9:00, 1 Krypton: Jia Guolong Resigns as CEO of Xibei; ByteDance Launches Largest Recruitment Drive for Intern - to - Full - time Conversion; OpenClaw Goes Viral, Programmers Charge 500 Yuan for On

Before the Spring Festival, Jia Guolong stepped down as the CEO of the main brand of Xibei, and the former CEO Dong Junyi returned to the position.

Today's Hot Topics Guide

ByteDance launches the largest recruitment drive for interns to become full - time employees, planning to hire over 7,000 people
Jensen Huang calls OpenClaw "the most significant software release of our time"
Indonesia: Restrictions on children under 16 using platforms like YouTube and Facebook will be imposed starting from March 28th
SpaceX plans to launch about 1,200 second - generation satellites by the end of 2027
Estée Lauder acquires the remaining shares of Forest Essentials
Toshiba restructures its huge debt, aiming for a re - listing in the fiscal year 2028

Top 3 Big News

Jia Guolong Steps Down as CEO of Xibei, Former CEO Dong Junyi Returns to the Position

36Kr exclusively learned that before the Spring Festival, Jia Guolong stepped down as the CEO of Xibei's main brand, and former CEO Dong Junyi returned to the position. The latter joined Xibei in 1992 and worked his way up from an apprentice to a store manager, branch manager, and finally the CEO of Xibei's business unit.

Recently, Xibei announced internally that "due to a significant decline in the company's business volume", many headquarters employees need to be on furlough (implemented according to the minimum wage standard) or leave.

A headquarters employee who was asked to leave told 36Kr that the company offered three options - the first is to take a leave of absence without pay; the second is for the company to pay part of the performance bonus for 2025, and the employee leaves voluntarily after receiving it; the third is to be dismissed with an "N" - multiple compensation, but the compensation will be paid in installments over one year and may also be resolved in the form of "converting to shares". According to 36Kr, originally there were more than 500 employees at Xibei's headquarters. After this round of lay - offs, "this number will drop to about 200."

ByteDance Launches Largest Recruitment Drive for Interns with Conversion Opportunities, Aiming to Hire Over 7,000

On March 6, ByteDance announced via its official WeChat account that the ByteIntern internship recruitment program has officially kicked off. This recruitment drive is the largest in ByteDance's history for interns with conversion opportunities. It aims to recruit over 7,000 interns from universities worldwide, targeting the class of 2027 (graduation between September 2026 and August 2027). All ByteIntern positions come with the chance of full - time conversion, with an overall conversion rate of over 50%.

This recruitment focuses on the R & D, product, and AI fields. Among them, there are over 4,800 offers for R & D positions, accounting for more than 60% of the total. (Caixin Press APP)

OpenClaw Becomes a Big Hit, and Programmers Charge $500 for On - site Installation

The recently popular AI model OpenClaw has been hailed as the "new - generation super AI" online. However, as an open - source intelligent agent project, OpenClaw is not easy to use without any prior knowledge. This has led to a new way of making money: "On - site installation of OpenClaw". "On - site installation of OpenClaw" means that some people specialize in deploying OpenClaw on customers' computers offline. You can search for "Lobster/On - site installation of OpenClaw" on online platforms.

Reporters learned that the price of "on - site installation of OpenClaw" ranges from $300 to $800, with $500 per installation being the most common price. Correspondingly, "remote installation" is much cheaper, costing around $50 - $100. A query by Blue Whale News found that currently, there are multiple relevant online store services showing that more than 1000 orders have been sold.

Due to the popularity of OpenClaw, "on - site installation" seems to have become a hot field, and many people have started to "compete in service quality". Some claim "guaranteed to teach until you learn" on the product detail pages. Others offer "free problem - solving within 7 * 24 hours". There are even those who not only provide "on - site deployment" but also offer "one - time cooking service, able to cook common home - style dishes" (Blue Whale News).

Large Companies/Big Events

The founder of the "Are You Dead?" App was advised to leave his former company and is now a full-time entrepreneur

Previously, the "Are You Dead?" App became extremely popular and then was taken off the shelves, which attracted attention. On March 5th, Mr. Lü, the founder of the "Are You Dead?" App, told reporters that due to the app's sudden popularity, he left his original company and became a full-time entrepreneur. Recently, he registered and established Yuejing Future (Hangzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. Two other former members of the "Are You Dead?" App team are also working part - time at this new company, mainly responsible for remote collaboration.

