Seven ticketing platforms warned over bot usage; Amazon denies 14,000 layoffs

• Hong Kong has implemented its strictest smoking ban: carrying an e-cigarette in public will result in a HK$3,000 fine, with no exceptions for tourists.
• Xiaomi cafeteria launches Xiaomi ice cream
• WeChat updated nine features in March, supporting connection to your own lobster via WeChat and Enterprise WeChat.
• SpaceX incurred nearly $5 billion in losses last year due to AI investments.
• Porsche's sales in China have dropped another 20%, a 60% decline compared to three years ago.
• The "OpenClaw-type Agent Deployment Risk Management Guidelines" have been officially released.

Seven third-party platforms involved in train ticket sales were summoned for a meeting.

According to the official WeChat account of the Cyberspace Administration of China, recently, in accordance with the Cybersecurity Law and the Regulations on the Security Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure, the Cyberspace Administration of China and the National Railway Administration jointly summoned seven third-party internet platforms involved in train ticket sales—Ctrip, Tongcheng, Qunar, Fliggy, Meituan, ZhiXing Train Tickets, and Gao Tie Guan Jia—and required these platforms to strictly comply with relevant cybersecurity laws and regulations. They must not use automated programs to conduct large-scale, high-frequency ticket-snatching operations that interfere with the security verification measures of the railway 12306 platform, nor may they disrupt or endanger the secure and stable operation of the railway 12306 platform. Relevant authorities will enhance technical monitoring, and any use of technical means to interfere with or endanger the security of the railway 12306 platform will be severely punished in accordance with the Cybersecurity Law, the Regulations on the Security Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure, and other applicable laws and regulations. (Yicai)

In 45 seconds, 5 million: Zhang Xue’s live stream auction crowns the champion replica race car “Lightning Speed” sold.

On the evening of April 10 at 8:00 PM, Zhang Xue, founder of the Chinese motorcycle brand Zhang Xue Motorcycles, auctioned a replica of the WSBK championship-winning 820 race bike on her live stream, setting a maximum bid cap of 5 million RMB. According to the auction rules, bidders could not place a single bid of 5 million RMB; instead, only those who had already bid over 1 million RMB could continue clicking to incrementally raise their bids until the cap was reached, with the first to hit 5 million RMB winning—adding an element of luck. Interface News observed that within less than a minute (approximately 45 seconds) of the live stream beginning, the bid reached the 5 million RMB ceiling. During the live stream, Zhang Xue connected with the winning bidder, who revealed they were an employee of “Wash Bear,” a brand under Guangdong Aimei Xiong Beauty Technology Co., Ltd., participating on behalf of the company. During the live connection, Zhang Xue announced that the proceeds would be donated jointly in the names of “Zhang Xue Motorcycles” and “Wash Bear” to Beijing Yanran Angel Children’s Hospital.

According to reports, the original version of this replica motorcycle is the ZXMOTO 820RR-RS,自主研发 by Zhang Xue Motorcycles. On March 28–29, 2026, at the Portimão round of the World Superbike Championship (WSBK) in Portugal, French rider Valentine Debise, riding the Zhang Xue Motorcycles No. 53 820RR-RS, won both races in the middleweight class, breaking a 37-year monopoly by international brands such as Ducati and Yamaha in this category. (Jiemian News)

Amazon responds to reports of 14,000 layoffs in May: The claim is untrue.

Recently, rumors surfaced that Amazon would initiate a new round of layoffs in May, potentially cutting 14,000 positions across key business units, including AWS, retail operations, and human resources, with some teams in China possibly being entirely eliminated. On April 10, Amazon told reporters that this information is untrue. (The Paper)

The state will develop AI MOOCs to ensure equal access to AI education.

