Category: Investments

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Voicecomm Technology (02495.HK) Announces 2025 Annual Results

Source: Media Outreach

High-Quality Growth with Improved Gross Profit Margin, increasing R&D Investment and Strategic Focus on Trustworthy Agents Ecosystem

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 March 2026 – Voicecomm Technology Co., Ltd. (“Voicecomm Technology” or the “Company“, Stock Code: 2495.HK), a core technology provider and ecosystem operator of trustworthy conversational AI in China, announced its annual results for the year ended December 31, 2025. Leveraging its deep technological expertise and forward-looking strategic initiatives in trustworthy conversational AI, the Company achieved steady revenue growth, continuous improvement in profitability, and a significant enhancement in operating cash flow, further strengthening its competitive edge in the enterprise-level trustworthy Agent sector.

Gross Profit Margin Steadily Improves, Operating Cash Flow Turns Strongly Positive

In 2025, the Company’s total revenue successfully exceeded the RMB1 billion mark, reaching RMB1,006.9 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.0%. Gross profit amounted to RMB551.2 million, increased by 8.0% from the previous year, while the gross profit margin increased by 0.5 percentage point to 54.7% from 54.2% in the same period last year, reflecting the high-value-added products and technical services of the Company, as well as effective cost control.

Notably, the Company’s net cash generated from operating activities turned strongly positive, reaching a net inflow of RMB212.5 million, compared to a net outflow of RMB129.2 million in the same period last year. This improvement underscores enhanced operational efficiency and reflects strengthened receivables management, which accelerated cash collection.

Profit for the year amounted to RMB140.2 million. The significant increase in net profit compared to the same period last year was mainly attributable to eliminating the impacts of changes in carrying amount of redeemable capital contributions, an accounting adjustment arising from financing agreements entered into with shareholders prior to the Listing and completion of the Global Offering.

Increasing R&D Investment to Strengthen the Trustworthy Agent Technology Foundations

As a technology-centric product company, Voicecomm Technology remains committed to the independent R&D and innovation of underlying technologies. In 2025, the Company’s research and development expenses reached RMB224.3 million, representing a substantial year-on-year increase of 67.7%. The investment was primarily directed towards developing Agents with continuous learning capabilities and a technical framework for Multi-agent collaboration, aiming to enhance technological capabilities and elevate the level of product innovation. This reinforces our trustworthy Agent technical architecture composed of three layers: “Multimodal Perception + Multi-model Thinking + Multi-agent Collaboration”.

This architecture takes the “meta-model” as the core to effectively alleviate the common pain points of in enterprise-level implementation, such as hallucinations, controllability and data security, by integrating the generalization capabilities of large language models with the precision of vertical domain knowledge. On this basis, the Company have formed a deliverable and operable trustworthy Agent product system, to ensure that the Agents are usable, manageable, and controllable in enterprise environments, thereby powering the intelligent upgrade of six core application scenarios: City management and administration, Automotive and transportation, Telecommunications, Finance, Healthcare, and Energy management.

Productization Strategy Drives Deep Application across Six Core Scenarios

Voicecomm Technology focuses on empowering various industries through superior products and technologies. In 2025, leveraging its mature product matrix, the Company successfully established replicable benchmark standards across multiple application scenarios.

City Management and Administration: As a leading solution provider in the smart government sector in China, the Company’s business has covered more than 130 prefecture-level cities. The “Smart Government Agent” deeply integrates the capacities of large language models, enabling more intelligent and automated government services with standardized and intelligent applications in scenarios such as government hotlines and city governance.

Automotive and Transportation: The Company successfully established benchmark autonomous driving projects in cities such as Mianyang, Zibo, and Ezhou, building a successful and replicable “Smart Transportation Agent” solution. For the Mianyang Science and Technology New City project, a total of 96 autonomous vehicles have been deployed, and the project was successfully selected as a National AI Application Pilot Testing Base in the transportation sector. In January 2026, the Company newly won the bid for the “Ezhou Huahu Airport Smart Port” autonomous driving bus procurement and operation project, further expanding its application boundaries.

Healthcare: In January 2026, the Company successfully won the bid for the “Chuannan Smart Valley AI Vertical Large Model Innovation Platform – Silver Economy Construction and Operation Project” in Neijiang City, Sichuan Province, with a total contract value of nearly RMB300 million. This project represents the Company’s first “AI + Elderly Care” city-level benchmark demonstration project. It adopts a closed-loop collaborative model of “online platform + offline service network + home terminals,” integrating Agents capabilities with the Company’s “vertical small model microservices” system in areas such as Health Early Warning, Cognitive Ability Assessment, and emotional companionship into a productized solution, thereby establishing rapidly replicable city-level smart elderly care operational benchmark.

Telecommunications, Finance, and Energy Management: The Company continues to deepen collaborations with leading enterprises in the telecommunications and finance sectors, leveraging the “Telecommunication Service Agent” and “Financial Service Agent” to enhance service efficiency and user service value. Meanwhile, its AI-powered smart charging solution has been progressively integrating charging pile networks in China and across several Southeast Asian countries.

Benefiting from the successful implementation of the Company’s productization strategy and the high level of market recognition for its trustworthy Agent solutions, as of December 31, 2025, the Group’s project pipeline and orders in hand saw significant growth. The number of ongoing projects at year-end increased to 320, representing a year-on-year increase of 41.6%, while the outstanding contract sum at year-end rose to RMB1,048.9 million, a year-on-year increase of 57.4%, reflecting the continued expansion of the Company’s business.

Future Outlook: Focusing on the Trustworthy Agents Ecosystem with Four Strategic Priorities

Looking ahead, the Company will firmly focus on its goal of “building a trustworthy conversational AI ecosystem” and will advance the following strategic priorities:

Overall and Technology Strategy: Continue to focus on R&D and innovation in frontier technologies such as multi-modal fusion and trustworthy intelligence, promoting the deployment of trustworthy agents across more application scenarios. By creating open technology platforms and standards, the Company will attract more developers and partners to jointly build a prosperous and win-win industrial ecosystem.

Market Strategy: Establish benchmarks for quality and innovation within the industry and deepening partnerships with various service channels. At the same time, the Company will actively expand into the C-end market, extending cutting-edge technologies to a wider user base, thereby expanding the influence and commercial value of the ecosystem.

Regional Strategy: Domestically, the Company will continue to deepen its partnerships with major cooperating cities to create smart city benchmark cases. Internationally, the Company will actively respond to the “Belt and Road” initiative, grasp the tremendous potential of emerging markets, and promote the Company’s trustworthy Agent products and services globally to enhance its international brand image.

Investment Strategy: Through prudent strategic investments and M&A, the Company will optimize the layout of the upstream and downstream industry chains and consolidate the stability and competitiveness of the ecosystem.

DR.Tang Jinghua, Chairman ofVoicecomm Technology Co., Ltd., said: ” 2025 was a landmark year for Voicecomm Technology. We not only achieved a strong turnaround in operating cash flow and a steady increase in gross profit margin financially, but we also completed a strategic leap at the technological and business level towards becoming a ‘a core technology provider and ecosystem operator of trustworthy conversational AI.’ We deeply understand that the essence of enterprise-grade AI lies in creating replicable and reliable products and technology foundations. During the year, we significantly increased R&D investment and successfully applied our trustworthy Agents across six core scenarios, particularly in city-level benchmark projects in emerging fields like smart elderly care, showing the strong competitiveness of our productization strategy. Looking to the future, we will continue to pursue the goal of ‘building a trustworthy conversational AI ecosystem,’ leveraging an open platform to gather ecosystem partners and empowering diverse industries with innovative technology, thereby creating long-term sustainable value for our shareholders and society. “

Hashtag: #Voicecomm

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/2026/03/27/voicecomm-technology-02495-hk-announces-2025-annual-results/

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Speech to the Automobile Association Annual Conference

Source: New Zealand Government

Introduction

Good afternoon. Thank you, Brett, for the introduction and everyone for the warm welcome.

I am excited to be here to talk with you today about transport funding, the transition to Road User Charges, and improvements to road safety, including our road toll and oral fluid testing.

I’d like to acknowledge Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson for her opening address today. We’ve seen a lot of each other lately, but it’s always good to see you!

I’d also like to acknowledge AA Chief Executive Nadine Tereroa and President Brett Flintoff.

Finally, I’d like to also acknowledge the many AA district councillors and AA staff who are here today. Thank you for the work you do to serve your members and be an advocate for the things that matter to New Zealand motorists.

Fuel Supply Shock

To begin, I would like to acknowledge the challenges the transport system, and all New Zealanders, are currently navigating due to the current fuel supply shock as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.

Right now, we know the conflict in the Middle East is causing concerns across the country and across the world about supply of fuel.

We have sufficient stocks in New Zealand and we are working hard across diplomatic, commercial, and industry channels to ensure that remains the case.

But this situation is also a reminder of something we already knew: New Zealand is exposed to international fuel markets in ways that carry real risk.

Around half our fuel comes from South Korea and nearly a third from Singapore.

When global supply chains are disrupted, as they are now, that exposure becomes very tangible for families and businesses who feel the pain at the pump.

We are already seeing significant shifts in behaviour across the country, and as a government we are closely monitoring these changes so we can respond to their impacts if needed. 

Using data from a sample of vehicles across the country, we can start to get a rough idea of how people are responding to this conflict. 

Comparing the two weeks pre-conflict in mid-February against 7-day rolling averages for subsequent weeks, we have seen a reduction of approximately 20% in the vehicle kilometres travelled by cars. Not necessarily surprising when petrol prices have gone up 30%. 

Also not surprising is that people are responding in a predictable way so far: they are using public transport more, with boardings up by more than 10% in Auckland and Wellington. MOT will be publishing updated data regularly, starting later today. 

Interestingly, last week saw more than 1,000 electric vehicles registered, close to double the week prior. This makes it the biggest week in EV registrations since the end of 2023. Year-to-date registrations are nearly 2,000 higher than this time last year.

Heavy vehicles are also down around 5% over the last few days, despite an increase of 70% in diesel prices. This is expected – those who rely on heavy vehicles for freight or commercial use have far less ability to respond to these kinds of price shocks with immediate alternatives. 

We know higher fuel prices are hitting families and businesses hard. That’s why we announced targeted cost-of-living relief for low- and middle-income families earlier this week.

From 7 April, about 143,000 working families with children will get an extra $50 a week through a boost to the in-work tax credit. 

The increase will be temporary, lasting for one year or until the price of 91 octane petrol drops below $3 a litre for four consecutive weeks. 

This boost will deliver support to working families who are under significant cost-of-living pressure, without driving inflation up higher or further driving up Government debt as this $373m initiative is being paid for out of Budget 2026 operating allowances.

The COVID-19 Inquiry stressed that spending in response to crises should be timely, targeted, and temporary. That is also what Treasury says.

That’s what we’re doing. 

The previous Government responded to COVID-19 through profligate, irresponsible spending – racking up debt. Some people have not learned from this and have called for this Government to make the same mistakes. But we won’t. 

Throwing the kitchen sink at every event that happens is a recipe for fiscal disaster. 

I understand the calls for broad, across the board, fuel tax cuts.

The government won’t be doing that, for a few reasons. 

One, as people here know, every dollar from petrol tax and RUC goes into the National Land Transport Fund, which funds our transport system.

Across the board fuel tax cuts are also extremely expensive, and they are untargeted.

We’d rather focus support on those who need it most.

The reality is that maintaining fuel supply is the most important thing we can do to protect Kiwis from the worst case scenarios.

Later today Nicola Willis – who is in charge of our response as a Government – will provide an update on the National Fuel Plan along with further detail around how we see some of the steps playing out in practice.

We all hope things improve quickly – but as the Prime Minister has said, hope is not a plan.

So, we’re doing the hard yards now to ensure New Zealand has a solid fuel plan that gets us through whatever the international situation throws at us in the coming months. 

Our Transport Funding Challenge

We have significant transport funding challenges.

I am determined to be upfront with the public about this.

Our transport system is supposed to be user pays. In other words, road users pay petrol tax and road user charges and the money goes out the other end on maintenance, upgrades and new projects.

But in recent years, Crown funding has been tipped in more and more, which comes from general taxation – in other words, all taxpayers.

The 2018-21 National Land Transport Programme outlined expenditure of $17 billion over 3 years, and was largely funded by road users, who contributed $13 billion.

Fast forward to the 2024-27 NLTP, and the total investment has nearly doubled at $32.9 billion, but road users are still contributing roughly the same amount, $14.3 billion.

The increased investment has come primarily from Crown funding, with around $12.8 billion of direct Crown funding provided over 2024-27.

Capital contributions from general taxation have to compete with every other important priority the government has to fund.

Every dollar of extra Crown capital we put into roading is a dollar that can’t go into health, or education, or defence, or any of the other calls on capital the Crown has.

Of course, all of these areas have significant deficits and similar funding challenges.

So that’s a real problem.

Then you add in all of the calls for transport investment.

We have real resilience challenges on our state highway network. The recent weather events on the East Coast have shone a spotlight on that.

We have significant deferred maintenance and renewal work required on the Wellington and Auckland metro rail network.

The country needs a second harbour crossing in Auckland.

City Rail Link will open later this year, and soon the conversation will turn to what the next big public transport project is in Auckland.

We have pipeline of Roads of National Significance, important growth-enhancing projects around the country.

So how do we make all of this add up?

One option is to lift petrol tax and RUC.

Petrol tax has not risen since 2020 and has not kept up with inflation. In 2023, we campaigned on not increasing petrol tax in our first term. This was the right thing to do when there was a cost of living crisis, but we have to be honest about those consequences. It has deferred the issue until later.

Petrol tax is currently due to go up by 12c per litre in 2027, by six cents on 1 January 2028, and 4 cents in each year after that.

I have to be honest with you, the idea that we would put up fuel tax during a fuel crisis seems like a non-starter to me.

I’m thinking hard about the funding challenge we’ve just laid out and I’ll have more to say soon.

Later this year we’ll publish a draft Government Policy Statement for Transport funding from 2027 onwards, which lays out how we intend to confront some of these challenges.

And we’re also intending to publish what I’ve been calling a Major Transport Projects Pipeline.

This is about building a credible, long-term pipeline of transport projects with a variety of funding options and in a logical sequence, so that when funding becomes available, the sector and the public knows what project is coming next, and can plan and prepare for it.

New funding tools

We are pushing forward with our reforms to increase the number of funding tools we have in the toolkit to deliver transport projects.

Last year, we introduced the Land Transport (Revenue) Amendment Bill to move towards a fairer, simpler, and more modern transport funding system.

The Bill introduces a more flexible tolling framework and enables simpler, technology-enabled ways to pay road user charges, so everyone pays their fair share for the roads they use.

At the heart of these reforms is fairness. Every road user should contribute in proportion to their use of the network.

Transition to RUC

Our road user charges system is outdated. It was designed in the 1970s and still relies on manual paperwork and paper licences.

Right now, drivers paying RUC have to track their odometer readings and stick paper labels to their windscreen.

The Bill opens the door for new payment models like subscriptions or post-payment, and allows private companies to offer easy, set-and-forget billing options – similar to how many of us already pay for power or streaming services.

The changes, to modernise the system, will also help us prepare for abolishing the fuel excise duty and transition everyone over to RUC.

The abolition of petrol tax, and the move towards all vehicles (whether they be petrol, diesel, electric or hybrid) paying for roads based on distance and weight, is the biggest change to how we fund our roading network in 50 years.

As our vehicle fleet changes, so too must the way we fund our roads. It isn’t fair to have Kiwis who drive less and who can’t afford a fuel-efficient car paying more than people who can afford one and drive more often.

The Government’s plan will eventually see all vehicles pay based on actual road use (including weight) regardless of fuel type.

Tolling

On tolling, we are giving ourselves the flexibility to deliver the big projects New Zealand needs, sooner.

Tolling is a key tool for bringing forward investment, and the Bill introduces a number of changes.

Enabling corridor tolling will allow tolling on parts of an existing road where users clearly benefit from a new project in the same corridor.

The Bill gives us new tools to manage diversion from toll roads, including restricting heavy vehicles from unsuitable alternative routes like they do overseas, and allowing toll revenue to help maintain those alternative routes when councils can’t.