"I was originally working at a company in Hangzhou. After the 'Are You Dead?' App became popular, my former company advised me to leave because they were worried that I had limited energy," Mr. Lü revealed to reporters from Southern Metropolis Daily. He left the company on January 22nd this year. "At that time, I felt like I was being pushed forward by many external things. I hadn't figured out what I was going to do next, and I still had a fear of the unknown." (Southern Metropolis Daily)

Jensen Huang calls OpenClaw: The most significant software release of the contemporary era

On March 6th, at the Morgan Stanley Conference, Jensen Huang, the CEO of NVIDIA, shared his insights on the turning point of Agentic AI (Agentive Artificial Intelligence) and evaluated the open - source software OpenClaw as "the most significant software release of the contemporary era". Jensen Huang pointed out that the popularity of OpenClaw within just three weeks has already surpassed the achievements of Linux over the past three decades, making it the open - source software with the largest number of downloads in history.

Jensen Huang compares the AI ecosystem to a "five - layer cake", and the application layer where OpenClaw is located is currently the area with the highest output and the most rewards. He believes that the reason why OpenClaw has become popular around the world in a short period is that it has proven to the world that AI can penetrate highly personalized environments and directly solve the redundant tasks of ordinary users and enterprises. (Kuaikeji)

The three major U.S. stock indexes closed down collectively, and large technology stocks generally declined

The three major U.S. stock indexes closed down collectively. The Nasdaq fell 1.59% and dropped 1.24% for the week. The S&P 500 index fell 1.33% and declined 2.02% for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.95% and dropped 3.01% for the week. Large technology stocks generally declined. Intel fell more than 5%, NVIDIA fell 3%, Amazon, Tesla, and Meta fell more than 2%, Apple fell more than 1%, and Microsoft and Google declined slightly. U.S. stock cryptocurrency concept stocks retreated. Riot Platforms fell more than 9%, IREN fell more than 8%, BMNR fell more than 7%, and Robinhood, Strategy, and Coinbase fell more than 4%. Marvell Technology closed up 18%, achieving its best single - day performance since April 2025. (Jiemian News)

The settlement price of international crude oil futures recorded the largest weekly increase on record, with WTI crude oil futures up more than 35% this week.

The settlement price of international crude oil futures closed significantly higher, reaching a new high since October 2023. U.S. oil and Brent oil respectively recorded their largest weekly increases since records began in 1983 and 1991. The April contract of WTI crude oil futures closed up 12.21% at $90.9 per barrel, up 35.6% this week. The May contract of Brent crude oil futures rose 8.52% to $92.69 per barrel, up 27.88% this week. (Jiemian News)

Ford Recalls 1.74 Million Vehicles in the US Due to Rearview Camera Defects

On March 6, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that Ford Motor Company is recalling 1.74 million vehicles in the United States because a rearview camera defect may cause the image not to be displayed. (Jiemian News)

Mixue Bingcheng has announced multiple coffee-related patents

36Kr learned that currently, Mixue Bingcheng's freshly ground coffee business is in the early planning and pilot stage. In addition to fully automatic coffee machines, it will simultaneously pilot and upgrade the coffee product line, including launching new coffee products and upgrading core raw materials such as coffee beans and milk. Overall, it will still continue the product strategy of high quality and affordable prices. The Aiqicha App shows that Mixue Bingcheng Co., Ltd. has announced multiple coffee-related patents such as "drip coffee maker", "coffee packaging box", and "coffee packaging bag". All the patent types are design patents.

