8:00am, 1st Kr: 12306 responds to "cancellation of window seat selection"; Zhang Xuefeng responds to being named for "using foul language"; Search for the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 to resume
Today's Hotspot Guide
ICBC Raises the Minimum Deposit for 3-Year Large-Value Certificates of Deposit to 1 Million Yuan
Doubao Mobile Assistant Responds to "Infringing on User Privacy" Allegations
Wanda Redeems a Wanda Plaza for the First Time
Cambodia to Pilot Visa-Free Policy for Chinese Citizens
Dell Founder Donates $6.25 Billion to Set Up Investment Accounts for American Children
LVMH Responds to Allegations from Hermès Heir
12306 Responds to "Cancellation of Window Seat Selection"
Recently, some netizens posted online that when selecting seats for ticket purchase on 12306, they found that the Chinese character "window" on both sides of seats A and F was gone and was replaced by "two walls". In response, on December 2nd, a reporter called the 12306 customer service hotline for consultation. The staff member responded that the seat selection interface for ticket purchase had recently been optimized and adjusted. What's on both sides of seats A and F is not "wall", but the Chinese character "window" has been changed to a vertical line. Seats A and F are still window seats, but they may not be directly facing the window. They could be in front of or behind the window. The interface optimization is to avoid misunderstandings caused by whether a seat is by the window or not.
Previously, according to media reports, some netizens reported that they bought high - speed rail tickets for window seats but found themselves in "wall - facing seats" without windows after boarding the train. They suggested that the railway department refine the seat markings to facilitate consumers' seat selection. (Yicai Global)
Zhang Xuefeng Posts Response to "Being Notified and Punished for Using Vulgar Language for a Long Time During Live Broadcast": I've Conducted a Deep Self-Reflection
On December 3rd, according to the official WeChat account of "Cyber China", recently, the cyber-security department has guided relevant website platforms to handle the illegal and weigui behaviors of online celebrity accounts in accordance with the law. Among the typical cases in the notification, accounts such as "Hu Chenfeng" and "Zhang Xuefeng" are included. The notification states that the Weibo account "Lanxi" posted content promoting overseas pornographic films, and the Douyin anchor "Zhang Xuefeng" used vulgar language for a long time during a live broadcast. The relevant accounts have been restricted from speaking and broadcasting for a limited period. Subsequently, Zhang Xuefeng posted a response on the Weibo platform: "The punishment period has passed. I've conducted a deep self-reflection. Thank you all for your concern and support! It won't happen again." (Jiemian News)
Search for Wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 to Resume
Malaysia's Ministry of Transport announced on December 3 that the underwater exploration company "Ocean Infinity" will resume the search for the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 on December 30. On March 8, 2014, Flight MH370, which was flying from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing, China, lost contact. There were 239 people on board. On January 29, 2015, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia declared the flight crashed and presumed all those on board dead. (Xinhua News Agency)
Doubao Mobile Assistant Responds to "Infringing on User Privacy": Requires Active User Authorization and Will Not Store User Screen Content in the Cloud
36Kr learned that on December 3rd, Doubao Mobile Assistant issued a statement responding to issues related to abnormal WeChat logins and user privacy. It stated that there is no hacking behavior in Doubao Mobile Assistant. Doubao Mobile Assistant needs active user authorization to invoke the relevant permissions for operating the mobile phone. The use of these permissions has also been clearly disclosed in the permission list. As far as we know, currently, all AI assistants in the industry need to use this permission (or a similar accessibility permission) to provide mobile phone operation services. Doubao Mobile Assistant will not conduct relevant authorizations and sensitive operations on behalf of users. In addition, the mobile assistant will not store any user screen content in the cloud.
Online Rumor: Former Xiaomi Executive Wang Teng Joins Meizu? Insider Denies
Recently, there has been another rumor online that Wang Teng, the former general manager of Xiaomi's China market department and the general manager of the Redmi brand, has joined Meizu. In response to this rumor, an insider close to Meizu denied it to Sina Technology. (Sina Technology)
Influenza Reaches High - Prevalence Level in 17 Provinces
Currently, the overall incidence of acute respiratory infectious diseases in China is on the rise. Influenza has entered a high - prevalence stage in many provinces. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) predicts that it is highly likely that influenza will peak in China in the first and middle ten - days of December. According to Wang Dayan, the director of the National Influenza Center at the Institute of Virology of the China CDC, the overall incidence of acute respiratory infectious diseases in China is currently rising. Influenza viruses are the main prevalent pathogens. All the detected pathogens are known and common ones, and no unknown pathogens or new infectious diseases caused by them have been monitored.