Recently, the Ministry of Education, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the National Data Bureau jointly issued the "Action Plan for 'AI + Education'." It clearly states that efforts will be made to promote AI talent development and literacy enhancement. At the basic education level, AI courses will be fully implemented and effectively delivered to cultivate students' intelligent thinking; at the higher education level, AI will be integrated into the public foundational curriculum; at the vocational education level, traditional industry-related programs will be digitally transformed to train highly skilled talent adaptable to industrial transformation; at the lifelong education level, high-quality educational resources will be aggregated and developed to ensure all learners have equal opportunities to learn AI. Meanwhile, teachers' digital literacy and skills will be comprehensively enhanced to fully stimulate their intrinsic motivation to innovate teaching and learning models with AI. (CCTV News)

Hong Kong has implemented its strictest smoking ban: carrying an e-cigarette in public will result in a HK$3,000 fine, with no exceptions for tourists.

The Hong Kong Department of Health announced that, starting April 30, it will prohibit anyone from possessing e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, or herbal smoking products in public places. Consumers will be in violation of the law even if they are merely carrying these items without using them. Those caught may face a minimum fine of HK$3,000 and a maximum penalty of HK$50,000 and six months’ imprisonment. The Department of Health also clarified that the new regulation has no grace period and does not include a “first offense waived” provision. (Caixin)

16 certified public accountants have been warned, and the Ministry of Finance has imposed a heavy penalty on Zhongxingcai Guanghua.

On April 10, the Ministry of Finance issued an administrative penalty decision against Zhongxingcai Guanghua Accounting Firm. According to the decision, starting in June 2025, the Ministry organized an inspection team to conduct a quality review of Zhongxingcai Guanghua’s professional practices, extending the review to related enterprises. The investigation found that Zhongxingcai Guanghua had professional practice quality issues in multiple audit projects, including financial statement audits of three “Dongxu Group” entities: Dongxu Group Co., Ltd., Dongxu Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., and Dongxu Blue Sky New Energy Co., Ltd. These three companies had previously been heavily penalized by securities regulatory authorities for financial fraud and fraudulent issuance. In response to the findings, the Ministry of Finance and the China Securities Regulatory Commission imposed administrative penalties under the Certified Public Accountants Law and the Securities Law, respectively. Together, the two agencies imposed fines and confiscations totaling RMB 252 million on Zhongxingcai Guanghua; the Ministry of Finance issued a warning and suspended its business operations for one year; it also issued warnings to 16 signing certified public accountants and imposed penalties suspending their practice for one month to one year, respectively. (Everyday Financial News)

Xiaomi cafeteria launches Xiaomi ice cream

Recently, Xiaomi held its 2026 Values Conference, at which the Xiaomi cafeteria unveiled a new product: the "Xiaomi" ice cream. According to photos shared by Redmi product manager Sun Cun, the "Xiaomi" ice cream follows Xiaomi Auto’s naming convention, offering three versions—Standard, Pro, and Max—priced at 5.99 yuan, 6.99 yuan, and 8.99 yuan, respectively. It is understood that as early as 2015, Xiaomi transitioned its cafeteria from outsourced to in-house operations, with chefs and servers all being Xiaomi employees entitled to full-time salaries and company benefits. Xiaomi states that the cafeteria is committed to letting everyone enjoy the joy of indulging, with the goal of creating the highest value-for-money cafeteria. (Sina Tech)

Hong Kong issues its first stablecoin licenses

On April 10, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority announced that the Monetary Authority has granted stablecoin issuer licenses to AnchorPoint Fintech Limited and The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited under the Stablecoin Ordinance to issue stablecoins in Hong Kong. The licenses take effect today. According to the licensees’ business plans, they intend to commence operations within the coming months following the completion of related preparatory work. (Cailianpress)

New regulations on internet platform pricing take effect today, with three departments addressing issues such as automatic renewal and password-free payments.

First, investigate price competition practices and rectify various forms of unfair price competition, such as disorderly pricing and price fraud, to ensure operators comply with regulations. Second, examine price labeling practices and rectify unclear rules regarding price promotions and dynamic pricing, promoting compliance with clear price labeling requirements so consumers can make informed purchasing decisions. Third, review self-pricing practices and address platform-imposed or indirectly enforced rules that compel merchants to lower prices or match prices through algorithmic traffic distribution, enabling merchants to set their own prices. Fourth, examine consumer protection practices and rectify notification methods for automatic renewals and password-free payments, ensuring consumers can make voluntary choices. (CCTV News)

WeChat updated nine features in March, supporting connection to your own lobster via WeChat and Enterprise WeChat.