Governor of the People's Bank of China: Both the number of financing platforms and the debt scale have decreased by more than 70% compared with the beginning of 2023

Pan Gongsheng, the governor of the People's Bank of China, said at a press conference on the economic theme during the Fourth Session of the 14th National People's Congress on March 6 that important phased achievements have been made in resolving the debt risks of financing platforms. Compared with the beginning of 2023, both the number of financing platforms and the debt scale decreased by more than 70% by the end of 2025. (Xinhua News Agency)

Indonesia: Restrictions on Children Under 16 Using Platforms Such as YouTube and Facebook to Begin on March 28

The Ministry of Communication and Informatics of Indonesia issued a statement saying that the government will ban children under 16 from having accounts on digital platforms deemed high - risk. The statement said that the authorities will gradually implement the new regulations starting from March 28, beginning with platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox. The department said that the responsibility for protecting children lies with the platforms that manage the digital space. (Caixin)

Ministry of Commerce: Robots Become New Label for China's Foreign Trade

A press conference on economic topics was held during the Fourth Session of the 14th National People's Congress on March 6. Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce, said at the conference that some of our high - end intelligent, green and low - carbon products, including robots, have become a new label for China's foreign trade. (CCTV News)

SpaceX Plans to Launch Approximately 1,200 Second-Generation Satellites by the End of 2027

SpaceX plans to launch approximately 1,200 second-generation satellites into space by the end of 2027. The company hopes to provide a mobile version of Starlink Internet service with DSL broadband quality globally, with a download speed of up to 100 megabits per second and an upload speed of up to 50 megabits per second. (Sina Finance)

Ministry of Commerce: The Import and Export Volume of Cross - border E - commerce Reached 2.75 Trillion

A press conference on economic topics was held on March 6 during the Fourth Session of the 14th National People's Congress. Wang Wentao, Minister of the Ministry of Commerce, stated that new forms and models of China's foreign trade have demonstrated strong vitality, and the import and export volume of cross - border e - commerce has reached 2.75 trillion. (CCTV News)

Wang Wentao: Chinese online dramas account for 90% of the global market revenue

On March 6, at a press conference on the economic theme of the Fourth Session of the 14th National People's Congress, Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce, said that Chinese online dramas now account for 90% of the global market revenue, and the APP download volume accounts for 80% globally. Basically, whatever online dramas are watched in China, they are also watched overseas, just in a different (form). (Securities Times)

Estée Lauder Acquires Remaining Stake in Forest Essentials

36Kr learned that Estée Lauder Companies has reached an agreement to acquire the remaining 51% stake in Indian Ayurvedic beauty brand Forest Essentials. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026, and the specific amount has not been disclosed. It is understood that the cooperation between the two parties began in 2008 when Estée Lauder made a minority equity investment for the first time and increased its shareholding to 49% in 2020. After the acquisition is completed, the brand will be fully integrated into the group's system.

Google Play Store Undergoes Reform: Lowering Commission Rate and Opening Third-Party Payment

On the 4th (Eastern Time), Google submitted a proposed change plan to the U.S. Federal Court in San Francisco, which will carry out a systematic reform of its Google Play Store. It will not only reduce the high fees charged by its Android app store but also fully open third-party payment systems and third-party app stores. This is a complete reconstruction of the business model of the Google Play app store since its establishment, marking that the antitrust lawsuit that has troubled Google for several years is finally coming to an end. It is also expected to have a profound impact on the mobile app and game industries. (Caixin Press)

Japanese Finance Minister: Japan Has Not Completely Emerged from Deflation

Japanese Finance Minister Katsuki Katayama said that Japan has not completely emerged from deflation. (Caixin)

Insiders Respond to the Lower Sales of Pop Mart's New IPs Compared to Other Popular New Products in the Same Period

Since 2026, Pop Mart has accelerated the pace of launching new IPs. Supertutu and After-School Merodi were successively released, and the new IP image "Key A" was previewed. However, both Supertutu and After-School Merodi received a lukewarm response after their launch, and their sales were far lower than those of other popular new IP products in the same period. On the second-hand trading platform, the transaction prices were also at a relatively low level. In response, an insider close to Pop Mart said, "The overall sales performance of the new IPs meets expectations." (Securities Times)

Toshiba Restructures Massive Debt with Goal of Re - listing in Fiscal Year 2028

Toshiba Corporation is restructuring most of its interest - bearing debt, paving the way for its return to the public market as early as fiscal year 2028. The company plans to repay mezzanine loans, redeem the issued preferred shares, and refinance the acquisition - related financing into standard corporate loans. Toshiba aims to re - list on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in fiscal year 2028, with the specific timing depending on market conditions and the progress of the company's restructuring. (Caixin)

Enoglutide (Xianweiying®) Approved for Weight Management in Chinese Adults

36Kr learned that Pfizer China announced on March 6 that the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has officially approved the new-generation cAMP-biased GLP-1 receptor agonist, Enoglutide Injection (Xianweiying®), for long-term weight management in adult patients with overweight/obesity on the basis of diet control and increased physical activity.

