22 12 月, 2020

Updates to HKTDC event arrangements in first half of 2021

HONG KONG, Dec 22, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - With the pandemic continuing unabated and international travel still greatly affected, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) will reconfigure its industry trade fairs and conferences in the first half of 2021 as part of its ongoing efforts to find ways to help Hong Kong companies continue doing business during the pandemic. In addition to enhancing its hybrid model that combines online fairs with physical fairs and symposiums, the HKTDC will also organise new local exhibitions and hold a number of its key international conferences online, including those targeting the finance, creative and marketing sectors.New online-to-offline exhibition - International Sourcing ShowExhibitions are a vital component of the business of SMEs, helping to secure an average of 40% of orders for such companies. The fact that it will still be difficult to stage local trade shows in a physical form in the first half of 2021 will have a significant impact on SMEs. The HKTDC is reacting to this new situation in a flexible way, launching a brand-new sourcing event, the HKTDC International Sourcing Show, that will consolidate seven HKTDC trade fairs originally scheduled to be held in spring. The new event will run from March to July 2021 and will be held in online and physical formats, exploring business opportunities across a range of industries.The seven exhibitions include the HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair, HKTDC Hong Kong Houseware Fair, HKTDC Hong Kong International Home Textiles and Furnishings Fair, HKTDC Hong Kong Fashion Week, HKTDC Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair, and the Hong Kong International Printing & Packaging Fair (co-organised with CIEC Exhibition Company (HK) Limited).Several of the HKTDC's physical fairs have been migrated online since the onset of the pandemic, with a brand-new artificial-intelligence-driven business matching platform - Click2Match, helping to bring buyers and exhibitors together. The fairs have received a positive response with exponential growth in the number of business matching meetings arranged. The International Sourcing Show is the first hybrid fair in both online and offline formats to be launched by the HKTDC, with participating buyers and exhibitors able to use an exclusive online exhibition platform for business matching and video conferencing beginning from March 2021. The physical fair will be held in Hong Kong in July, helping companies to discover more new business opportunities once the pandemic situation has eased. The online-to-offline (O2O) format of the International Sourcing Show will help buyers and sellers alike be better prepared for the "new normal" business environment in the wake of the pandemic.In addition to the seven above-mentioned fairs, the HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show and the HKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show have been rescheduled to run at AsiaWorld-Expo from 2 to 6 July 2021.hktdc.com Sourcing platform offers year-round business promotionIn addition to organising physical and online exhibitions, the HKTDC will launch a year-round business promotion through its hktdc.com Sourcing platform to connect local SMEs with global buyers. The theme for the promotion in the first quarter will be "Everything from Home", focusing on popular products such as computers and peripherals, fitness supplies, video games and kitchen appliances associated with the rapid rise of the stay-at-home economy. In addition, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will provide additional resources to expand the scope of the SME Export Marketing Fund (EMF) - support that will help local SMEs explore more business opportunities through O2O promotional platforms.New public fair helps SMEs explore retail opportunitiesTo assist trading companies in getting a foot in the retail market and help their businesses recover from the pandemic, the HKTDC will launch a new public exhibition, HKTDC Lifestyle ShoppingFest, to be held from 28 April to 2 May 2021 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Details will be announced in due course.Food Expo and concurrent fairs postponed to mid-2021With the safety of the public and exhibitors remaining the top priority, a decision has been taken to reschedule the HKTDC Food Expo and three concurrent public fairs to the second half of 2021. Moreover, the HKTDC Education & Careers Expo, rescheduled to run from 15 to 18 July 2021, will now be held concurrently with the HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair and HKTDC Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo (14 to 20 July 2021) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. For details, please refer to the table here. http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en/pressrelease/detail/20239/Promoting Hong Kong as a global hub for key services sectorsThe HKTDC continues to be at the forefront of promoting Hong Kong's excellence in various areas, including the finance, creative, marketing and professional services sectors, to reinforce the city's role as a two-way global investment and trading hub. The Council will migrate a number of its key international events online to enable industries to overcome pandemic-related restrictions and keep the city connected with business leaders from around the world. These events include the Asian Licensing Conference and HKTDC Hong Kong International Licensing Show (running from 11 to 15 January 2021), the Asian Financial Forum (18 and 19 January 2021), HKTDC Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) (15 to 18 January 2021) and MarketingPulse (to be held in March 2021).The HKTDC understands that uncertainties remain and as such will continue to monitor pandemic developments and maintain close contact with all stakeholders. The Council remains deeply committed to promoting Hong Kong businesses and will strive to provide a safe and efficient platform through which industry can overcome the current challenges and generate new business opportunities.Major HKTDC events to be held from January to August 2021 in Hong Konghttp://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en/pressrelease/detail/20239/About HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn.Media enquiriesPlease contact the HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:Agnes Wat, Tel: +852 2584 4554, Email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.orgSam Ho, Tel: +852 2584 4569, Email: sam.sy.ho@hktdc.org Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

