island risks undermining sovereignty and fueling opposition.

China's main stock indices fell in mid‑day trade as overall turnover shrank and more than 2,600 stocks declined, while defence and semiconductor sectors bucked the trend with outsized gains. The market's uneven performance reflects thin pre‑holiday liquidity and a policy tilt that keeps strategic tech and military suppliers buoyant despite broader risk‑off sentiment.

Fujian Huashi Foods, operator of the Wallace fast‑food chain, has applied to terminate its NEEQ listing after years of rapid expansion left it with ballooning debt, declining margins and a spate of food‑safety complaints. The delisting may buy the company regulatory and compliance flexibility, but it also reduces transparency as the chain confronts the difficult task of shifting from scale‑at‑all‑costs to a quality‑focused model.

As China’s A‑share market shuts for a 10‑day Spring Festival, brokerages largely advise investors to hold rather than exit to cash, citing a recurring pattern of pre‑holiday liquidity declines followed by a strong post‑holiday rebound. Historical data show small caps typically lead gains after the break, and brokers are recommending selective exposure to technology and other growth sectors while flagging macro and earnings risks.

January’s housing data show a market of two halves: Shanghai leads an isolated new‑home price recovery while most cities — particularly second‑ and third‑tier markets — continue to see year‑on‑year price declines. Resale prices are sliding more sharply, underlining ongoing stress for household wealth, developers and municipal revenues.

Shenzhen's financial regulator, with nine other municipal bodies, has banned a suite of off‑exchange gold trading practices — including pre‑set price reservations, leveraged and deferred trades and app‑based schemes — and ordered firms, individuals and payment providers to stop or regularise such activities. The directive cites multiple national laws and warns of criminal referrals for violations, signaling a broader clampdown on informal, technology‑enabled retail financial products.