36Kr learned that on April 10, according to the WeChat Public Class, WeChat rolled out nine updates in March: WeChat Official Accounts can now initiate topics; the number of short videos for product promotion on WeChat Video Channels has increased, with support for linking to "Product Collections"; an incentive program for high-quality creators of WeChat Mini Games has been launched; WeChat and Enterprise WeChat now support connecting to your own lobster; peer-to-peer file transfer can now cross devices; compressed files can be directly "previewed"; Seoul Metro now accepts WeChat Pay for ticket purchases; new product tags have been added to WeChat Mini Stores; and WeChat Mini Stores have introduced six new benefits for merchants.

Samsung China is reported to be undergoing major changes.

Recently, rumors of a major strategic overhaul by Samsung in China have attracted widespread attention. According to the rumored plan, the consumer electronics and home appliance giant may retain only its smartphone and storage business units in full structure, while other segments could be integrated or exited. A source with knowledge of the matter stated that the restructuring has already been approved at Samsung’s headquarters, though no official announcement has been made yet. “Samsung’s white appliances have already withdrawn from the Chinese market, and now its TVs are also exiting; although its monitor business still performs well in China, it is being affected because it falls under the same division as black appliances.” Another individual close to Samsung confirmed that the rumored restructuring plan is accurate. The source added that after the adjustment, Samsung’s major home appliances and monitor business will largely withdraw from the Chinese market, though limited sales may continue through agents or other channels. (The Paper)

National Bureau of Statistics: In March 2026, the national consumer price index rose 1.0% year-over-year.

36Kr has learned that, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, in March, following the Spring Festival holiday, consumer demand experienced a seasonal decline, resulting in a 0.7% month-over-month decrease in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and a 1.0% year-over-year increase. Core CPI, excluding food and energy prices, rose 1.1% year-over-year. Influenced by rapid increases in international commodity prices and improved supply-demand conditions in certain domestic industries, the Producer Price Index (PPI) increased 1.0% month-over-month and 0.5% year-over-year.

Tesla China refutes rumors of launching a new compact SUV

In response to market rumors that Tesla is developing a new, smaller, and more affordable electric SUV, Tesla China responded on April 10: “This is false.” According to the reports, this compact SUV is set to be produced in China, with plans to expand production to the United States and Europe. (Caixin Global)

SpaceX incurred nearly $5 billion in losses last year due to AI investments.

According to two people familiar with the matter, SpaceX incurred a loss of nearly $5 billion last year, while generating revenue exceeding $18.5 billion. This loss includes expenses related to xAI—the artificial intelligence company founded by Elon Musk, which SpaceX acquired in February of this year. The net loss and other financial figures resulting from the consolidation of SpaceX and xAI’s performance had not been previously disclosed. SpaceX is preparing for what could be the largest initial public offering (IPO) in history and has kept its financial situation strictly confidential during this process. (Sina Finance)

Major Chinese tech stocks rose pre-market in the U.S., with Li Auto up more than 3%.

36Kr reports that major Chinese ADRs rose pre-market; as of reporting, Li Auto rose over 3%, Baidu rose over 2%, NIO, Tencent Music, and iQIYI each rose over 1%, Akubu rose 0.81%, JD.com rose 0.74%, Pinduoduo rose 0.58%, XPeng fell 0.58%, and Bilibili fell 0.38%.

Porsche's sales in China have dropped another 20%, a 60% decline compared to three years ago.