We are also introducing annual CPI adjustments to make tolling fairer and more predictable, as well as shifting liability from the driver to the registered person to improve collection efficiency.

Time of Use Charging

Other legislation passed last year gives local authorities the tools to tackle the problem of congestion.

Sitting in traffic wastes time, costs money, and drags down productivity. 

Our three largest cities are significantly more congested than comparable Australian cities with similar population sizes and densities, with Auckland congestion alone estimated to cost up to $2.6 billion by 2026.

Time-of-use charging is a commonsense tool to encourage people to travel at off-peak times or by other modes. It’s about keeping our cities moving.

The legislation allows local authorities to partner with NZTA on targeted time-of-use schemes to ease gridlock, improve travel time reliability, and support economic growth.

Auckland Council is well advanced in shortlisting scheme design options and the Ministry of Transport and NZTA officials are supporting them with implementation planning.

Road safety 

Finally, I want to spend a moment on what we’re seeing in road safety outcomes, and what’s sitting behind them.

Road deaths have trended down since 2022. In 2024, there were 292 deaths and 2,461 serious injuries on our roads. That’s good progress, and it matters. 

But we need to be careful not to draw simple conclusions from complex data. No single factor explains year‑to‑year changes in deaths and serious injuries, and it’s still too early to say whether this represents a long‑term downward trend.

What we do know is that the biggest gains come when we focus on the highest‑risk behaviours and invest in proven, cost‑effective interventions. 

That’s exactly what the Road Safety Objectives are designed to do — with a clear focus on the main contributors to fatal crashes, including alcohol and drugs.

Enforcement is a critical part of that picture. The Government has invested a record $1.335 billion over three years, from 2024 to 2027, into the Road Policing Investment Programme. That funding supports frontline policing and enforcement activity, particularly during high‑risk times. 

 

Each year, the programme targets 3.3 million passive breath tests and breath screening tests, with more than two million of those carried out when risk is highest. 

Importantly, funding is also ring‑fenced for 50,000 roadside oral fluid drug tests each year from the first year of implementation.

I also want to share what we’re hearing directly from Police as roadside drug testing beds in.

Since testing was introduced across the Wellington region in December, Police have been gaining valuable operational insight into how this new road safety tool works in practice. 

Testing has been carried out right across the district — from Wellington central through to the Wairarapa and Kapiti — and that experience is already shaping how the national rollout will be delivered.

As of 18 March, Police have conducted more than 650 roadside drug screening tests, resulting in 24 positive tests. The positivity rate at the roadside is broadly in line with what Police see for alcohol.

While it’s still too early to draw conclusions about national trends, Police have seen an increase in positive results as testing activity has expanded across Wellington.

Importantly, officers report favourable feedback from the public during testing. Police are continuing to collect data, but at this early stage the focus is on learning, refining processes, and getting ready.

Feedback from frontline staff has been positive, with Police telling us they are geared up and ready to support the nationwide rollout, with testing across New Zealand by mid‑2026.

But enforcement alone isn’t enough. The Road Safety Objectives also focus on improving the safety of the roads themselves. As the recent AA research report points out, where we have made significant investment in improving the roads we see the benefits of reduced deaths and serious injuries.

Vehicles are another important piece of the puzzle. The overall safety of New Zealand’s has continued to improve over time. In 2025 alone, there were nearly 40,000 fewer one‑ and two‑star vehicles on the road.

Alcohol interlocks 

Finally, we’re looking closely at what works for repeat high‑risk offenders. One key, underutilised, tool here is alcohol interlocks. 

A recent Ministry of Transport study using the Integrated Data Infrastructure database affirms that alcohol interlocks reduce the risk of alcohol-impaired driving.  

Here’s some very interesting data. 

Drink-driving offenders given alcohol interlock orders are:  

  • 9% less likely to reoffend within four years,
  • 45% more likely to remain in employment, and
  • 22% less likely to depend on welfare than comparable drink-drivers given driving disqualification orders. 

It’s clear that alcohol interlocks are effective when they’re installed and used properly.  

Despite their effectiveness, the uptake of alcohol interlocks is lower than it could – and frankly should – be. Many eligible offenders are not given alcohol interlock sentences, and many offenders who are ordered to get alcohol interlock devices do not do so. 

I am actively investigating how to increase the uptake of interlocks with Paul Goldsmith, the Minister of Justice.

Tackling New Zealand’s toughest road safety challenges means focusing on what works and making sure it’s used as effectively as possible.

Conclusion

Thank you for listening and I welcome any questions you have.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/27/speech-to-the-automobile-association-annual-conference/

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Ping An Digital Bank Embarks on a New Journey

Source: Media Outreach

“Always with You, Always Ahead,” From banking services to life protection planning, professionally supports your journey with peace of mind

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 March 2026 – Ping An Digital Bank (International) Limited (“Ping An Digital Bank” or “PingAnDB”) unveils its new branding today. As one of the integrated financial platforms in Hong Kong under Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (“Ping An”; SEHK: 2318; SSE: 601318), Ping An Digital Bank leverages the Group’s technology integrated strength to embark on an exciting new chapter.

With a core commitment to enhancing customer experience, Ping An Digital Bank adheres to its vision of “Always with You, Always Ahead.” Harnessing innovative technology, the Bank redefines the digital banking journey, making it simpler for customers to manage their deposits, investments, and insurance – all from a single account from their mobile device. Striving to anticipate customer needs and go the extra mile, Ping An Digital Bank empowers customers to take smarter steps towards financial growth and accumulate wealth steadily over time, without the burden of complex procedures or heavy research.

Mr. Ronald Iu, Chief Executive of Ping An Digital Bank, said, “We are delighted to unveil a brand new Ping An Digital Bank. This better reflects our deep connection with Ping An Group, integrating our signature ‘insurance DNA’ directly into our banking services and further reinforcing our role as an integrated financial platform in Hong Kong. Moving forward, Ping An Digital Bank will continue to develop both retail and business banking. Our team is dedicated to our brand vision of ‘Always with You, Always Ahead’ as our brand image transforms – building trust as the foundation, and simplicity as our priority. From banking to life protection planning, our professional team stands ready to support our clients throughout every stage of their financial journey.”

Retail Banking: User-Centric at the Core
One Account for Deposits, Investments & Insurance
Since joining Lufax in 2024, Ping An Digital Bank has accelerated the development of its retail banking offerings, launching online and offline insurance, as well as wealth services. With one single account that integrates deposits, foreign exchange, cross-border remittances, wealth and insurance, customers can now enjoy truly one-stop financial experience. As of 15 March 2026, total retail banking deposits have surpassed HK$ 12 billion.

With user-friendliness at the heart of its design, Ping An Digital Bank’s retail banking services aim to minimise redundant steps and simplify money management. The latest dual-advantage wealth solution marries the experience of agility of a brokerage with the security of a bank, allowing customers to invest in Hong Kong stocks, U.S. stocks, funds, and money market funds directly from their savings accounts with no extra transfers required, enabling customers to SWITCH flexibly between investment and deposit services.

Powered by Ping An’s robust insurance pedigree, Ping An Digital Bank leads the market as Hong Kong’s first digital bank to provide a full spectrum of online and offline insurance services. For unrivalled efficiency, customers can purchase general insurance products, including motor insurance, travel insurance, and home insurance products, online within minutes. For client-centric experience with human touch, the Bank’s offline platform delivers an extensive range of life protection and savings plans, tailored to each client’s needs.

Business Banking: A Pillar of Support for Trade Enterprises
Driving Breakthroughs with Data & Technology
As a leading digital bank for SMEs in Hong Kong, Ping An Digital Bank plays a pivotal role in supporting the city’s trading enterprises. By harnessing advanced technology and business data, the Bank is striving to help unleash the full potential of Hong Kong’s digital economy while backing the HKSAR Government’s vision for smart city development. Through the integration of trade, logistics, and financial data, Ping An Digital Bank is revolutionising the credit approval process to deliver quicker and more flexible assessments, empowering a broader range of businesses to seize new opportunities.

From account opening and foreign exchange to cross-border remittances and financing, Ping An Digital Bank stands as a key pillar of support for trading enterprises, providing an integrated business banking suite that meets the practical needs of companies in both daily operations and international expansion. Leveraging innovative data models, the Bank empowers trading SMEs to advance their operations and thrive, and thus becoming a dedicated and trusted partner for business growth.

Looking ahead, Ping An Digital Bank will continue to put customer convenience at the heart of its services, striving to help both individuals and businesses to save time, effort and cost. The Bank is dedicated to setting new benchmarks for digital banking, while reinforcing its position as a key pillar within Ping An Group’s integrated financial platform in Hong Kong.

Investment involves risk. The price of investments fluctuates, sometimes dramatically. The price of investments may move up or down, and may become valueless. There is an inherent risk that losses may be incurred rather than profit made as a result of buying and selling investment products. Foreign investments carry additional risks not generally associated with the domestic market. You should carefully consider whether any investment products or services mentioned herein are appropriate for you in view of your investment experience, objectives, financial resources and circumstances.

Hashtag: #PingAnDigitalBank #平安數字銀行

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/2026/03/27/ping-an-digital-bank-embarks-on-a-new-journey/

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WRISE Group Partners with China Asset Management (Hong Kong) to Offer Exclusive Access to Asia Bond Fund high dividend yield share class in Hong Kong Debut

Source: Media Outreach

  1. WRISE Prestige is the first firm in Hong Kong to offer the ChinaAMC Select Asia Bond Fund (Income Share Class), marking a milestone partnership that reinforces its standing as a leading wealth management firm.
  2. The Fund’s Income share class * offers a target dividend yield of approximately 9%, combining strong historical performance with flexible, benchmark-unconstrained allocation to meet growing demand for income-generating solutions in Asia.
  3. The partnership underscores WRISE’s commitment to expanding its curated suite of institutional-grade investment solutions for sophisticated investors across the region.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 March 2026 – WRISE Group (“WRISE“), one of Asia’s fastest-growing independent wealth management firm, announced that WRISE Prestige, has established a strategic partnership with China Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited (“ChinaAMC (HK)“), one of the region’s most established asset managers. Through this collaboration, WRISE Prestige will serve as the first launch partner in Hong Kong with a period of exclusive access to the ChinaAMC Select Asia Bond Fund (INC share class), offering clients a compelling fixed income solution designed for yield and diversification. To mark the partnership and the launch of the exclusive share class, WRISE Prestige and ChinaAMC (HK) co-hosted an event yesterday to formally announce the collaboration and introduce the investment strategy behind the ChinaAMC Select Asia Bond Fund to invited guests and clients.

The ChinaAMC Select Asia Bond Fund adopts a flexible, benchmark-unconstrained investment approach, allowing the fund manager to capitalise on opportunities across Asian credit markets dynamically. By focusing on fundamentally sound issuers, with a particular emphasis on China and the broader Asian region, the Fund seeks to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns. Its strong historical track record underscoring the robustness of its investment process.

Recent geopolitical tensions have triggered significant volatility across global financial markets, making diversified, income-oriented strategies that can navigate geopolitical uncertainty paramount for sophisticated investors seeking portfolio resilience. With a target dividend yield of approximately 9%*, the Fund’s Income share class is positioned to address the increasing demand among Asian investors for stable and sufficient cash flow solutions. This income-focused strategy complements the broader portfolio needs of high-net-worth individuals seeking resilience and yield beyond traditional asset classes.

Henry Shin, Chief Executive Officer of WRISE Prestige, said: “We are delighted to partner with ChinaAMC to bring the ChinaAMC Select Asia Bond Fund (Income Share Class) to our clients as an exclusive launch in Hong Kong. In today’s volatile geopolitical landscape, investors require solutions that can adapt to changing conditions while delivering consistent income. The ChinaAMC Select Asia Bond Fund embodies this approach, offering flexible mandate and strong yield potential that make it a valuable addition to our curated platform.”

Barney Gao, Head of Strategic Client Development at China Asset Management (Hong Kong), said, “We are pleased to collaborate with WRISE Prestige to introduce the ChinaAMC Select Asia Bond Fund (Income Share Class) to investors in Hong Kong. This partnership reflects our commitment to delivering innovative and performance-driven investment solutions to a broader audience. With its focus on Asian bond markets and a flexible investment strategy, the Fund is well-suited to meet the income and diversification needs of investors in the region.”

This partnership highlights WRISE’s ongoing strategy to broaden access to best-in-class asset managers and deliver tailored investment solutions that address the complex and evolving needs of private wealth clients across Asia.

Important Information

This document is issued by WRISE Prestige Securities Limited (CE No. BSJ229). This document is for information purposes only and does not constitute and should not be construed as an offer, solicitation, recommendation or advice to buy or sell any investment product, nor should it be regarded as investment research.

Investment involves risks. The value of investments may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the principal invested. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.

The ChinaAMC Select Asia Bond Fund is authorized by the Securities and Futures Commission (“SFC”) in Hong Kong. SFC authorization is not a recommendation or endorsement of the Fund nor does it guarantee the commercial merits of the Fund or its performance. It does not mean the Fund is suitable for all investors.

Distributions (if any) are not guaranteed. Distribution rates are not indicative of the Fund’s return. The Fund may pay distributions out of income and/or capital (or effectively out of capital), which may result in an immediate reduction of the Fund’s net asset value.

This document has not been reviewed by the SFC.

* The Manager may at its discretion pay dividend out of capital or effectively out of the capital of the Funds. Payment of dividends out of capital amounts to a return or withdrawal of part of an investor’s original investment or from any such capital gains attributable to that original investment. Any such distributions may result in an immediate reduction in the Net Asset Value per Unit.

Hashtag: #WRISE

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/2026/03/27/wrise-group-partners-with-china-asset-management-hong-kong-to-offer-exclusive-access-to-asia-bond-fund-high-dividend-yield-share-class-in-hong-kong-debut/

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Opening remarks – Otago Tourism Policy School

Source: New Zealand Government

Tēnā koutou katoa. Good afternoon, everyone. 

Thank you, Mayor John Glover, for your opening remarks, and thank you Associate Professor Susan Houge Mackenzie for convening this important event.

It’s a pleasure to be at the 2026 Otago Tourism Policy School here in Queenstown.

Queenstown captures so much of what makes New Zealand distinctive as a destination – our landscapes, our hospitality and our appetite for innovation. 

It’s an ideal place to come together for an important event on the annual tourism calendar.

When I spoke at this event last year, I announced Round Two of the Regional Events Promotion Fund. This Fund was designed to grow visitation beyond the main centres and outside peak season.

12 months on, I’m delighted to report that across two rounds, the Fund has supported more than 280 regional events. That announcement was the beginning of what has been an exciting year for tourism and hospitality.

Overall, tourism growth has been really encouraging over the past 12 months and we’re looking forward to that continuing. 

I now want to briefly address a topic which I know is top of mind for many in the sector – the current conflict in Iran. 

I’m being kept closely informed through the work of the Government’s Ministerial oversight group and by advice from agency officials. 

I can assure you that along with my Ministerial colleagues, I’m carefully monitoring the situation. This includes for the tourism portfolio and also for wider cost of living implications for New Zealanders.

During the ongoing situation, other flight routes, including those through the Americas and different parts of Asia, do continue to be available and visitors continue to come to New Zealand.

Additionally, and as we know the Middle East is a critical aviation hub, it’s been encouraging to see a resumption of flights on the route, with ultra-long haul routes like Auckland prioritised.

My priorities

The theme of this year’s Otago Tourism Policy School: What should tourism look like in 2050? aligns well with my own priorities.

In June last year, I launched the Tourism Growth Roadmap with two clear priorities: 

One:  growing international tourism – by increasing visitor numbers in the short term and doubling the value of tourism exports by 2034. Tourism is our second‑largest export, contributing 7.7 per cent of GDP. 

Growth in this sector is central to the Government’s wider economic objectives. It means more spending in our regions, bookings in our hotels, full tables in our cafes and restaurants and more jobs created. 

Two:  growing the number of New Zealanders working in tourism and hospitality. The latest Tourism Satellite Account shows one in nine jobs are now supported by tourism and hospitality – a clear signal of the sector’s importance to employment and regional prosperity.