18 12 月, 2020

CloserStill Media Wins Hat-trick at Prestigious Association of Event Organisers Excellence Awards

Despite these trying times, CloserStill Media goes from strength to strength, after winning three momentous awards at the exhibition industry's Oscars. LONDON, Dec 16, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - The Association of Event Organisers (AEO) the trade body representing trade and consumer events honoured CloserStill Media last week with 3 industry awards of excellence - Best Organiser Team, Best International Show Asia Pacific and Best International Show Americas.Organiser Team of the Year was earned by CloserStill's Operations Team, the AEO judges praised the impressive team, who delivered a diverse range, and ever-growing portfolio of events. The team pulled out all the stops, overcoming huge challenges, to deliver the 2019 events.Best International Show - Asia Pacific was won by CloserStill's Singapore Tech event, the judging panel commented that the event showed a clear and measurable growth strategy which enabled it to achieve spectacular results.Best International Show - Americas was awarded to DevLearn 2019, the judges remarked that the fantastic and highly successful event was led by a passionate team, that clearly demonstrated a key understanding of its audience's needs.Since CloserStill was founded, it has earnt 8 AEO Excellence Awards, and has won more industry awards than any other company in the exhibition industry."Whilst running live events seems a long time ago, we are delighted to win 3 AEO awards and to be reminded by the leading body of just how amazing our teams are. We have achieved so much in our first decade and will continue to do so through having great brands, partners and employees. The pandemic will not stop us!," says Alexia Maycock, Chief Marketing Officer at CloserStill Media.About CloserStill MediaCloserStill Media run more than 70 events in the UK and international markets including the United States, Germany, France, Spain and Singapore.CloserStill is of the world's fastest-growing exhibition businesses, running best of class events in the learning, medical & healthcare, technology and veterinary sectors. In the last 10 years, it has won over 50 major industry awards, including the coveted 'Best Business Exhibition' seven times, featured in The Sunday Times 100 Best Places to Work (2018 & 2019), been voted by members of the Association of Exhibition Organisers as the 'Most Respected Company' in the exhibition Industry. Copyright © 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Asia Corporate News Network.

14 12 月, 2020

The 3rd Hainan Island International Film Festival in Sanya, Hainan, China

SANYA, CHINA, Dec 14, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - The 3rd Hainan Island International Film Festival runs in Sanya, Hainan, China on from December 5 through 13. Shen Xiaoming, secretary of Hainan Provincial Party Committee, and Shen Haixiong, deputy director of the Central Propaganda Department and director of the Central Radio and Television General Station delivered the opening speeches before Shen Haixiong announced the opening of the film festival.This year's film festival is sponsored by the Central Radio and Television General Station and Hainan Provincial People's Government. The 8-day film festival has an exhibition show, an opening ceremony, a master class and an H!Future Newcomer Honor, H!Action Venture Capital Meeting, H!Market, special forum, closing ceremony and other main activities.Shen Xiaoming expressed his congratulations on the opening of the film festival and welcomed the guests from around the world. He said that under the personal planning, deployment and promotion of President Xi Jinping, the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port went smoothly, and its unique policy advantages made Hainan an important platform for cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and the West. Located in the world's magical "golden tourism belt", Hainan is a "natural studio" that can take pictures all year round. It is accelerating the construction of cultural tourism industrial park, cultivating and attracting all kinds of film talents, creating a first-class business environment, and introducing high-quality resources from all over the world, which provides rich nourishment and high-quality environment for the development of film enterprises. Hainan's development of film industry is in line with the trend of the industry. It has the advantages of geographical environment and humanities. It is expected that all guests will display good films and cooperate here; Welcome guests to invest here to make the free trade port a highland for the development of the film industry; It is hoped that everyone will promote the global economic recovery with the film art industry, strengthen the exchanges among people from all over the world, and jointly build the Community of Shared Future for Mankind.Shen Haixiong said that this film festival was held in a special period, which is of special significance to filmmakers and audiences all over the world. Under the personal command and deployment of President Xi Jinping, China actively responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, and achieved staged success, taking the lead in controlling the pandemic, restarting work and restoring economic growth. The opening of Hainan Island International Film Festival is not only the proof of the rapid recovery of Chinese film industry, but also the hope that mankind will finally defeat COVID-19. The Hainan Island International Film Festival collects the world's outstanding films. The various works are exchanged and shared to promote the mutual learning of civilizations. The outstanding films displayed at this film festival will surely bring more inspirations to the construction of the Community of Shared Future for Mankind. With the opportunity of Hainan Free Trade Port, filmmakers from around the world will gather here to make more contributions to the development of the world film industry. Media ContactZhangyongpengmedia@hiiff.com.cnhttps://www.hiiff.com.cn Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

