As China's crackdown on its tech giants rolls on, a new group of companies has come into favor with the state: the ‘little giants.’ That’s the special title that Beijing has given to around 4,700 mostly little known small to mid-sized companies in strategic sectors like advanced manufacturing, software and robotics. The government hopes that showering them with its endorsement and financial incentives will help supercharge their growth and, eventually, make the companies essential links