Everyone is giving their view on China’s new Internet rule announced late last week and what it means for both web surfers and service providers, so I too feel a need to provide my own interpretation on this latest development in the country’s wild and often unruly social media space. In a nutshell, the new rule seems designed to formally put into law many of the practices already performed by major companies and individuals, and in that sense it doesn’t represent a huge change in Beijing’s stance toward the Internet and new media in general.
Tag Archives: Sina
Virtual Networks Coming in 2013 虚拟运营商或于明年进入中国电信市场
The Chinese media have been buzzing these last few days with word that the telecoms regulator will soon roll out a highly anticipated plan to allow virtual network operators (VNOs) into China in 2013, finally breaking the monopoly on telecoms services held by the nation’s 3 major telcos. Such a move could suddenly open the door for homegrown companies like Tencent (HKEx: 700) and Sina (Nasdaq: SINA) to offer specialized services over their own privately branded virtual networks, but would also open the door for bigger global names like France Telecom (Paris: FTE) and AT&T (NYSE: T) to enter the long-closed market.
Renren Buy-Back: Does Anyone Care? 人人回购股票：有人关心吗？
Beleaguered social networking site (SNS) Renren (NYSE: RENN) is resorting to the feeble tactic of buying back its shares to boost its anemic stock, even as it faces little or no prospect of major new growth in the current chilly advertising climate. What the company really needs right now is a major jolt to excite investors, perhaps through a privatization or a mega-merger with leading rival Kaixin. Both of those could be possibilities in the new year, with the merger option as the most exciting that could breathe new life into a company that was once considered the Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) of China.
News Digest: December 27 报摘： 2012年12月27日
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on December 27. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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- Sina (Nasdaq: SINA) Denies Alibaba to Invest in Weibo Rumor (Chinese article)
- NDRC to Probe Authenticity of E-Commerce Promotions During Chinese New Year (Chinese article)
- Jingdong Mall CTO Resigns (English article)
- Renren (NYSE: RENN) Announces Renewal of Share Repurchase Program (PRNewswire)
- 55tuan Says Achieved Profit in December at Millions of Yuan Level (Chinese article)
China Mobile, Tencent Spar Over WeChat 中国移动与腾讯就微信展开口水战
It seems that Sina (Nasdaq: SINA) Weibo isn’t the only company worried about the rapid rise of WeChat, the wildly popular mobile social networking service (SNS) operated by leading Internet company Tencent (HKEx: 700). That’s my interpretation of the situation, following a recent war of words that has broken out between Tencent and China Mobile (HKEx: 941; NYSE: CHL), China’s dominant mobile carrier. But in this new tussle, Tencent needs to move very carefully since China Mobile is not only a competitor but is also in the powerful position of being able to limit or even completely cut off its more than 700 million mobile subscribers from access to WeChat, more commonly known by its Chinese name of Weixin.
Phoenix New Media Clips VP 凤凰新媒体执行副总裁离职
Web portal Phoenix New Media (NYSE: FENG) appears to be going through a behind-the-scenes reshuffle, with word that a top executive has left the company as it continues to struggle with fallout from a national advertising slowdown. It’s hard to know what exactly is going on behind the scenes at Phoenix, which once wowed investors with triple-digit gains in its core advertising business following its 2011 IPO on the New York Stock Exchange. But its most recent financial reports have clearly shown the company is having a much harder time than many of its larger peers in coping with China’s recent advertising slowdown, which I suspect is a major reason for the newly announced resignation of vice president Wang Yulin. (Chinese article)
Weibo, WeChat Set For 2013 Showdown 微博、微信将于2013年决战
An epic battle on the Chinese Internet is shaping up for the New Year, pitting dominant social networking site (SNS) Sina (Nasdaq: SINA) Weibo against up-and-coming challenger WeChat, also known by its Chinese name Weixin. The looming battle in many ways reflects the rapid rise in China of the mobile Internet, where WeChat has found an eager new audience that likes to use SNS all the time instead of only at desktop computers where Sina Weibo dominates.
Xiaomi, Nokia In New Web Tie-Ups 小米和诺基亚触网或只是营销噱头
A couple of tie-ups from the hot smartphone space are making headlines these last few days, with up-and-comer Xiaomi and fast-fading global giant Nokia (Helsinki: NOK1V) both looking to Internet partners to boost their prospects. The first of the tie-ups will see Xioami partner with leading Internet portal Sina (Nasdaq: SINA) to sell Xiaomi’s second-generation smartphones online. Meantime, Nokia is tying up with Jingdong Mall, China’s second largest e-commerce firm, in a bid to reverse its downward slide in the world’s largest mobile market.
News Digest: December 20 报摘： 2012年12月20日
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on December 20. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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- Focus Media (Nasdaq: FMCN) Reaches Final Privatizing Agreement, Deal to Close in Q2 (Chinese article)
- Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPad Mini, iPad 4 Receive Chinese Network Access Permits (English article)
- Xiaomi to Sell MI2 Handsets on Sina (Nasdaq: SINA) Microblog Platform (English article)
- LeTV (Shenzhen 300104) Launches Set-Top Box Costing 399 Yuan, Challenges Xiaomi (Chinese article)
- LG Electronics (Seoul: 066570) Says No Plans to Leave China Mobile Phone Market (Chinese article)
News Digest: December 18 报摘： 2012年12月18日
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on December 18. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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- Alibaba, Sina (Nasdaq: SINA) Microblog Resume Investment Talks – Source (English article)
- Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone 5 First Weekend Sales in China Top 2 Mln (Businesswire)
- Gateway In Merger Negotiations with HK-Listed Affiliate of China Development Bank (Businesswire)
- Tencent’s (HKEx: 700) WeChat User Base to Reach 300 Mln in Early 2013 (English article)
- China Mobile (HKEx: 941) To Launch Dual-Use Business Service For LTE in HK (Chinese article)
News Digest: December 15-17 报摘： 2012年12月15-17日
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on December 15-17. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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- Regulator: Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) China’s Kindle Store Violates Regulations (English article)
- US Drops China’s Alibaba’s Taobao, Sohu’s (Nasdaq: SOHU) Sougou From ‘Notorious’ List (Chinese article)
- iPhone 5 Gets Chilly China Reception, Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) Shares Drop 3.8 Pct (Chinese article)
- Sina (Nasdaq: SINA) COO Du Hong to Become CEO – Source (Chinese article)
- Huawei’s US-Based Telecoms Infrastructure Unit Cuts More Than 100 People (Chinese article)