10 12 月, 2020

CITIC Telecom CPC won Asia Communication Awards 2020

SINGAPORE, Dec 10, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited ("CITIC Telecom CPC"), a wholly owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited (SEHK:1883), is honored to announce the winning of "Digital Transformation Project of the Year" at the Asia Communication Awards (ACA) 2020 which applauds and recognizes the company for its innovative way to transform services by integrating augmented reality into business processes with DataHOUSE(TM) AR Remote Hand Service.The ACA organized by Total Telecom is one of the top telecom industry awards in this region. ACA recognized companies and individuals for outstanding achievements and innovation that contribute to the development of the telecom industry.During the award ceremony, Harry Baldock, Editor of Total Telecom commended that DataHOUSE(TM) AR Remote Hand Service gives field engineers access to information in real time to help them perform complicated operation according to customer own internal IT procedure. The winning solution leverage Augmented Reality to dramatically transform field engineering operations, streamlining installation, maintenance and troubleshooting processes"CITIC Telecom CPC is very proud to receive the Asia Communication Award 2020 for our DataHOUSE(TM) AR Remote Hand Service. DataHOUSE(TM) AR Remote Hand Service enables enterprise to maintain operation in exceptional circumstances, it also allows field engineers across multiple locations to overcome the challenges of time zone, language, distance and skillset in a multi-technology environment." said Mr. Esmond Li, CEO of CITIC Telecom CPC. "In challenging time like now, we aim to deliver a "Global-Local" value proposition, giving our customer access to our carrier-class global infrastructure and world-class expertise."Moving forward, CITIC Telecom CPC will continue to enhance DataHOUSE(TM) AR Remote Hand Service by expanding the range of supported vendor equipment and adding Artificial Intelligence capability for even more intelligent diagnoses. "As a trusted ICT solution partner, we are confident that we will be able to help our customers to drive their digital transformation journey with our innovation solution and extensive service coverage." Mr Li added.About the awardsOrganized by Total Telecom, Asia Communication Awards 2020 has become the independent mark of excellence for telecoms in Asia and has fostered a platform to recognize Asia's Telecoms Superstars. Marking its 10th year anniversary, Asia Communication Awards is the region's longest-running and most prestigious industry award designed especially for the telecoms industry. 2020 has been an exciting year for the telecom industry, Asia Communication Awards aims to celebrate flexibility and innovation together with telecom industry coming together to deliver robust connectivity that keep the modern society moving forward. For more information about CITIC Telecom CPC's awards and recognition, visit https://www.citictel-cpc.com/EN/HK/Pages/about-us-accreditation About CITIC Telecom CPCWe are CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited ("CITIC Telecom CPC"), a wholly owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited (SEHK: 1883), serving multinational enterprises the world over by addressing their specific ICT requirements with highly scalable tailored solutions built upon our flagship technology suites, comprising TrueCONNECT(TM) private network solutions, TrustCSI(TM) information security solutions, DataHOUSE(TM) cloud data center solutions, and SmartCLOUD(TM) cloud computing solutions.As a leading Global Local ICT Solutions Partner with worldwide footprint across East to West and native presence, we truly live our motto, "Innovation Never Stops." Being a preferred Digital Society Enabler, we lead our key markets at the forefront of pioneering ICT development, embracing AI, AR, Big Data, IoT, and other cutting-edge emerging technologies to transform technical potential into real-world value for our customers, helping them achieve higher productivity, agility, cost-efficiency, and ultimately, Digital Globalization. As one of the first managed service providers in Hong Kong to achieve ISO 9001, 14001, 20000, 27001, and 27017 ICT-related certifications, CITIC Telecom CPC delivers on our superior quality commitment through a broad global self-managed infrastructure encompassing some of the highest growth markets in Asia, Europe and America, with over 140 points of presence, 18 Cloud service centers, 30+ data centers, and two dedicated 24x7 Security Operations Centers.For more information please visit www.citictel-cpc.comMedia Contact:June TayCITIC Telecom International CPC Limited(65) 6692 8357Email: june.tay@citictel-cpc.com Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

10 12 月, 2020

Ethics body aims to create safe space for athletes

All gymnasts are entitled to train without fear of physical or psychological abuse, the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation's (GEF) director Alex McLin reiterated to The Straits Times in a recent interview. The GEF is an independent body set up by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) last year in the wake of the USA Gymnastics scandal, which saw its former team doctor Larry Nassar jailed after pleading guilty to sexually abusing athletes under his care. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

