An escalating tech clash has emerged between ByteDance and Anthropic over AI access and service restrictions. ByteDance has halted use of Anthropic’s Claude model on its infrastructure after the US firm imposed access limitations for Chinese users.
The suspension follows Anthropic’s move to restrict China-linked deployments and aligns with broader geopolitical tensions in the AI sector. ByteDance reportedly said it would now rely on domestic alternatives, signalling a strategic pivot away from western-based AI models.
Industry watchers view the dispute as a marker of how major tech firms are navigating export controls, national security concerns and sovereignty in AI. Observers warn the rift may prompt accelerated investment in home-grown AI ecosystems by Chinese companies.
While neither company has detailed all operational impacts, the episode highlights AI’s fraught position at the intersection of technology and geopolitics. US market reaction may hinge on whether other firms follow suit or partnerships are redefined around regional access.
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China’s Unitree Robotics has introduced advanced firefighting robots designed to revolutionise fire rescue operations. These quadruped robots can climb stairs, navigate through debris, and operate in hazardous zones where human firefighters face significant risks.
Equipped with durable structures and agile joints, they are capable of handling extreme fire environments, including forest and industrial fires. Each robot features a high-capacity water or foam cannon capable of reaching up to 60 metres, alongside real-time video streaming for remote assessment and control.
That combination allows fire rescue teams to fight fires more safely and efficiently, while navigating complex and dangerous terrain. The robots’ mobility enhancements, offering approximately 170 % improved joint performance, ensure they can tackle steep angles and obstacles with ease.
By integrating these robotic fire responders into emergency services, Unitree is helping fire departments reduce risk, accelerate response times, and expand operational capabilities. These innovations mark a new era in fire rescue, where technology supports frontline teams in saving lives and protecting property.
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AI export policy in Washington remains firm, with officials saying the most advanced Nvidia Blackwell chips will not be sold to China. A White House spokesperson confirmed the stance during a briefing. The position follows weeks of speculation about scaled-down variants.
Senior economic officials floated the possibility of a shift later, citing the rapid pace of chip development. If Blackwell quickly becomes superseded, future sales could be reconsidered. Any change would depend on achieving parity in technology, licensing, and national security assessments.
Nvidia’s chief executive signalled hope that parts for Blackwell family products could be supplied from China, while noting there are no current plans to do so. Company guidance emphasises both commercial and research applications. Analysts say licensing clarity will dictate data centre buildouts and training roadmaps.
Policy hawks argue that cutting-edge accelerators should remain in US allied markets to protect strategic advantages. Others counter that export channels can be reopened once hardware is no longer state-of-the-art. The debate now centres on timelines measured in product cycles.
Diplomatic calendars may influence further discussions, with potential leader-level meetings next year alongside major international gatherings. Officials portrayed the broader bilateral relationship as steadier. The industry will track any signals that link geopolitical dialogue to chip export regulations.
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China’s Ministry of Commerce announced plans to exempt specific Nexperia orders from its export ban, aiming to stabilise the global semiconductor supply chain after the Netherlands seized control of the Chinese-owned Dutch chipmaker.
The ministry stated that exemptions would be granted when the criteria were met, encouraging affected firms to apply.
A move that follows a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Busan, where both sides reached a framework allowing Nexperia to resume shipments under eased restrictions.
Washington reportedly agreed to pause the 50 percent subsidiary rule, which restricts exports from companies half-owned by entities on its trade blocklist. Wingtech Technology, Nexperia’s Chinese parent, has been under these restrictions since December.
Beijing’s export ban, introduced after the Dutch takeover citing national security concerns, disrupted supplies from Nexperia’s Dongguan factory, which assembles about 70 percent of its products.
China condemned the Netherlands for intervening in corporate affairs, warning that such actions deepen global supply chain instability.
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ChangXin Memory Technologies has begun mass production of LPDDR5X chips, marking a major milestone in China’s effort to strengthen its position in the global semiconductor market.
The Hefei-based manufacturer, preparing for a Shanghai stock listing, said its new DRAM generation will support faster data transfer and lower power use across mobile devices and AI systems.
The LPDDR5X range includes chips with speeds of up to 10,667 Mbps, positioning CXMT as a growing competitor to industry leaders such as Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron.
Earlier LPDDR5 versions launched in 2023 had already helped the firm progress towards advanced 16-nanometre manufacturing, narrowing the technological gap with global rivals.
Industry data indicate a rising global demand for memory chips, driven by AI applications and high-bandwidth computing. Additionally, DRAM revenue increased 17.1 percent in the second quarter, reaching US$31.6 billion.
CXMT’s expansion comes as it targets a Shanghai IPO valued at around 300 billion yuan, highlighting both investor interest and the ambition of China to achieve greater chip self-sufficiency.