Delivering on these priorities requires partnership across central government, industry, local government, iwi and communities to ensure growth delivers value for visitors and residents alike.

Since launching the Roadmap, we’ve focused on boosting demand, while also undertaking a review of the tourism system to understand where supply‑side constraints and opportunities lie. This Review has been shaped by extensive engagement with the sector, including many of you here today.

So, this year’s theme What should tourism look like in 2050?  absolutely aligns with this work. 

It challenges us all to think long‑term, towards a system that can sustain growth over decades. 

Achievements since launching the Roadmap – boosting demand

International arrivals are now at around 90 per cent of 2019 levels[1] and latest data from the Tourism Satellite Account shows total tourism expenditure at $46.6 billion for the year ending March 2025. 

We’ve also made progress on removing barriers to travel, further boosting visitation. Since the introduction of the visa‑free pathway for Chinese and Pacific travellers via Australia in November, nearly 59,000 requests have been approved, with more than 47,000 arrivals already recorded. 

Major Events and Tourism Package

In September, our Government launched the $70 million Major Events and Tourism Package, designed to drive economic growth and boost international visitor numbers.

This includes the $40 million Events Attraction Package to secure high‑impact events for New Zealand.

As a result, we’re now welcoming global events such as Robbie Williams, Linkin Park, the FIFA World Series, the World Surf League Championship Tour and Ultra Music Festival– with more to come.

We’ve also been working hard to deliver the Events Boost Fund, which has so far supported 34 new and existing events nationwide. 

We’ve continued investing in initiatives to drive outcomes in our regions. 

Round Two of the Regional Tourism Boost has now delivered nearly $10 million to campaigns across New Zealand. Collectively, the nine funded campaigns will attract global visitors, including from Australia, China, Canada and the United States.

The Boost provides a great example of the benefits to be realised when tourism and hospitality collaborate at scale. 

Hospitality is a huge contributor to our economy and workforce, helping drive over $9 billion in GDP and employing people across the country. 

As we attract more international visitors, the flow-on benefits for our hospitality sector become immediate and significant, as well as for our wider economy.

And of course we can’t forget the recent opening of the New Zealand International Convention Centre. What a wait it’s been but an enormous milestone and the benefits for New Zealand will be profound. 

2026 Hospitality Summit

Earlier this month, I hosted the 2026 Hospitality Summit, which brought hospitality associations and businesses together to engage with government and refresh shared priorities for the sector.

Recent progress made demonstrates the positive impacts on economic growth when government, business and communities work together. 

Michelin Guide 

A key recommendation from the 2024 Summit had been to bring the Michelin Guide to New Zealand, and that dream is now a reality. The inaugural Guide will be released in June, covering Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown.

This is a truly significant opportunity to celebrate our top talent and draw even more international visitors to our shores, further lifting hospitality activity and spending. 

Tourism New Zealand will leverage this with an increased focus on food and beverage in its marketing.

Achievements – Supply-side 

Our Government is committed to economic growth, and tourism is central to that mission.

New Zealand has significant capacity to support further tourism growth, but we know capacity isn’t evenly distributed. 

Growth must be managed in ways which protect destinations and the unique visitor experience they curate.

That’s why I’m taking a balanced approach – continuing to invest in demand-side initiatives which boost visitor numbers, while also stepping up investment in the supply side of the sector. 

This year, IVL investment is looking to prioritise 60 per cent towards demand initiatives and 40 per cent towards supply. 

I look forward to sharing my 2026/27 IVL investment plan in the coming months.

New Zealand Cycle Trails Investment

Investment in our cycle trails continues to deliver really strong returns. 

Over the past year, I’ve announced four investments in cycle trail upgrades through the Major Events and Tourism package. 

This includes $2 million to extend the Dunedin Tunnels Trail and attract more people through the beautiful Otago region we’re enjoying today.

Each year, more than two million people use the Great Rides, contributing an estimated $1.28 billion to regional economies. 

This is exactly the kind of infrastructure we need — supporting both domestic and international growth and enhancing visitor experience.

Tourism System Review

Alongside these investments, I’ve been undertaking a Tourism System Review. I’d like to thank those of you who’ve provided valuable input into this review so far and shared ideas about how we deliver on the objectives of the Tourism Growth Roadmap.

I’ve heard the message from the sector loud and clear: the status quo won’t support long‑term, sustainable growth. Three themes have come through strongly. 

First, clear national leadership.

Our system is fragmented with overlapping roles, multiple funding mechanisms and limited coordination beyond international marketing. This weakens our ability to deliver value and compete as a destination at an international scale.

Tourism presents significant opportunities for New Zealand, but I can see that without a more coordinated and forward-looking system, our full potential won’t be realised.

Second, a more streamlined regional model.

There is an opportunity to achieve greater coordination while retaining strong local voices. Better regional scale can support dispersal, manage seasonality, and lift value per visitor – while still recognising that many core functions must remain at place.

Initiatives like the Regional Tourism Boost are a great example of the benefits to can be realised when we collaborate at scale. I’m open to suggestions on how we can support regions to continue to collaborate to maximise outcomes for communities and visitors. 

While efficiencies can be gained, many of the key functions in our tourism system are, and must continue to be, delivered at place.

Local government’s role in placemaking remains essential. Events, museums and galleries, public spaces and visitor infrastructure are foundational to tourism. 

I’ve had some questions from councils about what the Government’s reforms to focus councils on core services and keep rates increases under control mean for their role in tourism. 

Councils absolutely have a role in ensuring our cities, towns and districts are great places to visit, and that tourism and hospitality businesses can thrive as a result. 

The local government reforms don’t change councils’ important role in that.

To meet our long-term growth objectives, it’s essential any changes to the tourism system ensures local government investment in tourism is maintained into the future. 

There’s no replacement for local insights, expertise and passion. This is precisely what makes our tourism offering distinct and valued, and this must be honoured as we consider our next steps.

Third, sustainable, long-term investment to support a growing tourism sector. 

This isn’t just about public investment, but creating the right settings and providing confidence for private investors.

Short‑term, reactive funding makes it difficult to align activity to long‑term priorities. 

We need greater certainty – for both public and private investment – and a system reflecting tourism’s status as a strategic national asset

From Roadmap to system reform:  Tourism Policy Statement 

Everything I’ve spoken about today – boosting demand, strengthening supply, investing in regions and reviewing the tourism system – has been deliberate and sequenced.

The Tourism Growth Roadmap was about stabilising and growing the sector after a period of disruption. Our demand investments focued on recovery and momentum, and our supply‑side shift has been about supporting capacity, quality and resilience.

The Tourism System Review has tested whether the way our system is structured is fit for the future. That work now brings us to the next step.

Following the Tourism System Review, I’m progressing a Tourism Policy Statement for New Zealand. This is the key announcement I want to leave with you today.

The Tourism Policy Statement will not be a reset, and it is not a stand‑alone document.

It is the next phase of the work underway, translating the Roadmap and the Review into a clear, enduring framework for how tourism is governed, coordinated and invested in over the long-term.

At its core, the Tourism Policy Statement will do three things

First, it will set a clear national direction for tourism. 

It will articulate tourism’s role as a strategic national asset and provide a shared narrative for government, local authorities, iwi and industry about what success looks like – not just in terms of volume, but in value, resilience and community benefit.

Second, it will provide clarity on roles, coordination and investment, both now and in the future

It will respond directly to what we heard through the Tourism System Review about fragmentation, duplication and short‑term funding. The Policy Statement will signal where leadership sits, how coordination should improve across the system, and where public investment (including the IVL) can best unlock long‑term value.

Third, it will give confidence to regions and industry.

By setting out priorities and expectations, the Policy Statement will provide a stronger basis for local government, regional entities and the private sector to plan, invest and collaborate with greater certainty.

This is about moving from a system evolving over time to one that is designed deliberately. This will support growth, protect place and deliver value for both visitors and New Zealanders.

I expect to release the Tourism Policy Statement in Q2 this year. In the meantime, I encourage you to continue engaging through your industry and professional associations. The quality of the thinking in this room is exactly what will strengthen this next phase.

Closing

As a Government, we know the strength of our tourism industry is clear for all to see – and the sector is certainly a key part of National’s plan to fix the basics and build the future. 

Under our watch, New Zealand is open for business and international visitors are returning.

While tourism has always been one of New Zealand’s strengths, its future success will not be accidental.

It will depend on clear choices about how we grow, where we invest and how we organise ourselves as a system. It will recognise tourism not just as a set of markets, but as something that shapes places, communities and livelihoods across the country

Over the past year, our focus has been on rebuilding momentum and restoring confidence. 

The work now underway is about ensuring that growth is intentional, coordinated and sustainable. 

Our next steps must be about designing a system supporting growth, protecting place, and delivering value for both visitors and New Zealander

Thank you for the opportunity to share some of these next steps with you today. I look forward to your questions and to continuing this conversation together.

** Published at approx. 5pm 26 March 2026, subject to check against delivery.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/26/opening-remarks-otago-tourism-policy-school/

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InnoCare Releases 2025 Results and Business Highlights, Achieving First Annual Profit

Source: Media Outreach

BEIJING, CHINA – EQS Newswire – 26 March 2025 – InnoCare Pharma (HKEX: 09969; SSE: 688428), a leading biopharmaceutical company focusing on cancer and autoimmune diseases, today announced the annual results for 2025 as of December 13, 2025.

2025 marked InnoCare’s 10th anniversary and a milestone year of transformative growth and strategic execution. The Company achieved its first full year profitability, secured two new drug application (NDA) approvals, enhanced market penetration of its core products, accelerated globalization, and made breakthroughs across multiple pipelines. With numerous “China First” achievements, InnoCare continues to accelerate its 2.0 development strategy, demonstrating its strong ability to translate scientific innovations into sustainable long-term growth.

Financial Highlights

  • Revenue grew 135.3% year-on-year to RMB 2,375 million[1] in 2025, mainly driven by robust commercial growth and two strategic business development (BD) deals.
  • Profit reached RMB 644 million, achieving profitability for the first time, mainly due to significant commercialization growth and global out-licensing deals.
  • Gross Profit Margin increased by 5.7 percentage points to 92%.
  • Research and Development Investment increased by 16.9% to RMB 952 million in 2025, reflecting advancements of multiple Phase III registrational trials, as well as increased investments in new technology platforms such as ADCs and molecular glue.
  • Cash and Related Accounts Balance[2] stood at approximately RMB 7.8 billion as of December 31, 2025 and achieved positive operating cash flow for the first time. This strong cash position provides InnoCare with the flexibility to expedite global clinical development of key assets and invest in new technology platforms.

Accelerating Globalization with Transformative Deals

In 2025, InnoCare accelerated the implementation of its globalization strategy, unlocking global value of its core pipeline with two out-licensing deals, further enhancing the Company’s global influence and financial performance, and marking a significant step forward in its global expansion.

On Oct. 8, InnoCare entered into a transformative licensing agreement with Zenas for its autoimmune disease pipeline, including orelabrutinib. The agreement includes up to US$100 million in upfront and near-term milestone payments, and up to 7,000,000 shares of Zenas common stock, with a total deal value exceeding US$ 2 billion, setting a new record for small molecule autoimmune out-licensing in China.

This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone in InnoCare’s globalization journey and will leverage shared focus to accelerate the global Phase III clinical development of orelabrutinib for the treatment of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), maximizing its clinical and commercial value worldwide, and advance a novel oral IL-17 AA/AF inhibitor and a brain-penetrant oral TYK2 inhibitor into clinical trials.

In addition, InnoCare entered into a licensing agreement with Prolium to further its global presence in 2025. In March 2026, Prolium announced first dosing of healthy volunteers in an ongoing single ascending dose study of ICP-B02 (PRO-203) and expects to initiate a multinational Phase I/II study of ICP-B02 in systemic sclerosis (SSc) in the second quarter of 2026, with additional studies in B-cell-driven autoimmune disease expected to follow.

Dr. Jasmine Cui, the Co-founder, Chairwoman, and CEO of InnoCare, said, “Building on an inspiring decade of solid growth, we have continuously enhanced our fully integrated platform ranging from original innovation, clinical development, commercialization, manufacturing, to business development, achieving our strategic goal of break-even ahead of schedule, marking a significant milestone in our development history. As we enter our 2.0 phase of rapid development, we are focused on key strategic priorities, including securing approvals for five to six innovative drugs, advancing three to four products globally, and progressing five to ten differentiated molecules into clinical trials. We will further accelerate globalization, significantly increase revenue, and deliver more high-quality innovative therapies to benefit patients worldwide. “

Building A Leading Franchise in Hemato-Oncology

In 2025, InnoCare made significant progress toward building a leading hemato-oncology franchise, driven by advances in commercial execution, late-stage clinical development, and global expansion.

InnoCare continued to strengthen its commercial portfolio with orelabrutinib approved for first line chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (1L CLL/SLL) and successfully included in the updated National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL), while tafasitamab became the first CD19 antibody approved for the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL) in China. As a result, drug sales increased by 43.4% to RMB 1,442 million in 2025.

Mesutoclax (ICP-248), the first BCL2 inhibitor granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation in China, continues to advance across multiple indications, including CLL/SLL, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), with clinical trials ongoing in China and globally. Together, these three assets form the core of InnoCare’s hemato-oncology strategy, supporting near-term revenue growth with a pipeline of differentiated, late-stage therapies.

Orelabrutinib

Orelabrutinib serves as a backbone therapy in InnoCare’s extensive hemato-oncology pipeline. Its newly approved 1L CLL/SLL indication has been included in the NRDL and is recommended as a Class I treatment in the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines for Malignant Lymphoma. With all four approved indications now covered under the NRDL, orelabrutinib offers stable annual treatment costs, benefiting more lymphoma patients.

The commercial team further strengthened execution capabilities and sharpened strategic focus, delivering strong sales performance throughout 2025. Improved market penetration and operational discipline laid a solid foundation for sustained revenue growth and long-term commercial success.

Internationally, orelabrutinib continued to expand its regulatory footprint, with approval granted for relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma (R/R MZL) in Singapore and NDA submission for R/R MCL successfully completed in Australia.

Tafasitamab

In May 2025, the tafasitamab regimen received NDA approval for adult patients with R/R DLBCL, representing the first CD19 antibody therapy approved in China for this indication and a key addition to InnoCare’s commercial portfolio.

Building on the initial commercial launch in September 2025, 2026 will mark the first full year of tafasitamab sales in China. Moreover, tafasitamab has been included as a Class II recommendation in the CSCO Guidelines, which will help address unmet clinical needs in this patient population and provide meaningful benefits.

Mesutoclax (ICP-248)

As the first BCL2 inhibitor granted BTD in China, mesutoclax has rapidly advanced across multiple registrational studies. The Phase III combination regimen with orelabrutinib for 1L CLL/SLL completed patient enrollment within 10 months, demonstrating strong clinical execution. This fixed-duration combination regimen has the potential to deliver deeper remissions, bringing hope for clinical cure and representing a promising treatment option.

A registrational trial in BTK inhibitor-treated MCL is progressing rapidly, and a Phase III randomized, double-blind, multicenter study of mesutoclax in combination with orelabrutinib versus pirtobrutinib (a reversible BTK inhibitor) in r/r MCL is expected to commence in 2026.

Global development of mesutoclax in AML and MDS is progressing across China, U.S., and Australia. The global AML and MDS markets are projected to reach US$8 billion[3] and US$11 billion[4] by 2034 respectively.

Mesutoclax, as a monotherapy or in combination with orelabrutinib, demonstrated a favorable safety profile for CLL/SLL across all dose levels tested. In the CLL/SLL patients receiving mesutoclax in combination with orelabrutinib, the overall response rate (ORR) was 100%, the complete response rate (CRR) was 57.1%, and the peripheral blood uMRD rate at 36-week was 65%. The clinical data from mesutoclax monotherapy demonstrated potential best in class efficacy in MCL patients, particularly in heavily treated patients with BTK inhibitor refractory. Among MCL patients who were BTK inhibitor-refractory, the ORR was 84.0% and the CRR was 36.0%. Mesutoclax in combination with orelabrutinib demonstrated a consistently favorable safety profile across B-cell malignancies (MCL, MZL, CLL/SLL). This oral, chemo-free regimen has the potential to establish a novel therapeutic option for B-NHLs. Updated data will be presented at 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting.

