9 Must-Read Tech Stories in China This Week

Lots of things happening in China this week, especially with many of the big internet players. We saw one big name move to go private, while another biggie went public. Google Drive launched, but didn’t drive for long in China, and a long-anticipated gaming console may finally come to market.

1. Alibaba.com Shareholders Urged to Vote ‘Yes’ as Privatization Plan Advances

Early in the week we heard that Alibaba.com is making moves to return to being a privately held company. Documents were files with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Tuesday, most notably, a voting paper for shareholders.

2. UCWeb and UnionPay Announce New Mobile Payment Solution

Speaking of the e-commerce world in China, online payments in the country could be in for a bit of a shake up if a partnership between UnionPay and UCWeb goes well. In a press conference this week, the two demoed a very slick solution for making payments with credit or debit cards through the UCWeb mobile browser.

3. In Wake of March Merger, Youku and Tudou Connect User Accounts

We had been wondering when the recently merged video giants Youku and Tudou would get around to consummating their union. The still fundamentally separate streaming video services have taken a finally first step towards user account integration with more to follow down the road.

4. It’s Official: Sohu, Tencent, and Qiyi Team Up to Buy Content Rights

With Youku and Tudou accounting for the lion’s share of the video market, it puts pressure on the smaller players to come up with creative ways to stay competitive. Sohu, Tencent, and Baidu’s Qiyi are banding together in an effort to purchase expensive video content together.

5. Google Drive Already Blocked in China, Never Stood a Chance

Mid-week we saw Google launch it’s long awaited Google Drive online storage solution. And as expected, it didn’t take long for China’s great firewall to throw a wet blanket on the party. Just a few hours after launch users widely reported that it was inaccessible.

6. Major Crackdown Reveals Secrets of China’s Black Market in Stolen Personal Data

Charlie brings us a fascinating story from The Beijing Morning Post which gives us a rare glimpse at how the underground trade in stolen personal data works in China.