Chinese tech’s next stop: Central Asia

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In focus

• Destination Central Asia for Chinese tech?
• Carro changes lanes in Indonesia as IPO approaches
• Voice AI giant Deepgram says “hello, lah” to Singapore

Hello reader,

Having lived away from Northern Ireland for more than 14 years, I tend to see changes in my home country all at once when I make a visit, not gradually as someone living there might.

One change that stood out on my most recent trip this summer was the presence of BYD dealerships. I even spotted a few of the Chinese firm’s electric cars on the roads, something that would have been hard to imagine when I was growing up.

While my perception of the pace of change at home is normally skewed, I think this time it’s accurate. A quick Google search shows me that BYD only entered the market in mid-2025, but it already has three dedicated showrooms in the country.

It’s a reminder that Chinese trade and manufacturing usually show up in a country long before Chinese tech does, a gap today’s first featured story explores. Guest writer Alec Tseung, a partner at principal investments and research company KT Capital Group, breaks down how firms like BYD and Mixue are already entrenched in Central Asia while tech giants hold back – and what that gap means for Southeast Asian tech firms eyeing the region themselves.

Meanwhile, my colleague Jofie reports on used-car marketplace Carro’s efforts to grow in Indonesia ahead of a potential IPO. Surprise, surprise: Chinese EVs are putting significant pressure on prices.

Peter Cowan, engagement editor

Top Stories

1️⃣ Chinese tech is coming to Central Asia. Can SEA compete?

Image credit: Ulla

Whereas Chinese tech firms were once very aggressive with expansion in Southeast Asia, they’ve been more cautious entering Central Asia. This makes sense, given the region’s tech scene is dominated by local and Russian giants.

However, there are early signs of that changing, with Tencent, Temu, and JD.com all making moves into Central Asia. Whether that’s the start of a bigger push or just tech giants testing the water remains to be seen.

2️⃣ Carro switches gears in Indonesia as focus shifts to new cars

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