Chinese AI company DeepSeek has unveiled Math-V2, the first open-source AI model to achieve gold-level performance at the International Mathematical Olympiad.
The system, now available on GitHub and Hugging Face, allows developers to modify and deploy the model under a permissive license freely.
Math-V2 also excelled in the 2024 Chinese Mathematical Olympiad, demonstrating advanced reasoning and problem-solving capabilities. Unlike many AI systems, it features a self-verification process that enables it to check solutions even for problems without known answers.
The launch comes as US AI leaders, such as Google DeepMind and OpenAI, have achieved similar milestones with their proprietary models.
Open access to Math-V2 could democratise advanced mathematical tools, potentially accelerating scientific research and development globally.
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A key player is emerging in China’s AI chip market with Baidu’s Kunlunxin unit stepping in to fill the gap left by Nvidia due to US export restrictions.
The company plans a five-year roadmap for AI chips, beginning with the M100 in 2026 and the M300 in 2027, while already using its chips to run ERNIE AI models.
Strong domestic demand and shortages of AI chips among Chinese tech giants, such as Alibaba and Tencent, have created an opportunity for Baidu.
The company sells chips to third parties and rents computing capacity via its cloud, presenting itself as a full-stack AI provider with integrated infrastructure, models, and applications.
Analysts predict explosive growth for Baidu’s AI chip business, with sales expected to increase sixfold to 8 billion yuan ($1.1 billion) by 2026. Industry experts highlight that the timely delivery of competitive Kunlun chip generations could make Baidu a strategic supplier to the rest of China’s AI ecosystem.
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ByteDance unveiled a new AI voice assistant that will debut on ZTE’s Nubia M153 smartphone. The tool uses the Doubao large language model to handle spoken tasks such as content searches and ticket bookings.
ZTE’s shares jumped after the announcement, helped by strong interest in the device and recent 5G contract wins in Vietnam. The prototype handset is priced at 3,499 yuan and can be pre-ordered in limited quantities.
ByteDance confirmed discussions with multiple manufacturers to integrate the assistant into future smartphones. The firm stated it has no intention of developing its own hardware.
The assistant enters a competitive market led by Huawei and Xiaomi, while Apple has yet to introduce Apple Intelligence in China. Doubao remains China’s most popular consumer AI app, with 159 million monthly active users.
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Leading Chinese technology companies are increasingly training their latest AI models outside the country to maintain access to Nvidia’s high-performance chips, according to a report by the Financial Times. Firms such as Alibaba and ByteDance are shifting parts of their AI development to data centres in Southeast Asia, a move that comes as the United States tightens restrictions on advanced chip exports to China.
The trend reportedly accelerated after Washington imposed new limits in April on the sale of Nvidia’s H20 chips, a key component for developing sophisticated large language models. By relying on leased server space operated by non-Chinese companies abroad, tech firms are able to bypass some of the effects of US export controls while continuing to train next-generation AI systems.
One notable exception is DeepSeek, which had already stockpiled a significant number of Nvidia chips before the export restrictions took effect. The company continues to train its models domestically and is now collaborating with Chinese chipmakers led by Huawei to develop and optimise homegrown alternatives to US hardware.
Neither Alibaba, ByteDance, Nvidia, DeepSeek, nor Huawei has commented publicly on the report, and Reuters stated that it could not independently verify the claims. However, the developments underscore the increasing complexity of global AI competition and the lengths to which companies may go to maintain technological momentum amid geopolitical pressure.
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EU lawmakers have accused national governments of stalling a major customs overhaul aimed at tackling the rise in low-cost parcels from China. Parliament’s lead negotiator Dirk Gotink argues that only stronger EU-level powers can help authorities regain control of soaring e-commerce volumes.
Talks have slowed over a proposed e-commerce data hub linking national customs services. Parliament wants European prosecutors to gain direct access to the hub, while capitals insist that national authorities must remain the gatekeepers to sensitive information.
Gotink warns that limiting access would undermine efforts to stop non-compliant goods such as those from China, entering the single market. Senior MEP Anna Cavazzini echoes the concern, saying EU-level oversight is essential to keep consumers safer and improve coordination across borders.
The Danish Council Presidency aims to conclude negotiations in mid-December but concedes that major disputes remain. Trade groups urge a swift deal, arguing that a modernised customs system must support enforcement against surging online imports.
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Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed has overseen a digital currency payment between the UAE and China. The transfer used the ‘mBridge’ central bank digital currency platform to settle funds directly. Officials say the move marks the formal launch of ‘mBridge’ for cross-border payments.
New links have been established between the UAE Instant Payment System and China’s internet banking payment platform. Users can securely send clock transfers for study, remittances and trade. Officials expect faster payments to deepen economic ties and modernise cross-border settlement channels.
Ceremonies in Abu Dhabi also launched the first ‘Jaywan-UnionPay’ multi-scheme prepaid card. The product links Jaywan’s domestic network with UnionPay’s global acceptance in more than 180 countries.
