Category: China

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China lodges ‘serious protest’ over NZ Air Force’s conduct in its air space

Source: Radio New Zealand

China has urged New Zealand to abide by international law and basic norms governing international. RNZ / Richard Tindiller

China says it has lodged a serious complaint over the New Zealand Air-force’s repeated harassment near its airspace.

Spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Guo Jiakun said that a P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft of the New Zealand Air Force recently conducted repeated close-in reconnaissance and harassment in the airspace over the Yellow Sea and East China Sea.

“The action undermined China’s security interests, increased risks of misunderstanding and miscalculation, and gravely disrupted the order of civil aviation in relevant airspace,” said Guo Jiakun.

“China has responded in a resolute manner and lodged serious protests with New Zealand.”

Guo Jiakun said China urged New Zealand to abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations, respect China’s sovereignty and security concerns and maintain the safety and order of civil aviation.

China’s Ministry of National Defence spokesperson, Zhang Xiaogang, said such malicious acts by New Zealand harmed China’s sovereignty and security, gravely disrupted the order of civil aviation in relevant airspace, and may easily trigger maritime and aerial incidents.

“We urge the New Zealand side to impose stricter discipline and supervision over its frontline forces, immediately stop irresponsible acts that harass and jeopardise civil aviation safety.”

A spokesperson for the New Zealand Defence Force said New Zealand’s P-8A maritime patrol aircraft has been undertaking activities that monitor North Korean sanctions evasions at sea in North Asia under UN Security Council resolutions.

The spokesperson said New Zealand has contributed to UN sanctions monitoring since 2018.

“These activities are not directed at China but rather aim to monitor evasions of United Nations sanctions on North Korea, which do occur in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea.”

The spokesperson said the New Zealand Defence Force crew operated professionally and in accordance with international law and civil aviation procedures for the region.

“NZDF has reviewed the routes flown and all available information. We have no data which indicates they disrupted civil aviation.”

The Defence Force said New Zealand takes an open and transparent approach to these operations.

“As part of this, there has been dialogue between New Zealand and Chinese officials, and we have made it clear that this is a longstanding deployment enforcing UN-mandated sanctions on North Korea.”

The spokesperson said NZDF won’t be commenting further on the specifics of those discussions, or on the details of the operations.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/18/china-lodges-serious-protest-over-nz-air-forces-conduct-in-its-air-space/

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4,680 young Chinese volunteers called “Little Deer” ready for Asian Beach Games

Source: Media Outreach

SANYA, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 April 2026 – As the 6th Asian Beach Games draws near, 4,680 youth volunteers, affectionately known as the “Little Deer” (Xiao Lu Lu), have completed their general training and are now intensively honing their foreign language skills and job-specific practical abilities in final preparation for the event.

4,680 young Chinese volunteers ready for Asian Beach Games.

Recruited from 12 universities, including Hainan University and Hainan Normal University, as well as other local organizations, the volunteers share the common nickname “Little Deer.” The name is derived from Sanya’s nickname, “Deer City,” and is meant to reflect the volunteers’ lively, warm, and friendly spirit.

“See ya in Sanya” is both the slogan of the Asian Beach Games and the guiding principle for its volunteers. Liang Zihan, a student from Hainan Tropical Ocean University, said: “Since the launch of the volunteer recruitment drive, whether it is learning about the Games, mastering multilingual communication, or taking part in scenario-based drills and emergency exercises, I have given it my all. I hope to convey Sanya’s warmth, openness, and inclusiveness to every friend who comes from afar.”

Alongside local students, the volunteer team also includes many young people from across China brought together by the Games. Wu Yujia, a sophomore at the Hospitality Institute of Sanya, is one of them. “I want to show a warm, caring, and energetic Sanya,” she said. When asked about her future plans, she did not hesitate: “I want to stay in Sanya.” In her eyes, the city’s pleasant climate and beautiful scenery have deepened her affection for it and strengthened her commitment to volunteering.

The 6th Asian Beach Games will be held in Sanya, Hainan, from April 22 to 30, 2026. Delegations from all 45 member countries and regions of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) will take part in what is the largest and most influential beach sports event in Asia. As the first major international sporting event to be held in Hainan after the independent customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port, the Games are not only a celebration of Asian sport but also an important opportunity for Hainan to present an open and welcoming face to the world.

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– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/17/4680-young-chinese-volunteers-called-little-deer-ready-for-asian-beach-games/

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SERES’ Clifford Kang Highlights AI-Enabled Smart Mobility at the 2026 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 April 2026 – Clifford Kang, Vice President of SERES Group attended the 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Asia-Pacific Summit in Hong Kong from 13 to 14 April, where he shared the company’s latest perspectives on how artificial intelligence is redefining intelligent electric mobility and automotive industry, and driving a broader transformation of the daily life.

The summit, hosted by the World Internet Conference and organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, brought together global industry leaders to explore developments in digital and intelligent transformation.

Against this backdrop, Kang noted that artificial intelligence is accelerating a fundamental shift across industries, with mobility among the most significantly transformed sectors. AI is moving from merely functional to truly frictionless, becoming deeply embedded in every part of our lives and emerging as an inclusive force that enhances mobility, living and consumption experiences.

As this transformation accelerates, SERES continues to embed intelligence across its full value chain, from product development to manufacturing and user services, using continuous innovation to enhance user experience and strengthen its long-term competitiveness as a technology-driven new energy vehicle company.

A key milestone of SERES came in 2021, when SERES entered a cross-industry partnership with Huawei to launch the AITO brand, its premium new energy vehicle brand. At the time, the industry was facing a clear disconnect, where intelligent cars were not luxurious, while luxury cars were not intelligent. In response, AITO introduced the brand philosophy of “Intelligence Redefining Luxury”, positioning intelligence as the foundation of its premium mobility experience. The brand name itself, derived from “adding intelligence to auto”, reflects this core DNA.

Today, that strategy has translated into scale and adoption. AITO has built a user base of more than 880,000 active users of its smart driving assistance system, with total journeys surpassing 6.6 billion kilometres.

Clifford Kang further emphasised that a great product alone is not enough, and that company need to focus on the entire lifecycle user experience. Guided by this principle, SERES has extended intelligent technologies at scale across both manufacturing and customer service to improve every touchpoint.

In manufacturing, the SERES Super Factory, operates with more than 5,000 robots, enabling 100% automation of critical processes. AI vision inspection technology ensures strict quality control of key components, ensuring high quality standards across production.

On the customer service end, SERES has built a 24/7 cloud-based safety service system powered by AI and big data, enabling a shift from reactive support to intelligent predictive service. In 2025 alone, the system delivered approximately 250,000 proactive alerts to customers. One notable example came in July last year, when AITO M9 completed the industry’s first satellite-enabled rescue operation in a remote region of China, highlighting both the practical value and human warmth of intelligent connected technologies in real-world scenarios.

Looking ahead, Clifford Kang stated that new energy vehicles are evolving into the mobile intelligent space, requiring further robust investment in research and development. In 2025 alone, SERES invested RMB 12.5 billion in R&D, representing a 77% year-on-year increase. This investment has enabled the company to develop a suite of core technologies, including the SERES MF Platform, Super Range Extender and Intelligent Safety systems. These innovations are continuously applied across SERES’ products to enhance performance and deliver better mobility experiences for users.

“Bringing eruptive technology from the laboratory to the road requires more than one company’s efforts”, Kang said. “Open collaboration is the most efficient path forward. SERES has always embraced openness and partnership. We want to work with industry partners around the world to advance the mobility sector together. Let’s build up the future where technology has the vision to lead, the precision to excel, and the warmth to care.”

Hashtag: #SERESGroup

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– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/17/seres-clifford-kang-highlights-ai-enabled-smart-mobility-at-the-2026-world-internet-conference-asia-pacific-summit/

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Taicang Day in Munich: Celebrating 18 Years of Sino-German Industrial Innovation

Source: Media Outreach

MUNICH, GERMANY – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 April 2026 – The 18th edition of “Taicang Day” successfully convened at the BMW Welt Auditorium on April 16, marking nearly two decades of continuous economic and cultural exchange between the Chinese port city and Germany’s industrial heartland. The event attracted nearly 300 political and business leaders to explore new paths for bilateral collaboration. Since its inception in Stuttgart in 2008, “Taicang Day” has evolved from a simple investment briefing into a multi-dimensional platform integrating technology, education, and sports.

The event featured a distinguished lineup of speakers who shared their insights on deepening cooperation. Gudrun Weidmann, Director for Internationalization at the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs; Zhai Qian, Minister Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Germany; Chen Xiaodong, Deputy Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Commerce; Dr. Christian Scharpf, Deputy Mayor of Munich and Head of the Department of Labor and Economic Affairs, and Michaela Schenk, Chair of the Foreign Trade Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria, delivered opening remarks. The proceedings were moderated by Stefan Geiger, Chairman of the China-Western Bavaria Business and Cultural Association.

18th Taicang Day in Munich

Chen Gao, Secretary of the CPC Taicang Municipal Committee, delivered a keynote address titled “Green, Innovation, and Integration: Establishing a Model for Sino-German Cooperation.” In his speech, Chen drew a poetic parallel between Munich and Taicang’s home region of Suzhou, describing both as paragons of the perfect fusion between tradition and modernity where cutting-edge technology and modern industry coexist harmoniously with rich cultural heritage.

Reflecting on 33 years of deep engagement with Germany, Chen emphasized that Taicang’s bilateral cooperation has reached a historic turning point, transitioning from merely attracting foreign capital to fostering two-way investment, and from industrial supply-chain support to the co-creation of a complete industrial ecosystem. The Secretary highlighted three flagship Taicang projects recently included in the official achievement list of the high-level Sino-German summit—the Schaeffler Humanoid Robot Digital Factory, the Sino-German Taicang Zero-Carbon Park, and the Taicang Rhine-Neckar Innovation Center. These milestones vividly demonstrate Taicang’s momentum in pivoting toward green transformation, collaborative innovation, and deep bilateral integration. Taicang’s strategy remains built on the philosophy of long-termism, with Chen reaffirming the city’s dedication to optimizing a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment while reinforcing its brand identity as a “home away from home” for German community.

