ZEN SOO

Technology Reporter

Soo reports on technology and business in China and across Asia for The Associated Press. She is based in Hong Kong.

FILE - Workers produce car mats in a factory of car interior pieces in Yantai in east China's Shandong province on Feb. 21, 2024. China's manufacturing and investment improved in the first two months of the year, while weakness in the property sector weighed on the economy, the National Bureau of Statistics said Monday, March 18. (Chinatopix via AP, File)

China’s economy shows signs of improvement, but its property sector is still in the doldrums

China has reported its manufacturing and investment improved in the first two months of the year, while weakness in the property sector weighed on the economy.

FILE - The interior of the I-Soon office, also known as Anxun in Mandarin, is seen after office hours in Chengdu in southwestern China's Sichuan Province on Feb. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Dake Kang, File)

Behind the doors of a Chinese hacking company, a sordid culture fueled by influence, alcohol and sex

China’s hacking industry, leaked internal documents reveal, is vast in size and scope but also suffers from shady business practices, disgruntlement over pay and work quality, and poor security protocols.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, center, waves to delegates after the opening session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Hong Kong’s new national security bill includes stiff penalties and more power to suppress dissent

Hong Kong has proposed a law that threatens life imprisonment for residents who “endanger national security.”

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, workers dock a container vessel at Qingdao Port, east China's Shandong Province on Feb. 11, 2024. China's exports and imports for the first two months of the year beat estimates, an indication that demand may be improving as Beijing attempts to speed up its economic recovery. (Li Ziheng/Xinhua via AP)

China’s exports and imports beat estimates for first 2 months, signaling improving demand

China’s exports and imports for the first two months of the year beat estimates, an indication that demand may be improving as Beijing attempts to speed up its economic recovery.

Workers labor at a factory of coolant radiators for air conditioners in Yuexi county in central China's Anhui province, on Feb. 21, 2024. Manufacturing in China contracted for a fifth consecutive month in February, according to an official survey of factory managers released Friday, March 1, 2024, reflecting persistent weakness in the economy ahead of annual legislative meetings where officials are expected to boost policy support. (Chinatopix via AP)

China’s manufacturing activity contracts for 5th straight month despite policy support

Manufacturing in China contracted for a fifth consecutive month in February, according to an official survey of factory managers.

Hong Kong's Finance Secretary Paul Chan delivers the annual budget address at the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

Hong Kong lifts curbs on property market, to spend more on tourism

Hong Kong’s government is lifting some curbs on property deals after home prices fell to a seven-year low.

FILE - A China's Comac C919 aircraft performs during first day of Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. China’s C919 single-aisle jet made its international debut at the Singapore Airshow, attracting masses of visitors and hundreds of orders, but analysts say it still has a long way to go before it can compete with aircraft from market leaders Boeing and Airbus. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File)

China’s homegrown C919 jet in spotlight at Singapore air show, but not quite ready to compete

China’s C919 single-aisle jet made its international debut at the Singapore Airshow, attracting masses of visitors and hundreds of orders, but analysts say it still has a long way to go before it can compete with aircraft from market leaders Boeing and Airbus.

Hyundai's Supernal's CEO Shin Jaiwon speaks to The Associated Press during an interview along the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. As the aviation sector seeks ways to make air travel less polluting and more sustainable, aerospace company Embraer and South Korean automaker Hyundai are among the companies betting on a new form of air travel, air taxis. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Hyundai’s Supernal and Embraer-backed Eve Air Mobility see future in electric-powered air taxis

As the aviation sector seeks ways to make air travel less polluting and more sustainable, aerospace company Embraer and South Korean automaker Hyundai are among the companies betting on a new form of air travel -– air taxis.

South Korean Air Force's Black Eagles aerobatic team performs during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Singapore Airshow kicks off with aerial displays; Boeing and China’s COMAC announce new orders

The Singapore Airshow – Asia’s largest – kicks off Tuesday with an array of aerial displays including some by China’s COMAC C919 narrow-body airliner.

Alibaba approves an additional $25 billion share buyback as its revenue disappoints

Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba Group Holding on Wednesday approved an additional $25 billion authorization to its share buyback program, after reporting lower-than-expected sales revenue for the last quarter of 2023.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with other social media platform heads on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, to discuss child safety online.(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Singaporeans complain about a US Senator’s ‘ignorant’ grilling of TikTok’s CEO

After a U.S. senator grilled the Singaporean CEO of Tiktok about his nationality and affiliation with the Chinese Communist Party, Singaporeans are complaining about ignorant — or even racist — views of their country.