On April 10, Porsche officially reported that in the first quarter of 2026, global deliveries of new vehicles totaled 61,000 units, a 15% year-over-year decline, primarily due to the discontinuation of the fuel-powered 718, the high base from the prior-year launch of the all-electric Macan, and the cancellation of U.S. electric vehicle tax incentives. North America remained the largest single market with 18,000 deliveries, down 11% year-over-year; deliveries in Germany increased slightly by 4% to 7,778 units; Europe (excluding Germany) declined by 18%; and deliveries in China fell 21% year-over-year to 7,519 units.

According to Yicai, the brand's quarterly sales in China have declined by more than 60% compared to 21,365 units in the first quarter of 2023.

The U.S. Treasury Secretary and the Federal Reserve Chair are reportedly gathering Wall Street executives to discuss the risks of Anthropic’s new AI model.

According to reports, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Powell convened an emergency meeting with Wall Street executives to ensure that institutions are aware of the potential risks posed by Anthropic’s new AI model, Mythos, and similar future models, and to take preventive measures to safeguard their systems. (Jiemian News)

One of Hangzhou's "Six Little Dragons," Qunxue Technology, received over 82 times subscription on its first day of Hong Kong IPO offering.

On April 9, Manycore Tech launched its Hong Kong IPO. Brokerage data showed that on the first day, the offering was oversubscribed by 82 times, with subscription funds totaling approximately HK$10.047 billion, while the planned fundraising amount was HK$122 million. Manycore Tech plans to issue 161 million shares, including 16.062 million shares for the Hong Kong public offering and 145 million shares for the international placement, with a maximum issue price of HK$7.62 per share, and a total expected fundraising amount not exceeding HK$1.227 billion. According to the schedule, the global public offering will conclude on April 14, and Manycore Tech is expected to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on April 17, becoming the first company among the "Six Little Dragons of Hangzhou" to go public.

Honor of Kings World is now officially available on PC.

36Kr learned that on April 10, the new game based on the Honor of Kings IP, "Honor of Kings: World," officially launched on PC. Developed by Tencent's TiMi Studio Group, this game marks a significant step in expanding the Honor of Kings content universe.

The "OpenClaw-type Agent Deployment Risk Management Guidelines" have been officially released.

36Kr learned that, according to the official WeChat account of the China Alliance for the Development of Artificial Intelligence, on April 10, during the 17th General Meeting of the China Alliance for the Development of Artificial Intelligence, the Alliance’s Security Governance Committee officially released the “Guidelines for Risk Management in the Deployment of OpenClaw-like Agents.” Aimed at systematically addressing the security challenges posed by OpenClaw-like agents, the guidelines focus on key risk control pain points encountered by enterprises during technology implementation, proposing an overall security deployment framework and self-assessment standards covering the entire lifecycle—from deployment and usage to decommissioning. The guidelines aim to advance agent deployment from merely “being deployable” to “securely deployed, properly used, and continuously governed,” providing practical guidance for enterprises to implement technology in a standardized manner.

Seat belt anchors may detach; Hyundai recalls over 290,000 vehicles in the U.S.

On April 10, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Hyundai Motor America is recalling certain 2023–2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6, 2023–2026 Genesis G90, and 2024–2026 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles due to potential detachment of the seat belt anchor points for drivers and passengers, affecting a total of 294,128 vehicles. (Jiemian News)

The lead executive of OpenAI's "Stargate Project" has departed, marking another major shift in the data center strategy.

According to multiple sources, three executives who played key roles in launching OpenAI’s first “Stargate” data center project have resigned or are set to depart soon from the ChatGPT developer. One source confirmed that Peter Hirschler, an OpenAI executive instrumental in launching the “Stargate” project, has left the company. Two other sources stated that Shamesh Hemani, responsible for compute strategy and business development, and Anuj Saharan, another leader in OpenAI’s compute division, have announced their departures to colleagues. (Sina Finance)

Huawei enters the AI glasses market

On April 8, He Gang, CEO of Huawei’s Consumer BG, posted a real-life photo on social media, with a watermark in the lower left corner clearly reading “HUAWEI AI Glasses.” He simply previewed it with the eight-character phrase, “Discover the highlights for yourself, stay tuned,” revealing no further details. However, this move clearly signals the upcoming launch of Huawei’s new AI glasses. The科创板Daily also confirmed this news with sources from the industry supply chain. In the image bearing the “HUAWEI AI Glasses” label, the photographer’s hands are visible in the frame but holding no devices, indicating that Huawei’s new smart glasses will support photography and AI voice control features. (The科创板Daily)

Ali: The HappyHorse model is currently in internal testing, with API access to be opened soon.