Following these addresses, the event yielded several milestone agreements aimed at facilitating practical cooperation, including the official inauguration of the VDE China representative office in Taicang and the signing of a new batch of German scientific innovation projects. To further support the internationalization of local firms, the Taicang Enterprise Overseas Service Center was officially unveiled, alongside a dedicated matchmaking session for Chinese companies expanding into global markets. Furthermore, State Grid Taicang Power Supply Company presented its latest initiatives in Green Compliance and Environmental Sustainability, a presentation that received widespread acclaim for aligning industrial power solutions with international ESG standards.

Taicang’s strategic appeal is rooted in its premier location adjacent to Shanghai and its world-class infrastructure. Situated within a 30-minute commuting radius of central Shanghai, the city offers rapid access to Hongqiao Airport in 20 minutes and Pudong International Airport in just over an hour. Its maritime gateway, the Port of Taicang, features a 12.5-meter deep-water channel and ranks 8th in China and 20th globally, with an annual throughput exceeding 10 million TEUs. This logistics network supports a robust industrial ecosystem of over 5,000 enterprises, where 70% of vehicle components can be sourced locally.

Widely recognized as the “Home of German Enterprises” in China, Taicang now hosts over 560 German firms, including 60 “hidden champion” companies. This specialized cluster represents more than 10% of all German manufacturing enterprises in China. The city’s collaborative success is further evidenced by projects mentioned above in Chen Gao’s speech such as the Schaeffler Humanoid Robot Digital Factory and the Sino-German Taicang Zero-Carbon Park, and the Taicang Rhine-Neckar Innovation Center, all of which were included in the official achievement list of the German Chancellor’s visit to China.

To support its growing international community, Taicang has developed a sophisticated service ecosystem. The city’s Foreigner Service Center integrates 73 specialized services, supported by the “Hi Taicang” card which provides foreign residents with enhanced convenience in healthcare, education, and transportation. Complemented by cultural landmarks like the Rothenburg-themed street and authentic German bakeries, Taicang has created an environment where international partners can truly root themselves for long-term success.

Hashtag: #TIZ

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– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/17/taicang-day-in-munich-celebrating-18-years-of-sino-german-industrial-innovation/

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GREE Unveils 130 Products at the 139th Canton Fair, with Over 80% Featuring AI and Green Energy-Saving Technologies

Source: Media Outreach

GUANGZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 April 2026 – On April 15, the 139th China Import and Export Fair (hereinafter referred to as the “Canton Fair”) officially opened. As a leading enterprise in the manufacturing sector, Gree Electric made a grand appearance at Pavilion 4.2A under the theme “GREE, Making Better Electric Appliances,” presenting over a hundred innovative products in its largest exhibition area in Canton Fair history. Amid the global wave of green and intelligent manufacturing transformation, GREE is leveraging its hard-core independent innovation and full-industry-chain capabilities to show the world the confidence and resolve of China’s intelligent manufacturing to navigate industry cycles and lead the transformation.

GREE at the 139th China Import and Export Fair

Zhu Lei, CMO of Gree Electric, stated that Gree has participated in the Canton Fair for 31 consecutive years. This year, GREE brought 130 products to the event. Facing the global market, GREE strives to fully meet the practical needs of consumers from different regions worldwide. Notably, the majority of these products are originally manufactured in and exported from China, reflecting the dedication and ingenuity of GREE’s Chinese craftsmen.

It is reported that at this year’s Canton Fair, GREE has created a full-industry-chain exhibition space ranging from core components to scenario-based solutions. To date, buyers from over 50 countries and regions have scheduled visits and business negotiations, marking a 21% year-on-year increase.

Currently, the global home appliance industry is undergoing a dual transformation. On one hand, an energy efficiency revolution driven by the “Dual Carbon” goals makes the transition to eco-friendly refrigerants an urgent priority; on the other hand, an experience revolution spurred by consumption upgrades has made quietness, health, and smart features the core demands of users. GREE’s SilenzX series ultra-quiet air conditioners, showcased at the event, serve as a precise response to this trend. Equipped with a self-developed rotary four-cylinder compressor, the SilenzX series reduces the minimum sound pressure level of the outdoor unit to a mere 29 decibels—far below the industry average of 42 decibels. Backed by 137 invention patents, the product recently won a Gold Medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, signaling that Chinese enterprises have shifted from being “followers” to “leaders” in the realm of comfort technology.

A deeper layer of competitiveness stems from GREE’s long-term bet on a green future. Among the products showcased at this Canton Fair, over 80% are equipped with AI, green energy-saving, and other advanced technologies. GREE has comprehensively implemented R290 eco-friendly refrigerant technology across its entire product matrix, including split units, window units, and water heaters. Furthermore, its world-first photovoltaic air conditioning system has achieved a systemic breakthrough of “zero carbon emissions, zero electricity bills, and zero waste.” The AI dynamic energy-saving technology also utilizes intelligent algorithm optimization to boost annual energy efficiency by 15.8% and reduce power consumption by 13.6%. Rather than isolated technological features, these represent comprehensive green solutions that cover the entire chain of energy production, transmission, and consumption, providing the industry with a leapfrog path from “low-carbon compliance” to “zero-carbon leadership.”

Behind this systemic innovation capability lies a full-industry-chain competitive moat forged through 35 years of independent R&D. At this Canton Fair, Gree introduced three major compressors—G-Boost, G-Storm, and G-Hyper—which have successfully overcome industry challenges such as ultra-high-temperature cooling and ultra-low-temperature heating. Its star product, the GMV 9 series, is capable of operating in an ultra-wide temperature range from -35°C to 60°C, marking GREE’s achievement of full-stack technological autonomy from core components to system integration.

Overseas buyers visit the booth of Gree

This strategic resolve is yielding substantial returns in GREE’s global layout. As one of the first Chinese home appliance companies to venture overseas, GREE has built a network covering more than 190 countries and regions. Independent brands now account for 70% of its total export volume, and this figure exceeds 85% in Belt and Road countries. This marks a highly successful, high-quality transformation from a traditional OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) model to an independent brand-led enterprise.

From core technological breakthroughs to a green and low-carbon transition, GREE remains rooted in technology and centered on quality. Its presence at the Canton Fair serves as a vivid microcosm of the transformation and upgrading of China’s manufacturing sector, demonstrating the powerful potential and dynamic momentum of “Made in China.”

Hashtag: #GREE

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– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/17/gree-unveils-130-products-at-the-139th-canton-fair-with-over-80-featuring-ai-and-green-energy-saving-technologies/

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The 17th China Children’s Film Dubbing Promotion and Exhibition Event Officially Kicks Off

Source: Media Outreach

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 April 2026 – With light and shadow flowing to carry forward the revolutionary legacy, and children’s voices resounding to celebrate the glorious chapters of our times. On April 9, guided by the Publicity Department of the CPC Beijing Committee, the event was jointly organized by the China National Film Museum, the China Film Association and the China Children’s Film Association.

As a public welfare brand dedicated to children’s growth and education for sixteen years, the activity continues to uphold the purpose of “fostering children’s growth, inspiring their minds, enriching their lives, and promoting children’s cinema.” Centered around the theme “A Dream of Light and Shadow, Voices Create Brilliance,” it targets children aged 7 to 16 both domestically and internationally. With film dubbing at its core, the activity provides a platform for artistic immersion, ideological guidance, and practical growth through diverse forms such as film lectures, dubbing challenges, film culture summer camps, and talent showcases, guiding children to experience the charm of film art in the world of light and shadow.

The year 2026 marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army. This edition of the event has selected classic films embodying historical memories and revolutionary spirit as dubbing materials, including Sparkling Red Star, The Letter with Feathers, The Detachment of The Hui People, Young Peng Dehuai, The Volunteers: Peace at Last, and Dead to Rights. These films guide children to revisit extraordinary years through cinematic images and grasp the spirit of the times through dubbing. Additionally, classic films showcasing China’s excellent traditional culture, such as Ne Zha 2, Chang‘An, I Am What I Am, and Big Fish & Begonia, help children strengthen their cultural confidence through diverse artistic nourishment.

With voices soaring, children interpret the legends of light and shadow; with dreams setting sail, they shine with youthful splendor. From today, the registration channel for the 17th China Children’s Film Dubbing Promotion and Exhibition Event is officially open! Dubbing enthusiasts aged 7 to 16 may access details and sign up via the official mini-program “Xiao Ying Mi Ai Pei Yin” or the WeChat Official Account of the China National Film Museum.

Hashtag: #ChinaNationalFilmMuseum

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– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/17/the-17th-china-childrens-film-dubbing-promotion-and-exhibition-event-officially-kicks-off/

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SIAM PARAGON Solidifies World-Class Success as the Global Songkran Destination

Source: Media Outreach

“SIAM PARAGON SUMMERBEATS MUSIC FEST 2026” Captivates Thai and International Tourists

A Resounding Success Merging Tradition, Fashion, Music, and Lifestyle in the Heart of Bangkok

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 April 2026 – Siam Paragon reaffirms its status as a world-class global destination and a top-of-mind landmark for both Thai and international visitors, celebrating the remarkable success of the “SIAM PARAGON SUMMERBEATS MUSIC FEST 2026.” This grand Songkran festival, held from April 10–15, 2026 at Parc Paragon and throughout the shopping center, attracted an overwhelming number of attendees from around the world. The event’s success highlights Siam Paragon’s ability to deliver extraordinary experiences that seamlessly integrate fashion, music, arts, culture, and lifestyle into one vibrant destination—solidifying its reputation as a world-class experiential hub.