A woman works at a factory of printed circuit board in Hangzhou in eastern China's Zhejiang province Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. A survey of factory managers in China released Wednesday, Jan. 31, shows manufacturing contracted in January for a fourth straight month, reflecting weak demand and a faltering recovery in the world's second-largest economy. (Chinatopix Via AP)

China manufacturing contracts for a 4th straight month in January

A survey of factory managers in China shows manufacturing contracted in January for a fourth straight month, reflecting weak demand and a faltering recovery in the world’s second-largest economy.

Letterings are missing on a depiction of Evergrande properties across a China map at a partially shuttered Evergrande commercial complex in Beijing, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. Chinese property developer China Evergrande Group on Monday was ordered to liquidate by a Hong Kong court, after the firm was unable to reach a restructuring deal with creditors. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Order to liquidate property giant China Evergrande is just one step in fixing China’s debt crisis

A Hong Kong court’s order to liquidate the world’s most heavily indebted real estate developer is only a tentative step toward resolving a debt crisis that is haunting financial markets and dragging on the Chinese economy.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee center, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam, left, and Secretary for Security Chris Tang hold a press conference at government headquarters in Hong Kong, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

Hong Kong begins work on its own National Security Law, years after a similar law crushed dissent

Hong Kong has begun a public consultation on a local National Security Law, more than three years after Beijing imposed a similar law that has all but wiped out dissent in the semi-autonomous city.

Residents walk through a partially shuttered Evergrande commercial complex in Beijing, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. Chinese property developer China Evergrande Group on Monday was ordered to liquidate by a Hong Kong court, after the firm was unable to reach a restructuring deal with creditors. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

China Evergrande has been ordered to liquidate. The real estate giant owes over $300 billion

A Hong Kong court has ordered China Evergrande, the world’s most heavily indebted real estate developer, to be liquidated following a failed effort to restructure $300 billion owed to banks and bondholders that fueled fears about China’s rising debt burden.

Young workers rest outside a shopping mall in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. China published youth unemployment data Wednesday for the first time since the jobless rate hit a record high in June last year, using a new method that showed an apparent improvement. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

China starts publishing youth jobless data again, with a new method and a lower number

China published youth unemployment data Wednesday for the first time since the jobless rate hit a record high in June last year, using a new method that showed an apparent improvement.

Men work with a crane near an advertisement at a shopping mall in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. China's economy for the October-December quarter grew at a quicker rate, allowing the Chinese government to hit its target of about 5% annual growth for 2023 even though trade data and the economic recovery remain uneven. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

China’s economy expanded 5.2% last year, hitting the government’s target despite an uneven recovery

China’s economy for the October-December quarter grew at a quicker rate, allowing the Chinese government to hit its target of about 5% annual growth for 2023 even though trade data and the economic recovery remain uneven.

Tech firm Baidu denies report that its Ernie AI chatbot is linked to Chinese military research

The technology company Baidu is refuting a newspaper report that said its artificial intelligence chatbot Ernie was linked to Chinese military research.

Tang Shuangning, then chairman of China Everbright Group and Everbright Securities Co., talks to the press after the IPO for Everbright Securities at Shanghai Stock Exchange in Shanghai, China on Aug. 18, 2009. The former chairman of state-owned Chinese bank China Everbright Group has been arrested on suspicion of embezzlement and bribery, prosecutors said in a statement Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, amid an intensified campaign against corruption. (Chinatopix via AP)

Former chairman of state-owned bank China Everbright Group arrested over suspected corruption

Chinese prosecutors say the former chairman of state-owned Chinese bank China Everbright Group has been arrested on suspicion of corruption and bribery.

Ferries sail by a containers vessel prepares to dock at a port in Xiamen in southeast China's Fujian province on Dec. 27, 2023. China's exports grew slightly for a second consecutive month in December even as deflationary pressures continue, according to official data released Friday, Jan. 12, 2024 underscoring an uneven recovery in 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

China’s exports rise 2.3% in December amid uneven recovery, while consumer prices edged lower

China has reported that its exports grew slightly for a second consecutive month in December even as deflationary pressures continued.

FILE - A Google sign hangs over an entrance to the company's new building, Sept. 6, 2023, in New York. Google has laid off hundreds of employees working on its hardware, voice assistance and engineering teams as part of cost-cutting measures. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)

Google lays off hundreds in hardware and voice assistant teams as part of a cost-cutting drive

Google says it has laid off hundreds of employees working on its hardware, voice assistance and engineering teams as part of cost-cutting measures.