Wang Dayan said that 17 provinces have reached a high - prevalence level, while the other provinces are at a medium - prevalence level. Based on recent monitoring, it is highly likely that the influenza will peak across the country in the first and middle ten - days of December. It will take some time for the influenza activity level to decline to a low level. Therefore, influenza prevention and control cannot be relaxed in the next 6 - 8 weeks. The influenza A (H3N2) subtype virus still dominates the epidemic, accounting for over 95%. There is also a small amount of influenza A (H1N1) subtype and influenza B virus circulating simultaneously. (CCTV News, Jiemian News)
The industry says that the prices of mobile phones and computers will skyrocket in the future. The sudden sharp increase in storage prices has caught manufacturers off guard.
Recently, multiple new mobile phone models have been launched, with prices increasing by 100 - 300 yuan compared to their predecessors. However, the storage industry expects that even larger price increases are yet to come. "I told my customers that if they want to buy smart terminal products, they should do it quickly. Prices will skyrocket in the future and suddenly become very expensive. This is due to the epic price increase in storage," said Ni Huangzhong, the chairman of Shenzhen Time Creative Electronics Co., Ltd., a storage manufacturer. Reporters learned from market research firm TrendForce that currently, the storage inventory levels of mobile phone manufacturers are generally low, which means they will have to accept the price increase of storage if they want to continue production. The sudden and significant increase in storage prices has caught some manufacturers off guard. Reporters understand that neither original manufacturers, module manufacturers, nor downstream consumer electronics manufacturers were well - prepared for this unprecedented price increase, and it is also difficult to accurately predict the future supply - demand situation. (Yicai Global)
Wanda Redeems a Wanda Plaza for the First Time
It is reported that on December 2nd, industrial and commercial changes occurred to Yantai Zhifu Wanda Plaza Co., Ltd. Kunhua (Tianjin) Equity Investment Partnership (Limited Partnership) under New China Life Insurance and Kunyuanchenxing (Xiamen) Investment Management Consulting Co., Ltd. withdrew from the list of shareholders. Shanghai Wanda Ruichi Enterprise Management Co., Ltd. under Wanda Commercial Management was newly added as the wholly - owned controlling shareholder. Meanwhile, changes took place among multiple senior executives. This move means that after selling more than 40 Wanda Plazas, Wanda Group has redeemed a Wanda Plaza for the first time. (Jiemian News)
ICBC Raises the Minimum Deposit for 3-Year Large-Value Certificates of Deposit to 1 Million Yuan
On December 2nd, a reporter from Cailian Press logged into the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) APP and found that the fourth issue of the bank's 3-year personal large-value certificates of deposit for 2025, which is currently on sale, has a minimum deposit requirement marked as "Starting from 1 million yuan", and the annual interest rate is only 1.55%. The annual interest rate of the latest 3-year time deposit product of ICBC is marked as "The maximum annual interest rate can reach 1.55%", and the minimum deposit requirement for the time deposit is only 50 yuan. Through inquiries and interviews, Cailian Press learned that currently in the market, the minimum deposit requirement for large-value certificates of deposit of various banks is basically 200,000 yuan. (Cailian Press)
Westlake University will conduct undergraduate admissions in Shandong Province for the first time
36Kr learned from Westlake University that after enrolling undergraduates in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Henan, Guangdong, and Chongqing outside Zhejiang Province for the first time in 2025, Westlake University will conduct comprehensive evaluation admissions in Shandong Province for the first time in 2026. The majors available for enrollment are Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, Electronic Information Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Biological Sciences, and Clinical Medicine.
