Beijing

Ten years ago Beijing was an unbreathable city. Today its air quality is better than that of Madrid for a reason

by

On December 8, 2015, schools were closed in Beijing. Construction stopped. Only a handful of cars could circulate on the streets. The atmosphere was unbreathable. We don’t say it, the city leaders said it at that time. As stated BBCit was the first time that the red alert due to contamination. In China, an action protocol with four levels had been launched to deal with this type of episode. That day marked a before and after. Just over a decade later, Beijing is one of the Chinese cities with the best air quality. The country still has a serious problem with pollution but the data show that the country’s capital has left those days of constant fog behind. And it has done so, in large part, by a huge investment in cleaning up transportation. Better air quality than Madrid That December 8, Beijing registered 291 micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5ultrafine particles especially harmful to health. They are polluting emissions that can come from different sources but in whose production diesel engines intervene decisively. That’s why DGT environmental labeling that It is used in Spanish ZBEs discriminates (by age) between diesel vehicles and gasoline vehicles. Is 291 micrograms a lot? To get an idea, the WHO recommended At that time, it did not exceed 25 micrograms per cubic meter. Obviously, this pollution rate occurred on a specific day under specific circumstances, but the annual levels were so high that in 2013 they signed 89.5, as stated in Motorpassion. Last year, according to published data By the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, the city signed 27 micrograms per cubic meter of PM 2.5. A fact that improves the air breathed in Madrid, “which did not exceed 31 micrograms of PM 2.5” on average, in the words of the Madrid officials. The decline is absolutely spectacular and is marked by profound changes in mobility, lowering the 30 microgram barrier for the first time in its history per cubic meter on the annual average. In addition, 311 days of 2025 were classified within the parameters that point to the best air quality. For this, Beijing launched a campaign against pollution which became especially relevant a little over a decade ago, although it already took its first steps with the 2008 Beijing Olympic Days. It was not until 2013 when the city took serious measures. More than a million coal-fired boilers in the city were replaced with boilers that run on gas or electricity. The city added more than 600,000 new energy vehicles (electric or plug-in hybrids that generally operate in completely electric mode). But, above all, 1.9 million cars that were considered too old and polluting were taken off the road. Low emission zones had a key effect in achieving this. Then, the 6NI mechanical (which was equivalent to our Euro 6) to let vehicles pass or not. Automobiles that, in addition, had to stay at home alternately (discriminating by license plate) when high pollution episodes were activated. The evolution of Beijing has been so spectacular in the last 10 years that it is common to see it as an example for those most polluted cities, like New Delhi, in India. Photo | zhang kaiyv and Quique Olivar In Xataka | Tire pollution is as serious as engine pollution. This company says it has found the solution

I have been to the Xiaomi Store in Beijing. It is a glimpse of the future that awaits us in Spain