The combination of mesutoclax and azacitidine demonstrated a favorable safety profile and encouraging anti-tumor activity not only in AML but also in MDS patients. Among 35 evaluable treatment-naive AML patients, the regimen achieved an 85.7% composite CR rate and an 86.7% uMRD rate, with no mortality observed with 90 days. Preliminary data among MDS patients is also promising. There were no dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) or tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) events. Detailed data to be presented at 2026 ASCO annual meeting.

Developing B-cell and T-cell Pathways in Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases can affect almost every organ in the body and may arise at any stage of life. The global market for autoimmune disease therapeutics is anticipated to reach $185 billion by 2029[5]. The Company has fortified its powerful discovery engine on cutting-edge global targets for the development of autoimmune therapeutics through B-cell and T-cell pathways, with the aim of delivering first-in-class and/or best-in-class treatments to address the massive unmet clinical needs and strong market potential in China and globally.

Orelabrutinib

Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP): With over 200,000 new cases globally each year, including 60,000 in China, ITP represents a significant unmet medical need. The pivotal Phase III study has been completed, and the Company expects to submit the NDA application in the first half of 2026. ITP represents an important expansion of orelabrutinib from hematologic malignancies into autoimmune hematologic diseases, unlocking its enormous commercial potential. By leveraging the BTK inhibitor’s advantage in ITP, such as decreased macrophage-mediate platelet destruction and reduced production of pathogenic autoantibodies, orelabrutinib is well positioned to become a preferred BTK inhibitor in the field of ITP.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): There are about 8 million SLE patients worldwide. Orelabrutinib is the first BTK inhibitor to demonstrate significant efficacy in a Phase II clinical trial for SLE. The Phase IIb study met its primary endpoint, and a Phase III registrational study was initiated in the first quarter of 2026. Under stringent steroid-tapering requirements, orelabrutinib 75 mg once daily (QD) achieved a statistically significant improvement in SLE Response Index-4 (SRI-4) rate compared with placebo at Week 48 (57.1% vs. 34.4%, p

Multiple Sclerosis (MS): The US SPMS and PPMS market exceeds US$12 billion[6], representing a significant commercial opportunity. Based on the deal, InnoCare has been cooperating with Zenas to accelerate two global Phase III clinical trials of orelabrutinib for the treatment of PPMS and SPMS, further unleashing its global value in autoimmune diseases.

  • Initiated Orelabrutinib PriMroSe PPMS trial, a Phase III, global registration-directed, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of orelabrutinib in patients with PPMS in the third quarter of 2025. More information on the Phase III PriMroSe trial (NCT07067463) is available at clinicaltrials.gov.
  • Orelabrutinib Monarch trial for non-active SPMS (naSPMS) is planned, a Phase III, global registration-directed, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of orelabrutinib in patients with naSPMS is expected to initiate in the first quarter of 2026. More information on the Phase III Monarch trial (NCT07299019) is available at clinicaltrials.gov.

Two TYK2 Inhibitors

The global dermatology drug market has enormous potential, with over 500 million patients suffering from dermatological diseases worldwide. By 2035, the global dermatology market size is projected to reach nearly US$100 billion. InnoCare is well positioned to capture this opportunity with two TYK2 inhibitors targeting multiple high-value indications, including atopic dermatitis (AD), psoriasis, vitiligo, nodular prurigo (PN), urticaria (CSU), cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), and other dermatological diseases. The global AD market is projected to reach $30 billion[7] by 2030, the vitiligo market $3 billion[8] by 2032, the CSU market $3 billion[9] by 2029, the psoriasis market $58 billion[10] by 2032, the PN market $3 billion[11] by 2034, and CLE market US$ 7.9 billion[12] by 2032.

Soficitinib (ICP-332)

The Phase III clinical study of soficitinib in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) completed patient enrollment, with data readout expected in mid-2026. The Phase II clinical study of soficitinib in patients with vitiligo has also completed patient enrollment. Additional studies in prurigo nodular, urticaria, and psoriasis are progressing rapidly. As a result, soficitinib is expected to deliver a series of clinically meaningful data catalysts in 2026.

Data from the Phase II clinical trial of soficitinib in patients with moderate-to-severe AD were published in JAMA Dermatology in January 2026. The journal concluded that soficitinib demonstrated a favorable safety profile and encouraging efficacy in patients with AD.

Soficitinib achieved multiple efficacy endpoints in the study. The percentage improvement from baseline in EASI at Week 4 were 78.2% in the soficitinib 80 mg group, 72.5% in the soficitinib 120 mg group, and 16.7% for those receiving placebo. There was a statistically significant higher EASI-75 response rate with both soficitinib doses (64.0% for each; difference vs placebo, 56.0%) than with placebo and a greater percentage of Validated Investigator Global Assessment for Atopic Dermatitis (vIGA) score of 0 or 1 and improvement of 2 or more points at Week 4 in the soficitinib 80 mg group vs placebo (36.0%; difference vs placebo, 32.0%, P=0.005). Meanwhile, soficitinib demonstrated rapid relief of pruritus and significant improvement in quality of life. Substantial reductions in Pruritus NRS severity and frequency scores were observed on Day 2 of treatment compared to placebo, with continued improvement over time, peaking at Week 4 for both severity and frequency (all P

ICP-488

The Phase III clinical study in psoriasis has completed patient enrollment, and the Phase II trial for CLE is progressing rapidly. The IND for Sjögren’s syndrome has been submitted, and additional indications and combination strategies are under evaluation.

Data on ICP-488 for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis has been released at the 2025 AAD Annual Meeting as a late-breaking oral presentation. The study results demonstrated that ICP-488 is highly effective in treating psoriasis at both the 6 mg QD and 9 mg QD doses. Moreover, ICP-488 exhibited favorable safety and tolerability profiles, reinforcing its potential as a valuable treatment option for moderate-to-severe psoriasis patients.

At week 12, the percentage of patients achieving PASI 75 was significantly superior in the ICP-488 6 mg QD group (77.3%) and the 9 mg QD group (78.6%) than that of the placebo group (11.6%); the percentages of subjects achieving PASI 90 and sPGA of 0 (clear) or 1 (almost clear) were also significantly higher in the ICP-488 6 mg QD group (36.4%, 70.5%) and 9 mg QD group (50.0%, 71.4%) compared to the placebo group (0%, 9.3%).

ICP-538

The first healthy volunteer has been dosed in a clinical trial of ICP-538, a VAV1-directed molecular glue degrader (MGD), in China. This is the first VAV1 degrader approved to enter clinical trials in China. ICP-538 is a novel, potent, highly selective, orally administered molecular glue degrader targeting VAV1, a key protein downstream of T-cell and B-cell receptors. ICP-538 induces rapid and efficient degradation of the VAV1 protein in a dose-dependent manner by selectively mediating the formation of a ternary complex between the CRBN E3 ubiquitin ligase and the VAV1 protein. ICP-538 will be developed for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and multiple sclerosis. Currently, there are no approved VAV1-targeted therapies globally.

ICP-054

The IND application of ICP-054 (ZB021), a novel oral IL-17AA/AF inhibitor, was submitted. ICP-054 is a novel, oral, highly potent and selective IL-17AA/AF inhibitor with significant therapeutic potential in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. ICP-054 can effectively block the signal transduction pathways of IL-17AA homodimer and IL-17AF heterodimer, thereby inhibiting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, exerting an anti-inflammatory effect. Simultaneously, it reduces excessive proliferation of keratinocytes and inflammatory cell infiltration, improving skin lesions and thus suppressing the occurrence of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Under the BD agreement, Zenas holds exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize the oral, IL-17AA/AF inhibitor in all territories outside Greater China and Southeast Asia.

Building Innovative Solid Tumor Assets

InnoCare has been building a robust and diversified portfolio to address significant unmet medical needs across multiple tumor types. The Company is committed to combining targeted small molecules with next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to maximize clinical benefit while minimizing systemic toxicity. The R&D team aims to focus on tumor types with high unmet needs, and to develop therapies that are differentiated in mechanism of action, potency, and safety profile. InnoCare’s proprietary ADC technology platform, alongside promising precision medicine candidates like zurletrectinib, positions the Company to establish a strong presence in the field of solid tumor treatment.

Zurletrectinib (ICP-723)

Zurletrectinib, a next generation TRK inhibitor, represents InnoCare’s first approved therapy in solid tumors and its third innovative product approved for marketing. Zurletrectinib is indicated for adult and adolescent patients (12–18 years) with NTRK gene fusion-positive tumors.

In the registrational clinical trial for patients with NTRK fusion-positive solid tumors, zurletrectinib demonstrated outstanding efficacy and a favorable safety profile. The study results showed an ORR of 89.1%, a disease control rate (DCR) of 96.4%, and 24-month progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates of 77.4% and 90.8% respectively.

InnoCare expects to submit NDA for pediatric patients (2 years

In-House Developed Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) Platform

The Company has developed a cutting-edge ADC platform with proprietary linker-payload (LP) technologies, aimed at the delivery of potent and targeted therapies for cancer treatment. This platform allows for the creation of highly differentiated ADCs with improved efficacy and safety profiles. Key features of the platform include:

  • Irreversible bioconjugation: ensuring stable antibody-linker bioconjugation for improved stability.
  • Hydrophilic linker: enhancing ADC stability and achieving a high drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR) of 8.
  • Novel payload: incorporating highly potent cytotoxic payloads with a strong bystander killing effect.

The platform is expected to deliver ADCs with strong tumor-killing efficacy and an adequate therapeutic window, thereby broadening treatment options for cancer patients and improving their clinical outcomes. As the platform continues to evolve, the Company is poised to expand its portfolio with multiple differentiated ADC candidates, further advancing precision medicine in oncology.

ICP-B794: A Novel B7-H3 Targeted ADC for Solid Tumors

InnoCare is advancing the Phase I dose escalation trial of novel B7-H3 targeted ADC, ICP-B794. ICP-B794 is a novel ADC comprising a humanized anti-B7-H3 monoclonal antibody conjugated to a potent in-house developed payload via a protease-cleavable linker. This combination ensures precise targeting of tumor cells while minimizing off-target effects, offering a promising treatment for solid tumors such as lung cancer, esophageal cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, prostate cancer, and others. ICP-B794 has demonstrated superior anti-tumor activity in animal models compared with other ADCs, and exhibited significant tumor-killing effects even in large tumors.

Early clinical observations indicate favorable pharmacokinetics and tolerability, with preliminary signs of antitumor activity, which validate the Company’s proprietary ADC platform for solid tumor development.

ICP-B208: A Novel CDH17 Targeted ADC for Solid Tumors

Building on the encouraging efficacy and safety of ICP-B794, the second ADC candidate, ICP-B208, is designed to target CDH17, a calcium-dependent cell adhesion protein that plays a key role in tumor cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis. Its tumor-restricted expression and functional role in cancer biology make CDH17 an attractive and differentiated target for ADC therapy, enabling the delivery of potent cytotoxic payloads specifically to tumor cells while minimizing systemic toxicity, which can be developed for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers, including gastric, colorectal, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and cholangiocarcinoma. Preclinical studies show that ICP-B208 demonstrates good anti-tumor activity even in CDH17-low tumors. The IND application has been submitted in March 2026.

InnoCare plans to submit at least two more ADC INDs within 2026, further expanding its differentiated solid tumor pipeline.

To know more about the detailed financial data and business updates of InnoCare 2025 annual results, please log in to https://www.innocarepharma.com/en/investor/home .

Conference Call Information

InnoCare will host a conference call at 8:30 p.m. Beijing time on March 25 in English and at 9:00 a.m. Beijing time in Chinese on March 26, 2025. Participants must register in advance of the conference call. Details are as follows:

For English conference call, please register through the below link:
https://goldmansachs.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rVCbaOqMSM-QJQlfzlTEvw

For Chinese conference call, please register through the below link:
https://s.comein.cn/qz7duugd

Forward-looking Statement

This report contains the disclosure of some forward-looking statements. Except for statements of facts, all other statements can be regarded as forward-looking statements, that is, about our or our management’s intentions, plans, beliefs, or expectations that will or may occur in the future. Such statements are assumptions and estimates made by our management based on its experience and knowledge of historical trends, current conditions, expected future development and other related factors. This forward-looking statement does not guarantee future performance, and actual results, development and business decisions may not match the expectations of the forward-looking statement. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to a large number of risks and uncertainties, which may affect our short-term and long-term performance.

[1] The financial figures in this article are based on Hong Kong Financial Reporting Standards

[2] Include cash and bank balances, other current assets, financial assets among other non-current assets, and interest receivable

[3] Global Growth Insights

[4] Nova One Advisor, Insight Code: 8817

[5] iHealthcareAnalyst, Inc., Oct. 3, 2023

[6] Zenas estimate based on reported prevalence and current pricing of B cell therapies approved for MS

[7] Grand View Research

[8] Data Bridge Market Research

[9] The Business Research Company

[10] Fortune Business Insights

[11] Global Market Insights

[12] Data Bridge Market Research

Hashtag: #InnoCare

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/2026/03/26/innocare-releases-2025-results-and-business-highlights-achieving-first-annual-profit/

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Speech to the Infrastructure NZ One Day Conference

Source: New Zealand Government

Good morning, everyone. 

It’s great to be here today. 

I’d like to thank Katie Bradford for the warm welcome and Nick Leggett and his team at Infrastructure New Zealand for hosting today’s event. 

Katie – congratulations on your new role, I look forward to seeing you continue to cover infrastructure at the NZ Herald. 

I’d also like to acknowledge Labour Infrastructure spokesperson, Kieran McAnulty.

Last time we were are at an Infrastructure NZ event together we were wearing the same shoes – I hope that passes as bipartisanship.

In all seriousness, I do think we agree on the fundamentals – which is building consensus on the idea that governments of all stripes should use best practice to plan, select, fund and finance, deliver, and look after infrastructure.

I said it last year, Kieran said it in Parliament the other week, and I’m glad we are getting to this place. 

Today, I’ll run through the how the Government intends to respond to the National Infrastructure Plan, then I’m happy to answer your questions. 

But before I get into it, I want to briefly touch on the context we are operating in. 

Context

Over the last month, global events and uncertainty have impacted New Zealand’s economic recovery. 

The conflict in the Middle East, and its resulting fallout is hurting all kiwis, particularly with higher fuel prices at the pump.

This has exposed an uncomfortable reality for kiwis – 

Not only do we face systemic, decades-in-the-making challenges like low productivity and an infrastructure deficit – we also face significant and more frequent shocks such as extreme weather events and offshore conflicts.

At the same time, Fitch recently put our AA+ credit rating on a negative outlook. 

Currently, the interest bill on Government debt is $8.9 billion per annum and rising. In Wellington I’d say that’s six Transmission Gullys a year on interest payments alone, but here in Auckland maybe a better point of comparison is the City Rail Link project – we could get another 1.5 CRLs per year for that kind of money.

If New Zealand’s credit rating was downgraded and that led to higher bond yields, then our interest payments would go up even more.

Taken together, we effectively have triplet headwinds (1) long-standing systemic economic issues, (2) exposure to shocks, and (3) high debt.

While we don’t have the power to declare peace in the Middle East, we can and must control how we respond.

Support for hardworking families 

To start, we have moved quickly to provide extra support for low-to-middle-income working families. 

From 7 April, about 143,000 working families with children will get an extra $50 a week through a boost to the in-work tax credit. The boost will also expand eligibility to around 14,000 additional working families. 

The increase will be temporary, lasting for one year or until the price of 91 octane petrol drops below $3 a litre for four consecutive weeks. 

This boost will deliver support to working families who are under significant cost-of-living pressure, without making inflation worse or further driving up Government debt as this $373m initiative is being paid for out of Budget 2026 operating allowances. 

The COVID-19 Inquiry stressed that spending in response to crises should be timely, targeted, and temporary. 

That’s what we’re doing. 

The previous Government responded to COVID-19 through profligate, irresponsible spending – racking up debt. It’s clear some people have not learned from this and have called for this Government to make the same mistakes. But we won’t. 

Throwing the kitchen sink at every event that happens is a recipe for fiscal disaster. 