Cambodia to Pilot Visa - Free Policy for Chinese Citizens
The Cambodian government issued an official document on the 2nd, stating that it will pilot a visa - free policy for Chinese citizens from June 15 to October 15, 2026. The document says that the Cambodian government has agreed to pilot a visa - free policy for Chinese citizens traveling from China to Cambodia, allowing them to stay for 14 days. During the four - month pilot period, Chinese citizens do not need to apply for a visa or pay any fees. They only need to fill out an electronic entry card to enter Cambodia, and they can enter Cambodia multiple times. (Xinhua News Agency)
Cai Lei, former vice president of JD.com: Ready to try brain-computer interface
During an exclusive interview using an eye tracker, Cai Lei, a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and former vice president of JD.com, said that if one day the eye control technology can no longer meet his work needs, he is ready to try the brain-computer interface. "We have promoted relevant clinical research in many institutions such as Huashan Hospital and Tangdu Hospital, and many fellow patients have also actively participated," Cai Lei said. He believes that in the future, humans will really be able to communicate with the world directly through their thoughts. (The Paper)
French fashion brand Etam suddenly announced store closures and may completely exit the Chinese market
French fashion brand Etam posted store closure announcements on its official accounts on Tmall, Xiaohongshu and other platforms, stating that due to the company's business adjustment, Etam's official Tmall flagship store stopped operating on November 30. The announcement said that the goods ordered before this date will be delivered as originally planned. The store reminded customers who won the Double Eleven membership challenge program to visit the store to select and redeem their prizes before December 8. The warehouse will stop shipping on December 8, and no shipping arrangements can be made after the deadline. The store's online customer service will be available until December 15. According to its staff, the Xiaohongshu and Douyin stores have also been closed simultaneously. On December 3, Jiemian News checked Etam's official Tmall flagship store and found that only a small number of underwear products were left for winners and members to redeem with points, and there were no new products available. (Jiemian News)
iPad's Market Share in China Drops Significantly, Huawei Reclaims the Top Spot in China's Tablet Shipment Share
On December 3rd, Omdia recently released the data for the Chinese tablet market in the third quarter of 2025. The overall shipment volume reached 8.8 million units, a year-on-year increase of 9%. Huawei tablets had a shipment volume of 2.7 million units in the third quarter, firmly retaining the top position in the market. The shipment volume increased significantly by 21% year-on-year, accounting for 31% of the market share. In contrast, Apple's iPad shipment volume in this quarter dropped to 2 million units, and its market share shrank to 23%, a significant drop of 14% compared to 2.3 million units in the same period last year. Xiaomi ranked third, maintaining a 10% market share with a shipment volume of 900,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 5%. Lenovo emerged as a dark horse, with its shipment volume catching up with Xiaomi, surging by 71% compared to 500,000 units in the same period last year. Honor ranked fifth, with a shipment volume of 600,000 units, maintaining a 7% market share. (Kuaikeji)
Tesla Releases Running Video of Humanoid Robot "Optimus"
On December 3rd Beijing time, Tesla CEO Elon Musk reposted a short video of the humanoid robot "Optimus" running, which was released by the Tesla Optimus team, on the social platform X. The team accompanied the video with the caption: Just set a new personal record (PR) in the lab. (Jiemian News)
Dell Founder Donates $6.25 Billion to Set Up Investment Accounts for US Children
Michael Dell, the founder of Dell Technologies, and his wife, Susan Dell, announced on December 2nd local time that they will donate $6.25 billion to help 25 million children build a solid financial foundation through the "American Investment" program, with each child receiving $250. According to the "American Investment" program, the Trump administration will open investment accounts for eligible newborns in the United States starting in 2026 and provide each baby with a $1,000 starting fund. As stipulated, all newborn US citizens who are born between January 1st, 2025, and December 31st, 2028, and have a Social Security number will automatically get an account, and the US Treasury Department will inject a $1,000 federal starting fund. (Jiemian News)
Comcast Makes Another Bid to Acquire Warner Bros. Assets, Considering Merging NBCUniversal with It
According to people familiar with the matter, Comcast is considering a plan to merge its NBCUniversal division with Warner Bros. Discovery. The people revealed that Comcast re - submitted an offer to acquire some of Warner Bros.' assets on December 1st, which would give it control of the combined entity. Since the terms have not been made public, the people declined to be named. (Sina Finance)
