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Two of China’s oldest listed Internet firms are in the headlines these last few days, led by word that leading portal Sina (Nasdaq: SINA) has become the late web giant to make a mega bond offering as it eyes potential acquisitions. In the other more amusing news, NetEase (Nasdaq: NTES) is reportedly struggling to build up its pig-raising business that it hyped a couple of years ago, spotlighting its inability to expand beyond its core online game business. Read Full Post…
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on October 31. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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The headlines are buzzing about a new joint venture between wireless carrier China Telecom (HKEx: 728) and Internet company NetEase (Nasdaq: NTES), in one of the bigger media frenzies I’ve seen in quite a while for this kind of tie-up. But everyone loves a good contest, and this particular joint venture offers just that with a major new challenge to Tencent’s (HKEx: 700) hugely popular WeChat mobile instant messaging service, known in Chinese as Weixin. Just to make sure everyone understands what this story is about, China Telecom and NetEase have even given their new service the name of YiChat or Yixin in Chinese, which both sound quite similar to the English and Chinese names Tencent’s service. Read Full Post…
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on August 20. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on August 3-5. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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I should have a bit more confidence in my predictions, following word that leading Internet firm Tencent (HKEx: 700) has become a major shareholder in top global electronic game designer Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI) as part of a deal to buy out the company from its parent. I had predicted last year that Tencent could buy Activision outright, after France’s Vivendi (Paris: VIV) put the US gaming company up for sale to raise cash and divest non-core assets. But then when more than a year passed without any word of a deal, I concluded that Tencent was either unable to raise the financing for a transaction, or perhaps had lost interest. Read Full Post…
I’m pleased to see that after a major socialist-style clash in China’s mobile Internet space earlier this year, all of the relevant parties are turning to the business of more market-oriented competition with the roll-out of new rival products. Internet followers will know I’m talking about the high-profile clash in early 2013 between China Mobile (HKEx: 941; NYSE: CHL) and Internet leader Tencent (HKEx: 700) involving Tencent’s highly popular WeChat mobile instant messaging service. In the latest wrinkle to the story, media are reporting that online game operator NetEase (Nasdaq: NTES) is teaming up with China Telecom (HKEx: 728; NYSE: CHA), the smallest of China’s 3 mobile operators, to roll out their own WeChat rival product. Read Full Post…
It seems I was incorrect with my previous prediction that an alliance between online gaming giant NetEase (Nasdaq: NTES) and US game designer Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI) could be headed for trouble, with news of a major new tie-up between the pair. The news that NetEase has won the China rights for Activision Blizzard’s new “Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft” game comes more than 2 years after NetEase first licensed another popular game from the US company, and appears to reflect a strengthening of their relationship. (company announcement; English article) Read Full Post…
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on July 9. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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The Ya’an earthquake now already 2 weeks ago has cast an interesting new spotlight on China’s vibrant field of social networking services (SNS), showing a different side to these sites that are largely seen as little more than frivolous, time-wasting toys. As a frequent user of Chinese sites like Sina (Nasdaq: SINA) Weibo, Tencent (HKEx: 700) WeChat and Facebook (Nasdaq: FB), I can personally testify that I mostly use these sites to fill up idle time at home or on the subway, often when I’m trying to procrastinate or am just feeling bored. But these sites are suddenly earning new praise as a critical communication tool during the Ya’an earthquake, arguably the first major global disaster since SNS services began their meteoric rise less than a decade ago. Read Full Post…
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on April 3. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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