9:00 AM 1Kr | The Korea Baduk Association says it will transfer the prize money to Ke Jie's account; The 12306 customer service responded that there are 70% off train tickets during the Spring Festival travel rush; NetEase Cloud Music may remove SM Entertainment's copyrighted songs.
TOP3 Big News
Ke Jie Refuses to Attend the LG Cup Go Tournament Award Ceremony Due to Controversial Penalty
The LG Cup award ceremony was held on the 24th. Bae Sang-il attended the ceremony, lifted the LG Cup championship trophy, and received the championship prize of 300 million Korean won. According to media reports, Ke Jie and Yu Bin set off to return to China on the 24th and refused to attend the LG Cup award ceremony. Bae Sang-il also gave an interview to the media about Ke Jie's illegal move, saying that he only learned about the new rule when the referee made the penalty decision, and he believed that the rule was unnecessary and had nothing to do with the outcome of the game.
Relevant personnel from the Korean Baduk Association said: The prize money is usually transferred to the bank account, and we will study how to send the trophy and other items. The LG Cup champion receives a prize of 300 million Korean won (approximately 1.517 million yuan in RMB), and the runner-up receives 100 million Korean won (approximately 506,000 yuan in RMB).
Previously reported that on January 23, in the deciding game of the third round of the three-game final of the 29th LG Cup World Baduk Championship, Ke Jie did not put the lid of the go container when picking up the stones, and was normally penalized by two points. After negotiation, Ke Jie proposed a rematch, did not accept the penalty, and chose to withdraw from the game. Ke Jie said that he had never suffered such injustice in his life and should not attend any closing ceremony after that. After withdrawing from the game, Ke Jie changed his personal profile to the World Go Nine-time Champion. (Xiaoxiang Morning News)
12306 Customer Service Responds to 30% Discount Train Tickets during Spring Festival Travel Rush: To Guide People to Travel in Different Times and Sell Tickets
According to Zhongxin Jingwei, some netizens posted on social media platforms that there are many 30% discount train tickets on the China Railway 12306 platform. In response, the 12306 customer service stated that (the railway department) may be to guide people to travel in different times and to sell tickets. Ticket prices will have different discounts according to different routes, train types, and passenger flows. "Generally speaking, there will be 30% discount tickets on routes with relatively small passenger flows and requiring transfers." Another customer service representative said that this discount is not for a specific route. "Not only during the Spring Festival travel rush, but also in normal times, there will be corresponding discounts." In addition, regarding the discount intensity, another customer service representative said, "There were also discount tickets during previous holidays, but the lowest was 50% off, and 60% off was more common. This year, the discount intensity is relatively large, with tickets as low as 20% to 30% off, and the discount intensity may vary every day. Passengers need to check by themselves which directions and train numbers have discount tickets."
It is reported that as of 9:00 on January 23, the Railway 12306 has sold a total of 278 million tickets during the Spring Festival travel rush. From January 24 to 27, during the peak period before the festival, there are sufficient remaining tickets from Nanjing and Xuzhou to Shanghai, and from Zhanjiang to Guangzhou. From January 28 to February 2, there are sufficient remaining tickets for the round trip between Shanghai and Nanjing. From February 3 to 5, it is the peak period for the return journey after the festival. There are sufficient remaining tickets for the round trip between Shanghai and Nanjing, Beijing, Shenyang and Dalian, and from Shanghai to Xuzhou and Wuhan. (Zhongxin Jingwei)
Netease Cloud Music May Remove SM Entertainment's Copyrighted Songs
36Kr learned that on January 24, Netease Cloud Music released "A Letter to Korean SM Fans", stating that due to the unilateral notice from the copyright owner not to renew the contract, Netease Cloud Music may have to remove all the song contents of South Korea's SM Entertainment from the platform on January 31, expressing deep regret and reluctance. Netease Cloud Music said that the platform has always cherished these excellent music works, is well aware of the irreplaceable value of SM's copyrighted content for the majority of fans, and is still making the greatest efforts through multiple approaches, aspects, and channels to strive for the possibility of renewing the copyright contract.