by

Seven years ago we visited one of the Xiaomi stores in China. It was the My Home in Shanghaiand we found a space full of devices, without much glamor from the outside and full of ‘gadgets’ that we did not yet have in Spain. Things have changed a lot in these years. The Xiaomi store is now surgical, from the outside we see the company’s cars and the space is an ode to good taste. The most interesting thing is not that: it is that almost everything we see is going to reach Spain. Store/experience. In one of the shopping centers on Dongdan Avenue in Beijing, you will find one of the several Xiaomi Stores in the Chinese capital. If you have ever been in a Apple Storethe concept is the same: a neat space, employees who don’t harass you if you don’t ask for assistance, and a sea of ​​devices to fiddle with. Image | Xataka Image | Xataka For a technology lover, having the Xiaomi 17 Exposed there and within my reach, it was a joy. You can try any of the models, but you also have tablets, computers and even speakers. One of the employees told me I could connect my cell phone to see how they sounded. Image | Xataka They also have technology that we have not seen around here yet, such as Xiaomi AI Glasses that they go for the Meta models and that in person they are very discreet. Image | Xataka Home. But despite all the junk, what impressed me most was the catalog of home devices. Televisions, vacuum cleaners and even air conditioning we have already seen them herebut in China the catalog expands greatly. In a time when some They insist that we not cook at homethe range of gadgets The kitchen that Xiaomi has is unfathomable. Image | Xataka Again, we have many of them in the Spanish store, but for every rice cooker sold here, they have three other models there. And the same with devices such as the food processor, warming jugs of all kinds, mixers, thermoses, faucets, water (and air, many) purifiers… Image | Xataka It is a legion of devices for the home. And, sharing the same space, curiously there are two that will soon disembark in our country. If a few lines ago I was talking about air-conditioning that opened the gap, now I mention both the washing machine and the refrigerator. Image | Xataka a few months ago confirmed their arrival in the west with a single objective: that our entire home remains within its ecosystem. Pride. Because entering that store makes you realize that, while my house must be controlled with four or five different applications for different devices, in China you need… one. That of Xiaomi Home, in this case. But Huawei is working towards something similar, a sign that the ecosystem is what the Asian giant’s companies are taking most seriously. Image | Xataka And, within this strategy, is the pride of the store. In plural, better: cars. A couple of Xiaomi SU7 Ultra and two or three others Xiaomi YU7. The same thing: you can touch them, ride wherever you want, ask and an expert will appear to tell you the benefits. It’s a dealership experience. Image | Xataka Image | Xataka Image | Xataka Lifestyle. And if all the devices are within the same ecosystem (something that He has even fallen in love with the CEO of Ford), to round out the experience is the ‘Xiaomi Life’ wall. Here you already have “toys”, such as mugs with the colors of the cars, bags, amazing replicas of the cars, caps, t-shirts and a lot of other accessories for the vehicle. Image | Xataka It’s… another bummer, but if seven years ago we couldn’t even dream of the arrival of a quarter of what we saw in Shanghai, today we can say that, sooner or later, everything I saw will be here over the next few months. Xiaomi already has its first official store in Spaina first step for them to disembark cars that already have a launch segment. And once the most ambitious product in the company’s history is here, nothing prevents everything else from also appearing in the store. PS Sony. But hey, although I found the Xiaomi store amazing, I have to say that other stores in the shopping center (one of the shopping centers on the avenue) were just as impressive or more impressive. Sony’s thing is also impressive. Image | Xataka Huawei also had a car parked in its store, for example, and Sony has another megastore with movie theaters to take a look at its most cutting-edge TVs and speakers… and even miniatures so that customers can try out the benefits of their cameras. I can only say one thing: I left that street overwhelmed. And thinking that I should have bought the Xiaomi 17 Ultra because it was at a VERY good price. What I did want to buy is the Pixar-style lamp shown a while ago: the PIPI Lamp. After asking about her, no one knew how to answer me until another girl appeared who – sadly – cleared my doubts: it was an experiment and there is no evidence that it can even be ordered from stores. Images | Xataka In Xataka | I have asked for water from the first humanoid robot working in Beijing. It’s a weird vending machine.

An order from Beijing has just left it on the brink of the abyss

by

A Chinese attack on Taiwan would be “a situation that threatens the survival” of Japan. Sanae Takaichi, Japanese Prime Minister, said it on November 9, and it was the trigger for a diplomatic outbreak between the two nations which to this day remains very tense. One of its victims has been tourism. what’s happening. Following Takaichi’s statements, the Chinese government advised its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan and it seems that they have listened to him. They count in Nikkei Asia that the entire ecosystem of businesses that made a living from Chinese tourism in Japan is suffering due to this dispute. Some owners of accommodations that had the full sign posted have found themselves with massive cancellations and the Chinese restaurants in the most touristy areas are practically empty. Why is it important. It is an example of how tensions between China and Japan quickly translate into very concrete economic impacts. Most of Japan’s tourism comes from China and has created an entire industry around it called “yitiao long”, which translates to “a dragon”. It is estimated that it moves around 54,000 million euros per year. the dragon. It is the name given to the tourism industry for Chinese citizens who visit Japan. They offer itineraries, restaurants, transportation, entertainment, accommodations and much more. The peculiarity is that the services are offered by Chinese-owned businesses, so everything is done in the same language and they even use Chinese payment systems to avoid having to change money. The fact that they are businesses so oriented towards Chinese clientele makes it difficult for them to pivot towards other nationalities. Tensions. China’s request not to travel to Japan has not been the only consequence after the prime minister’s statements. China has also pressed threatening aerial maneuvers and the decision of leave japanese zoos without pandasa measure that may seem trivial but has a great background. Goodbye to ambiguity. China’s response to the Japanese Prime Minister’s phrase may seem excessive, but Takaichi’s phrase implies several important details. The first thing is that it breaks with the tradition of previous leaders, whose position on Taiwan had always been ambiguous. On the other hand, the mention of the “survival-threatening situation” is not trivial. It refers to a legal figure that would allow Japan to use force in the event that China attacks Taiwan, even if it does not attack them directly. Image | Gije Cho, Pexels In Xataka | The United States may win the AI ​​race, but its problem is different: China is winning all the others

