Hi, this is Evelyn, writing to you from Beijing. Welcome to the latest edition of The China Connection — a succinct snapshot of what I’m seeing and hearing from local businesses. Today, I talk to a smart glasses exec about why price-conscious Chinese consumers are paying $100 more for AI frames. What’s his strategy for…
A giant inflatable Labubu toy floats on the water at Victoria Harbour on October 25, 2025 in Hong Kong, China. Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images 28-year-old Rebecca Zhou, born in China’s Sichuan province, owns an assortment of Moomin merchandise — bags, mugs, and figurines featuring the white hippo-looking cartoon character from Finland…
People watch performances to welcome the ‘God of Wealth’ during Lunar New Year festivities at Qianmen Street in Beijing, China, on February 21, 2026. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images BEIJING — China’s consumer market is recovering — just enough that policymakers likely won’t need to roll out the large-scale stimulus that investors have long…
Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates LP, speaks during the Greenwich Economic Forum in Greenwich, Connecticut, US, on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Hedge fund giant Bridgewater Associates divested from U.S.-listed Chinese stocks in the second quarter, signaling a clear pullback from the market amid rising geopolitical strains and weakening…
