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Aeolus Tyre Co Ltd, a subsidiary of the State-owned Sinochem Holdings Corp Ltd, will ramp up production of premium truck and bus tires as well as seeking innovations in off-the-road and specialty tires over the next five years, according to its top executive.
The Jiaozuo, Henan province-based company is moving to capture opportunities across both traditional and emerging sectors as demand for advanced, durable and energy-efficient products continues to rise.
Wang Jianjun, chair of the board at Aeolus, said the company's latest offerings — including snow tires, dedicated tires for electric buses and ultra-low rolling resistance products — are tailored for heavy-duty transport and new energy scenarios.
Since giant tires have become a strategic priority for Aeolus, the company broke ground in May on a 20,000-unit capacity factory in Jiaozuo.
The project is expected to raise annual output to 30,000 units by 2026, with trial runs and full production scheduled to begin in August next year. By enhancing product performance, service and overall competitiveness, the company aims to lift its global market share to 8 percent.
"We will diversify our portfolio in ports, underground operations and agriculture to enhance product quality, cut costs and strengthen competitiveness in both home and emerging markets," said Wang.
Having made steady progress during the 14th Five-Year Plan period （2021-25），the company still has considerable room to grow its overseas revenue, Wang said. Aeolus will optimize its global footprint by strengthening subsidiaries in Chile, Indonesia, South Africa and Australia, further expanding coverage across the world, he said.
"We will continue to capitalize on the market opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative, actively expanding sales channels in participating countries and advancing its international footprint through multidimensional strategies," he added.
That sentiment is in line with the latest foreign trade data. China's trade with economies participating in the BRI increased 5.4 percent year-on-year to 15.3 trillion yuan ($2.15 trillion) in the first eight months of 2025, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.
China Unicom is advancing the development of key digital infrastructure, including international submarine cables and Haikou International Information Port, to support Hainan Free Trade Port in nurturing new quality productive forces and strengthening its global digital connectivity.
Gan Quan, deputy general manager of China Unicom's Hainan provincial branch, told China Daily that a major milestone was reached in May as the main structure of China Unicom's Hainan Lingshui international submarine cable landing station was completed after 80 days of construction.
Located in Li'an town, Lingshui Li autonomous county, the station will serve as a critical hub for two major international submarine cable systems — SEA-H2X and ALC — connecting Hainan with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and other regions, Gan said.
"The integration of these submarine cables is set to significantly reduce network latency between Hainan and Southeast Asia by approximately 9 milliseconds. This millisecond-level ultra-low latency will provide a strong boost to industries such as international trade, finance, technological innovation, e-commerce and cross-border data flow, enhancing Hainan's competitiveness in the global digital economy," he said.
Moving forward, China Unicom's Hainan provincial branch will accelerate the subsequent phases of the submarine cable landing station, along with the construction of the China Unicom Haikou International Information Port and the Haikou international communication services entrance bureau. These initiatives will leverage China Unicom's international cable network to elevate the province's strategic position in global communications infrastructure, Gan said.
The executive highlighted that by aligning with local industrial policies and promoting technological integration, China Unicom is contributing its expertise and resources to help develop new quality productive forces in Hainan Free Trade Port.
The Haikou International Information Port project is currently in full swing and is scheduled for completion on Sept 30. As a key initiative under China Unicom's strategy to support Hainan's digital transformation, the port will incorporate an international communications services entrance bureau, a next-generation intelligent computing data center, and international submarine and terrestrial cable connectivity into a single, green, high-tier computing campus.
It will provide enterprises with a secure and scalable international data and computing platform, supporting network-computing integration in sectors such as finance, healthcare, education, aerospace, seed industry and deep-sea exploration, while fostering the growth of emerging industries, the company added.
The move is part of broader efforts by Hainan to fully develop its digital infrastructure to better support the development of emerging industries.
Huang Yejing, deputy head of the Hainan provincial department of industry and information technology, said the province is making progress in digital infrastructure.
In 2024, China's telecom operators received approval to establish full-service international communication entrance bureaus in Haikou — the first such expansion in China in 30 years. Additionally, two new submarine cables linking Hong Kong and Southeast Asia are under construction, further enhancing Hainan's international communications capabilities, Huang said.
He said Hainan Free Trade Port has pioneered innovations in secure and orderly cross-border data flow. The overseas initiative to expand e-gaming development continues apace, forming industrial clusters.
These developments reflect Hainan's commitment to embracing global interconnection and openness in the digital economy era, promoting high-quality development through high-standard openness and establishing itself as an international communications hub.
In February, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology granted the first batch of value-added telecom business pilot approvals to 13 foreign-funded enterprises in Hainan and three other regions, two of which are based in Hainan. This marks a critical step in Hainan Free Trade Port's efforts to expand digital sector openness and explore new pathways for institutional innovation.