The EU Reaches Agreement to Phase Out Russian Natural Gas Imports by 2027
On December 2, local time, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament announced that they had reached an agreement to gradually stop importing natural gas from Russia by 2027, stating that this regulation would help end any dependence on Russian natural gas and enhance the EU's energy security. (Jiemian News)
YouTube Agrees to Comply with Australian Minors Ban
YouTube, the video streaming platform owned by Google, said on December 3 that it will comply with Australia's ban on children under 16 using social media accounts. This means that all the most popular platforms with young users have agreed to comply with this law. (Sina Finance)
LVMH Responds to Allegations from Hermès Heir: No "Secret Shareholding" in Any Form
The luxury giant LVMH Group stated in a statement that it is responding to the relevant allegations made by Nicolas Puech, the fifth - generation heir of Hermès. It clearly denies claims such as "secretly acquiring Hermès shares" and emphasizes that it reserves the right to pursue legal liability. LVMH said that the group and its shareholders have never misappropriated Hermès stocks in any form, nor do they have any "secret shareholding." It also mentioned that Puech's allegations have been repeatedly rejected by Swiss justice. Recently, Puech sued LVMH and related parties on the grounds of "fraudulent transfer of shares." He claimed that 6 million shares of Hermès worth about 14 billion euros under his name were secretly transferred to LVMH by his long - trusted financial advisor without his knowledge. (Jiemian News)
Over 20 cities have suspended or adjusted national subsidies for automobiles
As the end of the year approaches, with the further depletion of the fourth batch of 69 billion yuan in national subsidy funds, more and more localities have suspended or adjusted the subsidy activities for trading in old cars for new ones. According to incomplete statistics, as of now, more than 20 cities across the country have successively suspended or adjusted the application for subsidies for trading in old cars for new ones. For example, Hubei Province adjusted the way of issuing qualification vouchers for trading in old cars for new ones in mid - November. The daily issuance of qualification vouchers is now distributed in 4 batches in a concentrated manner, and the issuance time of the last batch is December 5th. Each batch of qualification vouchers will stop being issued once they are all claimed. (Yicai Global)
US Media: The US Has Fully Banned Travelers from 12 Countries and Plans to Expand the Travel Ban to 30 Countries
Last week, two National Guard members were shot by an Afghan immigrant near the White House, and one of them died of his injuries. After the incident, Trump said a series of measures would be taken to restrict immigrants from entering the United States. Meanwhile, US media reported on the 2nd that currently, the Trump administration is considering expanding the scope of the travel ban to about 30 countries. An official from the US Department of Homeland Security revealed that the list of newly added countries is expected to be announced soon. At present, the US has fully banned travelers from 12 countries from entering and imposed partial restrictions on another 7 countries. Meanwhile, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services said it has suspended immigration applications from people from 19 previously restricted countries such as Afghanistan, Iran and Sudan, and is conducting a "comprehensive re - review" of those who entered the US during or after the Biden administration. (CCTV Finance)
East Selection to Open Its First Flagship Store in Beijing: Live - streaming Agency Expands Offline
East Selection is taking its first step towards CEO Yu Minhong's vision of opening 100 stores across the country. On December 3rd, it was found that East Selection is recruiting a store manager for its first flagship store in Beijing with a salary range of 15,000 - 30,000 yuan. Preference will be given to candidates with management experience in the "catering + retail" combined business model. It is reported that this flagship store is located in Zhongguancun, Beijing, covering an area of about 400 square meters. In addition to convenience store items such as fresh produce, snacks, and daily necessities, it also includes a simple meal area and a coffee and beverage section. (Beijing Business Today)
The three major U.S. stock indexes closed higher collectively, while most popular Chinese concept stocks declined.
36Kr learned that at the close on December 3rd, the three major U.S. stock indexes all rose. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.86%, the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.17%, and the S&P 500 Index rose 0.3%. Large technology stocks showed mixed performance. Tesla rose more than 4%, Google rose more than 1%, while Microsoft fell more than 2%, and Meta and NVIDIA fell more than 1%. Most popular Chinese concept stocks declined. NIO and XPeng Motors fell more than 4%, Li Auto fell more than 3%, Bilibili fell more than 2%, and Alibaba, Baidu, and Pinduoduo fell more than 1%.
