9:00 am, Yi Krypton News | China is reported to have stopped producing toys for export to the US; The chairman of Enlight Media responds to the question of whether the box office of "Ne Zha 3" can exceed that of "Ne Zha 2"; Indiscriminate killing incidents occur in multiple places in Japan.

Going Public in Progress

CaoCao Mobility

36Kr learned that the International Cooperation Department of the China Securities Regulatory Commission issued a record-filing notice for the overseas issuance and listing of CaoCao Inc. The company plans to issue no more than 191,666,800 overseas-listed ordinary shares and list them on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

TOP 3 Big News

China Reportedly Stops Producing Toys for Export to the US

The toy industry is one of the sectors in the US hardest hit by tariffs. CNN pointed out that imposing high tariffs on toys made in China means that the once affordable toys will become "luxuries." Data from the US Department of Commerce shows that in 2024, the US imported toys worth $17.7 billion, of which 75% came from China. Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of the Toy Association, said, "China has stopped producing toys for the US market. Reports indicate that major US retailers have actually started canceling orders, putting the Christmas holiday at risk." (CCTV.com)

Wang Changtian, Chairman of Enlight Media, Responds to "Can the Box Office of 'Ne Zha 3' Exceed That of 'Ne Zha 2'?"

Invited by his alma mater, Fudan University, Wang Changtian, the founder and chairman of Enlight Media, appeared at the event "Series of Activities to Commemorate the 120th Anniversary of the Founding of Fudan University" on the evening of April 17. When an audience member asked Wang Changtian whether the box office of "Ne Zha 3" could exceed that of "Ne Zha 2", Wang Changtian replied, "There's no doubt that the production time of 'Ne Zha 3' won't be short." "The difficulty of making this film is extremely high because it's built on the foundation of 'Ne Zha 2'. As for the box - office, it's always unpredictable. When I said that the expected box office of 'Ne Zha 2' would be 7 billion yuan, many people laughed at me. Later, when they said my prediction was too low, many people laughed at me again. So I won't make box - office predictions anymore. To be honest, the additional box - office revenue is actually a reward from the audience, not necessarily because the film is truly that good. It's because the audience saw our sincerity." (NBD.com)

Indiscriminate killing incidents occurred in multiple places in Japan. The Chinese Embassy in Japan reminds compatriots in Japan to pay attention to safety

According to Japanese media reports, the number of serious public security cases in Japanese society has been on the rise recently. Since December 2024, indiscriminate killing incidents have occurred in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture, Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture and other places, resulting in the death and injury of many innocent citizens. In the past two weeks, homicides targeting young women have occurred successively in Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture and other places. In addition, cases such as theft, robbery, stalking and telecommunications fraud occur from time to time, and many Chinese citizens have been victims.

According to media reports, large - scale food hygiene and safety incidents have occurred in multiple places in Japan recently, including Tochigi City, Tochigi Prefecture, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Sekigahara Town, Gifu Prefecture and Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture. After eating, customers were infected with the norovirus and showed symptoms of food poisoning such as diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some seriously ill individuals died. A Japanese research institution said that the number of patients with infectious gastroenteritis caused by the norovirus and other factors has reached the peak for the same period in the past 10 years.

In view of the above, the Chinese Embassy in Japan reminds compatriots in Japan, especially tourists visiting Japan, to strengthen safety precautions and pay attention to personal and food hygiene safety. (CCTV News)

Large companies/ Major events

Streaming giant Netflix uses AI to create special effects and reduce costs

Caixin reported on April 18 that video streaming giant Netflix significantly increased its sales and profits last quarter. Compared with the same period last year, revenue grew by 12.5% to $10.5 billion. Quarterly profit soared by 24% to $2.89 billion. Netflix has used artificial intelligence in its production process, especially to achieve more cost - effective special effects. (Caixin)