Domestic pharmaceutical company China Resources Sanjiu reported solid gains during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–25), driven by innovation, green development, and global vision.
The Shenzhen, Guangdong province-based company achieved steady growth in scale and profitability, with a compound annual growth rate of about 23.6 percent in revenue and 24.5 percent in total profit over the past three years, according to the company.
At the same time, CR Sanjiu continued to deliver robust returns to its shareholders. Since its listing, the firm has raised 1.67 billion yuan ($234.1 million) through stock issuance while distributing around 9.32 billion yuan in dividends — more than five times its actual fundraising.
Innovation has played a central role in its growth trajectory. The company's research and development investment rose from 581 million yuan in 2020 to 953 million yuan in 2024, marking a 64 percent increase. As of the first half of 2025, it had 205 research projects underway, covering key therapeutic areas such as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, oncology, respiratory illnesses, neurology and psychiatry, gastroenterology, and dermatology, the company said.
In advancing sustainability goals, it has also embedded the dual carbon goals into its business operations. In 2025, its MSCI ESG rating was raised by two notches to A, underscored by strengthened green transition and sustainability capabilities.
As a major player in strengthening the traditional Chinese medicine sector, the company has actively pursued strategic acquisitions. In January 2023, it acquired a 28 percent stake in Kunming, Yunnan province-based KPC Pharmaceuticals, completing the first A-share acquisition of its kind to qualify as a major asset restructuring.
In March 2025, it followed with another landmark deal, acquiring a 28 percent stake in Tianjin-based Tasly, marking the second such transaction during the 14th Five-Year Plan.
The three enterprises now form a complementary structure to build differentiated competitiveness through deepened collaboration. CR Sanjiu positions itself with consumer healthcare at the core to become an industry leader, while Tasly focuses on prescription drugs, and KPC Pharmaceuticals leverages its flagship TCM products to target the silver economy.
Looking ahead, as the company prepares to conclude the 14th Five-Year Plan and map out the 15th, CR Sanjiu said it will continue to shoulder its responsibility as a centrally administered State-owned enterprise, sharpen its core business focus, and accelerate innovation-driven transformation. By doing so, the drugmaker aims to offer "Chinese wisdom" and "Chinese solutions" for human well-being, it said.
lijiaying@chinadaily.com.cn
Editor's note: The China Association for Public Companies, together with China Daily and other media outlets, has launched the initiative Listed Companies in Action: My Five Years in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), highlighting the achievements of Chinese listed companies in advancing high-quality development.
Heng Lin Home Furnishings Co Ltd, a furniture and home furnishings manufacturer based in Anji, Zhejiang province, boosted research and development investment and innovation capacity during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25).
In 2024, the company's R&D spending climbed to 226 million yuan ($31.65 million), the highest since it went public on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2017. By the end of the year, it held 1,630 valid patents, including 142 invention patents.
Revenue surpassed 10 billion yuan for the first time in 2024, reaching 11.03 billion yuan — a 34.6 percent increase from a year earlier, according to its earnings report.
To navigate a complex global trade environment, Heng Lin has expanded its international footprint by establishing production bases in Vietnam and Switzerland, aiming to mitigate risks and improve operational efficiency. By the end of 2024, overseas assets totaled 5.77 billion yuan, accounting for 53.18 percent of its total assets.
The company has also built a global supply chain network, including 11 warehousing and logistics centers worldwide. Its overseas warehouses span 4 million square meters, enabling delivery within one to three days across the United States and strengthening competitiveness in cross-border e-commerce and bulk sales.
Heng Lin maintains long-term partnerships with leading global retailers such as Ikea, Nitori, Home Depot and Amazon. Its products are sold in more than 80 countries and regions.
China's stock exchanges have released draft guidelines for corporate sustainability disclosures, marking the latest move toward raising the quality of environmental information disclosures and enhancing the investment appeal of high-quality Chinese listed companies.
The Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing bourses, under the guidance of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, issued the second batch of sustainability reporting guidelines for public consultation on Friday.
Covering pollutant emissions, energy use and water resources, the guidelines provide detailed guidance and standardized methods to help firms better identify risks and opportunities, calculate data and disclose key information.
While reinforcing listed companies' awareness of environmental risks and opportunities, the guidelines do not impose mandatory disclosure requirements beyond the existing framework, experts close to the matter said.
Instead, the guidelines aim to reduce compliance costs and help investors incorporate ESG information into their decision-making, with more practical guides to follow as part of a "batch-by-batch" rollout and to form a comprehensive sustainability disclosure system, they said.
As of June 2025, 1,869 listed companies on the mainland had published sustainability reports, increasing the overall disclosure rate to 34.7 percent — up about 10 percentage points from two years earlier.
By the end of 2024, 32 percent of listed firms in Shanghai and Shenzhen had seen their MSCI ESG ratings upgraded, drawing more foreign investors to increase their holdings.
