China

Intelligence for Better Decision Making

Humanoid Robot Production Accelerates as XPeng and Tesla Announce Major Milestones
Jan. 22, 2026 | Technology & Innovation

Leading manufacturers of humanoid and industrial robots are advancing rapidly toward commercial-scale production.

**Chinese new energy vehicle maker XPeng Motors has completed its first ET1 humanoid robot, built to automotive standards and representing a significant technical milestone.**
CEO He Xiaopeng described the ET1’s development as a crucial breakthrough on the path to mass production of advanced humanoid machines. XPeng plans to begin large-scale manufacturing of high-level humanoid robots later in 2026 as part of its broader effort to commercialize physical artificial intelligence, moving from technology exploration to practical application. In November, the company unveiled IRON, a new-generation humanoid capable of human-like “catwalk-style” movements; its demonstration sparked online debate over authenticity and drew international attention after Tesla CEO Elon Musk liked a social media post about IRON and predicted that Tesla and Chinese companies would dominate the market.

**Meanwhile, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has warned that initial production rates for the company’s humanoid robot, Optimus, will be “agonizingly slow” due to the complexity and number of new parts involved, although he expects output to accelerate significantly over time.**
Tesla aims to start Optimus production toward the end of 2026, following timelines similar to those for its other advanced products. The company’s $1.39 trillion valuation reflects investor expectations for both self-driving technology and humanoid robots, even as its primary revenue and profits continue to come from electric vehicle sales. Musk considers the humanoid robot project central to Tesla’s long-term strategy and has suggested that Optimus could eventually surpass the vehicle business in economic value by performing a wide range of tasks that humans typically avoid, thereby unlocking substantial new opportunities.
Surge in Global Investment Accelerates Growth and Expansion of Chinese AI Startups and Concept Stocks
Jan. 22, 2026 | Technology & Innovation

Investors are channeling substantial capital into Chinese AI startups and concept stocks, fueling global expansion and technological development.

**Malaysia-based private equity firm Crewstone International (CSI) led a US$73.6 million pre-IPO+ financing round for Shanghai- and Hangzhou-based AIoT solutions provider Uni-Ubi, joined by state capital investment group Shanhai Industries Group from Wenzhou City and existing shareholder Bojiang Capital.**
Uni-Ubi will use these funds to support its global expansion and localization efforts, with a particular focus on emerging markets in Southeast Asia.

**Beyond its financial investment, CSI will leverage its Southeast Asian network and expertise in international capital markets to facilitate Uni-Ubi’s market entry, partnerships, localization, and resource integration.**
Founded in 2011, CSI manages over US$1 billion in assets across more than 40 companies spanning logistics, healthcare, green technology, manufacturing, ICT, and e-commerce.

**Uni-Ubi plans to deploy the capital to develop “core AI 2.0 capabilities” in robotics, multi-modal large models, and general-purpose robot intelligence.**
These initiatives aim to enable robots to perceive, reason, and act in unstructured environments, aligning with the broader embodied intelligence trend. In 2025, the Chinese embodied intelligence sector attracted 37.9 billion yuan (US$5.4 billion) across 304 financing deals, more than quadruple the 2024 total. Since its 2014 founding, Uni-Ubi has built a full stack of “AI 1.0” products—including facial recognition and temperature measurement systems for access control, security, and digital management—and delivered solutions to construction sites, parks, residential communities, and hotels in nearly 90 countries since 2019.

**Meanwhile, San Francisco–headquartered legal AI startup Ivo raised US$55 million in a Series B round led by existing investor Blackbird on January 20, 2026, valuing the company at approximately US$355 million post-money.**
The round also included new investors Costanoa Ventures, Uncork Capital, Fika Ventures, GD1, and Icehouse Ventures. Ivo intends to use the proceeds to accelerate development of its legal services platform and expand its sales force to meet growing demand.

**Ivo’s AI-driven platform automates contract review workflows and extracts insights from legacy agreements to evaluate shifts in negotiating positions and risk profiles for clients such as Uber, Shopify, IBM, Reddit, and Canva.**
Since its previous funding round in February 2025, Ivo has increased its revenue sixfold. The company distinguishes its technology by decomposing contract review into over 400 discrete AI tasks to improve accuracy and minimize legal errors. Facing rising demand for support on complex agreements, Ivo plans to triple its headcount from 60 employees by the end of 2026.

