China Pushes Tech Self-Reliance and Domestic Demand

China is advancing its technology sector on several fronts, including the development of a 'super brain' that enables robots to perform long-horizon tasks autonomously and the launch of a space tug called Lixun-1, which is targeting its maiden flight in early 2027. At the same time, the country is removing Microsoft Windows from state users' computers and tightening border crossings following Meta's bid for AI startup Manus. In addition, China is moving to boost county-level consumption and domestic demand, while targeting stronger energy security in its 15th five-year oil and gas plan. The world's top humanoid robot maker also surged in its blockbuster market debut in China.