8 12 月, 2020

Trendy Lifestyle Products take their Cue from Big Data

HONG KONG, Dec 7, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Amid the current challenges, companies are taking new approaches in the quest to grow their businesses. Twenty-two webinars held recently as part of Autumn Sourcing Week | ONLINE (ASWO) brought leaders from various industries together to share the latest market intelligence on lifestyle trends that can help companies develop new business opportunities. The seminars included the "Hong Kong Toys Industry Conference - Toys for the Future", "Divulge the Next Era of Home", and the "Hong Kong International Watch Forum".Kenny Sham, Director, Head of Marketing (Hong Kong, Taiwan & Macau), LEGO Group, suggested that small and medium-sized toy makers could try to find local YouTubers to represent their brands.Speaking at the Hong Kong International Watch Forum, Samuel Lee, Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Limited (centre), advised the industry to build a strong foundation for domestic markets in Hong Kong and Mainland China.New toy industry initiatives attract millennialsThe "Hong Kong Toys Industry Conference" was jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Hong Kong Toys Council and the Toys Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong. Jason Tjiptadi, Research Analyst at Euromonitor International, provided his perspective on the current state of the industry through data analysis. He pointed out that in regions such as Mainland China, India and Indonesia, millennials are now high-income earners who are willing to spend on quality products. They are also tech-savvy, sensation-seeking and environmentally conscious. To attract millennials to spend, multi-platform entertainment and physical/digital crossover toys are the way to go for large toy manufacturers, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can explore licensing opportunities, such as the record-breaking box office hit Ejen Ali in Malaysia, to create peripheral products that can help develop their businesses.Another speaker at the conference was Kenny Sham, Director, Head of Marketing (Hong Kong, Taiwan & Macau), LEGO Group, who also saw millennials as a key target group. He said that ViuTV and Netflix are two of the media channels that have emerged rapidly among kids in Hong Kong. He suggested that small and medium-sized toy makers could try to find local YouTubers to represent their brands as they are very popular with children. Understanding that millennials value shopping experiences, LEGO has incorporated new technologies into its brick-and-mortar stores. For example, customers can swipe their intended purchase over a scanner to see a 3D image of the finished product on the screen, which helps to capture their attention and drive them to make a purchase.Responding to the rising popularity of environmentally friendly toys, Alain De Rauw, International Sales Director of PlanToys, shared his insights on striking a balance between conservation and profitability. Established in Thailand in 1981, the brand is unique in that it produces wooden toys with no chemicals, uses recycled wood chips and lists the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during production. He remarked that one of PlanToy's business strategies is to develop green and aesthetic designs and communicate the brand's story, which drives customers' word-of-mouth recommendations on platforms such as Instagram to create free marketing. He said that the road to sales is not easy, but he believed that millennials would "buy less, but buy better".Decoding four houseware trendsUnder the current trend of working from home, people have become more concerned about the design and configuration of their homes. Creative Trends Services has been selling books and magazines based on global trend forecasts for many years. Michael Leow, Founder & CEO of the company, presented the fall/winter trends for home products in 2021/22 under four themes: "New Era", mixing old and new styles to build emotional connection and security; "Revive", a vintage style of the 1950s where the colour schemes are vibrant and warm, with the feature of curves; "Dawn", emphasising handmade products with a slightly surrealist style; and "Brute Force", which strives for simplicity with earthy colours and a strong emphasis on tactility.Hong Kong brand EMOH specialises in furniture inspired by Scandinavian design. Ally Yu, Business Development Manager at EMOH, discussed some of the latest interior design trends under the pandemic. As the work-from-home trend grows, people have greater demand for lighting, storage and soundproofing furniture, as well as more greenery and designs with a reduced environmental impact. In terms of e-commerce, Ms Yu said that brands are beginning to develop online showrooms that allow customers to place orders once they have something in mind. She explained that EMOH is investing in user interface and user experience design capabilities to improve its mobile homepage.Watch Forum explores impact of digital transformationThe pandemic has had an impact on the performance of the watch industry in many countries. At the "Hong Kong International Watch Forum", co-organised by the HKTDC, the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Limited and the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Limited, industry representatives from France, Germany, Mainland China, Japan, Korea and Hong Kong pointed out the pressures facing the industry, with watch imports and exports in all regions showing a year-on-year decline compared to 2019. Speakers at the conference explored a range of topics including smart watches and the importance of digital transformation to help manufacturers protect their businesses during this challenging period.A trend observed by the industry in many countries is for people placing more emphasis on their health due to the pandemic, with smart watches incorporating healthcare functions becoming the way forward. Japanese representative Hiroyuki Baba noted that this might lead to a challenge to the market for entry-priced quartz watches. Swiss high-end watch brands, however, are continuing do well. In Japan, for example, Patek Philippe, Omega and Richard Mille all posted a slight increase in sales after June.The watch industry continues to shift its focus to online platforms. Korean representative Dae-boong Kim noted that the three offline sales giants in Korea - Emart, Lotte Mart and Homeplus - have all been actively developing their online capabilities, while French representative Patrice Besnard noted that "without online platforms, many retailers would be gone". German representative Guido Grohmann said that physical fairs are still difficult to replace and that "the impulse to buy a watch has much to do with being able to show it to someone else".Regarding the watch industry forecast for the coming year, it was noted that the Mainland China is the only region optimistic about the coming year. Zhang Hong-guang, Director General of the China Horologe Association, explained that the pandemic has been effectively brought under control in the mainland and citizens who were not able to travel had turned to domestic consumption. This has helped to drive up revenue from watch sales. Samuel Lee, Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Limited, said the watch market has been volatile since 2015 due to political, currency and global economic issues, advising the industry of a need to build a strong foundation for domestic markets in both Hong Kong and the mainland.The results of the 37th Hong Kong Watch & Clock Design Competition were announced during the conference. Under the theme of "Persistent Spirit", the Open Group Champion honour went to Benny Tam, sponsored by Wincy Horological Limited, with a design titled "Headwind". Wong Ting-bong, sponsored by Po Fai Precision Ltd/Youngs Watch Company Limited, was the first runner-up with his piece "Parallel Universe". The second runner-up spot went to Lee Tung-chun with his piece "The Filmera". The design theme for the student group was "Beautiful Legend" and the winning entry was "The Adonis Rose", designed by Wong Ka-yan from the School for Higher and Professional Education (SHAPE). First runner-up was designer Liu Shing-kai from the Hong Kong Design Institute, with a design titled "Promise", while the second-runner award went to Chow Hong-man from the Technological & Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong for his entry "Essence".Organised by the HKTDC, Autumn Sourcing Week | ONLINE showcased the latest products from 11 industries including electronics, houseware, lighting, outdoor lighting, green technology, gifts and premiums, toys, baby products, stationery, eyewear, watches and clocks, providing a one-stop online sourcing platform for SMEs. The online exhibition, which drew to a successful close on 27 November, featured more than 2,600 exhibitors and attracted more than 27,000 buyers from 132 countries and regions to participate.Websites- Autumn Sourcing Week | ONLINE: http://asw.hktdc.com- hktdc.com Sourcing: http://sourcing.hktdc.com- Photo download: https://bit.ly/33I5mYkAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn.Contact:Janet Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4369, Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

