Meituan

All news and posts of our editorial team on the topic

Tech giants disclose algorithms
This week, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) published for the first time a list of details and functionalities of algorithms used in the apps of large Internet corporations such as Tencent, Alibaba, Meituan and ByteDance. In doing so, China’s Internet regulator aims to allow users deeper insight and self-determination and “promote healthy development of […] continue reading →
Luckin Coffee triumphs over Starbucks
Chinese brands are overtaking former Western heavyweights. One example is Luckin Coffee. Starbucks used to dominate the market for on-the-go coffee. Now, a domestic competitor is taking over. The ingredients are the same as in other sectors: A better sense of the market and a head start on digitization. Zero Covid speeds up the shift. continue reading →
Work culture in China: eat and be eaten
China's exploitative work culture is claiming more and more victims. Especially in large tech companies, employees quickly reach the brink of collapse. Unpaid overtime work is commonplace. Those who don't comply are replaced. A former product manager at delivery giant Meituan tells China.Table about the pressure China's employees have to endure. continue reading →
Meituan delivers food via drone
Chinese logistics giant Meituan is already planning to regularly rely on drones for their food deliveries this year. These mini air freighters are already soaring the skies of the tech metropolis Shenzhen. They deliver meals to food stations that resemble large vending machines. For now, however, they are only intended to supplement the driver fleet. continue reading →
Meituan sentenced to heavy fine
China has fined Meituan the equivalent of 460 million euros. After a five-month antitrust investigation, the authorities concluded that Meituan had exploited its dominant position (China.Table reported). Meituan, which is known for its food delivery services, had forced merchants to offer their services exclusively on the company’s platform rather than competing providers, according to the […] continue reading →
Mobike leads to new investigation of Meituan
The popular Chinese delivery service Meituan is facing new trouble. The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has launched another investigation against the company. This time on the acquisition of the bike-sharing provider Mobike, which, according to SAMR, had not been registered with authorities. SAMR opened investigations by announcing plans to further strengthen the regulation […] continue reading →
Authority presents draft for far-reaching tech regulation
The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has published a draft for a new regulation prohibiting unfair competition on the Internet, 禁止网络不正当竞争行为规定. It requested the public and affected industries to comment on the draft. The main purpose of the law package is to ensure better data protection. SAMR is accepting comments on the regulations until […] continue reading →
China’s private initiative deficit
Star US economist Stephen Roach has long defended the future viability of China's tech sector. But the recent crackdown on innovation leaders by the government has him doubting. continue reading →
An end to the “996” work culture?
Working from nine in the morning to nine at night, six days a week: this is the work culture of big tech companies, known in China as "996". But 996 has come under criticism. As pressure from both the public and regulators increases, changes are now on the horizon. continue reading →
Meituan to provide better conditions for drivers
Delivery drivers of meal delivery services are to receive better working conditions and higher wages. In this, the Chinese government wants to counteract the exploitation of supposed freelancers by tech companies. Authorities are now making an example of market leader Meituan to show how legal relationships between providers and its drivers are to be redefined in the future – and are thus following trends in other countries. continue reading →
Internet companies face even more regulations
Chinese tech stocks recovered on Thursday. But investors remain skeptical whether the worst is over. Beijing announced its intention to further regulate the sector with a major campaign over the next six months. continue reading →
Tencent suspends new user registrations on WeChat
Tencent has temporarily suspended new user signups for its messenger and payment service WeChat. A technical update to comply with new regulations and laws in China regarding data security and privacy is stated as the reason, according to a report by Bloomberg on Tuesday, citing a statement made by the tech company. New users are […] continue reading →
Beijing makes platforms comply with fines
Beijing is continuing its crackdown on the most powerful tech companies in the platform economy. The focus is currently on providers of financial services. After Ant Financial had to completely reorganize itself (China.Table reported), it is now the turn of its somewhat smaller competitors. The financial regulator has summoned representatives from Tencent (WeChat), ByteDance (TikTok), […] continue reading →
Meituan plans to replace employees with delivery robots
Meituan, by far the largest Chinese food delivery service, is the second tech company after Alibaba to be targeted by the antitrust authorities. However, Meituan is not too worried about this. Instead, it is working at full speed on the autonomous future. Millions of delivery men are supposed to be replaced by robotic vehicles. In some parts of Beijing, this is already a reality. continue reading →