Now their biggest challenge is to convince Beijing to let them use them

by

China is experiencing an unexpected situation in the midst of the race for artificial intelligence: the country’s big technology companies want access to the chip NVIDIA H200but this time it is not Washington that sets the pace, but Beijing. The American government has opened the door to its export under clear conditions, although the final permit now depends on China, that has been tightening its policy for months on foreign semiconductors. Alibaba and ByteDance move in this delicate balance, aware that their ability to advance in AI in the immediate future will depend on what their own regulator decides. Two giants with enormous needs: Alibaba and ByteDance are not simple technology companies, but two of the companies with the greatest demand for computing capacity in China. Alibaba maintains an e-commerce network and cloud services that centralizes a good part of the purchases and sales that go through Taobao, Tmall or AliExpress, both in China and abroad. ByteDance operates TikTok and its Chinese version, Douyin, in addition to maintaining Doubao, its own AI chatbot. This combination of platforms with massive loads turns each jump in power into more than just a technical improvement: it conditions their ability to keep up with the pace of the sector. The change of course in Washington: On December 8, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would allow H200 to be exported to “approved customers” in China, a move that marked a turn from previous restrictions. The agreement contemplates that the US government receives 25% of the income from these sales, above the 15% applied to H20. The White House presented the decision as a formula to strengthen domestic manufacturing and sustain high-skilled jobs, while maintaining direct control over the flow of chips to China. Where the H200 fits into the NVIDIA lineup: The H200 belongs to the Hopper architecture, presented in 2022, and occupies an intermediate position between the generations already established in the market and the new Blackwell line, which is NVIDIA’s priority today. Blackwell-based servers can achieve tenfold performance gains on certain models compared to systems using H200, according to recent company data. Still, the H200 remains a relevant product for advanced training, especially in markets where access to newer hardware is restricted by export controls or limited supply capacity. NVIDIA H200 Why the H200 makes such a difference: The distance between the H200 and the H20 is still notable. According to the Institute for Progressthe H200 achieves a total throughput of 15,840 TPP, almost six times more than the 2,368 TPP of the H20. Compared to the most advanced domestic chips, the gap continues. He Huawei Ascend 910C It reaches 12,032 TPP and offers a memory bandwidth of 3.2 TB/s, while the H200 reaches 4.8 TB/s. That combination of power and speed explains why this chip is so coveted for training large-scale models. Alibaba and ByteDance have conveyed to NVIDIA their willingness to acquire large batches of the H200 if they receive approval from Beijing, according to information shared with Reuters by several sources. Chip availability is reduced because some manufacturing capacity is geared toward newer generations, increasing pressure on the purchasing window. In this scenario, both companies are trying to anticipate whether the Chinese regulator will allow a processor of this level to be incorporated into their training systems without additional restrictions. Access conditioned by the Chinese strategy: Authorization to purchase H200 depends not only on company demand, but on how it fits into the self-sufficiency goals set by Beijing. According to sources cited by the aforementioned agency, regulators are likely to demand precise details about the purpose of each order. In all this, it is no secret that China tries to accelerate the development of its own products through manufacturers such as Huawei and Cambricon, and any import of advanced hardware is examined in light of that strategic horizon. The situation leaves a market in which the rules seem inverted: chips like A100 and H100 They remain under export control, while the H200, more powerful and recent, could arrive in China under an exceptional framework. This asymmetry conditions the advancement of the country’s most ambitious models, which need competitive hardware to continue evolving. The outcome will depend on what Beijing decides in the coming days. Images | NVIDIA | Arthur Wang | In Xataka | Media China is talking about a feature of the ZTE Nubia M153. And the most surprising thing is that the phone is already out of stock.