Monitored Intelligence for China - Jan. 22, 2026


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China's Guangdong reports record foreign trade of 1.36 trln USD in 2025

Xinhua | English | News | Jan. 22, 2026 | UndeterminedTrade Issues and Numbers

In 2025, Guangdong Province in South China achieved a record foreign trade volume of 9.49 trillion yuan (approximately 1.36 trillion U.S. dollars), marking a 4.4 percent increase year on year. This performance has maintained Guangdong's status as China's leading provincial-level region in total trade volume for the 40th consecutive year. Exports reached 6.03 trillion yuan, up 2.5 percent, while imports rose 7.8 percent to 3.46 trillion yuan. Guangdong's foreign trade represented about one-fifth of China's national total and contributed 24.1 percent to the country’s overall foreign trade growth.

The province's export structure has shifted toward higher-end, smarter, and greener products, with electromechanical exports totaling 4.15 trillion yuan, a 7.3 percent increase, making up 68.7 percent of total exports, a rise of 3.1 percentage points from the prior year. Exports of green and intelligent products such as drones, 3D printers, and industrial robots surged by 40.9 percent, 37.1 percent, and 33.9 percent respectively, while agricultural machinery exports doubled.

Guangdong’s import demand also expanded significantly, with integrated circuit imports reaching 1.3 trillion yuan, up 15.5 percent and accounting for 37.5 percent of total imports. Essential consumer goods such as grain, dairy, aquatic products, and edible oil all recorded double-digit growth in imports. The number of companies reporting import and export activities increased 17.6 percent to 172,000, including 148,000 private enterprises, whose combined trade value rose 4.9 percent to 6.07 trillion yuan. Foreign-invested enterprises reported trade volumes of 3.03 trillion yuan, up 6.5 percent, indicating ongoing recovery.

Gree Targets Energy Storage, Logistics Vehicles With New Silicon Carbide Chip Output

Yicai Global | English | News | Jan. 22, 2026 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

China's Gree Electric Appliances will begin mass production of silicon carbide chips for photovoltaic energy storage systems and logistics vehicles in 2026, broadening the application of its self-developed semiconductors beyond home appliances. The company has already produced over two million air conditioners equipped with silicon carbide chips, which enhance energy efficiency by reducing operating temperatures.

Gree’s silicon carbide factory, which accommodates both six-inch and eight-inch wafers, features a fully automated crane system and provides automotive-grade testing as well as foundry services to external clients. The company plans to mass-produce silicon carbide devices for PV and energy storage products, central air conditioning chillers, and logistics vehicles this year. Gree Chairwoman Dong Mingzhu recently indicated that half of the automotive chips used by GAC Group will eventually be replaced by Gree’s chips.

Since 2019, Gree has incorporated silicon carbide devices from US firms into its air conditioners, and in 2023 it launched its electronic components unit, starting production with an annual capacity of 240,000 six-inch wafers. By 2025, Gree's cumulative chip sales topped 300 million units. Despite streamlining its upstream supply chain, the company faces challenges such as intense price competition and dependence on imported machinery and equipment components.

Gree aims to enhance external partnerships to support chip design firms in manufacturing and to collaborate with suppliers to resolve industry bottlenecks. Feng Yin highlighted the broad potential of compound semiconductors like silicon carbide and gallium nitride across various applications including augmented reality glasses, electric vehicle charging stations, super energy stations, and the low-altitude economy.

China Household Deposits Rise Nearly 10% in 2025 as Borrowing Weakens

Yicai Global | English | News | Jan. 22, 2026 | UndeterminedEconomic Growth

In 2025, China’s household deposits grew nearly 10 percent year on year, reaching CNY167 trillion (USD23.96 trillion) and lifting per capita savings to around CNY118,900 (USD17,060). This rise occurred despite a contraction in household borrowing, particularly in short-term loans. The data, released by the People’s Bank of China and provincial authorities, indicates a strong preference for saving amid economic uncertainty.

Provincial figures reflect similar patterns. Guangdong province recorded total deposits of CNY38.7 trillion (USD5.55 trillion), with household deposits increasing 9.3 percent to CNY15.12 trillion, and per capita savings at CNY118,300. In Zhejiang province, total deposits grew 7.3 percent to CNY24.63 trillion, while household deposits rose nearly 10 percent to CNY11.85 trillion, with per capita savings reaching CNY177,700.

On the lending front, both Guangdong and Zhejiang experienced divergence between household and corporate credit. Household loans declined slightly year on year, especially short-term consumer and operating loans, reflecting ongoing deleveraging and lack of recovery in consumption and home buying confidence. Conversely, corporate loans showed strong growth, supported by improved China-US trade relations and policy-driven financial tools, with increased bank lending driving the expansion of both short-term and medium- to long-term corporate credit.

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