This achievement was made possible through a strong collaboration between Siam Paragon, Kasikornbank Public Company Limited, alongside esteemed partners from both the public and private sectors. Together, they created a vibrant and distinctive contemporary Songkran phenomenon. One of the festival’s standout highlights was the “SUMMERBEATS FASHION SHOW” at Paragon Department Store, showcasing curated looks from Spring/Summer 2026 collections by leading brands. The runway came alive with appearances from renowned celebrities and talents from The Face Men Thailand Season 4, setting the stage for six consecutive days of electrifying performances by top artists.

Beyond fashion, “SIAM PARAGON SUMMERBEATS MUSIC FEST 2026” also gained widespread recognition as a premier urban music festival, featuring over 150 artists including Masu–Tee, DJ Crossthy, DICE, JOEY BOY, Purpeech, Enjoy–June, Khana Bierbood, DJ Chin Chinawut, KT Kratae, LE7EL, Sweezdream, Paradise Bangkok, Tilly Birds, Billy–Babe, SONS, ALTERS, Tattoo Colour, Krit–Phop, 4MIX, Shine Boys, and Pijang Kritsana.

These artists ignited the summer energy throughout the festival, supported by world-class light, sound, and color production. The festive atmosphere became a major “magnet,” drawing people in to celebrate Songkran with unparalleled excitement and creating lasting impressions.

Throughout the festival, Siam Paragon transformed its spaces into a dynamic lifestyle landmark and one of Bangkok’s must-visit check-in destinations. The creative design blended Thai craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics, offering a diverse range of activities, entertainment, and exclusive experiences tailored to shoppers, tourists, and the new generation alike, reflecting Siam Paragon’s role as a leadership in premium lifestyle experiences.

Another significant highlight was at NEXTOPIA on the 5th and 5A Floors, under the concept “NEXTOPIA: Culture of Tomorrow.” This area showcased a new dimension of Songkran by integrating Thai culture with innovation and sustainability. Through creative workshops and the landmark Crystal Pagoda, visitors actively engaged with the Circular Economy concept. This completed the Songkran vision, balancing entertainment and inspiration with genuine environmental responsibility.

The success of “SIAM PARAGON SUMMERBEATS MUSIC FEST 2026” not only reflects Siam Paragon’s strength in creating world-class magnet events that attract global audiences, but also reinforces its leadership as the premier destination. Siam Paragon remains dedicated to driving Bangkok’s vibrancy during every major festival, delivering extraordinary experiences that remain in the memories of Thai people and tourists from across the globe.

Hashtag: #SiamParagonSummerBeats2026 #SiamParagonSongkran2026 #SiamParagonSummer2026

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– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/16/siam-paragon-solidifies-world-class-success-as-the-global-songkran-destination/

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American microbiologist behind global water safety breakthrough wins 2026 Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize

Source: Media Outreach

  • Professor Joan Bray Rose recognised for pioneering Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) as a global approach for assessing pathogen risks in water
  • QMRA adopted into global drinking water standards and enabled safe water reuse, benefitting millions worldwide

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 April 2026 – Professor Joan Bray Rose has been awarded the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2026 for her work as a key pioneer in the development and global adoption of Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA), a science-based approach to safeguard the quality of drinking water, as well as water reuse systems. Her work has transformed the science of microbial risk management and guided policies that protect public health and ensure safe water for communities worldwide. Her expertise in the domain of water quality and health has also played a key role in strengthening Singapore’s used water management, and the introduction of NEWater, Singapore’s third National Tap.

Professor Joan Bray Rose, Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research and Director of the Water Alliance at Michigan State University and Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2026 Laureate

2. Commenting on her accolade, Professor Rose, 11th recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize said, “I am deeply honoured to receive this esteemed award. This recognition reflects our collective progress in advancing microbial risk science and its role in protecting public health today. Safe water is one of the world’s most fundamental yet unevenly distributed resource critical to sustaining human life. As microbial risks continue to evolve, strengthening the robustness of our water systems remains an ongoing endeavour to ensure they remain dependable and resilient; safeguarding both water quality and people’s lives.” She is currently the Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research, Director of the Water Alliance at Michigan State University.

Uncovering invisible risks to revolutionise water safety

3. In the late 1980s and 1990s, Professor Rose led a team to investigate a series of waterborne disease outbreaks across the United States. Among the most severe was the 1993 Cryptosporidiosis outbreak in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where an estimated 403,000 residents fell ill and at least 69 deaths were recorded[1]. She was the first to demonstrate the widespread occurrence of Cryptosporidium as a zoonotic pathogen[2] in the United States, and its transmission to humans through inadequately filtered and disinfected drinking water supplies. By establishing Cryptosporidium as the causative agent of these outbreaks, she highlighted the vulnerability of drinking water systems to microbial contamination – a challenge with global public health implications. Her findings also revealed a critical gap: pathogens could evade conventional water treatment, existing monitoring systems detected microbes without quantifying risk, and public health responses were largely reactive rather than predictive.

4. Professor Rose then pioneered QMRA in the 1990s and early 2000s to address these critical gaps undermining water safety and public health. QMRA introduced a systematic, science-based approach to assess and manage microbial risks in drinking and other forms of water, including reuse water. By enabling scientists to quantify infection risks and illness probabilities based on pathogen concentrations, exposure pathways and consumption patterns, QMRA shifted water management from reactive “detect and correct” approaches to proactive “predict and prevent” strategies. This revolutionised water safety, boosting the quality of water systems to reliably meet health standards.

Global impact on water microbiology and water quality

5. QMRA is now widely adopted in drinking water regulations worldwide including the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Standards and the World Health Organisation’s Third Edition of the Drinking Water Quality Guidelines in 2004. Her work has enabled water utilities and regulators to define treatment requirements based on tolerable health risks for any given water source.

6. Professor Rose extended the application of QMRA beyond drinking water to assess microbial risks in treated wastewater and water reuse systems. This development greatly strengthened global confidence in leveraging recycled water as a viable and sustainable supply source, and Professor Rose has since strongly advocated for the adoption of water reuse to address global water scarcity. She also advised the Orange County Water District’s Independent Advisory Panel and the California State Water Resources Control Board’s Expert Panel on water reuse. Her guidance contributed to California’s Indirect and Direct Potable Reuse regulations, now models for water reuse standards worldwide, including in Australia, Spain, and the United States.

7. For over two decades, Professor Rose worked closely with PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, to strengthen water quality and safety. She was instrumental in the advancement of NEWater which was introduced in 2003, serving on the NEWater Expert Panel from 1998 to 2002. In her role, Professor Rose shared her expertise, provided guidance on best practices for water quality monitoring, and reviewed findings from health studies which demonstrated the long-term safety of NEWater. From 2003 to 2019, she also chaired PUB’s External Audit Panel, supporting the safe and robust implementation of water reuse in Singapore. In recognition of her significant contributions, she was conferred the Honorary Citizen Award by the Government of Singapore in 2015. Tapping on the QMRA approach, PUB has since strengthened the capabilities to use water quality surveillance data to guide treatment processes and ensure compliance with local and international drinking water standards and guidelines. (Refer to Annex on how QMRA is applied in Singapore.)

8. Beyond research, she has advanced global knowledge and capacity in microbial risk assessment through training and collaborative initiatives such as launching the QMRA Summer Institute[3] and QMRAwiki[4]. She has also strengthened preparedness for waterborne disease outbreaks worldwide by spearheading major international initiatives such as the Global Water Pathogen Project[5] and Wastewater Sphere[6].

Recognising a steadfast champion of global public health

9. Professor Rose, who recently turned 72, has dedicated her professional life to improving water quality and safeguarding public health outcomes. She is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading authorities in water microbiology and received the 2024 International Water Association Global Water Award for her contributions. Today, she continues to lead research on emerging microbial health risks, driven by a deep and enduring commitment to improving lives worldwide. Her work remains critical as cities strengthen their water resilience against evolving public health and climate challenges.

10. Professor Rose will receive the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize – an award certificate, a gold medallion, and S$300,000, presented in partnership with Temasek Foundation – at an award ceremony on 16 June 2026, held during the official opening of the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) 2026. She will also deliver a keynote lecture the same day. SIWW2026 is expected to gather 2,500 leaders, experts and practitioners from governments, cities, utilities, and industry, and over 25,000 trade visitors.

[3] Launched in 2006, The QMRA Summer Institute has trained over 400 professionals worldwide in pathogen risk assessment across water, food, and environmental contexts, with extended collaborations in Singapore, Japan, India, China, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and parts of Europe.
[4] QMRAwiki is the first comprehensive database of microbial dose-response relationships, which has been instrumental in advancing disease transmission modelling and risk characterisation.
[5] The Global Water Pathogen Project (GWPP) is funded by Dow, Dow-Corning and GATES Foundations, in partnership with UNESCO. GWPP creates a comprehensive knowledge hub on water pathogens, aiming to improve global water safety and sanitation.

[6] A sub-portal of GWPP to advance environmental surveillance of sewage for SARS-CoV-2 and support public health measures. W-Sphere aggregated data from over 2,600 cities, counties and regional systems globally.


Annex

Application of QMRA in Singapore’s context

Leveraging on the concepts embedded in QMRA, PUB has established robust treatment processes and a comprehensive water quality surveillance programme to ensure that Singapore’s drinking water consistently meets both local drinking water regulations, as well as international drinking water standards and guidelines. Today, the approach has evolved from a reactive “end-of-pipe testing” to a “process monitoring” approach, one that is more proactive in identifying potential risks within the treatment process.

QMRA also enables PUB to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of different treatment technologies in managing microbial risks. This allows for informed, evidence-based decisions when selecting suitable technology for Singapore’s water sources, further strengthening the safety and reliability of our water supply. For instance, Singapore has adopted new and advanced technologies for water treatment, such as:

(i) reverse osmosis for removal of dissolved ions and particles, including viruses, which are too small to be removed through normal filtration; and

(ii) ultraviolet disinfection and ozonation for disinfection of a broader range of waterborne pathogens.