The name China does not appear, everything else reminds us of Beijing

by

By 2025, countries like Finland, Sweden and Lithuania had published guides for its population focused on concern about a possible war with Russia. In Taiwan they have gone a little further if possible. The nation has decided to publicly assume something that until a few years ago was avoided even being mentioned: that the military threat from China is no longer a remote hypothesis, but rather a daily pressure that forces to prepare to the entire population to stages. And they have done so without naming Beijing at any time. A manual for an island. The guide has a “trap”, since there are scenarios that range from natural disasters to a coordinated invasion by land, sea, air and cyberspace. That said, it is the first time that the Government sends a security manual to every home in the country (23 million inhabitants), an unprecedented gesture that reveals both the seriousness of the strategic situation and the political determination to show that civil society will not be a weak link in the event of conflict. The guide, redesigned to be understandable for any citizen, combines practical instructions, technological warnings, psychological guidelines and a central idea that structures the entire message: the defense of Taiwan depends on each person knowing what to do from the first minute of a crisis. Prepare at home. The manual starts from a basic principle: In a real crisis, public infrastructure may be disrupted and initial survival will depend on each family’s ability to be self-sufficient for at least a week. The guide explains how to evaluate the logistical needs of the home, from dry food, water and medicines to batteries, radios, hygienic materials and basic utensils for cooking without electricity. It is requested to maintain a “revolving stock”consuming and replenishing so that reserves are never lacking. It also introduces the need for consider vulnerable people (seniors, babies, dependents) and to always have chargers, cash, copies of documents and alternative means of communication in case the internet or mobile phones are sabotaged. Emergency luggage. The heart of the manual is the go-bag preparationa kit that should be able to be picked up and carried in seconds if the situation forces you to leave home. It includes water, ready-to-eat food, basic first aid kit, clothing for rain and cold, flashlight, radio, chargers, documents, simple tools and paper maps. This section insists that the population must internalize the logic of immediate mobilityunderstanding that in the first moments of a crisis, speed can be the difference between being trapped or reaching a safe point. Threat scenarios. One of the most striking new features is the explicit enumeration of hostile scenariosall of them based on patterns already observed in Chinese military exercises or on forms of coercion that Taipei identifies as part of a sustained hybrid war. They include the cable sabotage submarines, maritime blockades disguised as inspections, the creation of false no-fly zones, intrusive drones over Taiwanese space, disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks and the possibility that enemy forces try to infiltrate or simulate identities to confuse the population. The manual warns that, in such an environment, distinguish allies and enemies can be difficult, so the rule is simple: stay away from any detected military activity and do not broadcast images that could reveal Taiwanese defensive movements. Taiwanese army training How to act during bombings. The document also pragmatically details how survive an air raid If there is no time to reach underground shelter: move away from windows and walls, lie down on the ground, cover your head and open your mouth slightly to cushion the impact of the shock wave. For those who are on the street, we insist on adopting a protective position and facing the opposite direction to the explosion. The manual, in addition, updates evacuation routeshelp points and location of shelters, and highlights the importance of establishing three previously agreed upon family meeting places to avoid the fragmentation of groups in the midst of chaos. The psychological dimension. Another essential part is emotional management. It is encouraged to reduce exposure to irrelevant news to avoid saturation, to maintain rest and eating routines, and to talk openly about fear as a way to prevent it from growing uncontrollably. In the case of children, the guide recommends including them in the preparation of go-bags, explain to them what is happening with appropriate language and teach them to identify fake news, a threat that Taiwan suffers every day as part of the information harassment from abroad. Cybersecurity and technology. The manual dedicates an entire section to warning about the risks of using applications and technological devices linked to Chinese companies. The guide points out platforms such as TikTok, WeChat, RedNote or AI tools such as DeepSeek, and remembers that certain devices with cameras can be vectors for data collection. The instruction is clear: reduce its use, deactivate sensitive functions and be wary of any anomalous behavior in electronic equipment. Civic offensive. If you also want, the most relevant thing about this massive deployment is not only its content, but its strategic significance: Taiwan wants to show Beijing that its society is not passive or fragile, that it knows what to do and that the human, social and political cost of an invasion would not be low. The campaign, which will distribute more than 11 million of copies, seeks to reinforce the idea that the defense of the island does not depend solely on its army, but also on a prepared, conscious and coordinated civil fabric. The political message is explicit: the Taiwanese resistance does not expect a “D-Day”, possibly because it already lives under daily threat, but is willing to assume the consequences of defending itself if that day arrives. Image | 總統府, 總統府 In Xataka | Communist countries have a very long tradition of military purges. And China is joining it In Xataka | A phrase from Japan has put Pacific peace in suspense. China’s response has been to launch its drones and warships

A new futuristic Chinese drone has just appeared on the scene. Beijing has shown it in a video without saying a single word

by

China has decided to show its new stealth drone in the most direct way possible: iincluding it in an official video and letting the image speak for itself. The device appears rolling from a hangar and forming with two J-20, a gesture that does not require subtitles to capture attention. It is an austere presentation, almost silent, but full of intention. The movement that changes reading. The official video published by the chinese air force for its 76th anniversary, it combines historical images with recent scenes, following a format that the institution has used for years. It is a simple production piece, focused on showing some of the advances that they consider relevant at this stage. Within this general route, the final section incorporates material that until now had not been seen on official channels, among them the inclusion of the GJ-11. It is a drone that belongs to the category of flying wing stealth platforms, a design that China has been researching for years and that fits with long-distance attack missions and surveillance tasks. What is known comes from sightings at test bases and analysis of their configuration, since Beijing has not published technical specifications. Some analysts interpret that its size and architecture allow prolonged flights, but that information is not part of official statements. Is it already operational? The official video does not confirm that the GJ-11 is in service, but it does fit with the indications that point to a program in an advanced phase. In recent months there have appeared at least three units in Shigatse, an active site where China tests systems in real scenarios. The inclusion of the drone in institutional material adds another element to the chronology, although by itself it is not enough to affirm that its operational deployment is a reality. The key doubts. Despite the relevance of the video, the Chinese Air Force has not offered details about the capabilities, range, sensors or weapons of the GJ-11. There is also no data on its production rate or on possible contracts associated with the program. The footage confirms its form and activity, but does not clear up technical unknowns that allow us to understand its exact role within the operational structure. The absence of this information keeps the program partially in the shadows. The appearance of the GJ-11 in an official video does not dispel all doubts, but it does consolidate an idea: China wants the drone to be part of its public story without the need to communicate technical details. Between previous indications and recent material, the image that remains is that of an advanced program that advances at its own pace. Images | People’s Liberation Army Air Force (Weibo) In Xataka | They have just leaked Russia’s best kept secret: their “invisible” nuclear bomber has exploded into the air