Japan's Rice Wholesale Prices Fell for the First Time in Eight Months in March

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said on Friday that Japan's rice wholesale prices fell for the first time in eight months in March, partly due to the government's release of emergency reserves. Data showed that the average wholesale price of rice in March dropped 2% from February to 25,876 yen (about 1,320 yuan) per 60 kilograms. (Sina Finance)

Scientists claim to have found the "strongest evidence" yet for possible life beyond the solar system

An international astronomy research team announced on the 17th that they have found the "strongest evidence" yet for possible life activities beyond the solar system in the atmosphere of the exoplanet K2 - 18b, which is about 124 light - years away from Earth. However, further observations are needed to rule out other non - biological explanations. In a new study published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters on the 17th, a research team led by the University of Cambridge in the UK used instruments on the James Webb Space Telescope to analyze the atmosphere of the planet K2 - 18b, which is 124 light - years away from Earth. The results show that there are "chemical fingerprints" of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) in the atmosphere of this Leo planet, which has a mass about 8.6 times that of Earth and a volume about 2.6 times that of Earth. (Xinhua News Agency)

Xu Lianjie, Founder of Heng'an Group, Passed Away

36Kr learned that in the early morning of April 18th, Fujian Heng'an Group Co., Ltd. issued an obituary stating that Comrade Xu Lianjie, the founder of Heng'an International Group Co., Ltd., passed away at 16:50 on April 17th, 2025, at the age of 73, due to ineffective medical treatment for illness.

Jensen Huang Has Left Beijing After Meeting with Government Officials

It was learned from NVIDIA that the company's CEO, Jensen Huang, has left Beijing after meeting with government officials. NVIDIA did not disclose other details of Huang's trip to China, including whether he met with Liang Wenfeng, the founder of DeepSeek. (Yicai Global)

Passenger Caught at Customs with Over 900 Poppy Plants in Plastic Bags

Recently, Menglian Customs, under Kunming Customs in Yunnan Province, noticed abnormal images during the machine inspection of the luggage of an inbound passenger. After a manual check, customs officers found a total of 981 poppy seedlings in the plastic bags carried by the passenger. Currently, the above - mentioned items have been legally seized. According to Article 19 of the Anti - Drug Law of the People's Republic of China, the state exercises control over the cultivation of raw medicinal plants for narcotic drugs. It is prohibited to illegally cultivate poppies, coca plants, cannabis plants, and other plants that are under state control and can be used for refining and processing drugs. It is also prohibited to smuggle or illegally buy, sell, transport, carry, or possess seeds or seedlings of drug - producing plants that have not been inactivated. (CCTV News)

Per capita disposable income exceeds 10,000 yuan in 15 provinces in Q1

The National Bureau of Statistics website released the per capita disposable income of residents in 31 provinces in the first quarter of 2025. The data shows that in the first quarter of this year, the per capita disposable income of residents in 15 provinces exceeded 10,000 yuan, and that in 3 provinces exceeded 20,000 yuan, namely Shanghai, Beijing and Zhejiang. Among them, the per capita disposable income of Shanghai residents in the first quarter was 25,766 yuan, ranking first. The per capita disposable income of Beijing residents in the first quarter was 23,606 yuan, ranking second. (Yicai Global)

"Buy Now, Refund Immediately": Over 400 Tax Refund Stores for Departing Tourists Opened in Shenzhen

36Kr learned from Shenzhen Release that recently, the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Commerce and the Shenzhen Tax Service of the State Taxation Administration jointly released the list of the ninth batch of tax refund stores for departing tourists in Shenzhen. 72 stores, including Xiaomi Home and Sundan, were included in the list, covering electronic consumer products, fashion clothing, household products, etc. As of now, there are over 400 tax refund stores for departing tourists in the city.