Hashtag: #SingaporeInternationalWaterWeek

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/16/american-microbiologist-behind-global-water-safety-breakthrough-wins-2026-lee-kuan-yew-water-prize/

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The 2026 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit Concludes Successfully

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 April 2026 – On April 14, the two-day 2026 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit, themed “Digital and Intelligent Empowerment for Innovative Development — Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace,” came to a successful conclusion.

This year marks the second consecutive time that Hong Kong has hosted the international conference. Approximately 1,000 participants attended, including ministerial-level officials from government departments, senior representatives of international organizations, diplomatic envoys to China, leaders from prominent internet enterprises, as well as experts and scholars from more than 50 countries and regions.

John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, stated that the successful hosting of the summit fully demonstrates Hong Kong’s unique advantages under the “One Country, Two Systems” framework. The HKSAR Government is accelerating the development of innovation and technology, with artificial intelligence as a key pillar. Hong Kong ranks among the world’s leading economies in AI readiness and is committed to harnessing the power of AI in a responsible and inclusive manner.

Zhuang Rongwen, Chairman of the World Internet Conference and Director of the Cyberspace Administration of China, noted that the summit aims to align with the accelerating trends of digitalization, networking, and intelligent transformation. It seeks to build consensus and pool strengths across sectors, leveraging new achievements and cooperation outcomes in the digital and intelligent fields to make greater contributions toward a brighter digital future for the Asia-Pacific region.

On the afternoon of April 13, the main forum of the 2026 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit, along with the Distinguished Contributors Ceremony, was held in Hong Kong.

Wang Jingtao, Deputy Director of the Cyberspace Administration of China, and Francis Gurry, Vice Chairman of the World Internet Conference and former Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization, attended and delivered keynote speeches. Ren Xianliang, Secretary-General of the World Internet Conference, was also present.

Wang Jingtao pointed out that the global wave of intelligent transformation is surging, with breakthroughs in artificial intelligence emerging collectively. He emphasized the need to build consensus and deepen cooperation to address the critical question of how digital technologies can better benefit humanity. He proposed four key measures:

  1. Uphold openness and cooperation to expand the digital economy;
  2. Promote inclusiveness and shared benefits to bridge digital and intelligence divides;
  3. Strengthen coordinated governance to build a fair and equitable cyberspace order;
  4. Reinforce security foundations to safeguard cyberspace safety.

Francis Gurry stated that digital and intelligent empowerment means enabling individuals, enterprises, institutions, and diverse cultural and economic actors to adapt to the digital and AI environment, seize social and economic opportunities, and share in development dividends. He emphasized that all stakeholders bear important responsibilities in this process. The Distinguished Contributors Ceremony was established to honor individuals and enterprises that have driven the development of digital and intelligent technologies, recognizing both their technological excellence and their deep concern for the societal impact of technological transformation.

Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government, and Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, also attended and delivered speeches. Other distinguished participants included Wu Jianping, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Director of the Zhongguancun Laboratory; Nii Quaynor, Chairman of Ghana Dot Com and recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Contribution Award; and Kilnam Chon, Honorary Professor at KAIST and also a 2024 award recipient. Wu Dong, Chief Engineer of the Cyberspace Administration of China, also attended the event.

The event invited individuals, enterprises, and prominent figures who have made outstanding contributions to the development of the global internet. Through keynote speeches, roundtable discussions, and personal narratives, participants shared their practices and insights on building a community with a shared future in cyberspace. The program featured four thematic sections: “Tribute to the Connectors of the World,” “Tribute to Technological Innovators,” “Tribute to Digital Pioneers — Hong Kong Dialogue,” and “Tribute to Technology for Good.” Participants also explored future directions and opportunities for artificial intelligence.

During the event, the launch of the 2026 World Internet Conference Leading Science and Technology Awards and the global call for case studies on jointly building a community with a shared future in cyberspace were announced. The launch ceremony for the 2026 Distinguished Contribution Awards was also held.

On April 14, six sub-forums on different themes were held in Hong Kong. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on topics including intelligent agent innovation and applications, digital finance, AI safety governance, smart livelihoods, digital health, and the digitalization and dissemination of classical texts.

On the same day, ten think tanks participating in the World Internet Conference Think Tank Cooperation Program released a series of research outcomes at the Smart Livelihoods and Digital Finance Forum of the 2026 Asia-Pacific Summit.

The 2026 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit was organized by the World Internet Conference, hosted by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, and co-organized by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the HKSAR Government.

Hashtag: #WorldInternetConference

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/16/the-2026-world-internet-conference-asia-pacific-summit-concludes-successfully/

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Huawei Cloud Introduces Token Service in Asia Pacific

Source: Media Outreach

JAKARTA, INDONESIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 April 2026 – Huawei Cloud AI Boost Day, themed “Agentic AI Practice”, was successfully held in Jakarta. At the event, Huawei Cloud announced the official launch of its MaaS service in Asia Pacific.

Huawei Cloud MaaS grand launch across Asia Pacific

Following the rollout of AI Compute Service in Hong Kong (China), Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore in 2025, Huawei Cloud MaaS (Model-as-a-Service) is now available, leveraging Huawei’s in-house acceleration engine to support mainstream models and provide customers with stable and high-quality token services.

Huawei Cloud continues to strengthen its collaboration with high-quality open-source models in the industry. Six models from three categories—GLM, DeepSeek, and Qwen—are the first to be supported by MaaS. These models are designed for two major application scenarios: intelligent Q&A and AI coding. They offer one-click access and out-of-the-box model hosting services, covering the entire lifecycle of model management from deployment to inference, fine-tuning, and evaluation. With elastic compute and pay-per-use billing, enterprises and developers can quickly integrate AI capabilities into their service systems without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure. This makes AI accessible to everyone.

Notably, this release includes support for the latest GLM-5 model. GLM-5 has attained state-of-the-art (SOTA) performance in coding and agent capabilities, making it an ideal general-purpose agent foundation for complex system engineering and long-text agent tasks in enterprise environments.

Huawei Cloud’s long-term strategic investment in AI has resulted in a comprehensive suite of AI solutions, including CloudMatrix AI Infra, MaaS, ModelArts (a model training and inference platform), CodeArts (a coding agent), AgentArts (an agent platform), and DataArts (a data agent).

CodeArts and AgentArts will be launched outside the Chinese mainland in the second half of 2026.

Huawei Cloud has established an optimized cloud infrastructure network in the Asia Pacific region. This network comprises five Regions and 18 availability zones (AZs) located in Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, and the Philippines, ensuring a 50 ms access latency. Additionally, in Malaysia, Huawei Cloud and partners have jointly built a local cloud.

Huawei Cloud AI Compute Service have helped many Asia Pacific customers elevate their cloud journey from simply migrating to the cloud to using AI well. They have benefited from improved productivity and better adaptation to changing environments.

iFLYTEK, a leading intelligent voice and AI company, selected Singapore as the first destination for its global expansion strategy in 2023, naturally extending its collaboration with Huawei Cloud from China to a global scale. Huawei Cloud AI Compute Service helped iFLYTEK quickly deploy their large language model training resources within two weeks. The training remained stable for 60 days without interruption, ensuring zero faults during the release of major versions.

In Vietnam, Green and Smart Mobility (GSM), an emerging green mobility platform, migrated its core operations platform to Huawei Cloud to reduce costs, enhance efficiency, and achieve multi-cloud flexibility. GSM has developed a comprehensive fleet management platform using AI and IoT. By utilizing Huawei Cloud IoTDA and ModelArts AI technologies, GSM analyzes violations and generates risk alerts to ensure driver and passenger safety, thereby fulfilling its mission of promoting green and safe transportation.

Huawei Cloud will continue to invest in AI innovation and provide a secure, stable, and intelligent cloud foundation to help enterprises in Asia Pacific achieve sustainable business growth in the AI era.

https://www.huaweicloud.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/huaweicloudapac
https://x.com/huaweicloudapac
https://www.facebook.com/HuaweiCloudAPAC
Wechat: 亚太华为云

Hashtag: #HuaweiCloud #MaaS #AI #Token

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/15/huawei-cloud-introduces-token-service-in-asia-pacific/

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NZ-AU: CLINUVEL: advancing peptides for photomedicine and vitiligo care at AAD 2026

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU)

MELBOURNE, Australia, April 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CLINUVEL’s innovative photomedicine and vitiligo programs featured extensively at the recent American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting, the world’s largest gathering of dermatology professionals. Through the Company’s bespoke Pavilion of Photomedicine and conference sessions across five days, the development and commercialisation of CLINUVEL’s proprietary peptides in dermatology was presented to over 20,000 delegates.

Building on momentum from the 2025 AAD meeting, AAD 2026 saw CLINUVEL’s ambition translate into deeper engagement with the medical community, with the Pavilion now an established hub for meaningful scientific exchange and candid dialogues. The CLINUVEL team welcomed thousands of visitors, including many returning physicians eager to review the progress of the Company’s clinical programs.

New insights in vitiligo therapy

The 2026 meeting reflected a maturing dialogue regarding the standard of care and potential of new therapies for patients with vitiligo. While the recent focus in the field has been on immune-suppressing JAK inhibitors, clinicians are increasingly identifying the practical challenges of long-term treatment dependency and the prevalence of relapse upon cessation of treatment. This shift in treatment discourse highlights an increasing demand for therapies that prioritise sustained stability and patient safety over the long term.

CLINUVEL’s investigational approach offers a fundamentally different path. The Company’s ongoing Phase III vitiligo study (CUV105) is evaluating afamelanotide as a systemic therapy with adjunct narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy to stimulate repigmentation and stabilise the disease, rather than suppressing the body’s immune system. Afamelanotide, a linear peptide administered in a controlled-release injectable implant, is not currently approved for vitiligo anywhere in the world.