The Fujian is officially China’s largest power catapult. Beijing already has a button to challenge the US Navy

by

It has been almost two years since China ended its long-awaited Fujian aircraft carrierits largest warship with cutting-edge technology for the nation. From then until now it has been going through different scenarios of tests and tests that will confirm reliability of what should be the spearhead for Beijing to compete in the same league as the United States. That day has already arrived. The naval power of the 21st century. China has made official the entry into service of Fujian, its first aircraft carrier with electromagnetic catapultsa milestone that marks a qualitative leap in the country’s naval ambition and in their direct rivalry with the United States. In a ceremony held in the port of Sanya, on the island of Hainan, President Xi Jinping performed the symbolic gesture of pressing the launch button from the ship’s control bubble, in an act that state propaganda presented as the beginning of a new era for the People’s Liberation Army Navy. Projection and vulnerability. With 80,000 tons displacement, 300 meters in length and capacity to operate nearly 60 aircraft, the Fujian becomes the jewel of the Chinese fleet, the third in service after from Liaoning and the Shandong. Its distinctive feature is the electromagnetic catapultsan aircraft launch system similar to the American EMALS that only equips one other ship in the world: the USS Gerald R. Ford. China has thus jumped directly from aircraft carriers with a “ski jump” ramp to a generation of electromagnetic propulsion directed personally, according to Beijing, by Xi. This technical advance has clear strategic implications: improves the rate of departures, reduces wear and tear on aircraft and allows the operation of drones or lighter devices, opening the door to a more flexible and modern on-board aviation. Fujian The jump and the dimension. The Fujian represents more than just a technical improvement: it is the first completely designed and built in Chinafree of the Soviet legacy that conditioned the previous ones. The Liaoning was originally a ukrainian helmet unfinished work of the eighties and the Shandong su national derivativeboth with STOBAR systems short takeoff. With Fujian, China abandons that past and exhibits its technological maturity, especially in a context of industrial rivalry with the United States, whose own EMALS program has faced years of failures and cost overruns. In contrast to the Gerald R. Ford problemsXi’s speech and the staging of the ceremony convey a message of effectiveness and national pride: that of a power capable of manufacturing its own cutting-edge ships while the adversary hesitates. The choice of the port of Hainan was also not accidental. from there, China control access to the South Sea and projects its influence towards the western Pacific and the Taiwan Strait. On that board, the Fujian is not just a ship, but a political statement about Beijing’s ability to contest global maritime dominance. Fujian Target of the future. However, the relevance of these steel colossi coexists with a paradox. While the great powers continue to invest billions in building them, the conflict in Ukraine has shown that he size no longer guarantees invulnerability. With low-cost naval drones, Ukraine has managed to disable much of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, inflicting a “functional defeat” without possessing a single aircraft carrier. The contrast is eloquent: asymmetric warfare reduces the effectiveness of the most expensive conventional weapons, but not their strategic value. In the case of China and the United States, aircraft carriers maintain their role as projection and deterrence instrumentsuseful for both combat operations and coercive diplomacy. Make fear. Washington continues to use them as pressure tool geopolitics: Donald Trump himself ordered the deployment of the Gerald R. Ford against Venezuela as a symbolic warning to the Nicolás Maduro regime. The scene, with an aircraft carrier escorted by four destroyers and armed with 70 aircraft, illustrates the extent to which these ships continue to be armed ambassadors of the superpowers, beyond their debatable military profitability. Global deterrence. Modern navies are aware that aircraft carriers are both a symbol like a target. During the Cold War, it was estimated that twelve conventional missiles to sink a super aircraft carrier. In 2005, the experimental sinking of the USS America required four weeks of sustained attacks, confirming its structural resilience, but also its exposure. In a scenario saturated with hypersonic missiles, swarms of drones and long-range anti-ship systems, its survival in real combat is increasingly uncertain. However, no other platform offers the combination of mobility, air capacity and logistical autonomy that an aircraft carrier provides. That is why China, despite investing in missiles to repel a US fleet off its coast, considers these ships essential for its own global ambitions. As pointed out analyst Nick Childsfrom the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Beijing understands them as an indispensable tool to project influence and support an eventual operation on Taiwan. Geopolitics of steel. we have been counting: the rise of Fujian is part of a broader strategy of naval expansion that has turned Chinese shipyards into the most productive on the planet. The country’s surface and submarine fleet is growing at a pace the United States can no longer match, and each new vessel reinforces the narrative of industrial self-sufficiency that Xi Jinping presents as an emblem. of the “national renaissance”. Facing eleven US aircraft carriers (ten nuclear and one conventionally powered), China has threebut with plans to build at least a nuclear one, the future Type 004which could directly rival the Fords of the US Navy. Unlike Russia, whose only aircraft carrier, the aging Admiral Kuznetsovhas been out of service for years and is headed for scrapping, China and the United States are today the only powers capable to sustain fleets with great oceanic projection. Europe, for its part, maintains a symbolic presence: the United Kingdom uses its aircraft carriers Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales on diplomatic or training missions, while France prepares its new future-generation nuclear aircraft carrier. Century of the seas and fragility. If you like, Fujian also symbolizes the meeting point … Read more