Big Companies/Big Events
Toyota Integrates Its Business in China, and the Joint Venture Brands of Two Automakers Embrace Integration
Exclusive from 36Kr, several informed sources indicate that starting from 2025, Toyota has initiated multiple personnel adjustments in the China region. Besides appointing Li Hui, the first Chinese general manager of Toyota China, Fujihara Hiroyuki, the general manager of GAC Toyota, will be transferred to FAW Toyota to assume the position of general manager. An informed source told 36Kr that Toyota plans to optimize the "Twin Model" strategy in the China region, and a preliminary direction has already been determined. At the product level, some "twin models" will be merged, and in the future, only one of them may be retained for sale. "Twin models" refer to two vehicle models developed from the same source, such as GAC Toyota Levin and FAW Toyota Corolla, GAC Toyota Camry and FAW Toyota Avalon, etc.
Jiyue Automobile: Plans to Resume the SIMO Voice Feedback for Vehicles and the Feedback Channel of the Jiyue App after the Spring Festival
36Kr learned that Jiyue Automobile posted on its WeChat official account stating that it plans to resume the SIMO voice feedback for vehicles and the feedback channel of the Jiyue App after the Spring Festival. At that time, problems can be submitted by waking up SIMO through the vehicle's infotainment system, or by submitting them in the Jiyue App.
Wang Hua Responds to Xiaomi Automobile Recall Incident: Upgrade After Receiving OTA Prompt
36Kr has learned that on January 24, the State Administration for Market Regulation disclosed that recently, Xiaomi Automobile Technology Co., Ltd. filed a recall plan with the State Administration for Market Regulation. It has decided to recall some SU7 standard version electric vehicles produced from February 6, 2024 to November 26, 2024, totaling 30,931 units, starting from today.
In response, Wang Hua, General Manager of the Public Relations Department of Xiaomi Group, said, "The main information is about our initiative to file the Xiaomi SU7 standard version OTA recall plan with the State Administration for Market Regulation today. If your vehicle is among the planned vehicles, you can upgrade after receiving the OTA prompt." According to the response from Xiaomi's official Weibo, "This OTA recall does not require the vehicle to be brought into the store for any inspection or treatment. This upgrade does not require the physical replacement of any parts, but it is still managed and filed in accordance with the recall procedures."
Nezha Automobile Holds Shareholder Communication Meeting, Plans E-round Financing of Over 4 Billion RMB
36Kr has learned that on January 24, Hozon New Energy, the parent company of Nezha Automobile, held a shareholder communication meeting to discuss the ongoing E-round financing plan. It is understood that the planned financing scale for this round is approximately 4 billion to 4.5 billion. In the past three months, Nezha Automobile, which is in a period of turbulence, has undergone a series of internal adjustment measures such as "focusing and slimming down", and the monthly operating expenses have decreased by more than 70%. On December 6, 2024, Fang Yunzhou, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Nezha Automobile, issued a company-wide letter stating that Nezha Automobile will implement six major reform measures in the future, and be able to achieve half of its sales in China and half abroad within 2-3 years, and achieve overall profitability.
Chen Zhen Responds to Leaking OPPO New Phone
Recently, several bloggers posted that the car reviewer Chen Zhen was suspected of leaking the real machine photos of the OPPO Find N5, which attracted attention. On January 24, Chen Zhen posted a response to being accused of leaking the real OPPO phone. Chen Zhen said: That phone is not mine, and I haven't signed any agreements. I just happened to see it and thought it was very thin, so I took a photo and posted a Weibo. Then someone from the other side communicated with me, and I just hid the Weibo. That's all.
On January 24, the OPPO Legal Affairs Department issued a stern statement, stating that it has launched an internal investigation and will pursue the legal responsibility of the relevant personnel according to law. It is reported that Chen Zhen previously paid 5 million yuan to Lynk & Co for leaking new car information in advance. (Red Star News)
Pre-cooked New Year's Eve Dinner Sells Well, 8 Dishes for 293 Yuan
On the e-commerce platform, the New Year's Eve dinner package priced at 293 Yuan includes 8 dishes, and the page shows that more than 5,000 orders have been sold. Zhu Danpeng, a Chinese food industry analyst, said, "Pre-cooked dishes and semi-finished products have become an important part of the New Year's Eve dinner market." The China Chain Restaurant Report shows that the scale of China's pre-cooked food market will reach 543.4 billion yuan in 2023 and will exceed one trillion yuan in 2026, with an average annual compound growth rate of more than 20%. This rapid development trend undoubtedly shows the huge potential and vitality contained in the pre-cooked food industry. (Cover News)
Meituan Takeout Launches "Spring Festival Gift Giving", Allowing Group Sending of Takeout Gift Packages on WeChat Groups
36Kr has learned that Meituan Takeout has launched the "Spring Festival Gift Giving" section. This is the Spring Festival integrated page of Meituan Takeout's God Snatcher product gift-giving gameplay, and multiple categories such as tea drinks, cakes, pastries, and snacks have been launched. In terms of gameplay, a "one-to-many" gifting method has been added. Users can place an order for up to 20 gift vouchers of different prices at one time and send them to WeChat groups to invite group members to "test their luck" and grab the vouchers. Users who receive the gift vouchers can redeem the corresponding meals at nearby merchants and have them delivered to their homes immediately.
