RedNote gains 3M TikTok users 🟥 Shanghai courts Taylor Swift 🎤 Computer decodes brain 🧠

2024-01-20 | subscribe | homepage

Welcome back to this week’s edition of the China Insights Weekly Newsletter!

Key highlights shaping the week:

• Siemens invests $137M in Shenzhen plant

• Robot dog breaks 100m world record

• Chinese scientists surpass US counterparts in numbers

• World’s largest compressed air energy storage now operational

Dive deeper into these stories and more by clicking the headlines below. We value your feedback. Let us know your thoughts or suggestions on LinkedIn, X or Facebook.

🚀 Headlines

RedNote (Xiaohongshu) surges as possible TikTok US shutdown drive millions to the platform (link)

In anticipation of a potential TikTok ban in the US, RedNote (Xiaohongshu) experienced a significant surge in American users. On January 13, 2025, it became the most downloaded free app on the US App Store. By January 15, the platform had gained nearly 3 million US users in a single day, up from fewer than 700,000 the previous day. This influx was driven by TikTok users, self-identified as “TikTok refugees,” seeking alternatives ahead of the January 19 deadline for ByteDance to divest its US operations. The hashtag “#TikTokrefugee” gained popularity as users migrated to RedNote. On January 18, TikTok suspended its US services in compliance with the new federal law. However, on January 19, President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to issue an executive order extending TikTok’s US operations by 90 days, allowing for negotiations on a joint venture with 50% US ownership. Following this announcement, TikTok began restoring its services to US users.

Chinese mobile phone makers expand global market share to record 56% (link)

Chinese mobile makers shipped 56% of global smartphones in Q4, a record high, expanding in Europe and Africa with their low-end and mid-range devices. Worldwide smartphone shipments grew 6.4% in 2024. Apple and Samsung, while still leading saw declines in Q4, with Apple's falling 4.1% and Samsung's dropping 2.7%. Xiaomi came in third for the quarter and the year, with the highest YoY growth rate among the Top 5 players at 15.4%. Transsion placed fourth with 12.7% growth for the year. It tied with BKK conglomerate brands vivo for the 4th quarter and with OPPO for the year. Huawei had most of its shipments in the high-end and premium segments, underscoring its distinct market positioning in China.

China’s trade surplus hits an annual record of almost USD 1 trillion (link)

China’s trade surplus soared to a record last year, 21% higher than the previous year, driven by strong exports that boosted the economy. China's exports in December 2024 grew by 10.7% year-on-year. Imports rose by 1% year-on-year. China's trade surplus expanded to $104.84 billion in December and reached nearly USD 1 trillion for the year at $992.2 billion. China's total import and export value hit a record 43.85 trillion yuan (USD 6 trillion), up 5% from the previous year. Exports to the U.S. jumped 15.6% in December compared to the same period last year, while those to the EU rose 8.8%, and to Southeast Asia grew by almost 19%. The share of US exports in China's shipments continues to gradually decline, to 14.7% in 2024 from 14.8% a year earlier. The share of Chinese exports to Southeast Asia in the meantime countries to rise, it reached 16.4% in 2024 from 15.5%.

Siemens Healthineers starts construction of USD 137 million China plant in Shenzhen (link)

German-based Siemens Healthineers has initiated the construction of a new R&D and production base in Shenzhen, China, with an investment of over CNY1 billion (USD136.5 million). The facility will be operational by the end of 2027. It will focus on developing and manufacturing angiography equipment and core components for MRI systems, including the company's innovative Dry Cool superconducting magnet. This marks the company's second such base in Shenzhen, with the first becoming a major R&D and manufacturing hub outside its headquarters and the only one in its global MRI system with a complete industry chain. China's per capita medical device ownership is significantly lower than developed countries and the government's three-year action plan to upgrade large-scale medical equipment presents new opportunities.

Over 50 Chinese cities issue self-driving vehicle policies (link)

Over 50 Chinese cities, including Beijing and Wuhan, have introduced regulations for autonomous driving since Shenzhen became the first in 2022. Beijing approved self-driving regulations for personal use of driverless vehicles on Dec. 31, with Wuhan and Hefei also issuing rules to take effect in the first half of 2025. The regulations integrate new roads with autonomous driving infrastructure and provide detailed guidelines on testing, demonstration applications, and road traffic for self-driving cars. They also define departmental responsibilities and establish standardized management systems. The new regulations reflect a broader shift in China's legislation toward commercial deployment.

