Google Tests Out China’s FTZ
There have been many rumors brewing recently about Google possibly reentering China in 2016, leading with Google Play. We cannot confirm these rumors to be true at this time, but we did take note of something mentioned in Sinocism this week, that had come from the Wall Street Journal. The WSJ reported that a Shanghai-based media outlet called The Paper uncovered from an online company registration database that Peng Ji Information Technology (Shanghai) Ltd., was registered on Dec. 25, 2014. Google Ireland Holdings – an Irish-based subsidiary of Google – is listed as the only shareholder. This could be an early step in Google entering China via the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.
E-sports in Southeast Asia
E-sports continue to impress gamers in Asia. A recent notice by a self-described world’s largest eSports company, Electronic Sports League (ESL), said that the company will launch a large premier SEA tournament in Manila in April 2016. There are so many tournaments now that it is difficult to even track them all, but we try.
Three Chinese Companies Enter List of World’s Top Innovators
From Xinhuanet, a news item that shows how three Chinese companies have entered the world’s 50 most innovative companies list. Chinese online media company Tencent is at 12, and Huawei and Lenovo are at 45 and 50, respectively. This is an increase from a decade ago, when there were no Chinese companies on the list, the report’s co-author Andrew Taylor said.
Niko Partners on Twitter
Follow us on Twitter @nikochina to see these comments in real time as we publish them! Here are a few of our tweets from last week:
Auto chess dominated China’s livestreaming landscape in August 2026, standing out as some of the month’s most-watched content. Niko Partners China Learn more >
RPG titles dominated China’s livestreaming landscape in August 2026, standing out as some of the month’s most-watched content. Niko Partners Learn more >
China’s video game market reached a new milestone in 2025, generating $51.8 billion in revenue, up 5.4% year-over-year and surpassing Learn more >
Auto chess dominated China’s livestreaming landscape in August 2026, standing out as some of the month’s most-watched content. Niko Partners China Learn more >
RPG titles dominated China’s livestreaming landscape in August 2026, standing out as some of the month’s most-watched content. Niko Partners Learn more >
China’s video game market reached a new milestone in 2025, generating $51.8 billion in revenue, up 5.4% year-over-year and surpassing Learn more >