At 9 a.m., here are the latest news: NetEase Cloud Music apologized to Li Ronghao; Sima Nan was fined over 9 million yuan for tax evasion, despite having previously criticized tax-evading internet celebrities; A Yang Guofu Malatang store responded to the rat incident.
Top 3 Big News
NetEase Cloud Music's Customer Service Apologizes to Li Ronghao
On March 21st, Li Ronghao posted on social media, stating that the link for the NFC card of his album on NetEase Cloud Music was incorrect. He also questioned, "NetEase Cloud Music, if you don't have the technology, why did you do this?" In response to Li Ronghao's query, NetEase Cloud Music's customer service replied, "Regarding the issue of the incorrect jump link for the NFC card of Li Ronghao's 'Dark Horse' album that you reported, we are currently verifying the situation with the supplier. We're very sorry for the poor experience this has brought to you."
It's worth noting that this is the second time that there has been a quality issue with Li Ronghao's album "Dark Horse". In January 2025, the album sparked controversy due to typographical errors. At that time, the team conducted quality checks and corrected the mistakes. However, this NFC card issue has once again exposed the coordination loopholes among the cooperation partners. Currently, NetEase Cloud Music's customer service has stated that they have opened an after - sales channel, and consumers can contact the customer service through their orders to handle refund matters. (Bailu Video, Pear Video)
Li Ronghao's Weibo
Si Manan Fined Over 9 Million Yuan for Tax Evasion, Previously Criticized Tax-Evasion Influencers
On March 21st, the Inspection Bureau of the Beijing Municipal Tax Service, State Taxation Administration, announced the handling of Si Manan's tax evasion case. Earlier, relying on tax big data analysis, the tax inspection department found that Si Manan, a well - known online figure, was suspected of tax evasion and legally launched a case - filing inspection against him. After investigation, from 2019 to 2023, Si Manan evaded a total of 4.6243 million yuan in personal income tax, value - added tax and other taxes through means such as concealing income and making false declarations. In addition, Beijing XX Film and Television Planning Center, a company under his actual control, evaded 753,200 yuan in corporate income tax by falsely listing cost expenses and illegally enjoying preferential policies for small and micro - enterprises.
In a video on December 22, 2021, Si Manan commented on Viya's tax evasion. He said that such tax - evasion behavior was extremely bad and was no longer just a moral issue. Subsequently, he extended his interpretation and took the tax payment of wealthy Americans as an example to illustrate that some American billionaires had means to evade taxes. On April 23, 2021, Si Manan published an article severely criticizing the tax issues of wealthy Americans, saying that "the richer they are, the less they pay taxes."
The Inspection Bureau of the Beijing Municipal Tax Service, State Taxation Administration, recovered the tax arrears, plus late - payment fines and penalties from Si Manan and the company under his actual control, totaling 9.2694 million yuan, all of which have been deposited into the treasury. (Beijing Headline, Jimu News)
Response from the Problematic Yang Guofu Malatang Store: The Mouse Crawled in from the Neighboring Store
On March 18th in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, a netizen discovered a mouse in the food section of a Yang Guofu Malatang store. The store responded that the mouse crawled in from the neighboring store. Currently, all relevant dishes have been taken off the shelves. The store conducts disinfection every day and will strengthen management in the future. It is reported that mice have previously been found in multiple Yang Guofu stores. In the 2024 Red and Black List of Offline Catering Institutions released by Hei Mao Complaint, Yang Guofu Malatang ranked first on the black list. (Sichuan Observation)
Large Companies/Major Events
CATL Keeps Investing in NIO: After 2.5 Billion Yuan, It Will Also Invest in Wuhan WeNeng
36Kr exclusively learned that CATL's battery swapping business is expanding rapidly. Recently, CATL reached a strategic cooperation with NIO and invested no more than 2.5 billion yuan in NIO Energy. However, CATL intends to continue to bet on battery swapping and will invest in Wuhan WeNeng, a battery asset company related to NIO, in the near future. "But the amount will not be as large as the 2.5 billion yuan invested in NIO Energy." Wuhan WeNeng is a battery asset management company related to NIO. Under NIO's BaaS (Battery as a Service) model, the battery asset management of users is entrusted to Wuhan WeNeng, a subsidiary of NIO, while the operation and maintenance of battery swapping are carried out by NIO Energy. As it holds battery assets, Wuhan WeNeng is also known as NIO's "battery bank".