While it may sound simple and appealing, simply borrowing more could lead to a self-reinforcing “vicious cycle” where debt servicing takes up a large (and growing) share of government revenue. 

That forces increased taxes and/or cuts to public services and infrastructure to pay for that debt, which in turn reduces long-term economic growth, which then puts downward pressure on Government revenue, making the debt even less manageable. 

It is naive at best and economically-illiterate at worst to pretend that New Zealand can afford to run structural deficits. 

The Coalition Government understands New Zealand’s fiscal reality, and we know we cannot live beyond our means in the long run.

We are committed to protecting people’s living standards, which depends on strong fiscal discipline. We also know that sometimes extra, targeted support is needed.

We can do both. 

Fuel plan

Right now, we know the conflict in the middle east is causing concerns across the country and across the world about supply of fuel. 

As you know, Government has been keeping New Zealanders informed about our fuel supply situation. 

We have sufficient stocks for now, and we are working hard across diplomatic, commercial, and industry channels to ensure that remains the case.

But this situation is also a reminder of something we already knew – New Zealand is exposed to international fuel markets in ways that carry real risk.

Around half our fuel comes from South Korea and nearly a third from Singapore. 

When global supply chains are disrupted, as they are now, that exposure becomes very tangible for families and businesses who feel the pain at the pump.

We know higher fuel prices are hitting families and businesses hard. That’s why we put in place the targeted cost-of-living relief for low- and middle-income families earlier this week.

But maintaining fuel supply is the most important thing we can do to protect Kiwis from the worst-case scenarios.

Later this week Nicola Willis – who is in charge of our response as a Government – will provide an update on the National Fuel Plan along with further detail around how we see some of the levels playing out in practice. 

We all hope things improve quickly, but as the Prime Minister has said, hope is not a plan.

So, we’re doing the hard yards now to ensure New Zealand has a really solid fuel plan that gets us through whatever the international situation throws at us in the coming months.

Fixing the basics and building the future 

A key part of becoming more resilient to shocks is having strong institutions, functional regulation, and a high-performing economy.

As Paul Krugman observed – “Productivity isn’t everything, but in the long run it is almost everything.”

This Government is supporting growth through policies like Investment Boost and Fast-Track, getting on with building billions in infrastructure, and signing up to more free trade agreements. 

We are also tackling long-standing systemic issues that have accumulated and festered for 20 to 30 years. 

I’m thinking of things like RMA reform, infrastructure funding and financing reform, sorting the Holidays Act, reversing wealth destructive earthquake prone building legislation, opening up competition in building materials, and more. 

I strongly believe that if we get these things right, maintain fiscal discipline, and keep momentum going, the 2030s will be New Zealand’s decade.

National Infrastructure Plan 

Now, I want to touch on how the Government intends to respond to the National Infrastructure Plan.

The Infrastructure Commission released the final Plan on 17 February. 

I’d like to acknowledge Raveen, Geoff, and the team at the Commission for their hard work on this. 

The Plan does not sugar coat things: New Zealand has real challenges ahead.

We spend a lot on infrastructure – around 5.8% of GDP annually, one of the highest in the OECD – yet we rank towards the bottom for efficiency, and we are fourth to last in for asset management. 

Many government agencies do not properly understand what they own nor have long-term investment plans. The assurance system for new projects is also weak and not focused on giving Ministers confidence that we are getting good value for money.

New Zealand’s future prosperity depends on high quality infrastructure. It is central to our quality of life. 

It’s been clear to me since I became Minister that change is needed, and this is what the Plan will help us do.

The Plan puts forward 16 recommendations that sit under four key themes. 

Those four themes are:

  1. Planning what we can afford
  2. Looking after what we’ve got
  3. Prioritising the right projects
  4. Making it easier to build better

Many of the recommendations the Commission suggests are long-term system shifts including legislating requirements for long-term investment and asset management plans. 

Now, it’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time we’ve seen some of these recommendations. 

This isn’t even the country’s first infrastructure plan. 

New Zealand actually had plans in 2010, 2011, and 2015. 

Some recommendations in these older plans are identical to the ones in this Plan!

My theory of the case is: 

Previous Governments completed these reports, looked at the recommendations, and said “oh that’s nice”, “that could be ok”, “let’s look into that a bit more” – then, ultimately, pushed the boat out on hard changes. 

I am not going to do that.  

This Government is up for big changes, and we thank the Commission for their challenges and for their recommendations. 

We will be studying these recommendations thoughtfully and carefully. 

Then, we are statutorily required to respond to the Plan in mid-June this year.

I know many people in this room are keen to see more bipartisanship in the infrastructure sector. To the extent that that’s possible, I’m up for it. 

That’s why all parties in Parliament were offered briefings from the Commission on the Plan. 

We also held a Special Debate on the Plan once it was finalised. 

I can’t claim to speak for all parties, but I suspect that almost all of the projects underway right now are supported by everyone.

It’s the high profile and high-cost disagreements that make the headlines. But it’s the low profile and often low-cost projects that actually make New Zealand.

I’ve long held the view that we should move away from the rhetoric of needing a bipartisan pipeline and instead build bipartisan consensus on the idea that governments of all stripes should use best practice to plan, select, fund and finance, deliver, and look after infrastructure.

It was really nice to hear Kieran McAnulty, who is here today say something similar in Parliament the other day. 

He said: 

  • “Surely we can make genuine efforts to agree on the settings by which infrastructure is assessed and funded and delivered in this country”. I agree, I think we can do that. 

He also said: 

  • If all Crown infrastructure went through the independent assurance process that the Infrastructure Commission has set up, then we will go a long way to avoiding the cancellation of projects that we have seen in the past.

On this, I also largely agree with Mr McAnulty, and I will have more to say on that soon.  

I intend to engage with other political parties in Parliament before finalising the Government’s response in June.

Other improvements to Investment Management System 

Before I finish, I just want to quickly go over initial work we have done to improve data and transparency as it relates to Crown infrastructure. 

Last year’s announcement of ‘$7 billion of Government-funded infrastructure projects entering construction’ actually came about because one day I noticed there were quite a few projects starting in the couple of months. 

So, I asked for a list of projects starting construction in the next six months. 

It took about a month to collect this information centrally, which is emblematic of the system not providing Ministers the information we need in the form we need it.

If I’m honest, Ministers also didn’t have good visibility of agencies’ investment activity and performance. 

This made it difficult to signal to the sector when projects were coming to market, and to intervene when agencies are off-track with a project, aren’t meeting their requirements, have significant lag times between being funded and signing contracts, or – worse – are systemically underperforming across multiple metrics.

This was not acceptable. 

The public deserve to know that their tax dollars are being spent responsibly and effectively. 

To better hold agencies to account and to make sure Ministers can act on issues earlier, we have strengthened Quarterly Investment Reporting. 

Now, each quarter we know key metrics, like how much spend is going out the door and the ratio of agencies’ actual versus planned expenditure. 

New Zealand has long struggled to turn funding into construction quickly, and the market has made it clear that they want higher quality information on upcoming construction activity. The improved QIR now makes it clear which agencies are behind.

The Minister of Finance and I have stressed to Portfolio Ministers the need for accurate reporting and forecasting. It’s early days, but we’re closely monitoring whether underspend improves in 2026.

Conclusion

Thanks again to Nick and the team at Infrastructure New Zealand for inviting me to speak.

It’s great to see so many people here passionate about getting infrastructure right in New Zealand – like Kieran, who I will be talking to shortly about the Government’s response to the National Infrastructure Plan. 

I welcome everyone’s feedback on what else the Government should do to improve the system. 

Because ultimately, I think we’re all in this room because we believe in a better New Zealand with higher living standards for all kiwis – backed by high-quality public services and well-maintained infrastructure.

Thank you. 

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/26/speech-to-the-infrastructure-nz-one-day-conference/

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Endangered kakī/black stilts gobble up hearts

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  25 March 2026

Alliance Group has signed a new two‑year contract to supply 5,000 kilograms of beef hearts per year to feed hungry chicks.

The hearts will feed juvenile kakī at the Department of Conservation’s captive breeding facility near Twizel in the Mackenzie basin until they are ready to be released at around eight or nine months old.

Department of Conservation Kakī Captive Breeding Project Lead Liz Brown says the chicks will also be fed the beef hearts for around six weeks after their release to supplement their diet and give them time to adjust to foraging for food in the wild.

“The hearts are a key component of the chicks’ diet and gives them the best chance of survival. They will be gobbled up with relish. The heart is a lean source of protein, and diet analysis has shown that with the addition of a few other mineral supplements, it’s an excellent replacement for their natural diet of freshwater invertebrates,” she says.

Alliance Group General Manager Safety and Processing Wayne Shaw says the company was pleased to be able to contribute to the recovery efforts for one of New Zealand’s most endangered birds.

“Feeding one of the world’s rarest birds is a long way from Alliance’s usual customers.

“Most of our beef, lamb and venison ends up on restaurant plates and family tables around the world, not in a breeding programme for endangered birds.

“These hearts go through a tightly controlled process to meet DOC’s exacting standards for the chicks. Knowing they’re helping lift kakī/black stilt numbers makes this work especially rewarding for the Alliance team.”

DOC’s Regional Partnerships and Investment Manager Christine Officer says the partnership with Alliance is an example of a business directly helping to save an endangered species.

“We love that Alliance is feeding these very special chicks. We are seeing more New Zealand businesses see the value of taking action for nature. Kiwis care about our endemic endangered species and really want them to survive,” she says.

The kakī were close to extinction with only 23 left in 1981. Their numbers have slowly increased to around 140 in the wild and they have the highest threat ranking of ‘nationally critical’. The distinctive wading bird used to be found throughout New Zealand, but now they are mainly found in the Mackenzie basin in the braided river systems.

There are currently 146 juvenile kakī spread between the DOC captive breeding facility in Twizel and at The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust in Christchurch, with a planned release into the wild this August.

Liz Brown says one thing’s for sure, the chicks will be fighting fit for release with the beef hearts supplementing their diet.

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/25/endangered-kaki-black-stilts-gobble-up-hearts/

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2026 Wealth for Good in HK Summit concludes, showcasing city’s appeal as global family-office hub

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 March 2026 – The fourth edition of the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong (WGHK) Summit concluded today (March 24) under the theme “Building Lasting Legacies”, bringing together over 400 influential top family office decision-makers, next-generation successors, industry leaders and pioneers from around the world to explore new perspectives for multi-generational succession and sustained wealth growth for global family offices.

The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, speaks at the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit Gala Dinner today (March 24).

Co-organised by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the WGHK Summit drew family office decision-makers from Asia, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Oceania, and Africa to Hong Kong for in-depth discussions on topics ranging from cross-generational wealth management and cultural legacy to technological innovation and philanthropy.

Delivering remarks at the gala dinner, the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said, “Facing risks and uncertainty, investors diversify by necessity. Families seeking to preserve their legacy look for a safe haven—not merely a place to park capital, but a place with institutional strengths, legal clarity and credible commitments.

“Hong Kong is not only a safe harbour. It is also a city of business opportunities, and a platform for growth, for connection and for the purposeful deployment of capital. For families from around the world, Hong Kong is, no doubt, the best gateway to tap the enormous opportunities on the Mainland. International capital and investors are optimistic about Hong Kong. Our stock market performed strongly last year. And our asset and wealth management is also thriving. We are also opening up new frontiers, including gold and commodity trading, as well as fixed income and currency markets, which will further enrich our financial ecosystem.”

The Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, delivered welcome remarks at the Summit and said, “Hong Kong is a perfect base to support the prudent diversification of the investments by family offices. The world is getting more uncertain. Many conflicts are escalating and proceeding in a manner that is increasingly worrying and concerning. Against this global backdrop, Hong Kong offers something that is quite rare and precious. Under ‘one country, two systems’, Hong Kong provides an economic and business environment with policy predictability and institutional trust. Our common law legal system, independent judiciary, open economy, free flow of capital, freely convertible currency, and simple tax regime all work together to provide a welcoming and dependable home for wealth that lasts through generations.”

Speaking at the Summit, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, “As we gather under the visionary banner of ‘Building Lasting Legacies’, I want to frame our discussions through a lens that truly defines Hong Kong: Safe, Stable and Sophisticated. It is the bedrock upon which global family offices are choosing to build, preserve and multiply generational wealth. Each session of today’s Summit has reinforced one fundamental truth: Hong Kong offers the safe harbour, the policy stability and the sophisticated ecosystem that ambitious families need to turn vision into lasting impact. Our Government remains fully committed to strengthening this foundation to drive Hong Kong as a nexus of legacies and innovation.”

Mr Hui highlighted that wealth succession is not only about growing fortune, but also about carrying forward core values across generations. He said that the Hong Kong Academy for Wealth Legacy is turning vision into action through its flagship philanthropic initiative, Impact Link (iLink). Since its launch, iLink has organised 17 workshops and seminars, equipping and inspiring over 700 family participants with the knowledge and confidence to begin their philanthropic journeys. Last June, the launch of the iLink Online Portal connected 55 family partners and strategic partners who together nominated 12 non-governmental organisations and charitable projects, offering families international connectivity and information collection for structured, informed decision making in charitable giving. Mr Hui described it as “Wealth for Good in its purest and most inspiring form”.

The Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, said, “Hong Kong stands as a leading global hub for wealth management, innovation, culture, and philanthropy. The WGHK Summit’s gathering of family leaders from across the globe fully embodies Hong Kong’s role as a super-connector. InvestHK will continue to serve as a bridge, providing comprehensive strategic support and on-the-ground facilitation for global families, transforming the collaborative opportunities sparked at the Summit into tangible outcomes of ‘Building Lasting Legacies’ in Hong Kong.”

This year’s WGHK Summit featured one fireside chat and three panel discussions. The opening fireside chat on “Beyond the Scoreboard: Sports, Philanthropy, and Building Lasting Legacies” explored how sports and philanthropy can complement each other to create positive impacts. The three panel discussions, themed “Family Office Playbook: Governance, Capital, and Values Across Generations”, “Lasting Culture: Owning Demand, Building Communities, Creating Legends”, and “Lasting Change: AI, Robotics, and Building the Future Together”, invited helmsmen of internationally renowned family businesses, brand leaders, and tech pioneers to delve into cross-generational wealth planning and family governance, brand building, and how cutting-edge technologies are co-building the future.

A number of distinguished guest speakers shared their insights at the Summit.

Co-CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of Insilico Medicine, Dr Ren Feng, said, “Hong Kong plays a pivotal role at the intersection of two strategic pillars – frontier technology and life sciences. Built on a strong research base, an efficient capital market, and a forward-looking commitment to AI and technologies, Hong Kong not only provides fertile ground for companies like Insilico Medicine to translate breakthrough technologies into real-world impact but also serves as a distinctive global hub for capital and family offices – bridging long-term value investors with cutting-edge biopharmaceutical innovation. At WGHK2026, we showcased how AI is reshaping the traditional drug discovery and development paradigm and explored how family office investors can play a catalytic role in this technological transformation – together shaping the future of global health.”

“Hong Kong’s decision to position itself as a cultural hub where East truly meets West makes it the natural springboard for family-run heritage brands,” says Representative of Major Shareholder of Leica Camera AG, Mr Maximilian Kaufmann. “World-class infrastructure and seamless connectivity link people, ideas and businesses here, giving companies like ours the ideal platform to share our story across Asia. Having grown up inside Leica and learning from a father who always shouldered responsibility, I see Hong Kong as the place where tradition and entrepreneurship can thrive side by side.”

Founder of Yao Foundation, former Chairman of Chinese Basketball Association and NBA All-Star, Mr Yao Ming, said, “Hong Kong is where East and West meet, Chinese and other cultures converge. Those who are more inclusive, more open, and more diverse will have more opportunities, and are more likely to spark the greatest inspiration and innovation. That is Hong Kong’s most distinctive and valuable advantage. I’m happy to continue serving as a bridge between East and West – bringing different visions and people together, and supporting one another to succeed, so that everyone benefits.”

The Summit kicked off with a spectacular and powerful joint performance by the Diocesan Boys’ School Chinese Drum Team and robotic drummers that quickly caught the eyes of the floor. Seeing youngsters collaborating with smart technology on stage perfectly echoed the Summit’s theme of “Building Lasting Legacies”. This harmonious fusion of traditional artistry and frontier innovation symbolised how the next generation is embracing their mission to forge the future with innovative thinking.