36Kr learned that Alibaba stated HappyHorse is a model developed by the Innovation Division under Alibaba ATH, currently in internal testing and set to open its API soon. The Innovation Division of ATH has launched an initiative to explore entirely new interaction methods for the AI era, with HappyHorse being one part of this exploration; more products will be rolled out gradually. HappyHorse has already registered its official Weibo account, signaling its formal debut, though a bit more time is needed.

Anthropic has agreed to lease AI computing power from CoreWeave to support Claude.

Anthropic has agreed to lease data center computing power from CoreWeave to meet the growing demand for its AI services. According to CoreWeave’s CEO, this computing power will include various NVIDIA chip architectures across U.S. data centers. The agreement will assist Anthropic in building and deploying its Claude AI models, and CoreWeave has now added four major AI model developers to its client roster. (Cailian Press)

MiniMax launches the music generation model Music 2.6

36Kr learned that on April 10, the large model company MiniMax officially launched its next-generation music generation model, Music 2.6. This update brings comprehensive enhancements from the underlying engine to creation tools, significantly improving generation latency, music control, and acoustic quality. It introduces a new "Cover" creation feature and the Music Skill designed for the AI Agent ecosystem, and opens a 14-day free beta to creators worldwide.

Full Chip Intelligence

36Kr learned that, according to the China Securities Regulatory Commission’s website, the IPO counseling status of Quanxin Zhizao Technology Co., Ltd. has been changed to “Counseling Completed,” with Guotai Haitong Securities serving as the counseling broker.

Changjin Photonics

36Kr learned that on April 10, the China Securities Regulatory Commission issued an approval granting registration for the initial public offering of Wuhan Changjin Photonics Technology Co., Ltd., approving its application to list its shares on the STAR Market.

TSMC: Revenue increased by 35% year-over-year in the first quarter.

On April 10, TSMC (2330.TW) released its March revenue data. In March, TSMC’s revenue reached NT$415.19 billion (approximately $13 billion), a 45.2% year-over-year increase. For the first quarter of this year (January to March), TSMC’s revenue totaled NT$1.134 trillion (approximately $35.7 billion), up 35.1% year-over-year. Previously, TSMC forecast stronger growth this year driven by the booming global artificial intelligence industry, expecting first-quarter revenue of $34.6 billion to $35.8 billion and a gross margin of 63% to 65%. First-quarter revenue approached the upper end of the previously predicted range. TSMC will release its first-quarter earnings report next week, disclosing net profit figures and the proportion of revenue from advanced process technologies. (Yicai)

MUJI: Revenue for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026 reached RMB 19.61 billion, representing a 14.8% year-over-year growth.

36Kr learned that Muji (Shanghai) Business Co., Ltd.'s parent company, Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd., released its financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026 (September 1, 2025 – February 28, 2026). The report showed that revenue for the quarter reached RMB 19.61 billion, a 14.8% year-over-year increase; operating profit amounted to RMB 2.015 billion, up 24.8% year-over-year. As of February 28, 2026, the global store count reached 1,460. In mainland China, the store network increased by a net 15 locations during the first half of the period, bringing the total to 437 stores.

Spring Airlines: Net profit of RMB 2.317 billion in 2025, up 1.96% year-over-year.

36Kr learned that Spring Airlines announced that it achieved a revenue of RMB 21.46 billion in 2025, a 7.30% year-over-year increase; net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company was RMB 2.317 billion, compared with RMB 2.273 billion in the same period last year, representing a 1.96% year-over-year increase; basic earnings per share amounted to RMB 2.38.