Tesla Launches New Model Y in the US, Canada, and Europe, Several Weeks Later than in China
Tesla launched a high-priced version of its best-selling Model Y in the US, Canada, and Europe on the 23rd local time. Several weeks before this, the model was first released in China. According to the US website of this electric vehicle manufacturer, the new Model Y is a long-range all-wheel-drive model with a price of $59,990 in the US, 25% higher than the $47,990 price of the previous generation model. The new model is equipped with regulated fully autonomous driving software, while the previous Model Y model only needs to pay $8,000 to optionally install this software. Tesla will start delivering new vehicles in March. (Sina Finance)
Four Departments: Strengthen the Supervision of "Reporting and Conducting in Accordance" for New Energy Vehicle Insurance, and Promote the Reduction of Non-compliant and Unreasonable Expenses
36Kr has learned that the Financial Regulatory Administration, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Transport, and the Ministry of Commerce jointly issued the "Guiding Opinions on Deepening Reform, Strengthening Supervision, and Promoting the High-Quality Development of New Energy Vehicle Insurance". It is mentioned that the market order should be regulated. All property insurance companies should reasonably determine business assessment indicators based on actual conditions, increase the weight of consumer protection and efficiency indicators, and consciously maintain the market order. All financial regulatory bureaus should strengthen the supervision of "reporting and conducting in accordance" for new energy vehicle insurance, innovate methods and means, promote the reduction of non-compliant and unreasonable expenses, and strictly regulate market behavior; they should focus on rectification, and severely crack down on issues such as falsely listing expenses, falsely hanging intermediary business, illegally accruing liability reserves, and falsifying business and financial data.
After being subject to additional tariffs, SAIC, Geely, and BYD sue the European Commission
According to a report by Reuters, documents on the website of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) show that three Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, SAIC Motor, Geely Holding Group, and BYD, filed a lawsuit with the General Court of the European Union on January 21, one day before the deadline, due to being subject to additional tariffs imposed by the European Commission. The General Court is the lower-level of the two chambers of the CJEU, and its litigation process lasts an average of 18 months and can be appealed. However, the CJEU did not provide further details of the case. (Observer.com)
Apple Sued for Potential Harmful Substances in Watch Bands
A class-action lawsuit filed this week in a federal court in California, USA, accuses Apple of false advertising and violating multiple consumer laws for not disclosing that some Apple Watch bands contain toxic substances. Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that Apple misled consumers into believing that the Apple Watch has health and wellness benefits and is suitable for daily wear.
The lawsuit cites a recent study that claims some Apple Watch bands contain "high levels" of "permanent chemicals," also known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These substances can be absorbed through the skin and may cause health problems. For synthetic rubber, PFAS can help reduce discoloration and staining caused by sweat and dirt.
In response, Apple issued a statement regarding the "toxic watch band" class-action lawsuit, insisting that all test indicators of the Apple Watch bands meet regulatory requirements, and various harmful chemicals have been removed during the manufacturing process, and users can wear them safely with confidence. (IT Home, Sina Technology)
The UK regulatory authority investigates Apple and Google to assess whether they violate the UK's strict digital competition rules
According to IT Home, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) of the UK announced that it will launch an investigation into the mobile ecosystems of Apple and Google to evaluate whether these two tech giants have violated the newly introduced strict digital competition rules in the UK. This investigation will focus on the market positions of the two companies in areas such as their operating systems, app stores, and smartphone browsers.