Anthropic
It is reported that Anthropic, an artificial intelligence startup backed by Google under Alphabet and Amazon, has hired Wilson Sonsini law firm to prepare for its initial public offering (IPO) and may go public as early as 2026. (Sina Finance)
Moore Threads
36Kr learned that Moore Threads announced that, upon the approval of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the RMB common shares issued by Moore Threads Intelligent Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. will be listed on the STAR Market of the Shanghai Stock Exchange on December 5, 2025.
Xihua Technology
36Kr learned that according to documents from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Shenzhen Xihua Technology Co., Ltd. has submitted a listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with ABC International as the sole sponsor.
Unisplendour Corporation Limited
36Kr learned that documents from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange showed that Unisplendour Corporation Limited submitted a listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The joint sponsors are CSC International, CMBC International, and BNP Paribas.
General Envirotech Co., Ltd.
36Kr learned that General Envirotech Co., Ltd. announced that it intends to apply for the initial public offering of overseas-listed shares (H shares) and list on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The shares to be issued and listed this time are overseas-listed shares (H shares), all of which are common shares, with a face value denominated in RMB and subscribed for in foreign currency. The face value of each share is RMB 1. The scale of this issuance shall not exceed 20% of the total share capital, and an over-allotment option of not more than 15% may be exercised.
Bloomsbury Publishing Partners with Google on AI Learning and Publishing Technology
UK-based Bloomsbury Publishing has announced a partnership with Google Cloud, focusing on technological innovation, AI-driven learning, and core publishing infrastructure. This collaboration will combine Bloomsbury's expertise in the publishing field with Google Cloud's secure AI technology. According to the statement, with the advanced AI infrastructure, Bloomsbury will use it to improve trend analysis and boost the sales of its books. Meanwhile, customized prediction models can also optimize inventory management. (Cailian Press)
London Stock Exchange Group Reaches a Partnership with OpenAI
The London Stock Exchange Group announced on December 3 that it will integrate its financial data and analysis functions into ChatGPT and provide its employees with access to OpenAI's enterprise tools, further promoting the application of artificial intelligence in the financial market. (Jiemian News)
Microsoft Lowers Sales Targets for AI Software as Enterprise Customers Show Cool Response to New Products
Executives at Microsoft and other enterprise software companies once hailed 2025 as the year when artificial intelligence would automate multi-step tasks, such as generating dashboards based on a company's sales data. However, as the end of the year approaches, Microsoft has lowered its market penetration expectations for its new-generation AI products (i.e., "intelligent agents") and is no longer forcing customers to pay for such products quickly. According to two salespeople in Microsoft's Azure cloud division, since multiple departments failed to meet the sales growth targets for AI products in the fiscal year ending in June, several business lines at Microsoft have now lowered the sales growth targets for some AI products. The two insiders said that it is rare for Microsoft to lower sales targets for specific products. (Sina Finance)
The net profit of Inditex, the parent company of Zara, increased by 3.9% to 4.6 billion euros in the first three quarters
Inditex Group, the parent company of Spanish fast - fashion brand Zara, released its financial report for the first three quarters on December 3, showing that sales increased by 2.7% to 28.2 billion euros, and net profit increased by 3.9% to 4.6 billion euros. (Jiemian News)
Li Auto officially launched its first AI glasses, "Livis"
Li Auto's first AI glasses, "Livis", were officially launched on the evening of December 3rd. The product weighs only 36 grams, comes standard with Zeiss anti - blue light optical lenses, has a battery life of up to 18.8 hours, and is priced from 1999 yuan. After the national subsidy, it starts from 1699 yuan, and the fastest delivery is on the same day. (IT Home)
The new national standard for electric bicycles is fully implemented, and there are 1.05 million existing electric bicycle-related enterprises in China
Since December 1st, in accordance with the requirements of the new mandatory national standard for electric bicycles, all electric bicycle products sold must comply with the new version of the mandatory national standard. The sale of electric bicycles under the "old national standard" is completely prohibited. The new standard makes provisions on fire prevention and flame retardancy of electric bicycles. Data from Aiqicha shows that there are 1.0595 million existing electric bicycle-related enterprises in China, with approximately 192,200 newly added this year. From the perspective of the distribution of establishment years, enterprises established 1 - 3 years ago have the highest proportion, about 27.17%.
Compiled | Stuffed Tofu