HK Media’s Jiangsu Tour: 381 Corporations Power Daily Life With Cutting-Edge Tech in Nanjing AI Eco-Block

The Hong Kong media delegation visited Nanjing's "AI·Mirror World — Nanjing AI Eco-Block", where 381 local corporations integrate cutting-edge technology into everyday life.

Nanjing's "AI·Mirror World — Nanjing AI Eco-Block" is one of the first AI industry clusters in the Mainland to be named an "ecosystem block". Photo by Bastille Post

Officially opened in November 2025, the Eco-Block is one of the first AI industry clusters in the Mainland to be named an "ecosystem block". Located in Nanjing's Yuhuatai District, it is home to 381 AI corporations, including industry heavyweights like Huawei, ZTE, and ThunderSoft, along with numerous micro-startups.

According to official data from the Block, the total industry revenue of the 381 settled corporations reached 18 billion RMB in 2025. During the visit on March 23, the Hong Kong media delegation explored a range of AI applications firsthand and spoke with Ms. Zhang Yingyue, the operations manager of the AI Intelligent Agent Distribution Center, about the Block's operational model.

More Than a Showcase: Deals Done on the Spot

At the lifestyle pavilion, visitors can order smart wearable devices and tech products on the spot. Photo by Bastille Post

Upon entering the distribution center, the guide introduced its design, which is built on a three-tiered concept: incubating micro-startups, providing platforms for corporations of all sizes to showcase their products, and facilitating actual transactions. In the interview, Ms. Zhang Yingyue, the operations manager, further elaborated on the center's positioning: "Our goal is to take AI out of the laboratory and universities, truly integrating it into the daily lives and production of ordinary people."

Ms. Zhang Yingyue, the operations manager of the AI Intelligent Agent Distribution Center, Photo by Bastille Post

At the lifestyle pavilion, visitors can order smart wearable devices and tech products on the spot. The production pavilion, by contrast, primarily targets enterprise clients, helping traditional manufacturing industries reduce costs and improve efficiency through AI. Ms. Zhang acknowledged that transactions in the production pavilion are rarely finalized immediately, but the matching cycle is significantly shorter than in the traditional model. "The progress is far faster than our usual transaction cycle," she said.

Phones, Cars, and Clean Government: AI Tackles It All

Inside the exhibition hall, the intelligent agent R&D centers of three major mobile phone brands — Honor, Huawei, and Vivo —have all settled in. Photo by Bastille Post

Inside the exhibition hall, the intelligent agent R&D centers of three major mobile phone brands — Honor, Huawei, and Vivo —have all settled in, together holding over 50% of the national mobile phone market share. During a live demonstration, Honor's intelligent agent was shown capable of automatically ordering takeout and hailing a ride via voice commands, executing up to 14 consecutive steps without human intervention.

The tech products shown in the exhibition hall, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

ThunderSoft, an in-vehicle systems corporation, has its intelligent cockpits installed in major new energy vehicle brands across China, excluding Tesla. The corporation reportedly holds nearly 70% of the global market share, and Audi's entire passenger vehicle lineup in China also uses its system.

Photo by Bastille Post

Another highlight is the AI-powered intelligent computing machine for inspection and supervision, developed by SDIC Intelligence. It is currently used by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and over 20 provincial-level discipline inspection and supervision commissions. According to the guide's introduction, the machine can connect to multiple data sources — including banks, police, and telecommunications companies — and automatically analyze personnel movements and fund transfers, eliminating the need for personnel to visit each department individually for inquiries.

Photo by Bastille Post

Small Team, Big Impact on Technology

The Block has also nurtured a host of small yet commercially viable startups. As the guide introduced, a three‑person team developed a voice‑activated mouse featuring built‑in AI wake‑up functionality, retailing at 499 RMB, with more than 10,000 units being sold to date. Users simply press the button and issue voice commands; the AI can then automatically generate PPT slides and written text.

The displayed exoskeleton devices, Photo by Bastille Post

Another corporation displayed exoskeleton devices that reduce physical strain on users by 30 to 40%. The devices have been adopted by police forces in Fujian and Ningbo. Moreover, the guide also mentioned that the corporation donated around 300 exoskeletons to support post‑disaster recovery efforts for the Tai Po fire in 2025, assisting rescue personnel in climbing stairwells when elevators were inoperable.