The CMA points out that almost all mobile devices sold in the UK come pre-installed with Apple's iOS or Google's Android operating system, and their app stores and browsers have a dominant or leading position compared to alternative products and services on their respective platforms. In addition, about 94% (approximately 56 million consumers) of the UK population aged 16 and above own a smartphone, and the average person spends about three hours per day using a mobile device. (IT Home)
Adidas is reportedly going to lay off staff at its German headquarters to "simplify operations", with about 500 employees affected
According to CNBC, sources familiar with the matter said that Adidas plans to lay off up to 500 people in Germany to simplify operations. The layoffs will affect employees at Adidas' headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, accounting for nearly 9% of the 5,800 local employees. Sources said that the company has not yet determined how many positions will be cut, but up to 500 positions may be affected. Adidas will decide the final number of layoffs after further advancing the layoff process. An Adidas spokesperson responded in a statement saying that Adidas' current operating model has become "too complex", and the layoffs are aimed at simplifying operations. (Jiemian News)
Tepco Plans to Discharge 55,000 Tons of Fukushima Nuclear Contaminated Water This Year
According to Kyodo News reported on January 23, Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) announced on the 23rd the plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the sea in the fiscal year 2025. It will be discharged in seven times with a total of approximately 54,600 tons. The total discharge volume is the same as that in the fiscal year 2024, and it is expected to be the amount of approximately 25 storage tanks.
The report said that the total amount of radioactive tritium contained in the nuclear contaminated water is expected to be approximately 15 trillion becquerels, which is lower than the annual upper limit of 22 trillion becquerels, but it is about 1 trillion becquerels more than that in the fiscal year 2024. Tepco started discharging nuclear contaminated water into the sea in August 2023 and has carried out the discharge 10 times so far, with a total discharge of approximately 78,000 tons. (Xinhuanet)
LG Energy Solution Reports Quarterly Loss for the First Time in Three Years
LG Energy Solution, a South Korean battery manufacturer, reported on the 24th that it had a net loss of 411 billion won (approximately $287.2 million) in the fourth quarter of last year, compared with a net profit of 190.3 billion won in the same period of the previous year. The company recorded an operating loss of 225.5 billion won in the quarter, while it achieved an operating profit of 338.2 billion won in the same period of the previous year. This is the company's first quarterly loss in three years, mainly affected by the slowdown in demand for electric vehicles. Revenue in the fourth quarter decreased by 19.4% to 6.45 trillion won. (Sina Finance)
The Forefront of AI
The First Domestic Full-Scenario Deep Thinking Model Baichuan-M1-preview Released
36Kr learned that Baichuan Intelligence has released the first domestic full-scenario deep thinking model Baichuan-M1-preview. This model is currently the only one in China that possesses reasoning capabilities in the three major fields of language, vision, and search. In multiple authoritative evaluations in mathematics, code, etc., the performance of Baichuan-M1-preview has surpassed that of o1-preview. In addition, it has unlocked the medical evidence-based model, achieving a complete end-to-end service from medical evidence retrieval to deep reasoning, and being able to answer clinical and scientific research questions in the medical field.
Volcano Engine Responds to the Cooperation with Hand Enterprise Solutions Co., Ltd. on AI Intelligent Agents: Rumors Exaggerated
Recently, a "research record" about the cooperation between Hand Enterprise Solutions Co., Ltd. and Volcano Engine has been circulating in the stock community. The research stated that "Hand Enterprise Solutions Co., Ltd. and Volcano Engine jointly create intelligent agents based on marketing, such as dozens of intelligent agents like smart shopping guides, intelligent customer service, channel assistants, and store assistants. It is highly likely to achieve tens of millions in 2024, and it is planned to achieve AI intelligent agent revenue of 400 - 500 million yuan in the next two years." In response, the relevant person in charge of Volcano Engine said, "The rumors are exaggerated, and the actual cooperation scale with Hand Enterprise Solutions Co., Ltd. is much smaller than the market rumors." (Securities Times)
OpenAI CEO: ChatGPT Users Will Get a Free Trial of o3-mini
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted on the social media platform X on January 23 local time, stating that ChatGPT users will get a free trial of o3-mini, and Plus paid subscribers will have more usage quotas. On the 17th, Altman said that OpenAI has completed the new reasoning AI model o3-mini version and will be launched in a few weeks. (Jiemian News)
Investment and Financing
"Tian Tian Bai Ying" Completes Multi-Million Yuan Pre-A Round Financing
36Kr has learned that the enterprise service O2O platform "Tian Tian Bai Ying" has recently completed the Pre-A round of financing, with an amount of several million yuan. The information of the investors in this round will not be publicly disclosed for the time being. This round of funds will be used for system and company operations, market expansion, supporting services, and supply chain upgrades.
Arranged｜Yu Yaoming