Police officers patrol outside the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, where activist publisher Jimmy Lai's trial takes place, in Hong Kong, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Billy H.C. Kwok)

Hong Kong prosecutors allege democracy publisher Jimmy Lai urged protests, sanctions against China

Prosecutors have alleged that Hong Kong activist and publisher Jimmy Lai had encouraged the city’s residents to protest and urged the U.S. to take action against the Chinese authorities in Beijing.

A prison van carrying activist publisher Jimmy Lai arrives at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, where Lai's trial takes place, in Hong Kong, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Billy H.C. Kwok)

Hong Kong activist publisher Jimmy Lai pleads not guilty to sedition and collusion charges

Prominent activist and publisher Jimmy Lai has pleaded not guilty to three charges of sedition and collusion with foreign countries in a landmark national security trial in Hong Kong.

FILE - Visitors gather near a booth for Chinese technology firm Tencent at the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, on Sept. 3, 2022. China released draft guidelines Friday, Dec, 22, 2023, aimed at curbing excessive spending on online gaming in the latest move by the ruling Communist Party to keep control of the virtual economy. The proposal caused shares in the biggest Chinese gaming companies, Tencent and NetEase, to plunge in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

China drafts new rules proposing restrictions on online gaming

China has released draft guidelines aimed at curbing excessive spending on online gaming. The proposal caused shares in the biggest Chinese gaming companies, Tencent and NetEase, to plunge in Hong Kong.

China’s Alibaba names CEO Eddie Wu to head its e-commerce business as its growth falters

China’s Alibaba Group says its CEO Eddie Wu will head its core e-commerce business, as the company seeks to drive growth and fend off fast-growing online shopping rivals like Pinduoduo.

Workers sweep snow into a manhole near a decoration setup ahead of the Christmas festival at a mall in Beijing, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. China's economy will slow next year, with annual growth falling to 4.5% from 5.2% this year despite a recent recovery spurred by investments in factories and construction and in demand for services, The World Bank said in a report issued Thursday. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

China’s economy is forecast to slow sharply in 2024, the World Bank says, calling recovery ‘fragile’

The World Bank is forecasting that China’s economy will slow next year, with annual growth falling to 4.5% from 5.2% this year.

Members of the aircraft crew pose for photographs inside the Chinese-made C919 at the Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong, on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. Chinese aerospace company COMAC has showcased its domestically-developed C919 passenger jet in Hong Kong, giving officials and media a close-up look at the narrow-bodied aircraft. A welcome ceremony for the C919 and another Chinese-made jet, the ARJ21, was held at the Hong Kong international airport on Wednesday, a day after both flew into Hong Kong for the first time. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

China-made C919, ARJ21 passenger jets on display in Hong Kong

Chinese aerospace company COMAC has showcased its domestically-developed C919 passenger jet in Hong Kong, giving officials and media a close-up look at the narrow-bodied aircraft.

In this photo taken Dec. 12, 2023 and released by Hong Kong Government Information Services, the Chinese-made C919, is welcomed upon arrival at the Hong Kong International Airport. The Chinese C919 commercial passenger jet has arrived in Hong Kong in the Chinese-made aircraft's first foray outside of mainland China. The C919 plane and another Chinese-made aircraft, an ARJ21, landed Tuesday and will be on display at Hong Kong's international airport until Sunday. (Hong Kong Government Information Services via AP)

China’s homegrown C919 aircraft arrives in Hong Kong in maiden flight outside the mainland

A Chinese C919 commercial passenger jet has arrived in Hong Kong in the Chinese-made aircraft’s first foray outside of mainland China.

Pedestrians walk past a poster promoting a candidate during the District Council elections in Hong Kong, Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023. Residents went to the polls on Sunday in Hong Kong's first district council elections since an electoral overhaul was implemented under Beijing's guidance of “patriots” administering the city, effectively shutting out all pro-democracy candidates. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

Hong Kong leader praises election turnout as voter numbers hit record low

Hong Kong leader John Lee has praised the 27.5% voter turnout in the city’s weekend election, a record low since the territory returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

FILE - This aerial view shows new cars waiting to be exported at a dockyard in Yantai in eastern China's Shandong province on Nov. 2, 2023. China’s exports rose in November, the first increase since April, while imports fell, according to customs data released Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Chinatopix via AP, File)

China’s exports in November edged higher for the first time in 7 months, while imports fell

Customs data show that China’s exports rose in November, indicating that demand may be picking up following months of decline.