Latest news with #ZhangShuai
Bangkok Post
3 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Chinese man arrested after armed standoff at Pattaya store
A Chinese national was arrested after carrying a gun into a convenience store in Pattaya in the early hours of Friday, triggering a tense two-hour standoff with police. Police went to the store at the entrance of Soi Theppasit 8 after receiving a report of a foreign man carrying a gun inside the store at about 12.15am. Upon arrival, police found many vendors and bystanders gathered outside the store. After more than two hours of negotiations, aided by a translator, the man — identified as Zhang Shuai, 35, originally from Korea but holding Chinese citizenship — surrendered and came out of the store with his hands raised. The police team recovered a modified Glock 19 handgun which Mr Zhang had reportedly brought into the store. According to employees, the man had entered the store in a distressed state, claiming he was being followed by other Chinese nationals intent on harming him. The employees told police they saw another Chinese man following closely behind before Mr Zhang fled to the back of the store. As staff noticed Mr Zhang was armed, they immediately fled and alerted police.
The Star
03-08-2025
- Business
- The Star
China's customisable robot market may be about to take off
A store near a bustling shopping centre in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen feels more like a small robotics fair, with all kinds of robots – from humanoid assistants to food delivery bots and massage machines – quietly drawing curious eyes. Amid the excited chatter of children accompanying their parents, company owners, investors and tech enthusiasts busily exchange contact details and discuss collaboration. Some hope to place their own robots in the newly opened 60 square metre (646 sq ft) store; others are looking to make a purchase. China's robotics industry has expanded rapidly in recent years and is now eyeing vast consumer and service markets – a familiar playbook for the country's manufacturers. The Future Era store, which opened in Shenzhen's Longgang district on Monday, bills itself as the world's first '6S' robot store – offering leasing and customisation services in addition to the traditional '4S' retail staples of a showroom, sales, spare parts and customer service. Customers can browse the many models on display and then choose to buy, rent or even build their own by selecting components that suit their needs. The store showcases robots from companies such as Hangzhou-based Unitree Robotics, and Shenzhen's Engine AI and Leju Robot, with daily rental prices ranging from around 5,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan (US$695 to US$2,781). Instead of paying robot makers hefty agent fees, it adopts a profit-sharing model, splitting revenues 50-50 with the manufacturers, deputy manager Zhang Shuai said. Customers can receive the robots they order in less than 10 days, he said, even when modifications are required to meet specific needs. 'This is currently one of the most efficient ways to connect robot makers with customers,' Zhang said. 'People can come in, see and interact with the products in person – or just stumble in out of curiosity and discover the latest models on display for potential collaboration.' Amid intensifying tech rivalry with the United States, China's robotics industry has emerged as a key pillar of Beijing's broader strategy to seize an early edge in emerging technologies and position itself at the forefront of the next global wave of innovation. Leveraging its manufacturing scale, rapid iteration cycles and well-developed supply chains, China's robotics industry is rapidly scaling up, poised to tap into a vast domestic market and accelerate real-world adoption. China was home to more than 741,700 robotics-related companies last year, Shenzhen Daily reported, with many of the sector's leading players moving on to mass production. Unitree shipped over 20,000 robot dogs last year, securing nearly 70 per cent of the global consumer-grade legged robot market, according to the Gaogong Industry Research Institute, a market research firm based in Shenzhen. Zhang said Future Era had received orders worth more than 200,000 yuan in its first week of operation. With the robotics industry booming, every part of the value chain holds potential While Shenzhen, in Guangdong province, is a renowned innovation hub, similar stores are in the pipeline across the country – some backed by private investors eyeing the sector's potential, others supported by local governments keen to promote emerging industries. 'It's a real business opportunity,' said Duan Lixiao, who travelled from Hainan province to visit the Future Era store. She has already secured a location in a shopping centre in Haikou, Hainan's provincial capital, hoping to bring the concept back home. 'With the robotics industry booming, every part of the value chain holds potential,' Duan said. Lin Hong, a marketing executive at a robotics company in Guangzhou, Guangdong's provincial capital, said many local governments across the country were planning to assist in the setting up of robotics stores. He said 'more than 10 local governments' had approached the company about placing its robots in stores they planned to launch, citing interest from provinces such as Sichuan, Shanxi and Hebei. Among the agreements signed by Lin's company is one with a store in Beijing that is expected to open this month. Zhang said Future Era received strong support from the district government, with officials helping it connect with robot manufacturers and facilitating collaboration. The store had signed agreements with more than 50 robot makers and component suppliers, he said. 'We're planning to open more than 50 stores like this across the country,' Zhang said. 'People from various provinces have already approached us, expressing interest in becoming franchise partners.' - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