Chinese startup WeRide has been selected as the official technology supplier for a new autonomous driving pilot project in Switzerland. Starting in 2nd quarter of 2025, residents in 4 municipalities in the Furttal region. This is WeRide's third European project within eight months, following the launch of Europe's first commercial autonomous minibus project at Zurich Airport and providing an L4 autonomous shuttle service at the 2024 French Open in Paris.

China surpasses the US in the number of top scientists for the first time (link)

China has surpassed the United States in the number of high-level science and technology experts for the first time. In 2020, the US had 36,599 world-leading scientists, which declined to 31,781 by 2024, reducing its global talent share from nearly 33% to 27%. In contrast, China's leading scientists increased from 18,805 in 2020 to 32,511 in 2024, raising its global share from 17% to 28%. The study defined "high-level science and technology talent" as researchers who published influential papers in top journals. China's top scientists are concentrated on the east coast and in first-tier cities, while the US's are mainly in California and Massachusetts. The Chinese Academy of Sciences led with 3,615 leading scientists, far ahead of Harvard University with 1,683 and Stanford University with 1,208. Outside the US and China, Germany showed a slight decline, while Britain and France had downward trends, and Japan and Australia also saw declines in both numbers and percentages of leading scientists.

Brain-computer interface developed in China decodes thought real-time (link)

Chinese startup NeuroXess has achieved two breakthroughs in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. In an experiment in August 2024, a 256-channel BCI device was implanted into the brain of a 21-year-old epileptic patient. The BCI could decode thoughts to speech in real-time, achieving a system delay of under 60 milliseconds and a speech decoding accuracy of 71% using 142 common Chinese syllables within five days. The patient was able to control a robotic arm, operate a digital avatar, and interact with an AI model. This technology has the potential to significantly enhance the quality of life for individuals with speech or motor function disabilities.

The world’s largest compressed air energy storage facility commences full operation in China (link)

The world's largest compressed air energy storage (CAES) power station, with a capacity of 300 MW, has commenced full operation in Hubei Province, China. This facility utilizes two underground salt caverns in Yingcheng City, reaching depths of up to 600 meters, providing a gas storage volume of nearly 700,000 cubic meters. The station can output up to 300 MW of power with a storage capacity of 1,500 MWh, achieving a system conversion efficiency of about 70%. It is capable of storing energy for eight hours and releasing energy for five hours daily, generating approximately 500 GWh of electricity annually. This milestone marks a significant advancement in energy storage technology and contributes to China's efforts in renewable energy integration and grid stability.

🎁 Bonus Stories

Shanghai plans Taylor Swift concert in 2025 following the success of Eras Tour in China (link)

Swift's team has reportedly visited Shanghai, visited venues, and held talks with local authorities about a possible concert in 2025, although no official confirmation has been made. Swift's Eras Tour documentary performed exceptionally well in China, becoming the highest-grossing music documentary at the box office. This success and Shanghai's status as a global cultural hub have fueled hopes for her first performance in China.

China’s robot dog breaks world record by running 100 meters under 10 seconds (link)

A Chinese company has unveiled the Black Panther 2.0 robot dog, which can run 100 meters in under 10 seconds, breaking the previous world record for a robot on four legs. The robot, a collaboration between Zhejiang University’s humanoid innovation institute and Hangzhou-based startup Mirror Me, weighs 83 pounds (38 kilograms) and stands 2.07 feet tall (0.63 meters). Its design is inspired by the paws and joints of jerboas and black panthers, with carbon-fiber shins improving stiffness by 135% and cheetah-like shoes boosting grip by 200%. The robot uses springs at joint positions to absorb shock and maintain speed. With the help of AI and machine learning, it adapts its gait to various terrains, utilizing the Huygens’ linked pendulum concept for fluid movement. Custom high-power-density motors provide exceptional strength and accuracy, paving the way for future industrial applications.

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