logo
China's retail split: LV's luxe ship vs a phantom cafe

China's retail split: LV's luxe ship vs a phantom cafe

CNA25-07-2025
It has been a month since Louis Vuitton opened its audacious flagship store at one end of Shanghai's premier shopping street. Despite losing some of its novelty factor, 'the Louis' continues to draw in the crowds. But the LV phenomenon masks a mixed picture for Shanghai's shopping malls. CNA's Tan Yew Guan dissects the retail split in the Chinese metropolis.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

China claim 1-2 in the women's 3m springboard for ninth diving gold at World Aquatics C'ships
China claim 1-2 in the women's 3m springboard for ninth diving gold at World Aquatics C'ships

Straits Times

time3 hours ago

  • Straits Times

China claim 1-2 in the women's 3m springboard for ninth diving gold at World Aquatics C'ships

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Chinese diver Chen Yiwen claims gold in the women's 3m springboard diving event at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on August 2. SINGAPORE – Despite a slow start, Olympic champion Chen Yiwen showed her prowess in the women's 3m springboard dive at the World Aquatics Championships (WCH) on Aug 2 when she came from behind to reclaim her title. Competing at the OCBC Aquatic Centre, Chen – who won the gold in the 2023 edition in Fukuoka, Japan – had entered the finals as the top qualifier, but the Chinese diver trailed for two rounds behind leader and compatriot Chen Jia. A strong third-round performance saw her leapfrog into the lead, which she never relinquished. The 26-year-old eventually finished top after five rounds in 389.70 points, ahead of Chen Jia's 356.40. Italy's Chiara Pellacani was third in 323.20. Yiwen's triumph in Singapore was her ninth world title overall, as well as the ninth diving gold for China at the 2025 championships. When asked if she had a slow start, she said: 'Not really, I think it was my first move, which has always had technical issues.' The Chinese diver had earlier claimed gold in the mixed 3m and 10m team event on July 26, before partnering with Chen Jia to win the women's 3m synchronised event on July 29. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: MinLaw names 6 law firms taken to task over involvement in property deals Singapore Police reopen access to all areas in Marina Bay after crowd congestion eases at NDP Preview area Singapore Opening of Woodlands Health has eased load on KTPH, sets standard for future hospitals: Ong Ye Kung Asia KTM plans new passenger rail service in Johor Bahru to manage higher footfall expected from RTS Singapore HSA investigating teen allegedly vaping on MRT train Asia 4 workers dead after falling into manhole in Japan Singapore New vehicular bridge connecting Punggol Central and Seletar Link to open on Aug 3 Singapore New S'pore jobs portal launched for North West District residents looking for work near home On being world champion again, she added: 'It gives me a bit more confidence for the future. Actually, I was quite worried during the last jump because there were (loud) noises outside… I was worried it might have an impact.' World championships debutante Chen Jia, 20, said: 'Actually, in the first round, I was quite confident, but in the second and third round, there were some technical issues. 'It may look easy. But when you stand on the board, with that atmosphere and that responsibility, it's an invisible pressure. Also with so many years of stable performances (from China) in the women's events, we definitely need to keep moving forward. 'I think for this competition, I'm not too satisfied… But for a first world championship trip, I'm quite satisfied.' Pellacani, who won the mixed 3m synchronised dive with partner Matteo Santoro on July 30, said: 'It was my goal to get a medal in this event after (finishing in) fourth place at the Olympic Games in Paris. And we worked really hard for this. So I'm very, very happy. 'I always start low on the first round, but the most important thing is to keep it very consistent, and that's what I did during the preliminary round, semi-final and final. I know there are still some things that I have to improve in my diving, for example, my entry can be better.' The men's 10m platform semi-final and final will be contested on the final day of the championships on Aug 3.

China state media asks Nvidia to prove H20 chips are secure
China state media asks Nvidia to prove H20 chips are secure

Business Times

time14 hours ago

  • Business Times

China state media asks Nvidia to prove H20 chips are secure

[HONG KONG] China state media is calling for Nvidia to prove that its H20 chip is secure, saying it cannot allow flawed chips into the country. China's top Internet watchdog summoned Nvidia representatives earlier this week to discuss what Chinese officials called significant security vulnerabilities in the H20. The Cyberspace Administration of China said that Nvidia would need to explain potential security risks and provide documents as needed, citing comments by US lawmakers about the need to install tracking capabilities on advanced chips being exported. 'As soon as 'backdoors' in chips are triggered, we can encounter a 'nightmare',' the People's Daily, a mouthpiece for the Chinese Communist Party, said in a commentary on Friday (Aug 1). 'We need to maintain the security of the cyberspace and we cannot allow 'infected' chips to be put to work.' More scrutiny of the artificial intelligence (AI) chip would throw a wrench China's already-contentious trade talks with the US. Santa Clara, California-based Nvidia had designed the H20 to comply with US export controls on its technology, and the company was hoping to start sales after the US granted a license. 'Cybersecurity is critically important to us,' Nvidia said on Thursday. 'Nvidia does not have 'backdoors' in our chips that would give anyone a remote way to access or control them.' US and Chinese officials met in Stockholm this week to discuss trade terms in talks that Chinese state media said that 'deepened mutual trust', though the two sides still have several disagreements over the potential new tariffs. The warning in People's Daily may signal that Chinese officials don't find H20s, which are less powerful than Nvidia's most high-end chips, to be worthy offerings. The Trump administration in April barred Nvidia from selling H20s to China in an escalation of the ongoing tech war between the world's two largest economies. Trump officials then pledged to lift those restrictions in July as part of a trade deal for China to allow more sales of rare-earth magnets needed to make a range of high-tech products. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had touted the resumption of sales of the H20 as a breakthrough that came from bilateral discussions in London, framing it as a concession to China. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, meanwhile, said earlier this week that the magnet issue has been 'solved'. However, it is unclear whether Nvidia has received licenses to resume shipping those semiconductors. Nvidia boss Jensen Huang himself recently concluded a high-profile visit to Beijing, where he feted national Chinese champions such as DeepSeek and celebrated the country's rising prowess in AI. The billionaire had denied Nvidia installed backdoors in its product, saying that would not make business sense. BLOOMBERG

N. Korea's Kim orders freight station construction near China border
N. Korea's Kim orders freight station construction near China border

Straits Times

time15 hours ago

  • Straits Times

N. Korea's Kim orders freight station construction near China border

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspecting the construction sites of the permanent embankments on the island areas of Sinuiju City and Uiju County of North Pyongan Province. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the construction of a freight station near the Chinese border to support a large-scale greenhouse farm project in the north-west, state-run media reported on Aug 2. Coming at a time when North Korea has been bolstering military and economic ties with Russia , particularly since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, observers are watching whether the move could lead to an uptick in trade with its traditional ally China, which has recently been sluggish. Mr Kim visited the region around Sinuiju on Aug 1, where severe flooding occurred in July 2024 after the Yalu River, which runs along the border with China, overflowed, according to the Korean Central News Agency. While inspecting embankment and farm construction, Mr Kim called for the creation of a 'comprehensive transport centre' with a new vegetable storehouse and processing facilities built around it, the official news agency said. The area around the Yalu River has long been prone to flooding during heavy rains, with widespread damage reported in 2024. But with residential buildings reportedly swiftly rebuilt, Mr Kim was quoted as saying such flood damage, once seen as inevitable, has 'became a past story'. Beijing is viewed as Pyongyang's closest and most influential ally in economic terms. KYODO NEWS

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store