The secret of Chinese AI companies to compete without Nvidia chips: electricity subsidized by Beijing

by

Everywhere we look, there is artificial intelligence. Everyone talks about it, but what is its fuel? It’s not the data or the chips: it’s the electricity. While in the West technology companies are looking for how to power their data centers —increasingly energy hungry—, China has decided to take a different step. Beijing has designed an energy subsidy for its technology sector with a clear objective: to make the energy that powers the digital brains of its next generation of chips cheaper. Energy subsidy. Since September, the Chinese Government banned large national technology companies —including Alibaba, ByteDance and Tencent—acquire artificial intelligence chips from the American Nvidia, in an attempt to strengthen local production. However, the consequence was immediate: national processors consume more electricity. According to The Chosun Dailygenerating the same number of tokens with Chinese chips requires 30% to 50% more energy than with Nvidia’s H20, which sent electricity bills skyrocketing and led companies to complain to regulators. To make up for that gap, local governments introduced grants that cover up to a full year of operating costs, according to the Hong Kong media on.cc. In those provinces, industrial electricity was already 30% cheaper than in the developed coastal areas of the east, but with the new incentives the price could fall to 0.4 yuan per kilowatt-hour, a record figure for the Chinese technology industry. ¿How does the energy plan work? The scheme is relatively simple, but strategic. Local governments offer electricity discounts of up to half to data centers that use chips produced within the country. Operators that use foreign processors – such as those from Nvidia or AMD – are excluded from the program. In addition, the energy provinces receive direct support from the State to finance the discounts, with the aim of reducing dependence on technological imports and compensating for the increased consumption of local chips. According to the Financial TimesChinese data centers that rely on domestic semiconductors are, for now, less energy efficient, but the subsidy seeks to bring their costs in line with those of more advanced foreign chips. These regions—Guizhou, Gansu, and Inner Mongolia—have become hotbeds for data center clusters, thanks to their abundance of hydropower and coal. There, companies like Alibaba or Tencent are building new facilities to house their generative AI models, taking advantage of lower energy costs and tax incentives. This policy combines three strategic priorities: making energy cheaper, promoting domestic chips and reinforcing technological sovereignty. In a context of United States restrictions, each subsidized kilowatt is also a political statement. An industrial policy with a geopolitical charge. Behind the energy plan is a long-range political commitment. The Chinese Government intends for its technology companies to progressively replace imported chips with domestic processors, even if this implies higher costs in the short term. The electricity subsidy acts as a temporary bridge for national giants to adopt local chips without losing competitiveness. This measure is included in a broader national strategy of technological self-sufficiency. As the Financial Times explains in its series The State of AIChina is using its “society-wide mobilization capacity” to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence. The country already leads the number of patents and scientific publications in AI, and although the United States maintains an advantage in chips and talent, the gap narrows every year. Analyst Dan Wang, quoted by the same media, points out: “China has achieved a unique balance between engineering capacity, state control and massive industrial deployment, allowing it to advance faster than other countries in the practical application of AI.” Meanwhile, in the West… China’s decision contrasts with the energy challenges of the United States. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella warned that the real bottleneck of AI It is no longer the chips, but the energy. In fact, he explained that many companies accumulate chips that they cannot connect due to lack of power supply. Both Microsoft and Google are already studying building modular nuclear reactors to power their future data centers, a sign of the enormous energy consumption that artificial intelligence requires. While Silicon Valley seeks electricity, China subsidizes it. This asymmetry reflects two different models: one guided by state intervention and the other by market competition. Both pursue the same goal—sustaining the artificial intelligence revolution—but with opposite philosophies. A future plugged into the State. The Chinese subsidy not only alleviates costs: it redefines the relationship between the State and the private sector in the age of AI. As analyst Arnaud Bertrand observed, US restrictions pushed China towards a different model: more efficient, more open and more collective. “By operating under hardware limitations, Chinese companies have learned to optimize resources and share open models like Qwen or DeepSeek,” wrote Bertrand on the social network That strategy, based on efficiency and diffusion, could give China a long-term advantage in global adoption, since any company in the world can download and adapt its models. The country that controls the plug. China isn’t just making the chips that power its artificial intelligence. It is also building the electrical grid that makes them possible. In a world where data is the new oil, Beijing has decided to subsidize the fuel of the digital brain. While the West debates how to connect its supercomputers, China plugs them in at a reduced price. And in this race, whoever controls the plug could end up controlling the future. Image | FreePik and FreePik Xataka | The world of AI has a problem: there is no energy for so many chips

