Tech Brief (May 12): SMIC’s Plan to Buy Out Chip Unit Approved

Published: May. 12, 2026 12:08 p.m. GMT+8

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SMIC’s plan to buy out chip unit approved

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC), China’s largest contract chipmaker, announced on Monday that its plan to purchase the remaining 49% stake in its Beijing subsidiary, Semiconductor Manufacturing North China (Beijing) Corp., for 40.6 billion yuan ($5.9 billion) through a share issuance has been approved. The buyers include the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, known as the “Big Fund,” as well as investment vehicles backed by the Beijing government.

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SMIC approved to buy 49% stake in Beijing subsidiary for 40.6B yuan ($5.9B).
China issues AI agent guidelines emphasizing security and 19 scenarios; Vbot raises 500M yuan ($73.5M).
Honda China April sales: 22,600 units (-48.3% YoY); QClaw launches file space feature.

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Who’s Who

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.: SMIC announced its plan to purchase the remaining 49% stake in Beijing subsidiary Semiconductor Manufacturing North China (Beijing) Corp. for 40.6 billion yuan ($5.9 billion) via share issuance has been approved. Buyers include the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund ("Big Fund") and Beijing government-backed vehicles.

Semiconductor Manufacturing North China (Beijing) Corp.: SMIC announced its plan to acquire the remaining 49% stake in its Beijing subsidiary, Semiconductor Manufacturing North China (Beijing) Corp., for 40.6 billion yuan ($5.9 billion) via share issuance has been approved. Buyers include the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund ("Big Fund") and Beijing government-backed investment vehicles.

Honda Motor Co.: Honda Motor Co. reported April automobile sales in China at 22,600 units, down 48.3% year-on-year. Cumulative sales for the first four months of 2026 totaled 145,100 cars, a 28% decline. Facing shrinking demand, Honda plans to further reduce production capacity for internal combustion engine vehicles in China.

Tencent Cloud: Tencent Cloud announced that QClaw, connecting OpenClaw to WeChat, has launched the "file space" feature. It integrates local files, Tencent Docs, and knowledge bases into a one-stop workflow, creating a closed-loop workspace for searching materials, AI processing, output, and collaboration.

Vbot: Beijing-based embodied AI robotics startup Vbot raised 500 million yuan ($73.5 million) in a pre-A funding round co-led by Orient Renaissance Capital, Fosun RZ Capital, and Huatai Securities' investment arm. Other investors include Cathay Capital, Capital Today, and Baidu Ventures.

Orient Renaissance Capital: Orient Renaissance Capital co-led Vbot's pre-A funding round of 500 million yuan ($73.5 million), alongside Fosun RZ Capital and Huatai Securities' investment arm. Other investors include Cathay Capital, Capital Today, and Baidu Ventures.

Fosun RZ Capital: Fosun RZ Capital co-led the pre-A funding round for Beijing-based robotics startup Vbot, raising 500 million yuan ($73.5 million). Other co-leads include Orient Renaissance Capital and Huatai Securities' investment arm.

Huatai Securities: Huatai Securities' investment arm co-led robotics startup Vbot's 500 million yuan ($73.5 million) pre-A funding round with Orient Renaissance Capital and Fosun RZ Capital.

Cathay Capital: Cathay Capital participated as an investor in robotics startup Vbot's 500 million yuan ($73.5 million) pre-A funding round, co-led by Orient Renaissance Capital, Fosun RZ Capital, and Huatai Securities' investment arm.

Capital Today: Capital Today participated as an investor in robotics startup Vbot's 500 million yuan ($73.5 million) pre-A funding round, alongside Cathay Capital and Baidu Ventures.

Baidu Ventures: Baidu Ventures participated as an investor in robotics startup Vbot's 500 million yuan ($73.5 million) pre-A funding round, co-led by Orient Renaissance Capital, Fosun RZ Capital, and Huatai Securities' investment arm. (32 words)

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