8:00 am, 1st Krypton | Jia Guolong, the founder of Xibei, apologized, and Luo Yonghao posted a response; Zong Fuli may establish her own business and launch a new brand called "Waxiaozong"; Air ticket prices plunged in September: many routes are available at discounts of up to 10% - 20%.
Today's Hot Topics Guide
- Xibei Suspends Kitchen Access, Staff Responds
- New Rental Regulations to Take Effect on September 15th
- Didi's Average Commission Rate for All Orders in 2024 is 14%
- UK's Second - Largest Daily Necessities Retailer Enters JD.com's "Shopping Cart"
- Apple's AI Executive Robby Walker to Leave the Company
Top 3 Big News
Xibei's founder admits wrong response approach, Luo Yonghao responds, saying "this matter can't be let go"
According to Hongxing News, a screenshot of the statement made by Jia Guolong, the founder of Xibei, in an industry group has leaked. Jia Guolong said, "I was wrong in my response approach and will make changes. Those who cook should revolve around those who eat. You tell me what's good and I'll do it." Hongxing Capital Bureau learned from relevant sources that the screenshot is true. Jia Guolong said that Xibei will "play an open - card game" in the future, become a transparent Xibei, and thoroughly learn from Fat Donglai.
However, according to a Weibo post reposted by Luo Yonghao, Jia Guolong also called Luo Yonghao a "cyber bad - mouthed person". Therefore, Luo Yonghao said, "Jia Guolong, we can't let this matter go. For friends who try to persuade me in the middle, we'll break off relations." The public originally thought the matter was coming to an end. On the evening of September 13th, Luo Yonghao once posted an article announcing that the Xibei pre - made food incident was over. He expected the relevant national regulations on pre - made food to be introduced as soon as possible and said, "It's time to get back to serious business." (Hongxing News, Yicai)
Zong Fuli May Establish Her Own Business and Launch a New Brand "Waxiao Zong"
It is learned from multiple sources that Wahaha may use a new brand "Waxiao Zong". According to an internal document of Hangzhou Wahaha Honghui Food and Beverage Co., Ltd., since the passing of the founder of Wahaha Group, the company has been working hard to resolve various historical legacy issues. To maintain the compliance of the use of the "Wahaha" brand, the company has decided to switch to the new brand "Waxiao Zong" starting from the new sales year in 2026. (Cailian Press)
Airfare prices plunge in September, and hotel prices also drop significantly
Right after the summer travel rush and before the National Day holiday, airfares for trips in September have become a "price trough". Platform data shows that since the end of August, airfare prices to popular tourist cities in China such as Shanghai, Wuhan, and Nanning have dropped significantly, and many routes are as low as 10% - 20% off. Meanwhile, platform data also shows that hotel prices have dropped significantly, making it a good time for bargain - hunting trips.
On September 12th, a reporter checked the Sichuan Airlines mini - program and found that there were indeed ultra - low special - offer tickets recently. On September 20th, there were tickets from Chengdu to Bangkok on sale for 20 yuan (excluding taxes). A customer service staff member of Sichuan Airlines responded to the media, saying that if the price is available for booking on the mini - program, it can be booked. There are certain taxes for international flights. Airfare prices are set according to the overall operation of the flights, and there are also some special - offer tickets. (Guangming Net)
Large companies/Big events
Xibei Suspends Kitchen Tours, Staff Responds: Mainly to Ensure Normal Kitchen Operations
At 12:55 p.m. on September 14th, Xibei issued a notice on its internal platform to suspend kitchen tours at its stores. A store staff member said that this was mainly to ensure the normal operation of the kitchen. Xibei opened its kitchens this time mainly to respond to the recent controversy over its widespread use of pre - made dishes. Jia Guolong, the founder of Xibei, personally responded, denying the use of pre - made dishes, and announced that starting from September 12th, 370 stores nationwide would allow consumers to visit the food preparation process. (Sina Finance)
New regulations for renting will be implemented starting September 15, targeting prominent issues and "pain points" in the housing rental market.
Starting from September 15, the "Regulations on Housing Rental", the first administrative regulation in China specifically regulating housing rental activities, will be officially implemented. It consists of seven chapters and 50 articles, each targeting prominent issues and "pain points" in the housing rental market.