Mr. Cheng Ka-chun, Officer-in-charge of the Disaster Victim Identification Unit of HKPF, Photo source: reference image

Mr. Cheng Ka-chun, Officer-in-charge of the Disaster Victim Identification Unit of HKPF, once noted that the Mainland‑donated exoskeletons were primarily used to transport corpses to temporary mortuaries. Their contribution was invaluable, as rescue personnel carried heavy equipment and were often required to climb more than 30 floors of stairs on foot. By easing the physical burden on them, the exoskeletons played a critical role in supporting the rescue operations.

AI Restaurant: Blood Pressure Check First Before Braised Pork Is Served

The restaurant employs a robotic cooking arm. Photo by Bastille Post

The Jingjie Restaurant in the Block offers a tangible example of AI integrated into daily life. Before eating, diners sit at a facial diagnostic device. Using a camera, the system analyzes subcutaneous blood vessels in the face to estimate health indicators, including blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipids. As a restaurant staff member explained, “If you find slightly high blood pressure in the AI diagnosis, the system will trigger a red alert when you reach for braised pork, indicating the dish was unsuitable for your health condition.”

If you find slightly high blood pressure in the AI diagnosis, the system will trigger a red alert when you reach for braised pork, indicating the dish was unsuitable for your health condition. Photo by Bastille Post

The robotic arm can precisely control the extremely high oven temperatures required for roasted meats and goose, which is favored by Cantonese and Hong Kong diners. Photo by Bastille Post

Each plate in the serving area is embedded with a chip. Once diners take dishes, the system will automatically record weight and calculate the bill accordingly, without the need for manual checkout. The on-site unmanned grocery store uses facial recognition for access, while a fully automatic pancake machine completes the entire process from kneading to baking in roughly three minutes. The restaurant also employs a robotic cooking arm, which the staff member described as reaching "Level 5", capable of stir-frying, deep-frying, and other cooking techniques. The staff also noted that the robotic arm can precisely control the extremely high oven temperatures required for roasted meats and goose, which is favored by Cantonese and Hong Kong diners.

Leveraging Hong Kong for Global Expansion: A Gradually Evolving Ecosystem

In the Block, corporations can readily connect with upstream and downstream partners, avoiding the extra costs of setting up separate offices elsewhere. Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Zhang Yingyue stated that the Block's ability to attract corporations stems mainly from its long-established industrial ecosystem. “We cannot grow a corporation into an industry giant overnight. What matters more is patience and years of accumulated experience in the artificial intelligence sector.” In the Block, corporations can readily connect with upstream and downstream partners, avoiding the extra costs of setting up separate offices elsewhere.

One of the corporations in the Block, Photo by Bastille Post

As for the cooperation with Hong Kong, Nanjing organizes local tech corporations to take part in Hong Kong exhibitions yearly. In 2026, seven corporations from the Block will participate in the Hong Kong Science Fair. Ms. Zhang cited a technology corporation in the Block as an example, which had just held a global product launch and set up a Hong Kong subsidiary. “We hope to promote our products globally through the platform of Hong Kong.” In Ms. Zhang’s view, Hong Kong is more than a showcase; it serves as a springboard for Mainland AI enterprises to enter the international market.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats’ hopes of reclaiming the U.S. Senate are colliding with a fight within their own party.

In Maine, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has thrown his weight behind Gov. Janet Mills in a crucial race, but some of his Senate colleagues are backing insurgent candidate Graham Platner in a rebuke of his strategic vision. A similar dynamic is playing out in other battlegrounds, including Michigan and Minnesota, where progressives senators are endorsing non-establishment candidates.

At stake is more than any single race. Democrats are fighting over whether the party's traditional playbook still works in a country that elected Donald Trump for a second time — and whether leaders like Schumer should remain in charge.

“Clearly there’s a disagreement of strategy here,” said New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, who has endorsed Platner.

He added that “the business-as-usual calculation for what is going to be successful in a given election cycle does not necessarily, in my view, meet the moment.”