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China has pledged to expand its high-tech industries over the next decade. Officials said emerging sectors such as quantum computing, hydrogen energy, nuclear fusion, and brain-computer interfaces will receive major investment and policy backing.
Development chief Zheng Shanjie told reporters that the coming decade will redefine China’s technology landscape, describing it as a ‘new scale’ of innovation. The government views breakthroughs in science and AI as key to boosting economic resilience amid a slowing property market and demographic decline.
The plan underscores Beijing’s push to rival Washington in cutting-edge technology, with billions already channelled into state-led innovation programmes. Public opinion in Beijing appears supportive, with many citizens expressing optimism that China could lead the next technological revolution.
Economists warn, however, that sustained progress will require tackling structural issues, including low domestic consumption and reduced investor confidence. Analysts said Beijing’s long-term success will depend on whether it can balance rapid growth with stable governance and transparent regulation.
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China’s Noetix Robotics has introduced Bumi, a compact humanoid robot that could bring robotics into everyday homes and classrooms.
Priced at around $1,370, the 94-centimetre robot marks a major step in making advanced robotics accessible to ordinary consumers.
Weighing 12 kilograms, Bumi can walk on two legs and perform coordinated movements such as dancing. Built with lightweight composite materials, it integrates Noetix’s self-developed motion control system and an open programming interface designed for both learning and creativity.
Aimed at education and domestic use, Bumi represents Noetix Robotics’ entry into the consumer robotics sector, long dominated by high-cost prototypes and research models.
The company plans to open preorders between China’s Double 11 and Double 12 shopping festivals, describing the launch as a milestone in moving humanoid robots from laboratories into everyday life.
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Lawmakers and security officials are increasingly worried that Huawei’s dominant role in solar inverters could create a new supply-chain vulnerability for Europe’s power grids. Two MEPs have written to the European Commission urging immediate steps to limit ‘high-risk’ vendors in energy systems.
Inverters are a technology that transforms solar energy into the electrical current fed into the power network; many are internet-connected so vendors can perform remote maintenance. Cyber experts warn that remote access to large numbers of inverters could be abused to shut devices down or change settings en masse, creating surges, drops or wider instability across the grid.
Chinese firms, led by Huawei and Sungrow, supply a large share of Europe’s installed inverter capacity. SolarPower Europe estimates Chinese companies account for roughly 65 per cent of the market. Some member states are already acting: Lithuania has restricted remote access to sizeable Chinese installations, while agencies in the Czech Republic and Germany have flagged specific Huawei components for further scrutiny.
The European Commission is preparing an ICT supply-chain toolbox to de-risk critical sectors, with solar inverters listed among priority areas. Suspicion of Chinese technology has surged in recent years. Beijing, under President Xi Jinping, requires domestic firms to comply with government requests for data sharing and to report software vulnerabilities, raising Western fears of potential surveillance.
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The Dutch Economy Minister has spoken with his Chinese counterpart to ease tensions following the Netherlands’ recent seizure of Nexperia, a major Dutch semiconductor firm.
China, where most of Nexperia’s chips are produced and sold, reacted by blocking exports, creating concern among European carmakers reliant on its components.
Vincent Karremans said he had discussed ‘further steps towards reaching a solution’ with Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao.
Both sides emphasised the importance of finding an outcome that benefits Nexperia, as well as the Chinese and European economies.
Meanwhile, Nexperia’s China division has begun asserting its independence, telling employees they may reject ‘external instructions’.
The firm remains a subsidiary of Shanghai-listed Wingtech, which has faced growing scrutiny from European regulators over national security and strategic technology supply chains.
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In China, the use of generative AI has expanded unprecedentedly, reaching 515 million users in the first half of 2025.
The figure, released by the China Internet Network Information Centre, shows more than double the number recorded in December and represents an adoption rate of 36.5 per cent.
Such growth is driven by strong digital infrastructure and the state’s determination to make AI a central tool of national development.
The country’s ‘AI Plus’ strategy aims to integrate AI across all sectors of society and the economy. The majority of users rely on domestic platforms such as DeepSeek, Alibaba Cloud’s Qwen and ByteDance’s Doubao, as access to leading Western models remains restricted.
Young and well-educated citizens dominate the user base, underlining the government’s success in promoting AI literacy among key demographics.
Microsoft’s recent research confirms that China has the world’s largest AI market, surpassing the US in total users. While the US adoption has remained steady, China’s domestic ecosystem continues to accelerate, fuelled by policy support and public enthusiasm for generative tools.
China also leads the world in AI-related intellectual property, with over 1.5 million patent applications accounting for nearly 39 per cent of the global total.
The rapid adoption of home-grown AI technologies reflects a strategic drive for technological self-reliance and positions China at the forefront of global digital transformation.
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