At the Global Vitiligo Foundation (GVF) Annual Symposium, Professor Antoine Bertolotti (University Hospital of La Réunion) presented patient case studies from CUV105, reporting repigmentation following 20 weeks of afamelanotide with adjunct NB-UVB. Crucially, the data showed that patients with darker skin types (Fitzpatrick skin types IV–VI) maintained their pigmentation up to the six month follow-up visit subsequent to withdrawal of therapy. Notably, even patients with active disease (i.e. where the condition is actively spreading) showed a response to therapy in these clinical cases.

Holistic patient care

While CLINUVEL’s primary clinical focus remains its rigorous path toward regulatory approval in vitiligo, the Company’s work at the Pavilion highlighted a holistic philosophy that extends beyond the clinic. Unlike standard models, CLINUVEL takes a long-term view of patient care by creating dedicated spaces for patients to share their experiences and advocate for improvements in clinical trial diversity and mental health support.

The three-day speaker program emphasised this commitment, featuring patients, physicians, and even healthcare partners coming together to exchange insights on topics ranging from fostering inclusivity when engaging with patient communities, to the regulatory and cultural differences in managing vitiligo in different parts of the world.

Technology and digital impact: creating a global buzz

The innovations showcased in Denver extended into the digital sphere, creating significant engagement across social media. CLINUVEL’s outreach efforts reached over 314,000 unique users, with daily wrap-up content generating thousands of interactions. This digital buzz mirrors the energy at the Pavilion, where the Company introduced its proprietary Vitiligo Visual Algorithm (VVA) – an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tool designed to objectively assess pigmentation using standardised clinical photographs, tracking an individual patient’s treatment progress over time. This tool is now being refined with the assistance of physicians, patients and researchers.

Social media highlights

  • @dermdsaid featured a walk-through of the Pavilion, highlighting CLINUVEL’s vitiligo program
  • @dr.kyla.md featured the Pavilion’s distinctive façade in a playful commentary on AAD’s unmissable exhibition spaces
  • @glow_and_happy’s reel heavily features CLINUVEL’s Pavilion of Photomedicine

Watch a wrap-up video of CLINUVEL’s time at AAD 2026.

Commentary

“Returning to the AAD for a second year has allowed us to witness a significant maturation in the clinical dialogue surrounding vitiligo,” said Dr Linda Teng, CLINUVEL’s Director of North American Operations. “Our engagement in Denver confirms a growing recognition among the medical community that the next frontier in vitiligo care must prioritise long-term physiological stability and safety beyond immune-suppression.

“The overwhelming response to the Pavilion this year validates our longstanding focus on melanocortin peptides and reinforces our mission to advance clinical programs that truly reflect the life-long needs of the patients we serve.”

About CLINUVEL PHARMACEUTICALS LIMITED

CLINUVEL (ASX: CUV; ADR LEVEL 1: CLVLY; Börse Frankfurt: UR9) is a global specialty pharmaceutical group focused on developing and commercialising treatments for patients with genetic, metabolic, systemic, and life-threatening, acute disorders, as well as healthcare solutions for specialised populations. As pioneers in photomedicine and the family of melanocortin peptides, CLINUVEL’s research and development has led to innovative treatments for patient populations with a clinical need for systemic photoprotection, assisted DNA repair, repigmentation and acute or life-threatening conditions who lack alternatives.

CLINUVEL’s lead therapy, SCENESSE® (afamelanotide 16mg), is approved for commercial distribution in Europe, the USA, Israel, and Australia as the world’s first systemic photoprotective drug for the prevention of phototoxicity (anaphylactoid reactions and burns) in adult patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP). Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, CLINUVEL has operations in Europe, Singapore, and the USA. For more information, please go to https://www.clinuvel.com.

Head of Investor Relations
Mr Malcolm Bull, CLINUVEL PHARMACEUTICALS LTD

Investor Enquiries
https://www.clinuvel.com/investors/contact-us

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect the current beliefs and expectations of CLINUVEL’s management. Statements may involve a number of known and unknown risks that could cause our future results, performance, or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to: our ability to develop and commercialise pharmaceutical products; the COVID-19 pandemic and/or other world, regional or national events affecting the supply chain for a protracted period of time, including our ability to develop, manufacture, market and sell biopharmaceutical products; competition for our products, especially SCENESSE® (afamelanotide 16mg), PRÉNUMBRA® or NEURACTHEL®; our ability to achieve expected safety and efficacy results in a timely manner through our innovative R&D efforts; the effectiveness of our patents and other protections for innovative products, particularly in view of national and regional variations in patent laws; our potential exposure to product liability claims to the extent not covered by insurance; increased government scrutiny in either Australia, the U.S., Europe, Israel, China and Japan of our agreements with third parties and suppliers; our exposure to currency fluctuations and restrictions as well as credit risks; the effects of reforms in healthcare regulation and pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement; that the Company may incur unexpected delays in the outsourced manufacturing of SCENESSE®, PRÉNUMBRA® or NEURACTHEL® which may lead to it being unable to supply its commercial markets and/or clinical trial programs; any failures to comply with any government payment system (i.e. Medicare) reporting and payment obligations; uncertainties surrounding the legislative and regulatory pathways for the registration and approval of biotechnology and consumer based products; decisions by regulatory authorities regarding approval of our products as well as their decisions regarding label claims; our ability to retain or attract key personnel and managerial talent; the impact of broader change within the pharmaceutical industry and related industries; potential changes to tax liabilities or legislation; environmental risks; and other factors that have been discussed in our 2023 Annual Report. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation, outside of those required under applicable laws or relevant listing rules of the Australian Securities Exchange, to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. More information on preliminary and uncertain forecasts and estimates is available on request, whereby it is stated that past performance is not an indicator of future performance.

Contact:

Tel: +61 3 9660 4900
Fax: +61 3 9660 4909
Email: mail@clinuvel.com
Australia (Head Office), Level 22, 535 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a63efa41-50f1-45f2-8ee5-0d54842edcaa

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/33cac11d-7021-45d7-a334-97b2ac9fa4a6

A video accompanying this announcement is available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3d0e4a67-5fc2-46d0-95b7-b34582a13539

– Published by The MIL Network

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/15/nz-au-clinuvel-advancing-peptides-for-photomedicine-and-vitiligo-care-at-aad-2026/

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Body in bag case: Identities of people charged with murder of Shulai Wang revealed

Source: Radio New Zealand

Seven months after the discovery of a body in a bag found in Gulf Harbour, Police revealed the identity of the victim. She was Shulai Wang, 70, of China. Supplied / Police

Four people charged with the kidnapping and manslaughter of a Chinese woman, whose body was found wrapped in plastic bags in the water at Auckland’s Gulf Harbour, can now be named.

Kaixiao Liu, Lanyue Xiao, Xiuyun Li and Jingui Liu, are facing a five week trial starting late next month, over the death of 70-year-old Shulai Wang – whose body was first discovered by a fisherman in March 2024.

Wang was identified and named seven months after her body was discovered.

The defendants’ bid for interim name suppression was declined in the High Court in April last year.

They appealed that decision and their arguments were heard at a Court of Appeal hearing last month.

The defendants represented themselves in court.

The Court of Appeal has released its decision to dismiss the appeal.

Justices Susan Thomas, Cameron Mander and Andrew Becroft, have suppressed the reasons for their decision.

The defendants’ application to have their charges indefinitely put on hold was also dismissed in a High Court decision issued last month.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/15/body-in-bag-case-identities-of-people-charged-with-murder-of-shulai-wang-revealed/

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International travel: February 2026 – Stats NZ information release

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/14/international-travel-february-2026-stats-nz-information-release/

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Consumer expo draws global exhibitors keen on China’s vast market

Source: Media Outreach

HAIKOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 April 2026 – The sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) kicked off on Monday in Haikou, capital of south China’s Hainan Province, attracting more than 3,400 brands from over 60 countries and regions.

The sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in Haikou, south China’s Hainan Province, April 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

Themed “Opening Up Drives Global Consumption, Innovation Empowers A Better Life,” this year’s expo runs from April 13 to 18. Meanwhile, the 2026 “Shopping in China” International Consumption Season was launched simultaneously.

The sixth CICPE has expanded in scale, with an exhibition area of 143,000 square meters, up 13,000 square meters from the previous edition. International exhibits account for 65 percent of the total, an increase of 20 percentage points from last year. Meanwhile, over 200 new products are expected to make their debut, double last year’s number and spanning fields including healthcare, jewelry and digital technology.

Since its launch in 2021, the CICPE has become an important platform for multinationals to stay abreast of consumer trends in China’s gigantic market, with over 3,800 enterprises and more than 12,000 brands from 92 countries and regions participating over the past five editions.

Canada, this year’s guest country of honor, has organized its largest-ever delegation, with around 40 companies participating in sectors including cosmetics, agricultural products, health products and pet food.

Russia and Bulgaria are among nations setting up national pavilions for the first time, while official delegations from 12 countries and regions, including Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Ireland, are attending the event.

Beyond the main venue in Haikou, a health exhibition area in Hainan’s Boao features 120 international pharmaceutical and medical device companies, while a yacht show in Sanya in the province is hosting over 200 yachts, with international brands accounting for 70 percent.

Committed to building an international, professional, and market-oriented multilateral economic and trade cooperation platform, the CICPE has become a “bridgehead” for high-level opening up. It has attracted over 230,000 domestic and overseas buyers in the five expos to date.

This edition, for the first time, has set up a buyer service center on site, providing exhibitors and buyers with full-process, all-round supply-demand matchmaking services. Additionally, an online supply-demand matchmaking platform has been established, leveraging digital technology to enable one-click matching of needs.

“An estimated 65,000 professional buyers will attend this year’s expo, a 10-percent increase from the previous edition,” said Lu Min, director of the Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development. “We also plan to hold more than 10 supply-demand matchmaking events to effectively enhance the sense of fulfillment for both buyers and exhibitors.”