It was a successful conclusion for the Summit with a gala dinner where worldwide family office decision-makers and industry leaders continued their exchanges against the backdrop of Victoria Harbour, delving into cross-generational succession, asset allocation, and collaborative opportunities. The two-day programme covered three major areas – wealth management, cultural branding, and smart technology – facilitating numerous cross-sector dialogues and exploration of potential collaborations, further consolidating Hong Kong’s leading position as a global family-office hub.

Hashtag: #WGHK

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/2026/03/25/2026-wealth-for-good-in-hk-summit-concludes-showcasing-citys-appeal-as-global-family-office-hub/

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Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit to be held next Tuesday to chart new milestone in global family office succession

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 March 2026 – The Government announced that the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong (WGHK) Summit will return next Tuesday (March 24). Under the theme “Building Lasting Legacies”, this year’s summit in its fourth edition highlights the wave brought by continuous growth of family office assets and generational wealth transition in recent years. In addition to serving as an exchange platform for overseas, Mainland and local family office decision-makers and successors, the WGHK Summit is also an occasion for them to experience firsthand how Hong Kong leverages its solid financial foundation to facilitate wealth succession and value appreciation.

Co-organised by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the WGHK Summit will once again convene influential family office decision-makers and successors from around the world in Hong Kong. Participants from Asia, Europe, the Americas, Oceania, the Middle East, and Africa will join attendees from the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong in insightful sharing. This year’s summit is going to showcase Hong Kong’s profound strengths and development potential through three core themes: “Strategic Asset Management for Family Legacy”, “Cultural Value Foundation for a Thriving Market”, and “Smart Tech Innovation Driving Capital Appreciation”. A number of heavyweight speakers will inspire the participants with their visionary thinking on the future of the family office ecosystem.

Nowadays, quite a number of family offices are deepening their philanthropic endeavours. Taking advantage of Hong Kong’s diverse and vibrant philanthropic ecosystem, a special fireside chat on “Sports and Philanthropy” is set for the summit to explore how sports and philanthropy can work together to create positive value for society.

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, “The global landscape is evolving fast these days with geopolitics getting more complex. There has never been a better time for hosting the WGHK Summit than now to give family offices looking for diversified allocation and risk dispersion an occasion to connect with each other and explore opportunities. Hong Kong offers a highly favourable development environment with numerous potential and predictability for family offices, underpinned by our diversified international financial markets coupled with resilience, robust and transparent legal and tax systems, world-class financial and professional services, and well-developed ecosystems for philanthropy, arts, and innovation. The WGHK Summit is a flagship event hosted by our Government to showcase to the global wealth owners the unique advantages of this city. We will continue to consolidate Hong Kong’s leading position as a family wealth hub in the Asia-Pacific region, and adopt a multipronged approach to keep fostering the development of the family office sector through measures in areas such as tax concessions, talent attraction, investment facilitation and building of an ecosystem. All these will make Hong Kong even more attractive in all aspects to global family capital, positioning this city as the most preferred platform for ultra-high-net-worth families worldwide to manage their cross-border wealth.”

The Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, noted, “According to the latest market study, the number of single-family offices in Hong Kong surpassed 3 380 by the end of 2025, reflecting a growth of over 25 per cent in two years – a testament to Hong Kong’s attractiveness as a global family office hub. The WGHK Summit serves as a pivotal platform for Hong Kong to deepen connections with the global family office community and foster cross-border collaboration. Against the backdrop of increasing trend of reallocation of global capital toward Asia, alongside rising trade protectionism and geopolitical uncertainty, Hong Kong will continue to leverage its unique advantage of enjoying strong support from the motherland and being closely connected to the world. We will provide global families with a predictable, one-stop environment for establishing a presence and operating in Hong Kong, helping them capture growth opportunities on the Chinese Mainland and in Asia, and steadily advancing long-term investment and multi-generational succession through diversified asset allocation and professional risk management.”

The WGHK Summit will feature a distinguished line-up of guest speakers:

  • Dr Han Bicheng – Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), BrainCo
  • Mr Maximilian Kaufmann – Representative of Major Shareholder of Leica Camera AG
  • Mr William Heinecke – Founder and Chairman, Minor International PCL
  • Mr François Pictet – Managing Partner, Pictet Group
  • Mr Yao Ming – Founder of Yao Foundation; Former Chairman of Chinese Basketball Association; NBA All-Star
  • Mr Qiu Heng – Chief Marketing Officer, AgiBot
  • Ms Irene Lee – Chairman, Hysan Development Company Limited
  • Dr Ren Feng – Co-CEO and Chief Scientific Officer, Insilico Medicine
  • Mr Wesley Ng – CEO and Co-founder, CASETiFY
  • Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges – CEO, The Hong Kong Jockey Club; and
  • Mr Michael Wilding – Group Chief Operating Officer, ZURU Group

Beyond the WGHK Summit, the Milken Institute and Bloomberg LP (Bloomberg) will also host the Global Investors’ Symposium (March 23) and the Family Office Forum (March 25) respectively in the same week, focusing on wealth management and global investment trends. The synergy generated by these three major forums will showcase Hong Kong’s unique charm in the family office landscape to the fullest to international capital, allowing participants to interact, exchange ideas, and explore opportunities together in Hong Kong.

Hashtag: #WGHK

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/2026/03/21/wealth-for-good-in-hong-kong-summit-to-be-held-next-tuesday-to-chart-new-milestone-in-global-family-office-succession/

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Phuket Sees Increasing Number of Americans Looking to Buy Property for Lifestyle and Investment

Source: Media Outreach

Growing international demand, strengthened long-haul connectivity, and the continued evolution ofLaguna Phuket are reinforcing Thailand’s largest island as a secure, globally connected and structurally mature place to live and invest.

PHUKET, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 March 2026 – Phuket’s transformation from a leisure destination into an established international residential market continues to gain momentum, supported by expanding air connectivity and rising interest from globally mobile investors and families.

The island has seen steady growth in long-term residents and international property buyers, reflecting a broader shift toward geographic diversification and lifestyle-driven asset allocation. Increasingly, Americans are exploring markets that combine quality of life with infrastructure reliability and clear long-term residency pathways.

Compared with many major U.S. coastal cities, Phuket offers significantly lower living costs while maintaining international-standard healthcare, hospitality infrastructure and strong global connectivity.

Thailand welcomed more than 35 million international visitors in 2025, including approximately 1.2 million from the United States. Long-haul arrivals exceeded 11 million, up 13% year-on-year and generating approximately 668 billion baht in tourism revenue, underscoring continued international confidence.

Thailand is accessible from the U.S. via major hubs including Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok, with travel times comparable to many trans-Pacific routes. Expanding airline networks are further improving access through key Asian gateways.

Improved connectivity is driving interest in extended stays, remote work flexibility and international property ownership, with more visitors exploring long-term residency alongside leisure travel.

Phuket offers international-standard healthcare, leading international schools, yacht marinas, championship golf courses, premium retail and dining, and reliable high-speed connectivity. The island combines resort-style living with the infrastructure required for full-time residence.

Industry research ranks Phuket among the world’s leading destinations for branded residences, alongside Dubai, Miami and New York. Foreign buyers account for more than 60% of prime condominium purchases, reflecting broad global participation. Direct air links to more than 80 cities reinforce integration into global travel networks.

Thailand’s long-term visa framework provides renewable pathways for retirees, investors, entrepreneurs and remote professionals. For buyers of select premium residences, Banyan Group facilitates Thailand Elite long-term residency visas, aligning property ownership with multi-year entry privileges.

At the centre of this evolution is Laguna Phuket, developed by Banyan Group. Over 35 years it has grown into one of Asia’s most established integrated resort and residential communities. Spanning more than 1,000 acres along Bang Tao Beach, it includes six hotels, an award-winning golf course, wellness facilities, RAVA beach club and more than 3,000 branded residences. Approximately 5,000 additional residences are planned across Laguna Phuket and neighbouring Laguna Lakelands.

Banyan Group Residences, ranked fifth worldwide and number one in Asia in branded residences, plans to launch approximately US$1 billion in new residential projects in Phuket.

Phuket today represents more than a resort destination. It has matured into a stable, internationally integrated residential market offering infrastructure reliability and long-term growth potential for American families and investors seeking global diversification.

Hashtag: #BanyanGroup

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/2026/03/21/phuket-sees-increasing-number-of-americans-looking-to-buy-property-for-lifestyle-and-investment/

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China’s 2026 Government Work Report Indicates a New Cycle of Quality Enhancement for Commercial Real Estate Stock

Source: Media Outreach

Cushman & Wakefield Interpretation Report Highlights Eight Impact Areas for Real Estate Market

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 March 2026 – Global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has released its China’s Two Sessions 2026: Interpreting the Government Work Report publication. Against a backdrop of increasingly complex domestic and international conditions, the 2026 government work report outlines more flexible and adaptive targets for national economic development. These policy directions will have a profound influence on the real estate sector. The market’s transition from focusing on incremental expansion to revitalizing and optimizing existing assets — combined with the accelerating integration of artificial intelligence across industries —will reshape market structures, redefine asset values, and reconfigure spatial development patterns in far-reaching ways.

Macroeconomic Stability Strengthens the Foundation for Commercial Real Estate Stabilization

China’s core economic targets for 2026 are clearly defined, with GDP growth set between 4.5%–5%, balancing the dual objectives of stabilizing growth and adjusting structure. This forms a strong macro foundation for the stabilization and gradual recovery of the commercial real estate sector. Between 2024 and 2025, GDP growth remained steady at around 5.0%. For 2026, the fiscal deficit ratio is maintained at a relatively high 4.0%, with RMB4.4 trillion in local special‑purpose bonds. The quota for ultra‑long‑term special treasury bonds is further expanded to RMB1.3 trillion. Coordinated fiscal and monetary policies will continue to support leasing demand recovery and improved business sentiment in the commercial property market.

Accelerated Industry Transformation Sees Quality Enhancement of Existing Assets Become the Core Theme

The report emphasizes a three‑pronged approach of “city‑specific policies to control new supply, reduce inventory, and improve quality”, while encouraging diverse channels to revitalize existing housing stock and advancing the construction of “good homes.” This marks an accelerated shift from incremental expansion to quality enhancement of existing assets. In 2024, China’s real estate value‑added as a proportion of GDP was just 6.3%, far below the 12.56% average of developed economies. This reflects a structural imbalance characterized by heavy investment in development and insufficient focus on services and leasing. The ongoing transition will make asset management, property services, and leasing operations increasingly central to asset valuation.

Consumption‑Driven Momentum Creates a New Growth Window for Retail Properties

Consumption‑boosting policies are injecting new vitality into the retail property market. The government work report allocates RMB250 billion of ultra‑long‑term special treasury bonds to support product upgrades and replacement, complemented by RMB100 billion in coordinated fiscal‑financial funds — creating a RMB350 billion consumption stimulus package. In 2025, China’s total retail sales of consumer goods exceeded RMB50 trillion, with per‑capita GDP reaching USD13,953, signaling a critical inflection point where service‑oriented consumption accelerates. With services currently accounting for just 46.1% of consumption, there remains significant room for growth. Policies promoting “high‑quality service consumption” and “new consumption scenarios,” combined with the promotion of staggered school holidays in spring and autumn, will create opportunities for high‑quality shopping centers focused on experiential and social retail formats.

AI‑Powered Intelligent Economy Drives an Upgrade in Office Market Demand

The rapid evolution of the intelligent economy is reshaping office market demand. The work report calls for expansion of “AI+,” wider deployment of intelligent agents, and accelerated development of large‑scale computing clusters, indicating the transition of AI into commercialized and scaled applications. In 2025, China’s core digital economy industries accounted for more than 10.5% of GDP, with the target set at 12.5% during the 15th Five‑Year Plan. AI‑related companies are expected to become key new leasing drivers in 2026. This will also stimulate a fresh investment cycle for data centers and industrial parks, with core computing hub cities — in the Beijing‑Tianjin‑Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong‑Hong Kong‑Macao Greater Bay Area — set to benefit first.

Capital Market Reforms Expand, Enabling a Full “Investment–Financing–Management–Exit” Cycle for Commercial Real Estate

Capital market reforms continue to support expansion in commercial real estate investment. The work report calls for deepened reform of comprehensive investment and financing mechanisms, expanded exit channels for private equity and venture capital, and accelerated growth of the public REITs market. By 2025, China’s public REITs issuance exceeded RMB210 billion, making it the largest REITs market in Asia. In 2026, commercial public REITs enter their first year of development, with pilots extended to hotels and commercial offices. This establishes a “dual‑engine” landscape of “infrastructure + commercial real estate” and enables a more complete investment‑financing‑management‑exit cycle

Further Opening‑Up Boosts Cross‑Border Logistics and Foreign Investment Demand

China’s opening‑up objectives in 2026 feature two core characteristics: expanding services sector openness to attract foreign investment, and promoting standardized, high‑quality development of cross‑border e‑commerce. In 2025, China’s cross‑border e‑commerce imports and exports totaled RMB2.75 trillion, with growth outpacing overall trade for the fourth consecutive year. The sector’s demand for high‑specification warehouses — characterized by high density and rapid turnover —continues to rise. Cushman & Wakefield data shows that the warehouse market is experiencing volume growth alongside price adjustment, with notable regional differences. As cross‑border e‑commerce becomes more regulated, and cold‑chain logistics demand continues to expand, green‑certified, intelligent high‑spec warehouses are expected to gain a competitive advantage.

Advancement of New Urbanization Brings Opportunities for Urban Clusters and Urban Renewal

A notable highlight among 2026 urbanization policies is the first‑ever proposal to build “innovation‑driven industrial communities and business communities.” This concept breaks the traditional boundary between industrial parks and business districts, fostering integrated complexes that combine office, commercial, and residential functions. The report also supports the development of world‑class city clusters in the Beijing‑Tianjin‑Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Greater Bay Area, while enhancing the dual‑city Chengdu‑Chongqing Economic Circle and accelerating growth in the middle‑Yangtze city cluster — further intensifying regional differentiation in the commercial property market. Urban renewal and revitalization of existing stock assets are core pillars of the current urbanization strategy. Policies promoting the reuse of existing land and idle buildings align closely with efforts to revitalize existing housing stock. For owners and operators of prime urban assets, regeneration projects offer strategic opportunities for repositioning and value enhancement.

Green Transformation Prompts Sustainability Certifications to Become a Key Competitive Advantage

The work report dedicates a standalone section to the green transition, announcing dual controls on total carbon emissions and intensity, as well as new policy tools such as zero‑carbon parks and a national low‑carbon transition fund. In 2025, China’s national carbon market saw 235 million tons of allowances traded, with transaction value reaching RMB14.63 billion, up approximately 24% year‑on‑year. Carbon costs have become an increasingly important factor in corporate leasing and location decisions. With 97.9% of newly built urban buildings in 2024 meeting green standards, green retrofits of existing buildings are gaining momentum. Commercial properties certified under LEED, WELL, and China’s Green Building Label standard enjoy notable advantages in rental premiums and tenant attraction.

Sabrina Wei, Chief Policy Analyst and Head of Research, North China, Cushman & Wakefield, said, “The 2026 government work report outlines a clear development vision for commercial real estate characterized by macroeconomic stability, targeted policies, and structural transformation. A GDP growth rate of 4.5%-5% will provide market stability, a RMB350 billion consumption stimulus will activate demand for retail properties, “AI+” will reshape the office market; capital market reforms and public REITs will enable a full “Investment–Financing–Management–Exit” cycle, urban renewal will unlock values of existing assets, and green certification will define new competitiveness for the industry. As the real estate industry transitions from a construction‑focused model to one centered on operations and services, institutions with strong capabilities in asset management and high‑quality operational service delivery will be best positioned to capture the emerging opportunities of this transformative new cycle.”

To access the full report please click here.