5 12 月, 2020

SmartBiz Expo and Franchising Show open today

Empowering SMEs to ride the stay-at-home-economy wave HONG KONG, Dec 2, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - In light of the continuing global pandemic, the fourth HKTDC SmartBiz Expo and the sixth HKTDC Hong Kong International Franchising Show, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), are being held online from 2 to 4 December, with official websites to introduce the two events. The virtual events have brought together more than 30 industry elites to share their insights at a series of webinars, examining the current business practices of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and looking at how to capture the business opportunities brought by innovative technologies, creative thinking, e-commerce and franchising amid the current challenges. The fourth HKTDC SmartBiz Expo and sixth HKTDC Hong Kong International Franchising Show are being held online from 2 to 4 December, bringing together more than 30 industry elite speakers to share their insights. Today's online opening session was officiated by Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The expo kicked off this morning with "T-Chat: Riding the wave of the Stay-at-Home Economy and Managing a Remote Business", with Robert Glazer, Founder and CEO, Acceleration Partners, sharing insights on corporate culture under work-from-home arrangements, human resource transformation, and supporting corporations in adjusting to the new normal. Today's online opening session was officiated by Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).In her opening remarks at the event, HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong said: "While the global pandemic has necessitated these events to be held virtually, this offers brand-new online platforms to SMEs to explore the latest business opportunities and corporate transformation trends, covering areas such as innovation, creative thinking, technology applications and design. Both the SmartBiz Expo and Hong Kong International Franchising Show are very much focused on the new normal and the rise of the stay-at-home economy. Industry leaders will be sharing their points of view at a series of webinars covering topics like e-commerce, artificial intelligence (AI), big data and smart logistics solutions, rethinking how to fine-tune their business models amid the challenges."SmartBiz Expo captures opportunities brought by stay-at-home economyUnder the theme "Reimagine, Reinvent", the SmartBiz Expo provides innovative business solutions to SMEs to help them maintain their competitiveness in the face of the pandemic and help them explore the stay-at-home-economy trend. In the face of an increasingly harsh business environment, the expo focuses on three key areas - how e-commerce and big data offer a brand-new customer experience, redefining working patterns through digitalisation, and how SMEs can apply technologies such as 5G and blockchain in their businesses.COVID-19 has hit the world's economy hard and affected almost all industries. It has also altered traditional working patterns, with numerous companies adopting flexitime or work-from-home arrangements - but how can enterprises boost productivity under these new arrangements? The expo kicked off this morning with "T-Chat: Riding the wave of the Stay-at-Home Economy and Managing a Remote Business", with Robert Glazer, Founder and CEO of Acceleration Partners, sharing insights on corporate culture under work-from-home arrangements, human resource (HR) transformation, and supporting corporations in adjusting to the new normal. Not only is Mr Glazer a renowned thought leader in corporate culture, he is also a bestselling author and renowned speaker. He ranked second on Glassdoor's list of top CEOs for SMEs in 2018 and was on the Forbes list of 20 Speakers for 2017.Experiencing e-commerce and big data technologyWhile facing the impacts of the pandemic, SMEs are also embracing new business opportunities, especially e-commerce, which helps consumers efficiently access all basic necessities. An increasing number of companies are using AI and big data technology to provide brand-new customer experiences through electronic platforms and online shops, helping them to capture new opportunities. This trend was in focus at a session titled "World SME Summit", where Edward Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR, delivered welcome remarks while industry experts examined the global economic outlook and shared market strategies that could help local SMEs grasp new opportunities.The concept of the stay-at-home economy has developed rapidly and is more than just putting products online - it is also about creating a one-stop experience for customers. Gordon Lam, Board Executive Director, Bonjour Holdings, and Angel Cheng, Business Development Manager at SHOPLINE, examined the path to success