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/14/consumer-expo-draws-global-exhibitors-keen-on-chinas-vast-market/

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Hainan Tourism Promotion Seminar Lands in Madrid, Paving the Way for Deeper Cultural and Tourism Ties Between China and Spain

Source: Media Outreach

MADRID, SPAIN – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 April 2026 – Recently, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province, China, hosted a Hainan tourism promotion seminar for the local cultural and tourism industry at the China Cultural Center in Madrid. This event aimed to further advance cultural and tourism exchanges and cooperation between Hainan and Spain.

Hainan tourism promotion seminar held in Madrid, Spain.

Attendees included Yang Changqing, Director of the China Cultural Center in Madrid; Aranzazu Urbina Álvarez, Deputy Director for Sustainability and Tourism Development, Community of Madrid; and representatives from over 30 local cultural and tourism enterprises, travel agencies, and industry associations. Together, they conducted in-depth discussions on bilateral cooperation in culture and tourism. Local travel agencies, cultural and tourism companies, and industry association representatives in Madrid showed strong interest in Hainan’s tourism resources and engaged in extensive exchanges with the Hainan delegation, injecting new vitality into the future coordinated development of cultural tourism between the two regions.

Yang Changqing noted that the seminar provides Spanish travel operators with a window to deeply understand the latest developments in China’s inbound tourism market. She expressed China’s hope to enhance cooperation with Spanish cultural and tourism professionals, aiming for more concrete outcomes in joint tourism product development and two-way visitor exchanges, thereby elevating bilateral cultural and tourism cooperation to a new height.

Aranzazu Urbina Álvarez remarked that the event has created a valuable platform for dialogue between China and Spain, enabling both sides to share insights on core issues such as sustainable tourism development. She expressed her anticipation of visiting Hainan in the future to tour the local tourism sector and pinpoint cooperation opportunities that capitalize on the complementary strengths of the two sides.

Over the past year, cultural and tourism exchanges between Hainan and Madrid have seen remarkable progress. Hainan’s Food Week event in Madrid allowed European audiences to experience the unique charm of this Chinese tropical island firsthand. This year, Hainan officially set up a tourism promotion office in Madrid, which will further open channels for cultural and tourism enterprises from both sides to connect, boosting tourism promotion and cooperation on the ground.

Wang Yuechuan, Director of the International and Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan Market Promotion Division of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province, stated that the Hainan Free Trade Port is actively working to launch a direct flight route from Madrid to Haikou. At the same time, it is continuously improving infrastructure, such as international payment systems and multilingual services, to offer European tourists a more convenient vacation experience.

Hashtag: #HainanTourism

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/14/hainan-tourism-promotion-seminar-lands-in-madrid-paving-the-way-for-deeper-cultural-and-tourism-ties-between-china-and-spain/

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New Zealand tourism continuing to rise

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government welcomes new data showing New Zealand’s international visitor numbers continue to rise, with particularly strong growth from people visiting from China over Chinese New Year.

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says Stats NZ’s latest monthly international travel data shows New Zealand tourism continues its strong positive recovery.  

“Our tourism sector continues its strong growth, with over 408,000 overseas visitors choosing to visit New Zealand in February 2026, over 53,000 more than the same time a year ago. 

“International tourism contributes to our Government’s plan to fix the basics and build the future and support economic growth, with businesses, jobs and communities across the country feeling the benefits of increasing visitor numbers,” Louise Upston says.  

Annual figures show overseas visitor arrivals reached 3.58 million in the year to February 2026, an increase of 229,000 on the previous year. This continues to track towards pre‑COVID levels, now sitting at 92 per cent of December 2019 figures.

“It’s great to see continued growth from our largest visitor market, Australia, with 1.54 million arrivals in the year to February, up 123,000 from the year before.

“Changes that allow eligible visitors from China and the Pacific to travel to New Zealand from Australia with a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), rather than a visa, are also making a difference. 

“Chinese visitor arrivals were up 41,700 (increase of 214 per cent) in February 2026 compared with the same month in 2025, as more Chinese visitors chose to take advantage of the NZeTA and experience New Zealand’s unique scenery and hospitality over Chinese New Year.”

Monthly data shows 53,700 more international visitors arrived in February 2026 compared with February 2025.

“This Government has backed our vital tourism and hospitality sector through initiatives including funding for promotion of New Zealand as a year-round destination and strengthening partnerships with key markets. 

“As a country we are seeing the flow on growth and confidence in our tourism and hospitality sector as more visitors have chosen New Zealand as their next holiday destination. 

“More international visitors mean more customers for our businesses and ultimately more jobs. 

“The effects of the fuel crisis are yet to be seen but I will keep working with tourism operators on ensuring New Zealand continues to be seen as an attractive and safe destination to visit,” Louise Upston says.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/14/new-zealand-tourism-continuing-to-rise/

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NZ-AU: Corporate Update and Project Development Progress

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU)

Highlights

  • Surface miner mobilised to Daniel Plateau, with trial mining operations scheduled to commence this month
  • Updated financial cashflow modelling confirmed that current cash position plus the existing AFG debt financing facility fully supports the Company’s CAPEX requirements to first ore shipment
  • First production targeted for Q2 2026 and first ore shipment scheduled in Q3, 2026
  • First seven locomotives were shipped from China at the end of March and scheduled to arrive at Port of Douala in late Q2, 2026
  • Ongoing engagement with Camrail regarding a potential increase in the Company’s equity interest above the current 9.1%. Targeting completion of increase this quarter
  • Offtake discussions with multiple potential partners are progressing
  • Feasibility Study for the proposed alumina refinery is progressing as planned

PERTH, Australia, April 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canyon Resources Limited (ASX: CAY) (“Canyon” or “the Company”) has released a corporate update, along with a progress report on the development of its Minim Martap Bauxite Project (“Minim Martap” or “the Project”), located in Cameroon.

Corporate Update

Chief Executive Officer, Peter Secker, has tendered his resignation from the Company for personal reasons. He will remain in his role over the coming months to lead Canyon through the critical transition to production at Minim Martap, ensuring continuity and momentum ahead of a successor being appointed. Mr Secker has also agreed to remain available for an additional period, if required, to assist with the executive recruitment process and ensure operations continue as scheduled.

The Board and management team extend their sincere appreciation to Mr Secker for his valuable contributions to Canyon during his tenure. They also acknowledge and thank him for his continued support as the Company advances its strategic transition toward becoming a globally significant bauxite producer.

Furthermore, Mark Hohnen has transitioned into a Non-Executive Chairman role and Non-Executive Director Scott Phegan, has informed the Board of his resignation, effective immediately, as he refocuses his priorities on his executive roles.

Mr Phegan was appointed Non-Executive Director in August 2022 and has been a key member of the Company’s leadership team throughout Canyon’s transition into a global bauxite producer. The Company thanks Mr Phegan for his contributions to the achievement of significant milestones during his tenure, as the Minim Martap Project progresses towards first production target for Q2, 2026.

Canyon Non-Executive Chairman Mark Hohnen commented: “Peter has been instrumental in the successful development of Minim Martap which is now on the cusp of becoming a tier-one bauxite operation, and we thank him for his invaluable contribution. We fully understand and respect Peter’s decision and have now commenced a global search for a senior executive with specific bauxite and alumina operations experience to move Minim Martap forward as it commences full production.

“Scott leaves with our best wishes for his ongoing success with his other ventures. We are sorry to see him depart, and we thank him for his contribution to Canyon. We understand the significant time and effort required for non-executive roles and respect his decision to focus on his executive positions.”

Development Update

At Minim Martap the surface miner, which was commissioned in February, has been mobilised to site at the Daniel Plateau, and will commence trial mining operations this month. First production at Minim Martap remains on schedule for mid Q2, 2026.

Upgrade works on the haul road connecting the Danielle Plateau to the Inland Rail Facility (“IRF”) are progressing as planned. The haul road remains on schedule to support the commencement of ore haulage from the mine to the IRF upon the commencement of production.

The first seven locomotives were shipped from China at the end of March and are expected to arrive at the Port of Douala in late Q2 2026, ahead of first shipment in Q3, 2026.

Image 1: Port of Douala

Image 2: Locomotives being prepared for shipment to Minim Martap (left China end of March)

Considering previous adjustments to the locomotive delivery schedule, the Company refined its logistics sequencing, with the maiden bauxite trial shipment scheduled for Q3, 2026, which allows for an extended commissioning and ramp-up phase towards full-scale bauxite shipments in Q4, 2026.

Discussions with Camrail relating to Canyon increasing its current stake from 9.1% to more than 20% are continuing. The increase in investment in Camrail would enable greater participation in the PQ2 upgrade, further strengthening and de-risking the Company’s mine-to-port logistics strategy. Canyon expects to increase its position in Camrail this quarter.

Image 3 and 4: Surface Miner Arriving on Site

Canyon is engaging with several potential offtake partners, with the Company aiming to finalise agreements following the completion of initial bauxite shipments, allowing Canyon to demonstrate the high grade, high purity of the Minim Martap ore reserve, which comprises of 51% alumina and approximately 2% silica.1

The Feasibility Study for the proposed value-adding alumina refinery is progressing according to schedule and is anticipated to be completed by Q3 2026 for release to the market.

The Feasibility Study is assessing Canyon’s downstream strategy and supporting the primary objective of positioning the Company as an integrated participant in the global aluminium value chain. The Study leverages the cost benefits of operating in Cameroon and the Project’s low-silica, high-grade bauxite.

Recently, updated financial cashflow modelling has confirmed that the Company’s current cash position along with existing AFG Bank Cameroon (AFG) debt facility of US$140M ensures Canyon is fully funded for Stage 1 capital development costs as outlined in the DFS dated 1 September 2025 and up to first shipment of ore from Minim Martap.