If the war involves electromagnetic catapults, Beijing has a problem

by

In mid-September there was a tense scene in China. It happened on the deck of his brand new Fujian aircraft carrierand all the hopes of his Navy were placed on the reliability of that test: If for decades takeoffs were dominated by steam, his new “monster” was going to do it with electricity. Your electromagnetic catapult confirmed They were very serious. Although now the United States has something to say. Structural limitation. The news have given two former US Navy aircraft carrier officers, who conclude, after analyze images of the Fujian, that the deck configuration of the new Chinese aircraft carrier forces takeoffs and landings to be sequenced instead of overlapping them, which reduces its operational rhythm to approximately 60% of a Nimitz no less than half a century. The explanation. As they say, the angle of support of only 6th compared to 9th of the American ships, the greater length of the landing area (which invades the area where the planes are parked in tip before the catapult) and the position of the two forward catapults intercepting the landing system convert the deck into a plane with kinetic conflict pointswhere moving a recovered aircraft can momentarily block the catapult and disrupt the next sortie. Given this risk of collisions in an extremely dense and fast environment, the only realistic mitigation, according to officialsis to lower the tempo, which is equivalent to a direct degradation of the output generation capacity. Technological leap. He FujianAs we said, it is the first Chinese aircraft carrier with electromagnetic catapultsallowing devices to be launched with more fuel and weapons, increasing radius and hit mass. In fact, only Gerald R. Ford American shares this characteristic. It is a radical leap from Liaoning and Shandongwhich continue with ski jumping and limit weight at takeoff. But the material leap does not imply an immediate doctrinal leap: the deck operational culture (cycles, sequences, discipline of human and mechanical flow under hostile climate) is only achieved through years of operation and “with a blood curve,” as veterans remember. Without that accumulated experience, hardware introduces potential capacity that practice does not yet know how to exploit without a penalty in pace (or risk). Quantitative advantage. we have told before: China launches ships at an accelerated pace, building the largest navy in the world in total numberbut its deficit in aircraft carriers is not countable but rather generational: eleven compared to two in service, and decades of know-how compared to a first cohort that is barely entering the real training phase. The Fujian is the first volumetric competitor of the Nimitzbut according to American commanders, it is born with a deck topology that compromises your cadencewhile Washington operates ten Nimitz with doctrine mature and closes the cycle with the Ford class. That the Nimitz, launched in 1975in its last deployment may still surpass Fujian in rate of departures, illustrates that distance between tonnage and competition. The “intermediate link.” The officials, furthermore, interpret the Fujian as a bridge platform: first introduce the catapult, and then clear restrictions in subsequent generations. The next unit (the Type 004) will adjust, a priori, errors and move geometries to unleash the potential that the Fujian contains but does not release due to its disposition. China already shows the industrial pattern of fix in production: fail, learn and launch an iteration in a few years, something consistent with its naval pattern in other ship classes. In that sense, it would not be entirely correct to say that the Fujian fails: rather it fulfills the function of teaching and learning so that the successor is born without those collars. From steam to electricity. Steam catapults dominated shipborne aviation since the fifties: They use steam pressure to drive a piston that drags the plane. They are huge, but energy inefficient, with control thick acceleration and high maintenance requirements. the arrival by EMALS (Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System), first in the Ford class and now in Fujianreplaces thermal hydraulics with digitally controllable induction force: acceleration can be modulated, reducing the structural fatigue of the aircraft, allowing heavier devices to be launched with less stroke and recovering energy more quickly between departures. The “but”. It turns out that the electromagnetic advantage is conditional: to translate into real power requires a deck architecture, doctrine, rhythms and sequence discipline capable of capitalizing on the new margin. In other words, the first generation system in the hands of a fleet without “deck kilometers” inherits the physical power but far from the operational efficiency that decades of steam they taught to squeeze. The key is time. Ultimately, the background thesis of the veteran Marines is not that the Fujian is an unsolvable error, but that its limitation reveals the real nature of naval aviation warfare: it is not pure engineering but engineering amortized with habit, and where the enemy is not design but the chronology. Although it may seem like it, the combat power of an aircraft carrier is not its displacement or its systems, but rather the cycles per hour and the psychological confidence accumulated to sustain them at night, under storms, with low fuel and/or zero margin. That casuistry, which defines lethal performance, cannot be bought. AND, according to officialsChina still operates in the stadium in which only through years of cover will it be able to convert the physical leap from Fujian in sustained air power output. Image | Ministry of National Defense The People’s Republic of China/ LI GANG/XINHUA, Ministry of National Defense In Xataka | China has just tested the Fujian with three different aircraft. The electromagnetic catapult is no longer theory, it is practice In Xataka | For years the Airbus A380 symbolized European power against Boeing. Today he survives like a colossus without a kingdom