Baidu Holds Information Security Communication Meeting: Discloses Investigation Process of "Personal Information Exposure Incident", Information Not from Baidu
36Kr learned that on the afternoon of March 20th, Baidu held an information security communication meeting to present on - site explanations regarding the investigation process and results of the incident, and displayed the notarized certificate No. 1642 of Jingjingcheng Neijingzhengzi (2025) certified by a third - party notary. Chen Yang, the person in charge of Baidu's security, stated that employees and executives at all levels in Baidu have no access to user data. At the communication meeting, Chen Yang detailed the investigation results of the incident: Since the incident occurred, Baidu has investigated and audited multiple permissions and operation logs such as the "historical data application records", "permission records", and "data queries" of the parties involved. It was confirmed that they have no data access to Baidu users' personal identity information and have not logged into any Baidu databases or servers. After verification, it was confirmed that the exposed information was not leaked from Baidu.
Liu Qiangdong Calls on All Couriers and Riders to Get the "Five Social Insurance and One Housing Fund", and JD.com, Meituan, and Ele.me Have Previously Announced Premium Payments for Riders
According to IT Home, Liu Qiangdong voiced his opinion on WeChat Moments on March 21 regarding the retirement benefits and the "Five Social Insurance and One Housing Fund" policy for JD.com employees. He said, "The knowledge, business models, and technological algorithms we've learned should not be used to exploit the brothers at the bottom of society. Our profits, market values, and wealth should not be built on the unprotected lives of the common people at the bottom."
Liu Qiangdong called on all couriers and riders to be eligible for the "Five Social Insurance and One Housing Fund" treatment, as the profits and market values of several major platforms in China today are more than capable of supporting it. He hopes that people from all walks of life can live happily together.
Previously, on February 19, JD.com announced that starting from March 1, it would gradually provide the "Five Social Insurance and One Housing Fund" for full - time riders of JD.com's food delivery service, while part - time riders would enjoy accidental injury insurance and health insurance. Meituan quickly followed suit and planned to implement social security for full - time and stable part - time riders in the second quarter. On February 20, Ele.me announced that, under the guidance of the human resources and social security department, it had launched a pilot program for occupational injury insurance for new forms of employment in seven provinces and municipalities across the country and had fully paid premiums for riders. It will expand the coverage in the future. (IT Home, Sina Securities)
Tian Tan Park Responds to the Outburst of Pollen from 33,000 Cypress Trees: Atomized Water Spraying Has Been Conducted
Recently, netizens captured the outburst of a "pollen fog" at Beijing's Tian Tan Park, and the scene resembled a hazy mist. In response, a staff member from Tian Tan Park stated that this was caused by the outburst of pollen from 33,000 cypress trees, which has no significant impact on the human body. Those with pollen allergies need to stay away. Currently, atomized water spraying has been carried out, and it is expected to subside by late April.
In response to this, 12345 replied that they will gradually replace tree species, control the planting volume of allergenic tree species in new greening projects, and conduct "washing, trimming, and blowing" on Chinese junipers to reduce pollen dispersion. Existing key areas will be updated and replaced, and new varieties such as female plants will be bred. Data shows that cypress trees are widely planted in all districts of Beijing, with approximately 7 million trees. Among them, there are more than 5,000 ancient cypress trees over 300 years old, distributed in Zhongshan Park, Tian Tan Park, Xiangshan Park, etc. They are the most widely planted arbor species in the city, and Chinese arborvitae has even been selected as the city tree of Beijing. (Litchi News)
Elon Musk: Humanoid Robot Optimus Has Been Manufactured on the Trial Production Line at the Fremont Factory
According to Teslarati, Elon Musk revealed on March 21st that the humanoid robot Optimus has been manufactured on the trial production line at the Fremont Factory. Tesla aims to produce 5,000 Optimus units this year, and the ordered components are sufficient to support the production of 10,000 - 12,000 units this year. The goal for 2026 is to produce 50,000 Optimus units. (Caixin)
Great Wall Motor Apologizes for "Sudden Abnormality" in Cloud Server Communication: All Apps Have Resumed Normal Use
36Kr learned that the Great Wall Motor APP team issued an apology letter: Due to a sudden abnormality in cloud server communication at 9:30 on March 21, 2025, some functions of the Great Wall Motor App and the apps of its five sub - brands failed, resulting in a brief situation where users were unable to log in or use the apps normally. After the problem occurred, the technical team immediately joined forces with the cloud service provider to carry out repair work. By 10:30 on March 21, 2025, all apps had resumed normal use. Great Wall Motor also advised car owners to carry mechanical keys during their trips to avoid any impact on vehicle use due to the inability to use the app normally.