The Board has resolved, subject to the completion of investigations into the relevant holders, for the Company issue one option for every two shares acquired by investors who participated in the Company’s Tranche 1 capital raising at $0.26 per share announced on 25 September 2025 and who remained as a shareholder on 9 March 2026. The options are proposed to have an exercise price of $0.255 per option, being a 50% premium to Canyon’s share price on 9 March 2026 and a 2-year term.

The Company will provide a further update and confirmation of the proposed option issue once it has completed its investigations, including who will be entitled to participate in and the terms of the options issue.

This announcement has been approved for release by Canyon’s Board of Directors.         

About Canyon Resources

Canyon Resources is developing its flagship Minim Martap Bauxite Project in Cameroon, which contains over 1.1 billion tonnes of high-grade, low contaminant bauxite, with significant exploration upside. Minim Martap ranks among the world’s richest bauxite deposits, with an Ore Reserve of 144Mt at 51.2% Al2O3 and 1.7% SiO2 and a JORC Mineral Resource Estimate of 1,102Mt at 45.3% Al2O3.

  Ore (DMT) Alumina (Al2O3) Silica (SiO2)
Total Ore Reserves1 144.0 51.2 % 1.7 %
Proved 133.3 51.2 % 1.7 %
Probable 10.7 51.8 % 1.7 %
Total Mineral Resources2 1,102 45.3 % 2.7 %
Measured 394 46.8 % 2.1 %
Indicated 502 44.7 % 2.9 %
Inferred 206 44.0 % 3.4 %

(1) Ore Reserves reported as per JORC Code
(2) Mineral Resources reported as per JORC Code, at a cut-off grade of 35% Al2O3. Makan & Ngaoundal tenements are included
 

Table 1: Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources – September 2025

Forward-looking statements

This announcement contains “forward-looking statements” and “forward-looking information”, such as statements and forecasts which include (without limitation) financial forecasts, production targets, industry and trend projections, statements about the feasibility of the Project and its financial outcomes (including pursuant to the DFS), future strategies, results and outlook of Canyon and the opportunities available to Canyon. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “is expecting”, “budget”, ‘outlook”, “scheduled”, “target”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes”, or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Such information is based on assumptions and judgments of Canyon regarding future events and results. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, targets, performance or achievements of Canyon to be materially different from any future results, targets, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information.

Forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, sensitivities, contingencies, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are beyond the control of Canyon and its directors and management. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Key risk factors (including as associated with the DFS) are detailed (non-exhaustively) in this announcement or in Canyon’s previous ASX announcements. These and other factors (such as risk factors that are currently unknown) could cause actual results, targets, performance or achievements anticipated (including in the DFS) to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements and information.

Forward-looking statements and information (including Canyon’s belief that it has a reasonable basis to expect it will be able to fund the costs of the Project for its estimated life of mine) are (further to the above) based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of Canyon made in light of its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that Canyon believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although Canyon believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and information (including as described throughout this announcement) are reasonable, readers are cautioned that this is not exhaustive of all factors which may impact on the forward-looking statements and information. Canyon does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Investors should note that there is no certainty that the Project will be feasible and there can be no assurance of whether it will be developed, constructed and commence operations, whether the DFS results will be accurate, whether production targets will be achieved or whether Canyon will be able to raise funding when it is required (nor any certainty as to the form such capital raising may take, such as equity, debt, hybrid and/or other capital raising). It is also possible that such funding may only be available on terms that dilute or otherwise affect the value of Canyon’s shares. It is also possible that Canyon could pursue other ‘value realisation’ strategies such as sale, partial sale, or joint venture of the Project. Risk factors which are set out (non-exhaustively) in this announcement, or in Canyon’s previous ASX announcements, highlight key factors identified by Canyon which may cause actual results to differ from the DFS or may otherwise have material detrimental impacts on Canyon and its business.

Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves

This announcement contains estimates of the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves estimated for the Project. This information in this announcement that relates to those Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves has been extracted from Canyon’s accompanying ASX announcement entitled “Definitive Feasibility Study Results and Reserves Upgrade Confirms Minim Martap as a Tier-One Bauxite Operation” dated 1 September 2025, a copy of which is available at www.asx.com.au. Canyon confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in that announcement and, in relation to the estimates of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves, confirms that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in that announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Competent Person for the Mineral Resources estimate in the announcement was Mr. Rodney Brown and the Competent Persons for the Ore Reserve estimate in the announcement was Mr. Donald Eld.

Production Targets and Financial Forecasts derived from the Production Targets

This announcement contains production targets for the Project, which are 100% underpinned by the Proved and Probable category Ore Reserves estimated at the Project pursuant to the JORC Code (2012). The estimated Ore Reserves underpinning the production targets have been prepared by a competent person in accordance with the JORC Code.

The Inferred category Mineral Resource estimates at the Project have not been included in the Ore Reserves or production targets and have not been included when determining the forecast financial information detailed in this announcement. There is a low level of geological confidence associated with Inferred Mineral Resources and there is no certainty that further exploration work will result in the determination of Indicated Mineral Resources (or Ore Reserves) in relation to that mineralisation.

The production targets for the Project and the financial forecasts disclosed in this announcement (including as derived from those production targets) are based on the material assumptions outlined in this announcement and are subject to various risk factors, such as those (non-exhaustively) outlined, or referred to, in this announcement and in previous ASX announcements. These include assumptions and risk factors about the availability of funding. While Canyon considers all the material assumptions to be based on reasonable grounds, there is no certainty that they will prove to be correct or that the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimates are accurate or that the production targets or financial forecasts as indicated in this announcement will be achieved.

_________________________________
1 Refer ASX announcement dated 1 September 2025 “Definitive Feasibility Study Results and Reserves Upgrade”

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/287ff232-42ed-4560-a448-78f22ea6270f
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/89cc41ad-b0df-406c-8e1f-0c76cf4db4cd
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7b406278-3494-4979-a83d-941ba9879ab4
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/60db6cfc-033e-4c60-9096-3d5c53caf5da

– Published by The MIL Network

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/14/nz-au-corporate-update-and-project-development-progress/

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Vietnam-China Agricultural Cooperation in a New Era: From Strategic Vision to a Sustainable and Prosperous Supply Chain

Source: Media Outreach

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 April 2026 – At the invitation of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam will lead a high-level Vietnamese delegation on a state visit to China from April 14 to 17, 2026.

This constitutes a diplomatic event of paramount significance, aimed at concretizing high-level common understandings and further enriching the substance of the Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership. Within this framework, agricultural cooperation is identified as a crucial pillar, contributing to sustainable development and delivering tangible benefits to the peoples of both nations.

Strategic Imprint and a Visionary Roadmap for Agricultural Collaboration

The State Visit unfolds against the backdrop of the finest phase of development in relations between the two Parties and two countries. It leaves a profound strategic imprint and bolsters high-level political trust, an essential prerequisite for substantive cooperation across all sectors.

Within the guiding framework of building a “China-Vietnam Community with a Shared Future of Strategic Significance,” agricultural collaboration is prioritized as a linchpin, playing a pivotal role in the deep economic integration of the two economies and the safeguarding of national food security.

This vision not only strives for balanced trade and sustainable regional development but also embodies the spirit of being “both comrades and brothers.” It serves as a solid foundation for translating practical commitments into reality and generating robust momentum for the agricultural value chain in this new era of development.

Agriculture: A Dynamic Pillar of Bilateral Trade

The strategic vision and shared perceptions of the two countries’ top leaders generate powerful momentum for promoting trade in agricultural, forestry, and fishery products, thereby highlighting the complementarity and comparative advantages of the two economies. Leveraging its abundant tropical agricultural resources, Vietnam is increasingly effective in meeting the diverse and high-quality demands of the Chinese market.
Currently, China remains Vietnam’s largest export market for agro-forestry-fishery products and a leading import partner. Reciprocally, Vietnam maintains its position as China’s largest trading partner within ASEAN. These outcomes clearly demonstrate the efficacy of trade promotion policies and the concerted efforts of both sides to facilitate customs clearance and market connectivity.

Impressive growth is substantiated by concrete figures: in 2024, bilateral trade in agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products reached US$17.8 billion (a 14.6% increase year-on-year); in 2025, total trade surged to US$20.94 billion (a 17.6% increase), with Vietnam’s exports to China reaching US$15.97 billion, a remarkable 41.1% jump compared to 2024.

These figures not only affirm the growing importance of Vietnamese agricultural products in the Chinese market but also indicate substantial potential to be harnessed through future cooperation. This provides a solid empirical foundation for both sides to continue fostering in-depth collaboration, striving to build a transparent, safe, and sustainable agricultural supply chain that better addresses the needs and expectations of consumers in both countries.

Realizing Commitments and Expanding Market Access

In implementing the common understandings reached by the high-ranking leaders of the two Parties and States, Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and relevant Chinese agencies have coordinated closely to refine the legal framework, dismantle technical barriers, and broaden market access.

To date, the two sides have signed 33 Agreements and Protocols, establishing an increasingly synchronized and favorable legal corridor for the trade of agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products.

Consequently, efforts to expand the portfolio of exportable agricultural commodities have yielded significant positive results. Vietnam has standardized technical procedures for 15 fruit and vegetable export items, nine of which are key staples managed under Protocols. Notably, an additional five new Protocols were concluded in 2025 alone.

In the fisheries sector, China has licensed hundreds of Vietnamese establishments to participate in exports, contributing to an expansion in both scale and product diversity.

Currently, both sides are actively advancing negotiations to open markets for numerous promising products. Concurrently, trade and investment promotion activities during the visit are expected to play a vital role in transforming high-level commitments into concrete outcomes, steering agricultural trade toward stable, sustainable, and efficient development.

Standardizing Production Processes to Align with International Benchmarks

To meet the increasingly stringent quarantine and food safety requirements of the Chinese market and other international destinations, Vietnam’s agricultural sector is accelerating production restructuring in tandem with quality standardization. This represents a strategic pivot, shifting the development paradigm from a focus on “quantity” to one prioritizing “quality and value.”

Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is concentrating efforts on establishing and strictly managing a system of planting area codes and packaging facility codes to ensure transparent traceability. Simultaneously, full compliance with food safety regulations, particularly Orders 248 and 249 of the General Administration of Customs of China, has become a mandatory requirement for exporting enterprises.

These endeavors not only help sustain and expand access to the Chinese market but also lay the groundwork for Vietnamese agricultural products to integrate more deeply into global value chains.

Strengthening Investment and Forging a Modern Agricultural Supply Chain in Vietnam

Attracting investment, particularly Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), is emerging as a key priority in Vietnam-China agricultural cooperation. Vietnam is steadily enhancing its transparent and open investment climate, offering a host of competitive advantages: (i) Locational and Raw Material Advantages: Abundant and stable agricultural inputs, coupled with an increasingly efficient logistics system, exemplified by the “smart border gate” model, optimize transit times and costs; (ii) Attractive Incentive Policies: Projects in high-tech agriculture, deep processing, and green agriculture benefit from preferential corporate income tax rates and favorable land policies; (iii) Gateway to Global Markets: With a network of over 16 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Vietnam stands as a strategic investment destination, enabling Chinese enterprises to capitalize on opportunities to expand exports to major markets under preferential terms. Notably, investment cooperation in cold chain logistics infrastructure and post-harvest preservation technology is anticipated to be a critical factor in reducing losses, enhancing value addition, and bolstering the competitiveness of agricultural products from both nations.

The State Visit of Vietnam’s General Secretary and President To Lam to China is set to generate significant political momentum, propelling bilateral cooperation into a new phase of development. With strategic consensus from the highest levels of leadership and the active engagement of regulatory agencies and the business community, a modern and sustainable Vietnam-China agricultural supply chain is gradually taking shape, promising to elevate value addition, spur economic growth, and contribute to the overall stability and prosperity of the region.

Hashtag: #MAE

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/14/vietnam-china-agricultural-cooperation-in-a-new-era-from-strategic-vision-to-a-sustainable-and-prosperous-supply-chain/

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Media OutReach Newswire Appoints Pamela Phua as Managing Partner, Southeast Asia to Champion Singapore and Southeast Asian Brand Expansion into Global Markets

Source: Media Outreach

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 April 2026 – Media OutReach Newswire, Asia Pacific’s first and only global newswire, has appointed Ms Pamela Phua as Managing Partner, Southeast Asia. This newly created leadership role is designed to accelerate the company’s growth across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines – and to serve the growing demand from Southeast Asian brands seeking to build their corporate reputation and brand trust in global markets.

Media OutReach Newswire Appoints Pamela Phua as Managing Partner, Southeast Asia

Pamela brings over 20 years of experience in public relations and integrated communications. Having engaged Media OutReach Newswire’s global press release distribution, she developed a first-hand appreciation of the newswire’s core promise: guaranteed news posting on real media with domain authority, direct access to over 200,000 real journalists and editors through a proprietary international media database to achieve earned media coverage, post-release reports with data insights, as well as its pioneering PR Campaign Intelligence reports for C-suites that give clients a clear, measurable picture of communications impact.

“I have seen how Media OutReach Newswire has genuinely changed the way brands communicate beyond their home markets, reaching journalists to build cross-border media relations and garner earned media coverage. The newswire’s ability to guarantee verbatim placement on authoritative news sites with high domain trust – ensures that key messages are cited by the AI models that now shape how the world discovers brands. This is a capability that is much needed now by PR, communications and marketing professionals,” said Pamela.

“With guaranteed news posting on real news sites, there is full control in delivering campaign key messages to maximise PR impact, in addition to achieving quality earned media coverage on top of that. I am inspired by the newswire service as a key partner for Southeast Asia’s most ambitious companies and strategic communicators in telling the region’s growth story,” she added.

The appointment follows the recent naming of Ms Kitty Lee as Managing Partner, Greater China, signalling a strategic push by Media OutReach Newswire to connect Asian brands, companies and governments to global journalists and audiences.

Powering the “East-to-Global” Narrative with SEO, GEO, AI Citation and Earned Media

Southeast Asia is producing a new generation of regionally confident, globally ambitious brands. At the same time, deepening trade and investment ties between Greater China and Southeast Asia are driving a surge in East-to-East communications, alongside growing East-to-global expansion.

Ms Jennifer Kok, Founder and CEO of Media OutReach Newswire, said: “We are witnessing a structural shift where Asia is increasingly driving global innovation, with Asian brands expanding their business across Southeast Asia, ASEAN, Asia Pacific, as well as international markets. Media OutReach Newswire’s Total PR and Communications Solution is focused on supporting these brands as they develop corporate and brand messaging that builds trust with journalists, editors, investors and customers.”

Recognising the importance of AI-citation, Media OutReach Newswire recently launched JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) Schema Markup to enhance the technical infrastructure of clients’ press releases and optimise AI visibility. The company continues to focus on adopting AI across its press release distribution network, workflows, and post-release reporting.

As AI algorithms trust news posted on real media, Media OutReach Newswire’s guaranteed news posting empowers AI discoverability. The newswire’s guaranteed news posting partners in Singapore and Asia Pacific (APAC) include leading media Asia News Network (ANN), AsiaOne, CNA, Vulcan Post, MoneyFM89.3 , Malay Mail, The Sun Daily, Dagang News, MySinchew, Vietnam News, Vietnam Plus and The Manila Times to name a few.

“With a global press release distribution network spanning APAC, USA, Canada, UK, and Europe, as well as Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa, we are uniquely positioned to help Southeast Asian companies and governments build lasting brand equity and trust globally. I am excited to have Pamela on board to help our clients leverage our unique ability to power both SEO and GEO, as well as earned media, internationally,” Jennifer added.

Before her senior management roles at consultancies including Ruder Finn, Ogilvy PR and Omnicom PR Group over the past eight years, Pamela held in-house leadership roles heading Marketing and PR at airline HK Express, as well as Communications and Guest Relations at airline Scoot (under the SIA Group).

https://www.media-outreach.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/media-outreach-li
https://x.com/mor_asia
https://www.facebook.com/MediaOutReachHK/

Hashtag: #MediaOutReachNewswire #pressrelease #SoutheastAsia #Singapore

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/14/media-outreach-newswire-appoints-pamela-phua-as-managing-partner-southeast-asia-to-champion-singapore-and-southeast-asian-brand-expansion-into-global-markets/

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AilsynBio and Dong-E-E-Jiao Sign Project Cooperation Agreement Empowering Traditional Medicine with AI to Open a New Chapter in the Health Industry

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 April 2026 – AilsynBio, an AI-driven drug discovery company, held an Innovative Project Cooperation Agreement Signing Ceremony today at the Hong Kong Science Park, announcing a project cooperation agreement with Dong-E-E-Jiao Co., Ltd. (000423.SZ). This partnership marks a profound cross-sector integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and traditional medicine, aiming to empower biopharmaceutical innovation through technological means.

The ceremony brought together influential leaders and experts from industry, academia, and research sectors, including senior representatives from China Resources Pharmaceutical Group, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), and The University of Hong Kong (HKU), to witness this significant milestone.

Dr. Bo Chen, Chief Scientific Officer of China Resources Pharmaceutical, noted:

“This collaboration with Dong-E-E-Jiao and AilsynBio is a key initiative for China Resources Pharmaceutical in advancing the modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It represents a deep integration of industry, academia, and research in the field of ‘AI + TCM’ between Mainland China and Hong Kong. We look forward to leveraging scientific research and industrial resources from both regions to overcome the challenges of TCM’s mechanisms of action and to pave an innovative path for TCM to evolve from empirical medicine to evidence-based medicine.”

Mr. Liang Zheng, Vice President of Dong-E-E-Jiao, stated:

“As a core strategic product for Dong-E-E-Jiao, deepening the scientific value of Compound E-Jiao Syrup is crucial for our brand upgrade. This cooperation will strengthen the scientific foundation of our products in the field of women’s health, helping Dong-E-E-Jiao accelerate into a new stage of ‘reshaping TCM wisdom through technological innovation.’”

Mr. Pierre Wang, Managing Director of HKU Versitech Limited, stated:

“HKU Versitech is honored to witness this project cooperation between HKU spin-off AilsynBio Ltd. and China Resources Pharmaceutical subsidiary Dong-E E-Jiao, a partnership that exemplifies the successful translation of Hong Kong’s top-tier academic research into high-impact industrial applications. This cooperation will continue to serve as a vital catalyst for the company’s rapid international growth and its mission to scale cutting-edge biotechnology globally.”

Looking ahead, the two parties will focus on three key collaborative directions:

  1. Advancing AI-driven innovation: Leveraging AilsynBio’s AI drug discovery platform to accelerate biopharmaceutical R&D processes.
  2. Launching specialized research: Engaging in in-depth cooperation on the “Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI)” research project.
  3. Promoting cross-border fusion: Exploring the integration of biotechnology, AI, and traditional medicine to jointly create a new paradigm for the health industry.

During the ceremony, AilsynBio and Dong-E-E-Jiao signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations. The signing was witnessed by Dr. Bo Chen, Chief Scientist of China Resources Pharmaceutical; Mr. Eric Or, Chief Ecosystem Development Officer of HKSTP; and Mr. Pierre Wang, Managing Director of HKU Versitech.

AilsynBio stated that this cooperation is not only a combination of cutting-edge technology and traditional medicine, but also a strategic layout for future healthcare innovation. By leveraging AI technology, the partnership aims to inject technological vitality into traditional medicine for the benefit of more patients.

https://ailsynbio.com/

Hashtag: #AilsynBio #昂心生物

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/10/ailsynbio-and-dong-e-e-jiao-sign-project-cooperation-agreement-empowering-traditional-medicine-with-ai-to-open-a-new-chapter-in-the-health-industry/