Russia is trying to conquer the Chinese pig market. Beijing has just provided it with rates of up to 62% to the EU

by

Beijing has decided to strengthen its pressure on the European pig sector in an evening retaliation to The rates applied By Brussels to the electric cars ‘Made in China’. And plan to do it big, adding tariffs of up to 62.4% to EU meat exports. In Spain the employer already He has nuanced That their companies will pay only 20% (some less), but if there is a country that can look with satisfaction, China’s decision is not Spain, but Russia. After all, Moscow has been wanting to win Market share in Asia. What happened? That the European pig has started September with turbulence. Turbulence that also affect one of its large markets: China. On Friday the Ministry of Commerce of the Asian Giant advertisement that since Wednesday will impose provisional tariffs of up to 62.4% To a series of pig products and by -products, a whole malazo for the community sector, which every year sells in China thousands and thousands of tons of pork. According to the Pig333 specialized platform, only during the first quarter of 2025 the EU exported more than 1.1 million tons to countries located outside the community club. Among the nations that contributed the most to that figure are Spain, with 35% of exports, followed by Netherlands, Denmark and Poland. At the other end of the chain, the fate of the meat is China, which was made with 296,500 tons, almost 27% of the total. It is followed by the United Kingdom and the Philippines. What does that rate of 62.4%mean? The figure is overwhelming, but Beijing’s tariff policy will not affect all EU countries equally. In an interporp fact, the agri -food interprofessional organization of the white -layer Portio, stands out that the Spanish industry will be the best standing in Europe. Although the rate will effectively reach 62.4% for the company of other countries in the region, the employer clarifies that for local firms that penalty will be quite lower: 20%or even lower in some specific case. And what is the reason? EFE Precise That the largest tariffs, up to 62.4%, will apply to companies that do not collaborate with Chinese authorities. Those who do will see how that low rate at 20%, the percentage that the well, Noel, Campofrío, Cárnicas Five Villas, Fiselva or Sánchez Romero Cavajal must face. The general photo is however more complex: China plans to do certain exceptions with the companies that his delegation has taken by way of sample for his investigation. Among them are the Dutch Vion, which will face a tariff of 32.7%; Danish Danish Crown, who will assume a rate of 31.3%; and the Spanish Litera Meat, based in Huesca, the most favored with 15.6%. Why those rates? Largely for the automotive. Perhaps the meat and automobile industry do not have much to do, but if we talk about economic policy, commercial flow and tariffs things change. When Brussels decided Upload your rates To the electric cars ‘Made in China’, Beijing reacted pointing to one of the European sectors that depends most on the Asian giant, the pig. As? The Xi Jinping government began an investigation ‘Antidumping’ Focused on EU’s pig imports, a process with which, China alleges wants to avoid the alleged unfair competition that affects its own companies. These investigations began in 2024, but In June Beijing decided to expand the investigation until at least mid -December. Once the process ends, the government will announce the permanent tariffs, but until then it has opted for temporary rates. As remember The Ministry of Commerce, its preliminary study identified a case of dumping Related to pork from the EU, which would have caused “important damage” to Chinese companies. Is it so serious? It is no accident that Beijing has set just in that sector. China is a Important producer of pigs, but also a enormous gigantic market that matters every year hundreds of thousands of tons of meat, a flow that generates in turn thousands of millions of dollars. And that market the EU (and especially countries with broad livestock cabins, such as Spain) plays a key role. Despite having slightly reduced its purchases, in 2024 the Asian giant remained the main destination of community pork, with a flow of 1.12 million of tons. In 2020, when the sector of the country was affected by the African swine plague, that data came to 3.34 million. In the specific case of Spain, which together with Germany and France plays A fundamental role In the European pig industry, the figures are equally eloquent. “China is the main destination market for the meat and by -products of the Spanish pig. In 2024 exports to this country reached 540,000 t, with a value greater than 1,097 million euros, which represents almost 20% of the total exported volume and 12.5% ​​of the value of sales,” remember Interporc. Is it bad for everyone? No. There is a country that probably see with expectation commercial tensions between China and Europe, especially if we talk about the pig sector: Russia. Moscow was set out from the appetizing (and millionaire) Chinese market for about A decade and a half Due to the health restrictions applied by Beijing in 2008 to protect from the African pig plague. That veto was broken in March 2024, when Russia managed to send a first game of 27 tons of pig to the Asian giant. It was a modest amount, true, but a success for Russia, which had been trying to open a hole in the Chinese market for years. Last July, Russian pork exports to China already reached 12.4 million dollars, According to Echemiwhich ensures that this figure represents a 22% increase compared to June. It is not the only sign that Moscow is managing to recover land in the Asian market. Just a few days ago the Intefax agency revealed That Kremlin expects Beijing to increase the number of Russian companies authorized to export meat to China, a possibility that looks with optimism. “We are communicating … Read more

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.