Hashtag: #CushmanWakefield

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/2026/03/20/chinas-2026-government-work-report-indicates-a-new-cycle-of-quality-enhancement-for-commercial-real-estate-stock/

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PT Danantara Investment Management opens DPT registration for PSEL partners

Source: Media Outreach

JAKARTA, INDONESIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 March 2026 – In its efforts to accelerate the energy transition while addressing the growing challenge of urban waste, the government has tapped PT Danantara Investment Management (DIM) to seek capable partners in developing waste-to-energy (WtE) power plant projects, locally known as Pengolahan Sampah Menjadi Energi Listrik (PSEL).

The PSEL program is supported by Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 109/2025, which governs urban waste management through environmentally sustainable renewable energy solutions.

The initiative begins with the establishment of a verified providers list (Daftar Penyedia Terverifikasi or DPT), a pre-qualification mechanism designed to identify companies with proven track records, strong financial capacity and technical expertise in WtE.

To that end, collaboration with private partners scheme reflects the government’s intention to share risks with the private sector while leveraging its expertise, ensuring that projects are not only delivered but also remain operationally sustainable.

Participation in the DPT is open to single entities and consortiums, both local and foreign, provided their countries maintain diplomatic relations with Indonesia.

In addition, DIM has appointed an independent registration and verification (R&V) agent to ensure a credible and transparent process, ensuring that prospective partners included in the list undergo a structured and transparent evaluation.

“The program is designed to ensure that the establishment of the DPT is carried out in a transparent and systematic manner, in line with good governance principles,” PT Danantara Investment Management said in an official statement.

The submission period for verification documents will run from March 25 to April 25, with DIM set to hold virtual technical discussions (aanwijzing) in two cycles to provide further clarity on technical requirements. The first cycle is scheduled for March 26, followed by the second on April 1. Each cycle will include two sessions to accommodate across different time zones.

While attendance at the aanwijzing sessions is not mandatory, they are expected to serve as an important forum for prospective participants to better understand the application requirements before submitting final documents through the official channel.

Interested companies can write indication of interest by email through registrationwte@danantaraindonesia.com

For further information, providers may refer to

https://www.danantaraindonesia.co.id/media-center/highlight/dim-waste-to-energy-verified-participants-list-registration-2026

Hashtag: #Danantara

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/2026/03/19/pt-danantara-investment-management-opens-dpt-registration-for-psel-partners/

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1exchange and Capitaux Partner to List NVDAt, among the First ISIN-Backed Tokenized NVIDIA Stock

Source: Media Outreach

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 March 2026 – 1exchange, a leading regulated RWA exchange for listing and trading RWA tokens, has entered a strategic partnership with Capitaux, the issuer of NVDAt, an ISIN-registered tokenized security referencing NVIDIA shares. The collaboration is set to bring NVDAt, ISIN-backed tokenized NVIDIA stock, to global investors, establishing a new benchmark for credibility and standardization in the global RWA tokenization market.
NVDAt is structured as a 1:1 asset-backed tokenized representation of NVIDIA shares, designed for compliant and efficient on-chain trading upon listing. ISIN registration enhances transparency, interoperability, and institutional recognizability across trading, settlement, and reporting systems. By supporting issuers in obtaining ISIN registration, 1exchange enables clearer identification and stronger alignment with established financial standards for RWA tokens.
With transparent and compliant architecture, independent third-party custody, and institutional grade blockchain security, Capitaux enables institutions to transform real-world assets into globally tradable digital securities. 1exchange is actively building its listing-to-trading ecosystem to bring high-quality and compliant RWA tokens to investors worldwide. The forthcoming listing of NVDAt further strengthens 1exchange’s tokenized product offering, supporting the scalable growth of the RWA tokenization market.
“By introducing an ISIN-backed RWA token in partnership with Capitaux, we will be bringing institutional-grade compliance standards into the on-chain RWA tokenization market.” says Sheena Lim, CEO of 1exchange, “Our focus is to make the listing and trading of RWA tokens more transparent, structured, and accessible for investors.”

Hashtag: #1exchange #tokenization #toenizedstocks #RWA

https://www.1x.exchange/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/1-exchange/

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

About 1exchange

1exchange, a member of FOMO Group, is a leading exchange for Real-World Assets (RWA) security tokens and private listings, licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Offering full-stack on-chain infrastructure, the platform enables issuers to list enterprise-grade RWAs, while enabling investors to trade modern digital assets in a regulated secondary market, unlocking global liquidity.
Visit www.1x.exchange for more information. For media inquiries, please contact media@1x.exchange.


Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is provided strictly for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for any securities or financial products listed or traded on 1exchange (“1X”).
Investments involve risks, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance.
Readers should carefully consider their investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance, and should conduct their own independent research. Where appropriate, readers are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions.
This article has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/1exchange-and-capitaux-partner-to-list-nvdat-among-the-first-isin-backed-tokenized-nvidia-stock/

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Innovation Fund delivers increased access

Source: New Zealand Government

Round Three of the successful Mental Health and Addiction Innovation Fund has been announced with changes that aim to increase access to support across New Zealand, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announced.

“The Government’s mental health plan is delivering faster access to support, more frontline workers, and a better crisis response. Grassroots community organisations play a big role in helping us achieve that,” Mr Doocey says.

“Already, the Fund has supported nineteen organisations around the country, increasing access for many Kiwis. Initiatives include helping young people stay safe online, supporting young mothers, Women’s Refuge services, a crisis café, and support for people in the construction industry.”

“I have been very clear from the start that I am open to making changes to the Fund. I have heard the sector loud and clear that further changes were needed to allow more organisations to access funding. This idea was born from talking to the sector, so it is only right they have a say in the changes.”

In response, the requirement for an independent Social Return on Investment (SROI) report as part of the application process has been revised. Instead, applicants will submit a proposal outlining the intended outcomes and how potential social return will be measured. A full external SROI report will then be completed towards the end of the project.  

“This change allows community organisations to use matched funding for half of the external SROI report, increasing access to the Fund while helping organisations clearly demonstrate the outcomes of their programmes,” Mr Doocey says.

“This approach opens the door for greater access to the Innovation Fund, while still maintaining robust evaluation and evidence. At the end of the day, we want grassroots organisations that know their communities best to bring forward new ideas that can be supported. I am proud that this Government is backing them.

“But the real winners are the thousands of people who benefit from the partnership, with more New Zealanders able to have timely access to support around the country.

“This is the second change to the fund. After the first round, we heard clearly from organisations that the $250,000 matched-funding requirement was a barrier. In response, that threshold was lowered to $100,000 in round two, further increasing access to the Fund.”

Notes to editor:
•    Contracts are expected to be in place from Quarter 1 2026/27.
•    With this change, $20 million has now been made available through the Fund.  This third round will continue the Fund for a further two years, with $5 million per annum available in 2026/27 and 2027/28. Providers may submit proposals covering both years. 
•    The full criteria includes:
•    Increases access to mental health and addiction support  
•    Protects public specialist mental health and addiction services by reducing demand 
•    Develops capacity in the mental health and addiction workforce Uses technology to drive productivity 
•    Delivers scalable solutions for unmet need 
•    Returns positive social return on investment (with evidence) 
•    Achieves positive outcomes for target population groups that have evidence of poorer mental health outcomes than other groups 
•    Will be co-funded on a dollar-for-dollar matched funding basis.
 

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/innovation-fund-delivers-increased-access/

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McClay to lead cross-party delegation to WTO negotiation

Source: New Zealand Government

Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay travels to Cameroon this weekend for the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), where he will again serve as a Vice Chair of the negotiations.

“As a small, export driven economy, New Zealand depends on predictable and rules based global trade. The WTO is an important part of this system,” Mr McClay says.

“Faced with growing global economic and geo-political disruption, rising protectionism, and concerns about global supply chain resilience, there’s recognition among WTO members of the need for a modern, effective organisation that’s geared to support trade in today’s world.”

As Vice Chair of the conference, Mr McClay has a key role in facilitating those discussions.

Mr McClay will be joined by Labour Party Trade and Export Growth spokesperson Damien O’Connor as part of New Zealand’s delegation.

“New Zealand will push for outcomes that maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the WTO which continues to have a critical oversight role for the vast majority of global trade,” Mr McClay says.

Trade ministers and representatives from the 166 WTO member economies attend the Ministerial Conference, the WTO’s highest decision-making body, which meets every two years.

They will also address e-commerce, agriculture reform, and harmful fisheries subsidies during the conference which runs from 26-29 March.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/18/mcclay-to-lead-cross-party-delegation-to-wto-negotiation/

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Breaking through ‘last mile’ of green energy: CHN Energy’s solution for retired wind and solar equipment

Source: Media Outreach

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 March 2026 – Wind power and photovoltaic energy are reshaping China’s energy landscape. As of March 2025, the combined installed capacity of wind and solar power nationwide has exceeded 1.48 billion kilowatts, surpassing thermal power in terms of total installed capacity in history.

However, early-generation wind and solar equipment, designed to last 20 to 25 years, is now entering a phase of large-scale decommissioning. It is estimated that by 2050, decommissioned photovoltaic modules will amount to 20 million tonnes, while retired wind turbine blades are expected to reach 3 million tonnes by 2035. How to properly handle this massive volume of retired equipment has become a pressing challenge that the industry must confront.

“True green development lies in delivering green power while ultimately achieving a closed loop through comprehensive end-of-life solutions,” said Hou Bo, deputy general manager of China Energy Investment Corporation (CHN Energy) Longyuan Environmental Protection Co., Ltd.

CHN Energy holds the world’s largest installed wind power capacity. Its combined installed capacity of wind and solar power is close to 120 million kilowatts, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the national total. After several years of technological breakthroughs, in October 2025, the company put into operation a kiloton-scale photovoltaic module recycling demonstration line, independently developed and constructed by CHN Energy Longyuan Environmental Protection Co., Ltd. In 2026, CHN Energy Longyuan Environmental Protection Zhangjiakou Branch is expected to commence operations, with an annual processing capacity exceeding 10,000 tonnes of decommissioned wind and solar equipment.

Meanwhile, CHN Energy Longyuan Environmental Protection has taken the lead in establishing a specialized committee on the circular utilization of retired wind and solar equipment under the China Association of Circular Economy. It has led or participated in the drafting of approximately 17 international, national, and industry standards. While ensuring a stable supply of green electricity, the company also gives due consideration to the full life-cycle utilization of all equipment, including the impacts on environmental governance, in an effort to break through this critical “last mile.”

“By building an integrated industry–academia–research–application system, we aim to address shared challenges together and foster the growth of this emerging sector,” said Hou. For CHN Energy, closing the loop on wind and solar is more than an environmental goal; it is the defining test of true green power.

Hashtag: #ChinaNewsService

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/2026/03/17/breaking-through-last-mile-of-green-energy-chn-energys-solution-for-retired-wind-and-solar-equipment/

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CARSOME Raises Over USD 30 Million in a Strategic Fundraising Round

Source: Media Outreach

PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 March 2026 – CARSOME Group Inc (CARSOME or the Group), Southeast Asia’s largest integrated car e-commerce platform, today announced a strategic investment round of more than USD 30 million from a set of new and existing investors including the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited (HKIC), Gobi Partners, and Asia Partners. This fundraise underscores the investors’ confidence in CARSOME’s journey to profitability and long-term vision across the region, as demonstrated by the recent record FY25 results. These funds will further accelerate its profitable growth in the region for the coming years.

CARSOME Group Inc (CARSOME or the Group), Southeast Asia’s largest integrated car e-commerce platform, today announced a strategic investment round of more than USD 30 million from a set of new and existing investors including the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited (HKIC), Gobi Partners, and Asia Partners.

This investment and partnership reflect a shared ambition to strengthen connections between Southeast Asia and Greater China, leveraging Hong Kong’s role as a regional gateway for advanced automotive capabilities, technology development, and global talent. With the support from the HKIC, CARSOME will drive initiatives across areas such as supply chain sourcing and technology collaboration, accelerating the application of data and artificial intelligence (AI) in the automotive sector, which further empowers CARSOME for its regional expansion.

“CARSOME has spent the last several years focused on building a resilient, profitable business with strong fundamentals,” said Eric Cheng, CARSOME Group Co-founder and CEO. “This strategic collaboration and fundraise is a vote of confidence in our continued momentum and long-term vision. This partnership gives us crucial access to innovation capabilities, cross-border networks, and world-class talent that will support our work in AI, data, and next-generation mobility services across Southeast Asia.”

Clara Chan, Chief Executive Officer of the HKIC, said, “We are pleased to support CARSOME as part of our continued effort to harness technology to drive industry transformation, contributing to Hong Kong’s long-term economic development and resilience. With Hong Kong’s unique position as a gateway connecting global innovation and investment opportunities, CARSOME exemplifies the type of high-conviction, technology-driven enterprise that aligns with the HKIC’s mandate to foster scalable innovation across our strategic sectors. We look forward to supporting forward-thinking companies like CARSOME in creating tangible value for the future of Hong Kong.”

Chibo Tang, Managing Partner of Gobi Partners, said, “CARSOME is a leading example of how Southeast Asian startups are well-positioned to create close ties with partners in Greater China, leveraging each region’s unique strengths. We are pleased to be a returning investor in CARSOME, having supported them for almost a decade. Gobi was an early believer in CARSOME’s ability to scale across international borders, and we are happy to see their early potential come to fruition as they reimagine the way consumers across Asia purchase vehicles.”

http://www.carsome.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/carsome/

Hashtag: #CARSOME

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/2026/03/17/carsome-raises-over-usd-30-million-in-a-strategic-fundraising-round/

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Bridge Data Centres Plans Major Investment with Global Partners to Strengthen Singapore’s Position as Asia Pacific’s Leading AI Hub

Source: Media Outreach

  • Strategic Investment of S$3-5 billion in Singapore to advance AI-ready data centre developments, supporting over 2 GW of AI-ready capacity globally, and driving technological innovation with international ecosystem partners.
  • First-mover advantage as one of Asia Pacific’s top three hyperscale data centre developers, with proven track record delivering large-scale campus developments in Malaysia, Thailand and India, supporting regional AI and cloud demand.
  • Pioneering sustainable energy solutions, including Singapore’s first floating hydrogen power generation model leveraging the nation’s strengths in maritime transport, port infrastructure and global energy supply chains and research into nuclear energy as a future clean power source for data centres.
  • Building an integrated innovation ecosystem in Singapore through partnerships with universities, research institutions and global technology companies, while supporting job creation and talent development initiatives for around 3,000 students and professionals.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 March 2026 – Bridge Data Centres (BDC), a Singapore-headquartered digital infrastructure platform backed by Bain Capital, has announced ambitious plans to invest S$3-5 billion in Singapore to advance next-generation digital infrastructure and strengthen the country’s position as a leading AI and cloud hub in Asia Pacific.

BDC had announced its new strategic brand identity in early 2026 that reflects the Company’s position of being a leading hyperscale and AI-infrastructure builder with a growing network of mega-campus developments in Asia Pacific. With close to a decade of experience developing high quality data centres, BDC’s new brand identity reflects BDC’s reputation as platform built on disciplined execution, certainty of delivery, and the ability to scale with customers.

As AI and high-density workloads accelerate across Asia Pacific, customers are looking for partners who can offer world-class capabilities and local agility, provide bespoke solutions at scale, and deliver and operate with a proven track record.

With Singapore serving as its global headquarters, BDC is uniquely positioned to support hyperscale customers and global technology companies seeking high-performance, sustainable and scalable data centre platforms across Asia Pacific, while enabling global technology companies to establish and expand their presence in Singapore as they develop AI and digital capabilities in the region.

Over the past decade, BDC has established itself as one of Asia Pacific’s leading digital infrastructure developers and operators. The Company currently operates and develops hyperscale campuses across Malaysia, Thailand and India.

Building on strong relationships with global hyperscale customers and ecosystem partners, BDC is on track to expand its regional capacity to approximately 2 GW by 2030.

By deepening its investments in Singapore, BDC aims to support customers seeking world-class digital infrastructure expertise, strong technology partnerships and integrated energy solutions that enable the sustainable growth of AI workloads.

First-mover advantage

BDC is among the first data centre developers to foray into Malaysia, where the Company has several large-scale data centre campuses – both operational and under development.