for e-commerce, from platform development to influencer marketing, including new retail technology, online-to-offline (O2O) commerce, and live commerce. In another webinar, Cristina Ng, Senior Manager at OpenRice, shared her experience running a one-stop catering mobile application and how to make use of the latest technologies to analyse big date for the local catering market. Bianca Ho, Co-Founder & COO, Clare.AI, talked about how SMEs can adopt AI-powered customer service chatbots to enhance their business.Digitalisation provides boost for productivityThe second day of the expo (Thursday, 3 December) will feature webinars on boosting corporate productivity, redefining traditional working patterns, enhancing productivity and competitiveness under work-from-home arrangements and strengthening cyber security. Peter Lee, Head of Corporate Business, Microsoft Hong Kong, and Ellis Ho, NetSuite Sales Director, ONE Pacific, will share on how companies can adopt new technologies to increase efficiency and effectiveness and make remote working more effective. In addition, representatives from the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), the HKTDC and Hong Kong's Competition Commission will introduce different funding and support schemes, as well as the competition ordinance, for SMEs. And, as innovative technologies become more widely used in companies of all sizes, IT experts will be on hand to offer advice regarding cyber security.5G and blockchain technologies help enterprises adapt to new normalOn the last day of the expo (Friday, 4 December), a series of webinars will focus on how SMEs can apply technologies such as 5G and blockchain in their businesses. Nowadays, logistics and supply chain solutions are about much more than just transporting products from point to point, with a series of smart solutions - from manufacturing to warehousing and transportation - available in the market. Stefanie Chow, Deputy General Manager, Boxful, will introduce different kinds of smart supply chain solutions, such as a one-stop service for storage and delivery and a cloud-based inventory management system, that offer real-time information to help SMEs enhance their productivity and efficiency. Representatives from the Office of the Communications Authority, CSL Mobile, KARA Smart Fitness and Shan On Engineering Company will discuss how they have adopted the latest 5G technology in their businesses. And, with the Mainland China market anticipated to sustain its growth, experts from Zerotosix Technology Company and InSky Global eCommerce Ltd will share how to seize business opportunities under the new "internal circulation" model through various online sales and marketing avenues that can help companies penetrate the mainland market.The HKTDC has long been committed to launching different solutions that can support SMEs in achieving their transformation goals. This year, in addition to the three-day SmartBiz Expo, the Council has launched a series of activities to help SMEs transform and be future-ready, including various seminars, programmes and workshops being held in November and December. A one-year online promotion programme called "Connect with Smart Advisors" will be launched, enabling experts in innovation and technology to demonstrate their products and technological solutions virtually on the SmartBiz Expo, Hong Kong International Franchising Show and hktdc.com Sourcing websites, helping SMEs to seize new business opportunities in the face of the pandemic.International Franchising Show shares latest market informationHeld concurrently with the SmartBiz Expo, the Hong Kong International Franchising Show is also holding numerous webinars, with industry players such as Franco Lee, Chairman of the Franchising, Licensing & Franchising Association of Hong Kong, sharing the latest business information and offering tips for success in operating a cross-border franchising business.Concurrent events help SMEs improve competitive edgeIn addition to the SmartBiz Expo and Hong Kong International Franchising Show, the HKTDC is also hosting other industry-leading events this month, including the Business of IP Asia Forum (3 to 4 December), DesignInspire (3 to 9 December) and the Asian E-tailing Summit (9 to 11 December). The events focus on new technologies across research and development, design, production, sales, and business expansion, supporting SMEs to explore opportunities and embrace the challenges presented by innovation and change.Websites- HKTDC SmartBiz Expo: https://portal.hktdc.com/smartbizexpo/en/- HKTDC Hong Kong International Franchising Show: https://portal.hktdc.com/hkifs/en/- Photo download: https://bit.ly/37pgn1LContact: Christine Kam, Tel: +852 2584 4514, Email: christine.kam@hktdc.org Cathy Lee, Tel: +852 2584 4393, Email: cathy.wk.lee@hktdc.orgCopyright © 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Asia Corporate News Network.