Alibaba.com Tops App Download Lists in 120 Countries

36Kr learned that following Taobao, Alibaba.com has also broken into the 5th place on the shopping list of the US App Store and ranks among the top 10 on the App shopping lists in 120 markets worldwide. It is understood that Alibaba.com has launched a number of initiatives for small and medium-sized foreign trade merchants. Thousands of customer service representatives have gone to foreign trade industrial belts, and several special task forces have been established. They flew to various parts of the world at the beginning of April to conduct research on local buyers and help merchants find sales channels. At the same time, Alibaba.com has also opened an exclusive traffic channel, providing targeted traffic support for merchants expanding into new markets and connecting them with a broader global customer base.

Ministry of Commerce: China attracted 269.23 billion yuan in foreign investment from January to March 2025

36Kr learned that according to the Ministry of Commerce, from January to March 2025, a total of 12,603 new foreign - invested enterprises were established nationwide, a year - on - year increase of 4.3%. The actual use of foreign capital reached 269.23 billion yuan, a year - on - year decrease of 10.8%. In March alone, the actual use of foreign capital increased by 13.2% year - on - year.

MediaStorm's first online course is priced at $49

On April 16th, MediaStorm announced the launch of its first paid video production course, with an introductory price of $49. The course includes 5 filming lessons taught by founder Tim, and 3 color grading lessons instructed by employee Qingqing. As of April 18th, Dumiao Finance found through search that the MediaStorm course is exclusively available on Bilibili. It currently ranks first in the whole-site course rankings and has accumulated 280,000 views. (Oriental Finance)

The founder of Nezha Auto bowed to apologize, and the 3 billion yuan financing plan will arrive this month

Recently, a video of Fang Yunzhou, the founder and chairman of Nezha Auto, bowing to apologize to dealers and suppliers has attracted wide attention from the outside world. The video shows that while bowing to apologize, Fang Yunzhou said that "he will solve the problems as soon as possible." Regarding the above video, a person close to Nezha Auto said on April 18 that the video was taken during Fang Yunzhou's meeting with dealers. It is learned from Nezha Auto that 3 billion yuan from the leading investor in Nezha Auto's Series E financing is planned to arrive in April, which will be mainly used for the full resumption of production and future development. (Daily Economic News)

List of Participants in the Beijing Humanoid Robot Half Marathon Announced

36Kr learned that according to news from Beijing Yizhuang, the list of participants in the 2025 Beijing Yizhuang Humanoid Robot Half Marathon has been announced. A total of 21 teams are participating in this marathon. The participating robots include models such as Unitree G1, Zhongqing PMOI, and Kuafu. Among them, the robots of the "Little Giants Team" are only 75 cm tall and use rigid-flexible coupling joint technology, which can achieve an anthropomorphic movement range of up to 180°. The robots of the "Tianguang Team" are 1.8 meters tall and can reach a maximum running speed of 12 km/h.

CHAGEE Has Over 6,300 Operating Stores

It is reported that on the evening of April 17th, Beijing time, CHAGEE (Stock Code: CHA) was officially listed on the NASDAQ. On its first day of listing, its stock price closed up 15%. Data shows that CHAGEE currently has over 6,300 operating stores, mainly concentrated in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong and other places.

According to the Qichacha APP, Beijing Chaji Catering Management Co., Ltd. was established in December 2020, with a registered capital of approximately 37.9997 million RMB, and is wholly owned by CHAGEE INVESTMENT PTE.LTD. (Oriental Finance)

Tesla Cybertruck Reportedly Slashes Production Capacity Significantly

On April 18th, Business Insider reported last night that Tesla is reducing the production target of the Cybertruck and has been reassigning workers from the Cybertruck production line to the Model Y production line since January this year. Four employees at the Texas Gigafactory confirmed that Tesla has repeatedly lowered the production target of the Cybertruck electric pickup in the past few months. The capacity utilization rate of some production lines is lower than the previous level, and the scale of multiple production teams has been reduced by more than 50%. "The parking lot is getting emptier and emptier." Data from market research firm Cox Automotive shows that in the first quarter of 2025, the sales volume of the Cybertruck was 6,406 units, only half of that in the previous quarter. (IT Home)

The Cutting - Edge of AI

Zhipingfang Unveils the New Generation of Intelligent Robot AlphaBot2

36Kr learned that on April 17th, Zhipingfang, an embodied intelligent robot company, officially launched a new generation of general intelligent robots in Shenzhen.