The U.S. Customs Department Says It Cannot Refund Tariffs for Now

A statement submitted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to the U.S. Court of International Trade on March 6 said that due to current technological, procedural and human resource limitations, it is currently unable to refund the tariffs levied under the U.S. "International Emergency Economic Powers Act" in accordance with the court's ruling on the 4th. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said that as of the 4th, more than 330,000 importers had submitted more than 53 million customs declarations and prepaid or paid tariff duties under the "International Emergency Economic Powers Act", involving about $166 billion in funds. The agency is faced with an unprecedented workload of refunds. (Xinhua News Agency)

The Cutting - Edge of AI

Xiaomi miclaw Launches Small-Scale Closed Beta Testing

36Kr learned that according to Xiaomi Corporation, Xiaomi miclaw is an AI interaction test product built on Xiaomi's MiMo large model. The small-scale closed beta testing started on March 6th.

Together AI, an NVIDIA Cloud Service Partner, Plans to Raise Funds at a Valuation of $7.5 Billion

According to two people familiar with the matter, Together AI, one of the emerging cloud service providers that rents NVIDIA chip servers to AI developers, is in talks with investors about raising funds. It plans to raise approximately $1 billion, with a pre - financing valuation of $7.5 billion. (Sina Finance)

Financial Reports of Large Companies

New Hope: The sales revenue of commercial pigs in February was 1.327 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 7.42%

36Kr learned that New Hope announced that in February, it sold 982,200 commercial pigs, a month-on-month decrease of 12.44% and a year-on-year increase of 19.97%. The sales revenue of commercial pigs was 1.327 billion yuan, a month-on-month decrease of 18.49% and a year-on-year decrease of 7.42%. The average sales price of commercial pigs was 11.45 yuan per kilogram, a month-on-month decrease of 8.25% and a year-on-year decrease of 21.79%.

Laofengxiang: Net profit attributable to the parent company in 2025 was 1.755 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 9.99%

36Kr learned that Laofengxiang released its performance bulletin for 2025. During the reporting period, it achieved an operating income of 52.823 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 6.99%; the net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company was 1.755 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 9.99%; the basic earnings per share was 3.3548 yuan.

Wanbangde: Net profit in Q1 2026 is expected to increase by 985.40% year-on-year

36Kr learned that Wanbangde announced that the net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company in the first quarter of 2026 is expected to be 165 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 985.40%; the net profit after deducting non-recurring gains and losses is 164 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 2174.55%. The company's strategic transformation from generic drugs to innovative drugs has achieved initial results. The business expansion during the reporting period has made positive progress, bringing new growth points for performance, and the company has continuously increased R & D efforts. During the reporting period, the company strengthened internal management, increased the collection of accounts receivable, and effectively accelerated the capital return.

Investment and Financing

Quince is in talks for financing, aiming to double its valuation to over $10 billion

According to people familiar with the matter, online retailer Quince is in talks with investors for a new round of financing. After the financing is completed, the company's valuation will exceed $10 billion. If the negotiations are successful, the valuation of this highly - regarded online brand will more than double compared to the previous round of financing. (Sina Finance)

"Tianchuang Robotics" Completes Over 100 Million Yuan Series D Financing, with Two Listed Companies Making Strategic Investments

Recently, "Tianchuang Robotics" completed a Series D financing of over 100 million yuan, with two listed companies, Jinzhou Pipe and Chaoda Equipment, making strategic investments. The company has long been focused on the R & D and application of special embodied intelligent systems in 4D scenarios (remote, dangerous, dirty, and boring). Jinzhou Pipe is a core company in the domestic oil and gas pipeline transportation field, and Chaoda Equipment is an established enterprise in the automotive parts and automation equipment industry. The two companies empower Tianchuang Robotics from the downstream industry and upstream supply chain respectively, forming a dual - wheel drive pattern of "market traction + technology feedback", which provides guarantee for Tianchuang Robotics' continuous R & D investment, scenario expansion, and large - scale application.

Compiled | He Yuting