High - priced Moldy Oranges Appear on the Market, Experts Warn: Moldy Oranges May Cause Lung Infections
Recently, moldy oranges have been marked for sale on second - hand trading platforms, with prices ranging from dozens to hundreds of yuan. There are moldy oranges labeled with "Penicillium", with an original price of 6,000 yuan and a current price of 500 yuan. Some sellers claim in the product descriptions that moldy oranges can be used for biological and chemical experiments. Respiratory experts say that in addition to potentially causing allergies, fungal spores may also be inhaled into the lungs, causing exogenous fungal infections and symptoms such as fever, cough, chest tightness, and hemoptysis. It is best to wear a mask and gloves when handling them. (Yangtze Evening News)
Chinese national football team will miss out on direct qualification for the World Cup if they lose to Australia again
Early on March 21st, the Chinese national football team lost 0-1 to Saudi Arabia away in the 7th round of the Asian qualifying matches for the World Cup's top 18. They continued to sit at the bottom of the group due to a disadvantage in goal difference. This defeat also means that if the Chinese team loses to Australia at home in the next round, they will miss out on the direct qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In the next round of the game, the Chinese national football team will face a shortage of available players. Lin Liangming has been suspended for receiving a red card, and the key defensive midfielder Li Yuanyi has also been suspended for accumulating yellow cards. The key center-back Jiang Guangtai and the key right-back Gao Zhunyi were both forced to leave the field due to injuries during the game. Head coach Ivković revealed at the post - match press conference: "We will check the players' physical conditions within 24 hours after the game. If (Jiang Guangtai and Gao Zhunyi) have muscle injuries, based on our experience, it will be difficult for them to participate in the next game." (Red Star News)
After the 3·15 Gala, the sales of medical-grade sanitary pads soared eightfold
After the 3·15 Gala exposed the quality issues of sanitary pads, medical-grade sanitary pads have become the new favorite in the market, with sales surging eightfold. Consumers' pursuit of safety and health has become even stronger. Recently, the industry's first sanitary pad alliance was established, leaving substandard products with nowhere to hide. (Boss Finance)
Over 300 million people in China have sleep disorders
Data shows that over 300 million people in China have sleep disorders. According to China News Service, on March 18th, the press conference of the China Sleep Big Data Center and the National Sleep Disorder Screening Campaign was held in Beijing recently. The "2025 China Sleep Health Survey Report" released at the conference shows that 48.5% of adults have sleep problems. The proportion of women is higher than that of men, and the rate of problems gradually increases with age. (People's Daily)
The Ta Kung Pao in Hong Kong Issues Another Article: Urges Relevant Enterprises and Individuals to Stop Delivery
On March 21st, The Ta Kung Pao in Hong Kong published a commentary titled "Stop Delivery, Don't Lose the Big for the Small". The article stated that as the second-largest user of the Panama Canal, China's foreign trade stability and logistics costs are directly affected by its operation, and it is of great significance to China's national interests.