AlphaBot2 (Aibao 2), and announced a comprehensive upgrade of the "AGI Terminal" strategy. In addition, Zhipingfang announced the official launch of the construction of its own production line at this press conference. At this press conference, Zhipingfang also officially announced a strategic cooperation with Bloomage Biotechnology. The two sides will jointly develop general intelligent robot solutions for the biotech field.

Tencent Cloud's Large Model Knowledge Engine has been the first to be connected to MCP

36Kr learned that on April 18th, the 2025 Tencent Global Digital Ecosystem Conference Chengdu Summit opened. Wang Wei, the director of Tencent Cloud Intelligence's regional solutions, said that Tencent Cloud's Large Model Knowledge Engine has been the first to be connected to MCP. When users build applications, they can call the MCP plugins carefully selected by the platform or insert custom MCP plugins through the Large Model Knowledge Engine. Currently, multiple MCP Servers have been launched on the Knowledge Engine platform, including Tencent Cloud EdgeOne Pages, Tencent Location Service, Airbnb, Figma, Fetch, etc., covering various scenarios such as professional information acquisition, web page deployment and preview, and web page parsing and acquisition.

Baidu Health Launches AI Super Workbench

36Kr learned that on April 18th, the Baidu Health Content Ecosystem Forum was held in Xishuangbanna. Baidu Health launched an AI intelligent tool called the "Super Workbench" to help health practitioners such as doctors, nutritionists, psychological counselors, rehabilitation therapists, and nurses improve efficiency in science popularization creation, patient service, scientific research, and learning. The Baidu Health Super Workbench enables users to create videos with one click using AI and get inspiration for creation from AI. In addition, the workbench also integrates the original functions of the Baidu Health doctor - end, and helps doctors write medical records, conduct patient consultations, and manage patients based on AI.

Financial Reports of Large Companies

Luoniushan: Operating revenue in 2024 was 3.332 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 21.44%

36Kr learned that Luoniushan disclosed its 2024 annual report. During the reporting period, the company achieved an operating revenue of 3.332 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 21.44%; the net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company was 242 million yuan, compared with an adjusted loss of 488 million yuan in the same period of the previous year; the basic earnings per share was 0.21 yuan. The company plans to distribute a cash dividend of 0.2 yuan (tax included) for every 10 shares.

Investment and Financing

Straw-based biosynthetic enterprise "Juwei Yuanchuang" completes Pre-B4 round of fundraising

Recently, the straw-based biosynthetic enterprise "Juwei Yuanchuang" completed its Pre-B4 round of fundraising. Multiple industrial funds, including Blueprint Venture Capital and Jiangsu Coastal Group, participated in the investment. Yibai served as the financial advisor for the Pre-B4 round and on a long-term basis. It is understood that Juwei Yuanchuang raised nearly 500 million yuan in total in 2024 and gradually established a 100,000-ton straw-based bio-manufacturing capacity. As of now, Juwei Yuanchuang's first product pipeline has entered the mass production stage, and it has completed the actual delivery of 10,000-ton bio-based products. By the end of this year, it will have a 100,000-ton straw-based bio-manufacturing capacity.

"Zhonghao Qiwang" Completes 8 Million Yuan Angel Round of Financing

36Kr learned that "Zhonghao Qiwang" announced the completion of an 8 million yuan angel round of financing. This round of financing was exclusively led by Fuxing Capital, and the funds will be mainly used for the research and development of core artificial intelligence algorithms and the expansion of application scenarios in vertical fields. It is understood that Zhonghao Qiwang focuses on the core direction of "AI + Industrial Internet of Things" and develops intelligent decision-making systems and automation solutions.

Compiled | Su Yuhan