BDC’s flagship MY06 campus is the Company’s first project in Johor, as well as the state’s first hyperscale data centre development. In addition, BDC is the first data centre developer in Southeast Asia to adopt a build-to-suit (BTS) model for hyperscale data centre construction. BDC was also among the first hyperscale operators in the region to deploy advanced liquid cooling technologies at scale, including cold plate liquid cooling, to support high-density and AI-driven workloads. BDC’s suite of sustainability initiatives at MY06 enabled the facility to achieve an annualised Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of below 1.2.

BDC is also the first in Southeast Asia to incorporate Prefabricated, Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) construction, an innovative method that assembles large building sections off site. This enabled BDC to complete MY06 within eight months, which is 40 per cent faster than traditional methods, while reducing on-site dust, waste and noise. This strategy is one of BDC’s key competitive advantages to support the growing needs of hyperscale customers in the region, including Singapore, who need to rapidly scale to meet increasing demand for more capacity to power AI-workloads.

BDC has built Malaysia’s first large-scale Water Treatment Plant (WTP) to treat effluent and convert it into high grade effluent water to cool its upcoming 400MW campus in Ulu Tiram, Johor. The WTP applies advanced Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) and Reverse Osmosis (RO) technologies to deliver superior water recovery and quality. Since commencing operations in 2025, the WTP has been significantly reducing reliance on potable water. It further strengthens the long-term resilience of BDC’s operations and supports Johor’s broader environmental agenda.

The WTP has also attracted interest from regional public agencies. In 2025, BDC hosted a technical visit by representatives from PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, who were presented with an overview of the plant’s design and its use of advanced membrane technologies for sustainable water reuse in data centre operations.

BDC’s MY-06 Campus (Building 1) has achieved Singapore’s BCA Green Mark Platinum Award granted under the BCA-IMDA Green Mark International for Data Centres 2024 (GMDC: 2024) framework. The BCA Green Mark Award recognises developers, building owners and individuals who have made outstanding achievements in environmental sustainability in the built environment. BDC is the first data centre operator to achieve this recognition for a facility based outside of Singapore. Beyond project certification, BDC has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with BCA International (BCAI) to support the international adoption of Singapore’s Green Mark standards in global data centre developments. Through this partnership, BDC will promote Singapore’s sustainable building standards globally while reinforcing the country’s position as a leading AI and green digital infrastructure hub in the region.

These capabilities are aligned with Singapore’s Green Data Centre (DC) Roadmap, which emphasises energy efficiency, sustainable resource use and the integration of green energy to support the growth of digital infrastructure. BDC’s experience in delivering high-efficiency campuses positions it well to contribute to these objectives through practical, deployable solutions.

Pioneering energy solutions

As AI workloads drive the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure, energy resilience, data security and sustainability are becoming increasingly important. BDC is advancing a range of initiatives to explore alternative energy pathways and strengthen long-term power strategies.

A key collaboration is with Concord New Energy (CNE), where the partners are jointly developing Singapore’s first floating hydrogen power generation solution tailored for next-generation AI digital infrastructure, marking a significant milestone in advancing low-carbon energy pathways for the data centre sector.

BDC and CNE will also collaborate with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) to support the development of Singapore’s hydrogen ecosystem, accelerating research, engineering and the deployment of scalable clean energy technologies for digital infrastructure applications.

In addition, BDC is working with Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research Institute of High Performance Computing (A*STAR IHPC) and HY to evaluate the potential of nuclear energy as a long-term clean power source for data centres.

BDC’s alliance with A*STAR IHPC and HY will leverage advanced modelling and engineering expertise to explore innovative low-carbon energy pathways that will support Singapore’s sustainable digital growth while reinforcing the nation’s position as a trusted global technology hub.

BDC has also established partnerships with global leaders in energy and energy storage technologies, including CATL, EcoCeres, SK Innovation. Through these collaborations, the partners will jointly explore the establishment of innovation and research platforms to advance the development and pilot deployment of clean energy solutions such as hydrogen and biomass energy, as well as next-generation energy storage technologies designed for tropical climates. These initiatives aim to enhance thermal management, improve safety performance and increase the power density of data centre energy storage systems.

These collaborations and pilot initiatives will also contribute to talent development and workforce capability building in Singapore’s digital infrastructure and energy sectors. Through joint research programmes, technology pilots and knowledge exchange with universities, research institutions and industry partners, BDC aims to support the development of specialised expertise in areas such as advanced energy systems, sustainable data centre design, and next-generation cooling and energy storage technologies.

The initiatives are also expected to create high-value job opportunities in Singapore, spanning engineering, energy systems research, digital infrastructure operations and advanced technology development. By nurturing local talent and strengthening cross-disciplinary capabilities, these efforts will help build a robust talent pipeline to support Singapore’s growing AI and digital infrastructure ecosystem.

These partnerships represent a strategic step in BDC’s long-term roadmap to diversify power sourcing pathways, enhance energy security, and future-proof its Singapore data centre portfolio amid evolving grid constraints and decarbonisation dynamics. They also reinforce Singapore’s position as a regional hub for AI-ready digital infrastructure, while supporting the nation’s broader ambitions in sustainable energy innovation and green economic growth. Furthermore, these advancements accelerate Singapore’s ambition to achieve its net zero emissions goal by 2050.

Advancing technology and ecosystem growth

BDC is also pushing the envelope in innovative and sustainable cooling solutions through collaborations with ecosystem technology partners such as Vertiv, Terahop and Teracule, which are subsidiaries of Zhongji Innolight, as well as Delta Electronics and Supermicro.

Many of these partners are established leaders in data centre cooling, power systems and high-performance computing infrastructure, and are active participants in the broader AI infrastructure ecosystem, working closely with leading chipmakers to support next-generation compute environments.

Through its collaboration with Teracule and Terahop, the subsidiaries of Zhongji Innolight, BDC is exploring opportunities to jointly develop next-generation liquid cooling modules and high-performance optical connectivity solutions tailored for AI data centre environments. By combining Innolight’s expertise in optical modules and high-speed interconnect technologies with BDC’s experience in hyperscale data centre design and operations, the partners aim to advance integrated solutions that enhance thermal efficiency, data transmission performance and system reliability for high-density AI workloads.

The collaboration will also explore the establishment of joint research and development initiatives in Singapore, bringing together industry, academia and research institutions to support innovation in AI infrastructure technologies. Through this industry–academia-research collaboration model, the partners aim to accelerate the development and commercialisation of advanced cooling and connectivity technologies while contributing to Singapore’s broader push to strengthen research, talent development and innovation within the digital infrastructure ecosystem.

Together, these alliances focus on the development of advanced liquid cooling architectures, high-density GPU cooling solutions, and energy-optimised HVAC systems designed to support increasingly compute-intensive workloads. These technologies are critical in enabling the efficient operation of AI infrastructure, particularly as rack densities and thermal loads continue to rise in next-generation data centre environments.

Driving regional connectivity

As a Singapore-headquartered digital infrastructure platform, BDC continues to strengthen Singapore’s position as a regional hub for digital infrastructure and AI-driven innovation. With its highly developed connectivity ecosystem, robust regulatory environment and strong international network links, Singapore plays a central role in enabling the growth of the digital economy across Asia Pacific.

In this context, Singapore serves as one of the primary regional hubs, supporting high-value and latency-sensitive digital services such as edge computing deployments, international data traffic management and regional digital service platforms.

To support the burgeoning demand for AI and cloud computing across the region, complementary infrastructure resources across Asia Pacific can help provide additional capacity for compute-intensive workloads, including AI inference, machine learning and large-scale data processing. This cross-border model enables Singapore to remain the connectivity and innovation anchor of the ASEAN digital ecosystem, while regional infrastructure supports the scaling of digital capacity.

BDC’s collaborations with ecosystem partners, including major telecommunications companies and global technology firms, also help expand connectivity networks beyond Asia Pacific, further reinforcing Singapore’s role as a key regional interconnection hub.

One such ecosystem partner is Zenlayer, a leading global edge cloud and connectivity provider with a well-established customer base across Asia Pacific, North America and Europe. Through this partnership, BDC continues to strengthen its regional and international network connectivity anchored in Singapore.

This expanded network reach supports low-latency cross-border digital infrastructure integration, enabling hyperscalers to scale efficiently across markets while leveraging Singapore as one of the core regional gateways for digital services.

Catalysing Singapore’s AI-driven digital growth

Looking ahead, BDC will continue to leverage its operating model as a glocal platform, combining regional scale with deep local execution capabilities to expand across Asia Pacific. The Company’s strategy focuses on connecting key economic corridors, developing high-density, utility-integrated campuses, and working with ecosystem partners to align digital infrastructure growth with evolving energy pathways.

Anchored in Singapore as its strategic regional hub, BDC’s investments and partnerships contribute to the development of a robust digital infrastructure ecosystem that supports AI-driven workloads and cross-border connectivity.

BDC is also adopting an industry–academia–research collaboration mode， bringing together industry partners, universities and research institutes to accelerate innovation in AI infrastructure, advanced cooling technologies and sustainable energy systems. This integrated approach supports the development of new technologies while nurturing local talent and strengthening Singapore’s innovation ecosystem.

BDC’s initiatives in hydrogen, low-carbon power solutions and energy storage further contribute to the growth of Singapore’s green economy, catalysing investment in sustainable energy infrastructure and support the transition towards lower-carbon digital operations.

BDC’s efforts support the creation of high-value jobs and the development of specialised technical expertise in Singapore, spanning engineering, digital infrastructure and advanced energy systems. In addition, BDC will work with universities, research institutes and industry partners to support talent development initiatives, including internships, training programmes and collaborative research opportunities, contributing to the development of a strong local talent pipeline for Singapore’s AI and digital infrastructure ecosystem.

Collectively, these contributions reinforce Singapore’s position as a leading AI and digital infrastructure hub in Asia Pacific, underpinned by resilient, efficient and sustainable infrastructure.

Hashtag: #BridgeDataCentres #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/2026/03/12/bridge-data-centres-plans-major-investment-with-global-partners-to-strengthen-singapores-position-as-asia-pacifics-leading-ai-hub/

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The Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2026: Global art sales rose 4% to USD 59.6 billion in 2025

Source: Media Outreach

The global art market returned to growth in 2025, led by renewed confidence at the high end, with dealer sales up 2% year‑on‑year and public auction sales rising 9% by value.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 March 2026 – The Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2026, authored by Dr. Clare McAndrew, Founder of Arts Economics, provides a comprehensive benchmark analysis of the global art market in 2025. Co‑published by Art Basel and UBS, the tenth edition of the report examines the performance of key market segments, including galleries and dealers, auction houses, and art fairs, against the backdrop of shifting economic conditions, evolving buyer behavior, and changes in global wealth. The publication is the most comprehensive data-driven overview of the forces shaping today’s art market.

Clare McAndrew, Founder, Arts Economics, said: “The market welcomed a shift in direction in 2025, from the contraction of previous years to modest growth. However, it continued to operate in a volatile geopolitical environment, particularly regarding cross-border trade, the full implications of which are still unfolding in 2026. While some categories of art were relatively insulated from the direct effects of tariffs, broader policy uncertainty and trade fragmentation created challenges for businesses, affecting pricing and supply. A wider shift toward protectionism and more domestically focused sales also poses longer-term risks, as the art trade relies heavily on international circulation and access to global audiences. Early indicators suggest cross-border trade in art remained broadly stable in 2025, but how these flows evolve will be critical to the market’s future growth.“

Adrian Zuercher, Co‑Head Global Asset Allocation and Co‑Head Global Investment Management APAC, UBS Global Wealth Management CIO, said: “The Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2026 highlights a nuanced picture across Asia Pacific. China maintained its position as one of the world’s leading art markets while Hong Kong continues to play a central role in the Asia art ecosystem with several high‑value sales and early signs of macroeconomic stabilization this year. Singapore sustained its trajectory as a growing regional hub. Against a backdrop of moderating inflation and improving regional fundamentals, these dynamics reinforce Asia Pacific’s growing importance on the global art market stage.”

Noah Horowitz, CEO, Art Basel, said: “2025 marked a return to growth for the art business and a strategic inflection point in its continued evolution. Over the year, dealers refined their programs and client engagement strategies with clear intentionality, while art fair-related sales strengthened. Although elevated costs, geopolitical uncertainty, and tariff concerns are still affecting business, buyer confidence improved as the year progressed and the year closed with a succession of dynamic sales moments. As the market recalibrates within a more disciplined range, sustained growth will depend on bringing exceptional works to market, deepening client relationships, and broadening participation across the global ecosystem – priorities that are guiding our focus in 2026.”

The key findings include:

  • Global sales: The global art market returned to growth in 2025, with sales increasing by 4% year-on-year to an estimated USD 59.6 billion. Aggregate sales in the dealer sector rose to USD 34.8 billion (up 2%) and public auction sales increased to USD 20.7 billion (up 9%), while reported auction house private sales declined to just under USD 4.2 billion (down 4%). The volume of transactions reached an estimated 41.5 million in 2025 (up 2%).
  • Leading art markets: The United States, the United Kingdom, and China accounted for 76% of global art sales by value, in line with last year. The US remained the largest market with a 44% share, followed by the UK at 18% and China at 14%. France increased its global share by one percentage point to 8%, consolidating its position as the fourth‑largest market and the largest within the EU.
  • Mixed regional market performance:
    • Sales in the United States reached USD 26 billion (up 5% year-on-year), with a strong rebound at the high-end of the auction market and despite trade unpredictability.
    • UK sales increased to USD 10.5 billion (up 2% year-on-year), driven by growth in public auctions.
    • In China, sales increased to USD 8.5 billion (up just over 1% year-on-year). The market stabilized despite the real estate downturn and other economic concerns that weighed on consumer confidence.
    • France saw sales rising to USD 4.5 billion (up 9% year-on-year), driven by strong performance in both the auction and dealer sectors. That performance lifted the market above its 2019 level.
    • Across Europe and Asia, performance year-on-year was mixed, with growth in markets such as Switzerland (up 13%), Austria (up 13%), Spain (up 6%), and South Korea (up 6%), and slower conditions in Germany (down 10%), Italy (down 2%), and Japan (down 1%).
  • Dealer market recovery: Global dealer sales reached USD 34.8 billion (up 2% year-on-year). While 42% of dealers reported higher sales, rising operating costs (up an average5%) continued to weigh on profitability. Lower‑end dealers (turning over less than USD 500,000) recorded the strongest growth, while sales among mid‑market dealers (turnover between USD 1 million and USD 10 million) softened slightly. At the top end, dealers with turnover above USD 10 million returned to growth.
  • Dealer resilience and business longevity: A review of published gallery activity based on media announcements showed despite high‑profile gallery closures in 2025, there was no evidence that closures outpaced openings overall. Gallery launches represented 42% of reported activity, compared with 25% closures, underscoring continued adaptation and resilience within the dealer sector.
  • Gender representation: Female artist representation strengthened further in 2025, reaching 50% of total artists among primary market galleries and 45% across all dealers. Works by female artists accounted for 37% of sales by value (up from 28% in 2018), although disparities persist at the highest revenue levels.
  • Growing importance of art fairs: Art fair sales increased to 35% of dealer turnover (up 4% year-on-year), their highest level since 2022. Overseas fairs accounted for the majority of sales, though growth was recorded at both international and local events, particularly among mid‑sized dealers.
  • Auction market dynamics: Combined public and private auction sales reached USD 24.8 billion. Public auction sales increased to USD 20.7 billion (up 9% year-on-year), driven by the ultra-high‑end sales above USD 10 million (up 30%) and record prices in the second half of the year, while private sales declined to just under USD 4.2 billion (down 5%).
  • Online sales moderation: Online art sales declined to USD 9.2 billion (down 11% year-on-year), their lowest level since 2019, as high‑value transactions shifted back to in‑person channels. Online‑only sales accounted for 15% of total market value, down 3% in share year-on-year, remaining an important channel for engaging new buyers.
  • Improving outlook: Confidence strengthened heading into 2026, with 43% of dealers expecting sales to improve and 38% anticipating stable performance. Sentiment also improved among mid-tier auction houses, reflecting greater optimism despite ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

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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/2026/03/12/the-art-basel-and-ubs-global-art-market-report-2026-global-art-sales-rose-4-to-usd-59-6-billion-in-2025/