CNOOC Ltd announced on Thursday that production on its Wenchang 16-2 oilfield development project has commenced.
Located in the western Pearl River Mouth Basin, with an average water depth of approximately 150 meters, the project will mainly leverage the adjacent existing facilities of the Wenchang Oilfields, with the addition of a new jacket platform integrating functions such as oil and gas production, offshore drilling and completion operations, as well as accommodation for personnel.
A total of 15 development wells are being commissioned, according to CNOOC, which owns a 100 percent stake in the project.
The project is expected to reach a production plateau of approximately 11,200 barrels of light crude oil equivalent per day by 2027.
zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn
As Chinese automakers climb global sales rankings, consumers at home and abroad are gaining access to more advanced and affordable green mobility options, experts said.
In the first half of this year, Chinese brands BYD and Geely climbed in the global sales rankings to secure No 7 and 8 among the world's top 10 carmakers, surpassing long-established foreign giants like Honda and Nissan for the first time, according to data gathered by Shanghai-based business media outlet Yicai.
Last year, BYD and Geely ranked No 8 and 10 by sales.
The growth momentum was equally striking. In the January-June period, BYD and Geely recorded year-on-year sales increases of 33 percent and 29 percent, respectively — the fastest among the global top 10. They were also the only two carmakers in the group to post double-digit growth, according to Yicai.
"This reflects the rising global standing of Chinese automakers, driven by robust demand at home and solid performance in export markets," Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association, told China Daily.
"Particularly this year, amid global uncertainties, the country's car exports have maintained solid momentum and achieved high-quality growth," Cui said.
According to Cui, China exported 3.48 million vehicles in the first half, up 18 percent year-on-year. Exports of new energy vehicles reached 1.42 million units, a surge of 41 percent year-on-year, and accounted for 41 percent of total exports, seven percentage points higher than the same period in 2024.
"China's NEV exports in the first half outperformed expectations, with plug-in hybrids and hybrid models emerging as new growth drivers, replacing pure EVs as the main engine of export expansion," said Cui.
Chinese plug-in hybrids, supported by a complete supply chain and lower costs, hold a clear cost advantage and are favored by consumers in overseas markets such as Europe, Cui said.
Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed that exports of plug-in hybrid models reached 390,000 units in the first six months, a year-on-year jump of 210 percent, far out-pacing the 40.2 percent growth rate of pure EVs.
The results come from Chinese automakers' accelerated efforts in vertical integration, from in-house batteries to semiconductors, and research and development such as plug-in and range-extended technologies, said Zhang Hong, a senior NEV industry expert at the China Automobile Dealers Association.
"These advances have enabled cost control and performance gains, providing global consumers with more high-quality green mobility options," Zhang said.
Zhang added that Chinese automakers are continuing to sharpen their competitive edge through cost-cutting technologies and economies of scale, creating a virtuous cycle for the industry and therefore benefiting end-users.
"With the continued advance of smart features and wider adoption of intelligent driving, navigation on autopilot technology could soon become standard in models priced around 150,000 yuan ($21,000), while lidar costs may fall to about 1,200 yuan," he said.
China Changan Auto Group is aiming to break into the world's top 10 carmakers by the end of the decade, following its transformation into a centrally owned enterprise.
"Our mission is clear — to build a world-class automotive group with proprietary core technologies and global competitiveness," said Zhu Huarong, chairman of China Changan Auto Group, on Wednesday.
The new automaker emerges from the restructuring of the China South Industries Group, one of China's leading military-industrial conglomerates.
Under its 2030 roadmap, the group is targeting annual vehicle sales of 5 million units, with new energy vehicles accounting for more than 60 percent, and overseas markets contributing over 30 percent.
The strategy aligns with China's broader goal of fostering globally competitive national champions in the electric and smart mobility sectors.
Formally established on Tuesday in Chongqing, China Changan Auto Group brings together 117 subsidiaries, including Changan Automobile.
It operates across a wide spectrum of businesses, including passenger and commercial vehicle manufacturing, auto parts, financial and logistics services, and motorcycles, according to a company statement.
China Changan Auto Group launches with 20 billion yuan ($2.79 billion) in registered capital, 308.7 billion yuan in assets, and a workforce of around 110,000.
Executives say it will focus on emerging technologies such as intelligent vehicle robots, flying cars, and embodied AI, as part of efforts to cultivate "new quality productive forces".
In the first half of 2025, Changan reported revenue of 146.9 billion yuan and sold 1.355 million vehicles — the company's highest volume in nearly a decade.
NEV sales surged 49.1 percent year-on-year to 452,000 units, while overseas sales climbed 5.1 percent to 299,000 vehicles.
The company is forecasting full-year sales of 3 million vehicles, including 1 million NEVs, and total revenue of yuan 355 billion.