This selling event may seem like an "ordinary business behavior", but in fact, it must be considered against the complex background of great power games. If business decisions only seek personal gain and ignore national interests, then no matter how shrewd the calculations are and how high the profits are, compared with being spurned by the Chinese people and bearing the infamy of "betraying the country", it is self-evident which is more important. (NetEase Finance)
The Cyberspace Administration of China and the Ministry of Public Security jointly announced the "Administrative Measures for the Security of Facial Recognition Technology Applications"
36Kr learned that recently, the Cyberspace Administration of China and the Ministry of Public Security jointly announced the "Administrative Measures for the Security of Facial Recognition Technology Applications", which will come into effect on June 1, 2025. The "Measures" clarify the basic requirements for processing facial information using facial recognition technology. Activities involving the processing of facial information using facial recognition technology shall comply with laws and regulations, respect social ethics and ethics, abide by business ethics and professional ethics, be honest and trustworthy, fulfill the obligation of personal information protection, and assume social responsibilities. They shall not endanger national security, damage public interests, or infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of individuals.
AI Crash Courses Targeting the Elderly: A Seven-Day Course Costs 3,000 Yuan
Recently, through investigations, reporters found that young people in many places such as Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Hainan have reported that their parents are enthusiastically taking AI online courses and firmly believe in the sales pitches. The so - called "seven - day AI crash course" actually seriously mismatches the real needs of the elderly.
Reporters noticed that there are endless similar persuasive pitches to encourage the elderly to learn AI, and there are numerous institutions. Most of them are institutions that previously taught the elderly how to edit videos and have now switched to teaching the elderly "how to make money with AI". Moreover, these "seven - day AI crash courses" charge as much as two or three thousand yuan, yet they are quite popular among the elderly. These AI courses claim to enable "middle - aged and elderly people to easily learn AI", but in fact, most of the content is similar to the AI courses for young people, which is far from the demands of retired elderly people for using technology to enhance their lives and pursue high - quality elderly care. (Chao News)
The Cutting - Edge of AI
Alimama: Self-developed Advertising AI Model LMA Upgraded to Trillion-level Parameters
36Kr learned that Alimama announced a new upgrade of its self-developed advertising model LMA, with parameters reaching the trillion level, comprehensively enhancing the understanding ability of people and goods. The AIGB-R1 version was officially launched, which will promote the upgrade of the "Full-site Promotion" mechanism. At the same time, the "AI Xiaowan", a business optimization assistant based on conversational interaction to express needs, launched with the AI capabilities of the Unlimited Version of Wanxiangtai, is also continuously optimized. It can provide suitable recommended advertising suggestions and strategies for merchants according to their needs, helping merchants operate efficiently.
OpenAI Upgrades Its Transcription and Voice Generation AI Models
On March 20 local time, OpenAI, an American artificial intelligence research laboratory, announced that it is introducing new transcription and voice generation AI models to its API, stating that these models are improvements over previous versions. OpenAI said that its new text-to-speech model, gpt-4o-mini-tts, can not only produce more delicate and realistic voice effects but also has higher "controllability" compared to previous voice synthesis models. Developers can use natural language instructions to adjust the way the model produces sound. (Jiemian News)
Apple Restructures AI Executive Framework to Save Siri, Multiple Smart Upgrades Delayed Until 2026
According to media reports citing people familiar with the matter, after months of lagging in technological R & D, Apple is restructuring its executive team to revitalize its artificial intelligence strategy. Earlier this month, the company announced that several important upgrades to the voice assistant Siri would be postponed until 2026, without giving specific reasons. The report revealed that as CEO Tim Cook lost confidence in the product R & D execution ability of John Giannandrea, the head of artificial intelligence, Mike Rockwell, the vice - president of the Vision product group, has taken over the development of Siri. As the core developer of the Vision Pro headset, Rockwell will report directly to Craig Federighi, the head of software engineering, which means that the Siri project has completely moved out of Giannandrea's jurisdiction. The personnel adjustment plan also includes that Paul Meade, the former head of Vision Pro hardware engineering, will take over the Vision product group. Apple has not commented on the relevant reports. (Sina Finance)
Financial Reports of Large Companies
BrandZun E-commerce: Total Annual Revenue Reached 9.4 Billion Yuan in 2024
BrandZun E-commerce released its financial report for the fourth quarter and the full year of 2024. The report shows that BrandZun's net revenue in the fourth quarter was 3 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8%. The full-year net revenue was 9.4 billion yuan, and the full-year adjusted operating profit was 10.65 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 145%. In the fourth quarter, the revenue of BrandZun's e-commerce segment increased by 6% year-on-year, and the service revenue increased by 9% year-on-year.