The divide reflects a Democratic base frustrated after the last presidential election, when President Joe Biden ran for a second term despite widespread concerns about his age. He dropped out and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump.

Nan Whaley, a Democratic strategist in Ohio who ran for governor four years ago, said the debate is no longer about progressive or moderate.

“It’s really about, who do you trust? Establishment or not establishment," she said. "And frankly, the establishment hasn’t given us a lot to trust these past few years.”

In Maine, Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, or DSCC, have backed Mills, a 78-year-old moderate in her second term.

Platner, a veteran and oyster farmer, quickly won the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., just days after launching his campaign. His bid has since gained momentum despite scrutiny over past controversial comments and a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol.

In recent weeks, Heinrich, Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren have endorsed Platner as he builds support on Capitol Hill. Heinrich and Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse held a fundraiser for him, too.

Gallego, a first-term senator who won a battleground race in 2024, downplayed the endorsements as a broader critique of party leadership.

“Senate leadership didn’t back me at the beginning. So I didn’t take that as a critique,” Gallego said.

Michigan also has a contentious primary, with three high-profile candidates. State Sen. Mallory McMorrow has said she would not support Schumer as the caucus leader if Democrats regain the majority, and she's been endorsed by four senators.

Abdul El-Sayed, running further to the left, has been endorsed by Sanders and has also run on an anti-establishment platform.

U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens has aligned with establishment figures, working with a former DSCC executive director and securing support from two senators.

Democratic strategist Lis Smith said the endorsements in races like Maine and Michigan are “as much as a rebuke of Schumer as it is an endorsement of these candidates.”

“It’s pretty uncommon for sitting senators to endorse against the Senate leader,” Smith said. “Senators are reading the tea leaves and are getting feedback from the grassroots that they are dissatisfied with Schumer’s performance as leader.”

In Minnesota, an open-seat race has similarly emerged as a test of the party’s direction. Rep. Angie Craig is seen as the centrist candidate in the primary, with endorsements from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, the more progressive candidate, has been backed by Sanders, Warren and others, including Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith, who is vacating the seat.

“She understands that right now what we need are fierce fighters, people who are willing to stand up to the status quo,” Smith said in her endorsement.

Some tensions trace to March 2025, when Schumer voted with Republicans to end a government shutdown, drawing backlash from Democrats who argued he did not push hard enough against Trump’s agenda.

Later that year, Democrats held firm in a record-long shutdown fight, helping regain some ground with activists and progressives. But divisions resurfaced when a group of moderates ultimately sided with Republicans, fueling renewed frustration with party leadership even as Schumer opposed the move.

Since he became Senate leader in 2017, Schumer’s record in elections has been mixed. He led Democrats back to the majority in 2020 and expanded it in 2022 but lost ground in both 2018 and 2024.

“Leader Schumer's North Star is taking back the Senate and is pursuing a path to do just that,” said Allison Biasotti, a spokesperson for Schumer.

He’s recruited high-profile candidates this year in tough Senate races, such as Alaska, Ohio and North Carolina. Maeve Coyle, communications director for the DSCC, said Schumer “created a path to win a Democratic Senate majority this cycle” with the recruitment.

“Senate Democrats overperformed in the last four election cycles and in 2026, we will win seats and flip the majority,” she added.

David Axelrod, who served as a top strategist for President Barack Obama, said that being Senate leader is never easy, and that Schumer “has been under fire for some time, particularly from progressives in the party.”

Schumer’s time as leader, Axelrod added, is likely directly linked to the outcome of the 2026 midterms.

“There’s questions as to whether he’ll run in 2028. There’s even questions as to whether he might be challenged as leader,” he said. “I think the results of this election may impact that.”

For now, Schumer’s caucus is tentatively standing behind him. None have explicitly called for him to step aside. But discontent has lingered, with some openly questioning whether the party needs a new direction.

“How people did politics in the 1990s is going to feel different than in the 2020s,” said Heinrich.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks to reporters outside the Senate Chamber, following a vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner)

FILE - Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks at a forum on climate change and the consequences for home insurance, grocery prices, and health care costs, at the Capitol in Washington, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)