4 12 月, 2020

Tonghai Financial Awarded CarbonCare ESG Label

HONG KONG, Dec 4, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - China Tonghai International Financial Limited ("Tonghai Financial" or the "Group"), is pleased to announce that it has been supporting partner of 2020 CarbonCare ESG Label and earned The CarbonCare ESG Label granted by CarbonCare InnoLab in recognition of its excellence in the sustainability development and efforts towards a greener future.Ms. Mandy Lo, Associate Director - PR and Communications of Tonghai Financial (center) attended the award ceremony and accepted the awardTonghai Financial had been playing active role in important environmental issues. The CarbonCare ESG Label signifies the success of the Group's effort in sustaining a green environment, and also a ringing endorsement of the commitment in providing a high standard of Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) report for stakeholders. With the theme of "Race to Zero for Sustainable Recovery", CarbonCare Label 2020 aims to rally leadership and support from businesses, cities, regions and investors worldwide for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery after the pandemic. Looking ahead, the Group will respond to the call by promoting environmental conservation in the communities and raising green awareness among its employees, so as to further enhance long term sustainability as well as contribute to the green development of the society.The CarbonCare ESG Label, awarded by CarbonCare InnoLab and certified by Carbon Care Asia, aims to recognise corporations that afford high standards of reporting and credible plans for reporting improvements. The quality of the Label and the integrity of the Protocol are overseen by an expert advisory panel comprising leading academics and professionals in the field of carbon management and sustainable development in Hong Kong.About China Tonghai International Financial LimitedChina Tonghai International Financial Limited (the "Company", Stock Code: 00952.HK) is a Hong Kongbased financial services group which is listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. The Company was publicly listed in Hong Kong in 1997 and joined the big family of Oceanwide Holdings Co., Ltd. (Stock Code: 000046.SZ) in 2017. Tonghai Financial is committed to building a comprehensive, full-licensed integrated financial platform. The core businesses of the Company are brokerage business, interest income business, corporate finance business, asset management business and investments and others businesses. The Company strives to become the ideal partner for both corporate and individual investors in Hong Kong and China. The Company also offers premier one-stop financial services to its clients. The Company continued to provide capital markets services through its representative office or the wholly-owned foreign enterprise in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Shenyang, Ningbo, Dalian, Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Xiamen of the PRC and through its networks of Global Alliance Partners network and Oaklins International.For further information, please contact:China Tonghai International Financial Limited - PR and CommunicationsJane Chan Tel: (852) 2217-2888 Email: jane.chan@tonghaifinancial.comMandy Lo Tel: (852) 2217-2753 Email: mandy.lo@tonghaifinancial.comCharlie Chan Tel: (852) 2217-2504 Email: charlie.chan@tonghaifinancial.com Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

27 11 月, 2020

NIU Technologies Announced Q3 2020 Financial Results: Revenue up 36.7% YoY, Total Volume of E-scooter Sales up 67.9% YoY