Tao Li Bread: Net profit in 2024 decreased by 9.05% year-on-year, plans to distribute 1.3 yuan per 10 shares
36Kr learned that Tao Li Bread disclosed its annual report for 2024 in the evening. In 2024, it achieved an operating income of 6.087 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 9.93%; the net profit was 522 million yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 9.05%; the basic earnings per share was 0.33 yuan. The company plans to distribute a cash dividend of 1.3 yuan (tax included) for every 10 shares to all shareholders.
Minnesota Premium: Total revenue of 17 billion yuan in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 22.8%
36Kr learned that Minnesota Premium released its 2024 financial report. The report shows that in 2024, the total revenue of the Minnesota Premium Group was 17 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 22.8%. Overseas revenue was 6.68 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 42%. The adjusted net profit was 2.72 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 15.4%. The adjusted net profit margin was 16.0%, and the adjusted diluted earnings per share increased by 16.0% year-on-year to 8.68 yuan. In addition, Minnesota Premium announced a final dividend of 740 million yuan for 2024, continuously bringing substantial returns to shareholders.
Meituan: Q4 Revenue Reached 88.49 Billion Yuan, a Year-on-Year Increase of 20%
36Kr learned that Meituan released its financial reports for the fourth quarter and the full year of 2024. The reports showed that in the fourth quarter, Meituan achieved a revenue of 88.49 billion yuan, a 20.1% increase compared with the same period of the previous year, while the market expectation was 87.927 billion yuan. Throughout 2024, Meituan's operating income reached 337.6 billion yuan, a 22% increase compared with the previous year. Wang Xing, the CEO of Meituan, said, "As a beneficiary and participant in the long - term development of China's retail industry, Meituan will continue to actively fulfill its social responsibilities, promote industry growth and technological innovation, and help people eat better and live better."
Investment and Financing
Bridge Data Centres, owned by Bain Capital, secures $2.8 billion in bank financing
36Kr has learned that Bridge Data Centres, a data center operator owned by Bain Capital, has obtained a $2.8 billion loan for its operations in Malaysia. This is the company's largest bank financing deal to date. The loan has a term of five years and is currently being syndicated to a broader market. The proceeds from the loan will be used to repay part of the existing loans and fund the company's expansion plans in Malaysia.
Shulex Completes Hundreds of Millions of Yuan in Financing
36Kr learned that Shulex, a global AI Agent company, recently completed hundreds of millions of yuan in financing led by Shanda Capital, with joint investments from Northern Light Venture Capital and Daguan Capital. This round of financing will accelerate the global AI Agent ecological layout and the integration of AGI technology with e-commerce scenarios. The focus will be on researching real-time emotion recognition voice Agents, continuously promoting the value transformation of intelligent customer service from a cost center to a profit center.
Liziyuan: Plans to Invest 320 Million Yuan in the "Liziyuan Daily Processing of 1,000 Tons of Raw Milk Deep Processing Project"
36Kr learned that Liziyuan announced that the company plans to sign a "Project Intentional Investment Agreement" with the Management Committee of Yinchuan Economic and Technological Development Zone to invest in the "Liziyuan Daily Processing of 1,000 Tons of Raw Milk Deep Processing Project". For this purpose, the company intends to register and establish Ningxia Liziyuan Food Co., Ltd. in Xixia District, Yinchuan City, with a registered capital of 30 million yuan, which will be specifically responsible for promoting and implementing the invested project. The project is expected to have an investment of approximately 320 million yuan, cover an area of approximately 80 mu, and build production lines for whole - fat and skimmed milk powder, concentrated milk, fresh cream, cheese, and deep - processed dairy products, and construct supporting facilities such as staff dormitories, warehouses, R & D centers, and logistics bases. The project requires a relatively long time cycle and will not have a substantial impact on the company's operating performance in the short term.
Kr Big Events
The "Kr Big Events" short - video column vividly interprets major events in the business world. With a gross profit comparable to that of LV! Why do increasingly expensive sanitary napkins always have problems?
Compiled | Guo Zihe