CNN
04-03-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Tennis star Jessica Pegula flies fellow players from Texas to California in private jet
American tennis star Jessica Pegula had a parting – or departing – gift for her fellow finalists at the ATX Open: a flight to California. Pegula defeated compatriot McCartney Kessler in straight sets on Sunday to win her seventh WTA Tour title in Austin, Texas, then invited other players also competing in the tournament that day to fly on her private jet to California for Indian Wells, which begins this week. That meant waiting until the women's doubles final had finished before embarking on the roughly 1,200-mile trip, saving those who joined her from a potential late-night transfer in Los Angeles or flights from Dallas or Houston. 'You know she can leave away right after her singles final, but she is such a selfless and generous girl,' Chinese player Zhang Shuai, who was in Sunday's women's doubles final at the ATX Open, said in an Instagram post. Shuai added that her post was her way of 'transferring the love' to Pegula, who replied by saying: 'You're too cute.' A post shared by Zhang Shuai (@zhangshuai121) Another doubles finalist, Russian Anna Blinkova, shared Shuai's post, writing: 'Thank you Jessie for your kindness and generosity.' World No. 4 Pegula, the daughter of the Buffalo Bills' billionaire owners Terry and Kim Pegula, has a bye in the first round of Indian Wells and will take to the court on Friday for her opening match. Her victory at the ATX Open was her first title since August last year.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tennis: Austin finalists borrow Jessica Pegula's jet to fly to Indian Wells
March 4 (UPI) -- Tennis star Jessica Pegula, the daughter of the billionaire owners of the Buffalo Bills, helped fellow ATX Open finalists travel to the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., by offering them seats on her private jet. China's Zhang Shuai, who teamed up with American McCartney Kessler for a women's doubles loss to China's Yue Yuan and Russian Anna Blinkova on Sunday in Austin, was among the players to share the news on social media. "The final day girls discuss how flight to Indian Wells, many different ways, some one [could] leave from Austin/Houston/Dallas, someone might need to transfer at Los Angeles in the middle of the night," Zhang wrote in an Instagram post, including a photo of the jet. "Because [it's] tough to get flight after the doubles final. In the meantime, Jessica Pegula offered everyone who played at the Sunday final to join her private jet. You know she can leave right away after her singles final, but she is such a selfless and generous girl. This message is not to show I took the jet, just wanted to prove. Appreciate and transferring the love." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zhang Shuai (@zhangshuai121) Pegula, the No. 4 player in WTA singles rankings, beat Kessler (No. 48) in the women's singles final Friday in Austin. "Thank you Jessie for your kindness and generosity," Blinkova wrote on her Instagram story. Main-draw play for the BNP Paribas Open will start Wednesday in Indian Wells. Pegula will player her first match Friday at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
CNN
04-03-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Tennis star Jessica Pegula flies fellow players from Texas to California in private jet
American tennis star Jessica Pegula had a parting – or departing – gift for her fellow finalists at the ATX Open: a flight to California. Pegula defeated compatriot McCartney Kessler in straight sets on Sunday to win her seventh WTA Tour title in Austin, Texas, then invited other players also competing in the tournament that day to fly on her private jet to California for Indian Wells, which begins this week. That meant waiting until the women's doubles final had finished before embarking on the roughly 1,200-mile trip, saving those who joined her from a potential late-night transfer in Los Angeles or flights from Dallas or Houston. 'You know she can leave away right after her singles final, but she is such a selfless and generous girl,' Chinese player Zhang Shuai, who was in Sunday's women's doubles final at the ATX Open, said in an Instagram post. Shuai added that her post was her way of 'transferring the love' to Pegula, who replied by saying: 'You're too cute.' A post shared by Zhang Shuai (@zhangshuai121) Another doubles finalist, Russian Anna Blinkova, shared Shuai's post, writing: 'Thank you Jessie for your kindness and generosity.' World No. 4 Pegula, the daughter of the Buffalo Bills' billionaire owners Terry and Kim Pegula, has a bye in the first round of Indian Wells and will take to the court on Friday for her opening match. Her victory at the ATX Open was her first title since August last year.