First, for tenants, starting from the 15th, when you encounter illegal or infringing acts while renting a house, you can file complaints or reports to the housing and urban - rural development, fire protection, market supervision, and public security authorities according to different situations. Second, in the future, renting a house must be registered. The "Regulations" clearly stipulate that the lessor needs to handle the housing rental registration. If the intermediary agency fails to complete the registration as required, it will face a fine. Third, the implementation of the new regulations for renting is just the beginning. On the one hand, localities should also accelerate the introduction of local housing rental regulations based on the "Regulations" and in combination with local realities. On the other hand, localities need to strengthen the enforcement of supervision. For various types of violations, those that need to be corrected should be corrected within a time limit, and those that need to be punished should be punished in accordance with the law, so as to make the rental relationship more stable and reduce rental disputes. (CCTV News)
Pre - made dishes in restaurants need to be clearly indicated. The draft national standard has passed the review and is about to solicit public opinions
The draft of the "National Food Safety Standard for Pre - made Dishes" led by the National Health Commission has quietly passed the expert review and is about to solicit public opinions. By then, there will be a unified statement on the "identity" of pre - made dishes, and whether and how catering stores use pre - made dishes will also be included in the scope of mandatory information disclosure for the first time. This will be a key node for the pre - made dish industry to move from "wild growth" to the "compliance era". At present, when Luo Yonghao questioned that some dishes of Xibei were pre - made dishes and Xibei flatly denied it, which has attracted wide attention, this matter has also drawn much attention. (Yicai Global)
Li Guoqing Discusses Whether Chinese Pre - made Dishes Are Edible, Shouts to Jia Guolong: Don't Be Discouraged, It's Not a Catastrophe
Recently, the dispute between Luo Yonghao and Xibei over pre - made dishes has become the hottest topic on the Internet. On September 14th, Li Guoqing, the founder of Dangdang, released a video to discuss the dispute between Luo Yonghao and Xibei over pre - made dishes. He said bluntly: Saying that almost all of Xibei's dishes are pre - made is a bit extreme. Luo will lose. Let's wait for the result of the lawsuit. Both sides have won the public relations battle. He also shouted to Jia Guolong, the founder of Xibei: Don't be discouraged, it's not a catastrophe.
Li Guoqing said that we shouldn't completely reject pre - made dishes. Luo also said that he doesn't oppose pre - made dishes. He just wants consumers to have the right to know. Li himself went to Xibei and was satisfied with the taste. However, he agrees with Luo's view that "the prices are too high" and hopes that the prices can be more affordable. He speculates that Luo's business layout this time may involve promoting pre - made instant noodles and on - the - spot stir - frying robots. (Kuaikeji)
Didi's average commission for all orders in 2024 is 14%
It was learned from Didi's open day that the average commission for all of Didi's orders in 2024 was 14%. A relevant Didi official said that the commission is not equal to profit. Most of the funds from the platform's commission are returned to drivers and passengers through subsidies. The rest is used for various expenses including platform system maintenance, payment and settlement security, customer service, insurance and claims, compliance, and taxes to maintain the service ecosystem. (Yicai Global)
New policies are intensively introduced in many places, and the "Golden September and Silver October" of the real - estate market is worth looking forward to
On September 12, eight departments including the Henan Provincial Department of Housing and Urban - Rural Development issued the "Several Measures to Support Housing Consumption", proposing 12 specific measures to effectively meet the rigid and diverse improvement housing needs and promote the stable and healthy development of the real - estate market. The "Golden September and Silver October" has always been the peak sales season for the real - estate industry. A review shows that since late August, many places including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Changchun, Nanchang, and Fuzhou have successively introduced new real - estate policies to stimulate the potential of housing consumption. Meanwhile, Hunan, Liaoning and other places have also launched real - estate exhibition and sales activities, aiming to seize the "Golden September and Silver October" sales window in the real - estate market. According to incomplete statistics from the China Index Academy, nearly 440 real - estate optimization policies have been introduced in about 190 places across the country since the beginning of this year. (Securities Daily)
The total box office (including pre - sales) in 2025 exceeded 40 billion yuan
36Kr learned that according to data from Dengta Professional Edition, as of 12:54 on September 13th, the total box office (including pre - sales) in 2025 exceeded 40 billion yuan. It took 256 days, 76 days earlier than last year.
Topstar: Officially Launches the First Humanoid Robot "Xiaotuo"
36Kr learned that according to Topstar Technology, Huang Jing, the CEO of Matrix Intelligence and Topstar, officially launched the first humanoid robot - Xiaotuo globally. This is also the first humanoid robot put into practical use in the injection molding industry.
