Tag Archives: Zuckerberg

INTERNET: Facebook Inches Closer to China with Tencent Poach

Bottom line: Facebook’s new hire of a top WeChat executive could be the latest signal that it expects to get permission to launch a China-based service soon, possibly by the end of this year.

WeChat exec defects to Facebook

Following several months of relative silence, social networking (SNS) giant Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) is back in the China headlines, with word of a major executive poach from China’s leading SNS company. This particular headline is filled with mixed signals. On the one hand, the hire of a former top executive from WeChat looks like a significant move closer to China, since the hugely popular Chinese SNS operator would be Facebook’s main rival if it’s ever allowed into China. But on the other hand, the executive is a foreigner from WeChat’s international division, which has been a poor performer in the service’s weak attempts to go global. Read Full Post…

INTERNET: Twitter Flits to China with First Country Chief

Bottom line: Twitter’s naming of its first China managing director indicates the company is re-thinking its China strategy, and may mark the start of a campaign to get permission to launch a Chinese version of its service.

Twitter names first China chief

Nearly a year after the departure of its former CEO, social networking high-flyer Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) has just made a baby peep that indicates it may finally be contemplating a serious move into the heavily censored China market. The move comes in the form of a low-key executive appointment, which had company co-founder and current CEO Jack Dorsey announcing Twitter’s first managing director for China.

Before I predict an imminent arrival of Twitter to China with this appointment, I should stop and say that Twitter’s new path looks similar to one forged by 2 other Internet giants, Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) and Google (Nasdaq: GOOG). All 3 of these companies are currently blocked in China due to information that China considers sensitive on their online services. But Facebook has indicated it wants to launch a version of its social networking site in China, and Google reportedly is taking steps to launch a Chinese version of its Google Play app store. Read Full Post…

INTERNET: Smog, Propaganda Boss Greet Facebook’s Zuckerberg in Beijing

Bottom line: Mark Zuckerberg’s latest visit to Beijing and meeting with a top propaganda official show his hopes of bringing Facebook to China are still alive, and could result in announcement of a new joint venture by year-end.

Facebook’s Zuckerberg back in Beijing

Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) chief Mark Zuckerberg may not have much chemistry with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but he certainly seems quite capable of getting meetings with high-ranking Chinese Internet and propaganda officials. Just a couple of months after returning from paternity leave for the birth of his daughter, Zuckerberg was back in Beijing over the weekend to attend a government-sponsored forum, as he pursues his aim of bringing Facebook to the world’s biggest Internet market.

Zuckerberg is certainly no stranger to meetings with top Chinese officials as he pursues his goal. Last year he made headlines when he reportedly asked President Xi Jinping to choose an honorary Chinese name for his daughter during Xi’s state visit to Washington, even though his request was ultimately declined. And in late 2014, he hosted a tour at Facebook’s Silicon Valley campus for Lu Wei, minister of the Cyberspace Administration for China. Read Full Post…

INTERNET: Facebook Eyeing China from Taiwan?

Bottom line: Facebook’s plans for a Taiwan data center reflect its big hopes for Asia, and could portend its long-sought receipt of permission to open a China service next year through a local joint venture.

Facebook eyes Taiwan data center

As the rest of the world buzzes over Mark Zuckerberg’s new daughter and philanthropy plans, other media reports are providing new signals involving his ongoing aspirations to bring his Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) empire to the world’s biggest Internet market in China. In all fairness, those reports that Facebook is studying a plan to set up its first Asian data center in Taiwan don’t necessarily point directly to its separate China aspirations.

But Taiwan is certainly much closer to China than the US, and a data center there would make Facebook quicker for people in China to access if and when Beijing ever decides to open its doors to the world’s largest social networking service (SNS). That said, Asia is already a huge region for Facebook, accounting for about a third of its 1.5 billion users worldwide. Thus a data center in Asia makes sense for Facebook to better serve that base of about 500 million users. Read Full Post…

INTERNET: Zuckerberg’s China Kowtow Hits New Lows with Baby Request

Bottom line: Mark Zuckerberg’s increasingly blatant groveling in his effort to bring Facebook to China could backfire if he’s not careful, and instead he should work behind the scenes and be patient for approval that could come within the next 1-2 years.

Top China Internet official visits Facebook last December

There’s still more than 2 months left in the year, but I’m already giving my “China Brown Noser of the Year” award to Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) founder Mark Zuckerberg, who has become quite unabashed about doing anything he can to win favor from Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping was front and center on the Facebook chief’s radar screen during his recent visit to the US, where Zuckerberg managed to attend 2 high profile events where China’s most powerful man was present.

I previously wrote about the first event in Seattle where numerous US tech leaders were also present. (previous post). But it was the latter White House event later in the week that prompted me to give Zuckerberg the dubious honors as China brown noser supreme. That’s because reports earlier this week revealed that Zuckerberg actually approached Xi at the White House dinner and requested an honorary name for his unborn daughter from the Chinese president. Read Full Post…

CELLPHONES: Xiaomi Sued In Shanghai, Wooed By Facebook

Bottom line: A new lawsuit against Xiaomi spotlights the lack of premium quality behind its trendy brand, though it could succeed in the shorter term as the leading maker of “fast fashion” smartphones.

Xiaomi sued in Shanghai court

I had to smile on reading about the latest scandal surrounding Xiaomi, which came in a media report on a new lawsuit accusing the smartphone sensation of false advertising claims. This kind of overinflated claim has become a symbol of Xiaomi, reflecting the kinds of hype it regularly generates even as its actual products are described as quite ordinary and even sub-par.

Xiaomi’s hype contrasts sharply with its primary role model, Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), which has built a hugely loyal following based on products that most users agree are superior to those from its rivals and worth the big premiums that Apple charges. A separate news item shows the hype factor is still enough to attract big-name investors, with word that social networking (SNS) giant Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) previously sought to invest in Xiaomi. Read Full Post…

News Digest: December 9, 2014

The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on December 9. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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  • Facebook’s Zuckerberg, Apple’s Cook Meet China’s Internet Minister In US (English article)
  • Xunlei (Nasdaq: XNET) Pop-Up Window Service Shut Down For Pornography (Chinese article)
  • Trina Solar (NYSE: TSL) Acquires 28 Pct Stake In Shuntai Leasing (PRNewswire)
  • LeTV (Shenzhen: 300104) To Acquire Affiliated Le Vision Pictures (English article)
  • Game Operator Linekong To Make HK IPO December 19, Raise Up To $190 Mln (Chinese article)

News Digest: October 24, 2014

The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on October 24. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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  • 30 Pct Of Traditional Retail Stores To Close In Future – Suning VP (Chinese article)
  • Facebook’s (Nasdaq: FB) Zuckerberg Says To Start Hiring In China Next Year (Chinese article)
  • ZTE (HKEx: 763) Announces Q3 Results (HKEx announcement)
  • Alibaba’s (NYSE: BABA) Jack Ma Meets With Hollywood Execs, Seeks Content (Chinese article)
  • Xiaomi Passes Samsung (Seoul: 005930) In Q3 China Smartphone Sales – iSuppli (Chinese article)
  • Latest calendar for Q3 earnings reports (Earnings calendar)