Transactions inside the UAE are processed locally, while overseas spending routes through UnionPay’s international infrastructure. Officials say the projects highlight partnerships between the UAE and China and strengthen the Emirates’ role in digital finance.
Sheikh Mansour and Pan Gongsheng also signed a memorandum on future cross-border payment cooperation. Further expansion of the ‘mBridge‘ network and domestic Digital Dirham pilots is planned from 2026.
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The Dutch government has paused its intervention in chipmaker Nexperia after officials described promising diplomatic progress with China, easing a months-long standoff that had disrupted global supply chains. The suspension follows talks in which Beijing began relaxing export limits it had imposed on Nexperia’s finished chips, restrictions that had deepened shortages for major carmakers including BMW, Honda, Nissan, Volkswagen, and Bosch.
The dispute began in September when the Netherlands seized control of Nexperia from its Chinese owner Wingtech, invoking the Goods Availability Act, a Cold War-era law that had never been used before. Dutch authorities stated that the takeover was necessary to safeguard national security and prevent Wingtech founder Zhang Xuezheng from relocating production to China, citing allegations of mismanagement and attempts to undermine European operations.
Beijing retaliated by restricting chip exports, while management on both sides blocked shipments and orders amid a worsening internal corporate conflict.
Economy Minister Vincent Karremans stated that the government was encouraged by China’s efforts to restore chip supplies and would continue negotiations alongside European and international partners. The EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič and several major automakers welcomed the announcement, though industry leaders cautioned that it remains too early to predict how quickly supply chains will stabilise.
With the Chinese side now selling stockpiled chips to ease shortages and the European side planning its response, the easing of tensions marks a temporary reprieve in a dispute that highlighted the fragility of Europe’s semiconductor dependencies and the geopolitical risks tied to them.
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Chinese cyberspace authorities announced a crackdown on AI deepfakes impersonating public figures in livestream shopping. Regulators said platforms have removed thousands of posts and sanctioned numerous accounts for misleading users.
Officials urged platforms to conduct cleanups and hold marketers accountable for deceptive promotions. Reported actions include removing over 8,700 items and dealing with more than 11,000 impersonation accounts.
Measures build on wider campaigns against AI misuse, including rules targeting deep synthesis and labelling obligations. Earlier efforts focused on curbing rumours, impersonation and harmful content across short videos and e-commerce.
Chinese authorities pledged a continued high-pressure stance to safeguard consumers and protect celebrity likenesses online. Platforms risk penalties if complaint handling and takedowns fail to deter repeat infringements in livestream commerce.
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In a strategic move aligned with national technology ambitions, Baidu announced two newly developed AI chips, the M100 and the M300, at its annual developer and client event.
The M100, designed by Baidu’s chip subsidiary Kunlunxin Technology, targets inference efficiency for large models using mixture-of-experts techniques, while the M300 is engineered for training very large multimodal models comprising trillions of parameters.
The M100 is slated for release in early 2026 and the M300 in 2027, according to Baidu, which claims they will deliver ‘powerful, low-cost and controllable AI computing power’ to support China’s drive for technological self-sufficiency.
Baidu also revealed plans for clustered architectures such as the Tianchi256 stack in the first half of 2026 and the Tianchi512 in the second half of 2026, intended to boost inference capacity through large-scale interconnects of chips.
This announcement illustrates how China’s tech ecosystem is accelerating efforts to reduce dependence on foreign silicon, particularly amid export controls and geopolitical tensions. Domestically-designed AI processors from Baidu and other firms such as Huawei Technologies, Cambricon Technologies and Biren Technology are increasingly positioned to substitute for western hardware platforms.
From a policy and digital diplomacy perspective, the development raises questions about the global semiconductor supply chain, standards of compute sovereignty and how AI-hardware competition may reshape power dynamics.
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Alibaba is preparing a major overhaul of its mobile AI apps, renaming Tongyi as Qwen and adding early agentic features. The update aims to make Qwen resemble leading chatbots while linking AI tools to Taobao and other services. Alibaba also plans a global version once the new design stabilises.
Over one hundred developers are working on the project as part of wider AI investments. Alibaba hopes Qwen can anchor its consumer AI strategy and regain momentum in a crowded market. It still trails Doubao and Yuanbao in user popularity and needs a clearer consumer path.
Monetisation remains difficult in China because consumers rarely pay for digital services. Alibaba thinks shopping features will boost adoption by linking AI directly to e-commerce use. Qwen will stay free for now, allowing the company to scale its user base before adding paid options.
Alibaba wants to streamline its overlapping apps by directing users to one unified Qwen interface. Consolidation is meant to strengthen brand visibility and remove confusion around different versions. A single app could help Alibaba stand out as Chinese firms race to deploy agentic AI.
Chinese and US companies continue to expand spending on frontier AI models, cloud infrastructure, and agent tools. Alibaba reported strong cloud growth and rising demand for AI products in its latest quarter. The Qwen relaunch is its largest attempt to turn technical progress into a viable consumer business.
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