The second-largest daily necessities retailer in the UK enters JD.com's "shopping cart"
On September 13 local time, J Sainsbury plc, the second-largest supermarket chain group in the UK, issued an announcement confirming that it is discussing potential matters regarding the sale of its subsidiary Argos. Sainsbury's emphasized that no agreement has been reached yet, and it is also impossible to confirm at this stage whether any transaction will be advanced. It is reported that Argos is the second-largest daily necessities retailer in the UK, with the third-most visited retail website in the UK and more than 1,100 pick-up points. (Caixin)
Boeing Faces $3.1 Million Fine from US Regulators for Safety Violations
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a statement on the 12th saying that due to Boeing's safety violations between September 2023 and February 2024, it plans to impose a fine of approximately $3.1 million on the company. The statement said that Boeing's safety violations involve the incident of a cabin door plug (embedded emergency door) falling off on January 5, 2024, and issues such as interfering with the independent performance of duties of personnel related to aircraft safety. The FAA has taken the maximum civil penalty permitted by law. (Xinhua News Agency)
Volvo Recalls 1,355 Vehicles in the US Due to Seat Belt Issues
On September 13th, according to the disclosure by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the United States, Volvo Cars will recall a total of 1,355 vehicles from certain 2026 models of XC90 MHEV, XC60 MHEV, V90CC MHEV, and V60CC MHEV. The reason for the recall is that the torsion bar in the front seat belt retractors may have been damaged during the production process. Dealers will replace the two front seat belt retractors free of charge. (Jiemian News)
Participants in the 2025 Munich International Auto Show: There is huge potential for cooperation between the German and Chinese automotive industry chains
The German Munich International Auto Show opened recently this year. At the auto show, the Chinese new energy vehicle exhibition booths were eye - catching. From vehicle manufacturers to intelligent and supply - chain enterprises, they all showcased their latest electrification and intelligent technologies. Many industry insiders participating in the exhibition believe that the growth of the Chinese automotive industry has provided more opportunities for cooperation in the automotive field between Germany and China. German and Chinese enterprises are highly complementary in the industrial chain, and there is huge potential for cooperation. The industry insiders at the exhibition believe that Chinese enterprises are becoming a force that cannot be ignored in the field of automotive intelligence by virtue of their R & D capabilities and data accumulation. (CCTV News)
South Korea to Release Additional Reserve Rice as Prices Reach Nearly Four-Year High
South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said on the 12th that it will release an additional 25,000 tons of reserve rice to the market to stabilize rising rice prices due to tight market supply. According to Yonhap News Agency, on the 5th of this month, the purchase price of a 40-kilogram bag of rice in South Korea exceeded 220,000 won (about 1,126 yuan), marking the first time in nearly four years that rice prices have surpassed this level. The South Korean government subsequently decided to launch the second round of reserve rice release. (Xinhua News Agency)
Proportion of Elderly Population Aged 65 and Above in Japan Reaches a New High
The latest statistics released by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on September 14 show that there are currently 36.19 million elderly people aged 65 and above in Japan, accounting for 29.4% of the country's total population, hitting a record high. (Xinhua News Agency)
US Media Company PMC Sues Google for AI Summary Infringement
It is reported that US media company Penske Media Corporation (PMC) has sued Google, accusing the tech giant of illegally using its news content to generate AI summaries, which has led to a decline in traffic to its websites. PMC filed the lawsuit on Friday (the 12th) in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, naming itself and its affiliated media outlets as plaintiffs, including The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, and Billboard. (Cailian Press)
Tesla's German Factory Head Reveals: Production Plan to Be Increased
André Thierig, the head of Tesla's German factory, told the media that thanks to "very good sales data", the production of electric vehicles at the factory will exceed the previous plan. Thierig said that the factory near Berlin "has increased the production plans for the third and fourth quarters" and added that the Tesla factory still expects "positive signals from all the markets it supplies". However, he did not disclose the specific figures of the new production target. This optimistic statement contrasts with the recent sales data. Last month, the number of new Tesla vehicle registrations in Germany decreased by 39%, and the registrations in the first eight months of this year plunged by 56%. (Sina Finance)
Amazon AWS CEO: We're Building the Fundamental Building Blocks of AI
In the competition in the cloud computing field, Amazon's AWS (Amazon Web Services) remains the dominant player, but the slowdown in growth has led some investors to adopt a wait - and - see attitude. "We're still in a very early stage, but this technology holds great potential," said Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services, on Yahoo Finance's "Opening Bid" program. Garman added that AWS is still "in the early stages of building the fundamental building blocks, and we believe that startups, large enterprises, and government agencies will all urgently need these blocks when developing AI applications and agentic workflows." (Sina Finance)
Going Public in Progress
Qianli Technology
36Kr learned that Qianli Technology announced that the company held a board meeting on September 12, 2025, and deliberated and approved the proposal for the initial public offering of overseas-listed shares (H shares) and listing on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company plans to deepen its global strategic layout, accelerate the development of its overseas business, and enhance the company's international brand image and core competitiveness through this issuance. This matter still needs to be submitted to the shareholders' meeting for deliberation, and the filing procedures with the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the review procedures of institutions such as the Hong Kong Stock Exchange need to be completed. At present, the specific details have not been determined, and there are uncertainties regarding the issuance and listing.
Guangdong Chao Hong Ji Industrial Co., Ltd.
36Kr learned that documents from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange showed that Guangdong Chao Hong Ji Industrial Co., Ltd. submitted a listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
The Forefront of AI
xAI, owned by Elon Musk, laid off at least 500 employees from its data annotation team
It is reported that xAI, a company owned by Elon Musk, laid off at least 500 employees from its data annotation team on the evening of the 12th local time. The company has sent a notice to employees, announcing its plan to downsize the general artificial intelligence tutor team. (Jiemian News)
Apple AI Executive Robby Walker to Depart
According to people familiar with the matter, Robby Walker, one of Apple's most senior artificial intelligence executives, will leave the company. Walker is one of the few executives who report directly to AI chief John Giannandrea. He was in charge of Siri until earlier this year when the management of the voice assistant was transferred to software chief Craig Federighi. Some promised improvements to Siri have been publicly delayed, which has been a major setback for Apple. (Sina Finance)
Compiled | Baby Chinese Cabbage