8 Must-Read Tech Stories in China This Week

All of China was on holiday for half the week, yet it still managed to be a particularly eventful few days in terms of tech news.

1. Alibaba Gets More Social, Takes Stake in Sina Weibo for $586 Million

The week started with a bang as China’s top e-commerce company took a sizable stake in the nation’s hottest social network.

2. Why Did Alibaba Invest $586 Million in Sina Weibo?

Now that the long-rumored deal was a reality, we also pondered some of the social commerce strategies behind the Alibaba-Weibo tie-up.

3. Amazon Appstore Opens in China, Leaps Final Hurdle Before Kindle Fire Launch

The week ended with some big news as well, with Amazon launching its Android-oriented Appstore in China yesterday. In theory, everything’s now in place for all of Amazon’s hardware to hit the Chinese market.

4. ‘China’s Silicon Valley’ Has More Startups Now Than Ever Before

Beijing’s tech district is still growing fast – both in terms of the number of startups and the scope of angel funding available in the capital.

5. China’s Top Video Sites Reveal Hundreds of Millions of Mobile Users, Start Race to Monetize Them

The top two video sites in the country revealed some very interesting mobile viewership stats this week. Inevitably, the numbers are huge – and so is the urgency to monetize these mobile users.

6. Sina Weibo Has Already Added Taobao Ads in Wake of Alibaba Investment

Getting back to the subject of the Sina Weibo and Alibaba deal, the social network already has some e-commerce adverts. Perhaps this is the start of targeted ads on Weibo.