Juren Network: First-quarter net profit expected to increase by 187% to 245%

36Kr learned that Giant Network announced that its net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company is expected to reach RMB 1 billion to RMB 1.2 billion in the first quarter of 2026, representing a year-over-year growth of 187.47% to 244.96%; non-GAAP net profit is expected to be RMB 950 million to RMB 1.15 billion, up 162.19% to 217.38% year-over-year. From a business structure perspective, the company’s revenue growth is primarily driven by its core products, with its self-developed mobile game "Supernatural Operations Unit" achieving over 10 million daily active users (DAU).

Shengshu Technology has completed a B-round financing of nearly RMB 2 billion.

36Kr learns that Shengshu Technology has announced the completion of a B-round financing of nearly RMB 2 billion. This round was led by Alibaba Cloud, with strategic investments from China National Investment & Management Co., Ltd., Jiuan Haitang, TAL Education, and Guanghe Venture Capital. Existing shareholders including Starlink Capital, Dathe Capital, Jianfa Emerging Investment, BV (Baidu Ventures), and Zhuoyuan Asia also continued to increase their investments. Shengshu Technology has currently established strategic partnerships with multiple companies specializing in embodied agents and models.

"Octopus Power" has secured hundreds of millions in funding led by Singapore-based venture capital firm K3.

36Kr has learned that "Octopus Power (SynapX)" has announced securing strategic investment from K3 of Singapore, with existing shareholders Shunwei, Xiaomi, Hillhouse, and Linear continuing to increase their stakes.

"OpenChina" has completed a C+ round of financing amounting to hundreds of millions of yuan.

36Kr learned that on April 10, open-source and AI infrastructure provider "OSChina" announced the completion of a C+ round of financing amounting to hundreds of millions of yuan, led by Shanghai State Investment Leading Fund, with participation from China Internet Investment Fund, Junlian Capital, Lenovo Capital, Suzhou Venture Capital, and Baker Capital. To date, OSChina’s total accumulated financing has approached 2 billion yuan. The proceeds from this round will be primarily directed toward critical core technologies in information technology innovation, AI infrastructure development, industrial digital transformation, and breakthroughs in independently controllable technologies.

"Zhi Xin Technology" completes a B-round financing of nearly one billion RMB.

36Kr has learned that general-purpose heterogeneous intelligent CPU chip company "Cixin Technology" has announced the completion of a B-round financing of nearly RMB 1 billion. The round was co-led by Shanghai IC Fund and Pudong Venture Capital, two state-owned investment platforms at the municipal and district levels, with continued participation from existing shareholders including Legend Capital, Tongge Venture Capital, and Yuanhe PuHua. Additional investors include Yuyang Yangming Fund, Ningbo Vesta, Zhikai Capital, Fuzhou Xintou Venture Capital, Fuzhou Rongzi Capital, Fudan Innovation, and other social capital. The proceeds will be primarily used to scale up commercial deployment of existing products and to accelerate the research, development, and mass production of the next-generation high-performance intelligent agent CPU, further advancing the intelligent agent terminal ecosystem.

NIO ES9 is now open for pre-orders, with a starting price of RMB 528,000.

36Kr has learned that NIO has officially launched its flagship electric SUV, the NIO ES9, and opened pre-orders. The ES9 represents the culmination of NIO’s eleven years of systemic innovation, available in three variants with a pre-sale price range of RMB 528,000 to RMB 658,000. With the BaaS (Battery as a Service) battery leasing option, the pre-sale price ranges from RMB 420,000 to RMB 550,000.

Xpeng and Fuyao jointly launch AI-tinting privacy glass, with the first batch delivered for mass production.

36Kr learned that on April 10, XPeng Motors and Fuyao Group held an event in Fuzhou to announce the official launch and first mass-production delivery of their jointly developed AI-tinting privacy glass. The glass features seven core performance attributes—including rapid light adjustment, enhanced privacy, superior sun protection, and long lifespan—and will be first installed on the XPeng GX model.

Compiled by Kris