China has birthed some of Asia’s largest and most well-regarded technology corporations, from social media and gaming giant Tencent Holdings Ltd to e-commerce leader Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

Along with search-engine operator Baidu Inc, they have invested in and helped foster a plethora of startups and online services — from mobile payments and messaging to online finance — whose scope and scale outstrip those available in the US.

-- Bloomberg News on Jan 15, 2016