HONG KONG, Nov 27, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - NIU Technologies ("NIU", or "the Company") (NASDAQ: NIU), the world's leading provider of smart urban mobility solutions, announced its financial results for Q3 2020.Driven by Strong Growth in the China Market, Revenues and E-scooter Sales Volume increased significantlyFor Q3 2020, the revenue is RMB 894.5 million, which is an increase of 36.7% YoY. The net income is RMB 80 million for Q3 2020, compared with RMB 66.4 million in Q3 2019. The adjusted net income (non-GAAP) is RMB 90.6 million, compared with RMB 72.5 million in Q3 2019. Due to strong growth in China, the number of e-scooters sold reached 250,889 units, which is 67.9% YoY. The number of e-scooters sold in China reached 245,293, which is up 70.2% YoY. E-scooter sales revenues from China market is RMB 740.8 million, an increase of 39.2% YoY, which represents 92.6% of total e-scooter revenues. The increase is mainly driven by retail network expansion and new product launches in China. During Q3 2020, the number of franchised stores in China reached 1,266, which is an increase of 182 stores from Q2 2020. In the international market, the number of e-scooters sold reached 5,596 units, which is up 6.3% YoY. Due to the higher average sales price in the international markets, e-scooter sales revenues from international markets is RMB 59.6 million, represented an increase of 35.2% YoY. The international sales network now expanded to 36 distributors covering 46 countries.Accessories, spare part sales and services reached a revenue of RMB 94.1 million, an increase of 20.2% YoY and represented 10.5% of the total revenue. This increase is mainly due to higher sales from China market. Gross margin declined from 22.2% to 20.9% in Q3 2020 compared with Q3 2019, which is mainly due to sales discount and high sales volume of G0 model that has a lower gross margin.Additional Expansion of Product Portfolio and International Sales Network NIU continued its focus on new products development in Q3 2020. R&D expenses is RMB 28.9 million (including RMB 3.0 million of share-based compensation) in Q3 2020, which is an increase of 69.4% from RMB 17.1 million in Q3 2019.Meanwhile, NIU also has been expanding into new international markets and will continue to advance its global strategy. NIU CEO Dr. Yan Li commented: "Southeast Asia will become an important market for NIU in Q4 2020. In Q4 2020, we plan to launch our new Gova product in Indonesia market. The marketing campaign and pre-sales will start from December 2020." In October 2020, the number of e-scooters sold in the international markets reached 2,275, which represents an 83.9% YoY growth. In November 2020, sales volume for the first 19 days has surpassed the total sales volume for the entire month of November 2019. NIU expects revenues of the Q4 2020 to be in the range of RMB 565 million to RMB 615 million, which represents YoY increase from 5% to 15%. Dr. Yan Li commented: "We are very pleased to see the strong sales growth in China during Q3 2020. Although our international sales were affected by rebound of COVID-19 in Q3 2020, we are working closely with our international distributors to mitigate the impact to bring our sales back to fast growth. With the continued cost optimization efforts, we expect our gross margin to improve. For the Indonesia market, we are very excited about the growth prospective and plan to expand our product portfolio and retail sales network in the next few years." Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

27 11 月, 2020

Sports World: CVC Capital, Advent ink $2.7b Serie A deal

CVC Capital, Advent ink $2.7b Serie A deal ROME • CVC Capital Partners and Advent International have agreed to acquire a stake in a new media unit being created by Serie A. The Italian league's board yesterday approved a deal that will see CVC and Advent pay €1.7 billion (S$2.71 billion) for 10 per cent of the company that will manage the competition's TV rights. BLOOMBERG 'Not govt's job' to look into Tokyo bid payout TOKYO • Japan's Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto yesterday said it was not the central government's role to look into reports about large payments the Tokyo campaign allegedly made to various entities in the run-up to the International Olympic Committee's vote in 2013. In response to a Reuters report, she said it was the responsibility of the Japanese Olympic Committee and the Tokyo metropolitan government to explain payments totalling over US$8 million (S$10.7 million) to an executive of the Games organising committee. REUTERS Two lifters lose 2012 medals over doping GENEVA • Three Romanian weightlifters have been retrospectively disqualified from the 2012 London Olympics after fresh analyses found traces of banned substances in their urine samples, the International Olympic Committee yesterday said. The disgraced weightlifters were Razvan Martin, a bronze medallist in the men's 69kg category, Roxana Cocos, a silver medallist in the women's 69kg category, and Gabriel Sincraian, who competed in the men's 85kg event. XINHUA

16 11 月, 2020

JCB sees contactless growth among cardmembers and retail partners, as economic uncertainty accelerates mobile payments

London & Tokyo, Nov 16, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - JCB International Co., Ltd., the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., today reveals substantial growth of JCB Contactless usage by cardmembers and adoption by retail partners.The findings are part of an exclusive new whitepaper issued by JCB International Co., Ltd., titled 'Payment Perspectives and Future-Gazing'. The whitepaper includes insights from JCB business leaders evaluating some of the challenges and opportunities presented to stakeholders in the payments sector as well as the heightened expectations of customers as a result of the changing times.Tsuyoshi Notani, Managing Director, JCB International (Europe) Ltd. comments:"With the pace of change being forced by recent events, there is an even greater opportunity to accelerate the evolution of payments. This means adopting a growth mindset and not retrenching to 'the old' normal. The payment industry is fulfilling an increasingly more important role in the economic recovery phases, and as such, it is essential to find ways to diversify the way in which we meet customer needs alongside our partners.""There are now many options for people to pay for goods and services and preferences vary region to region and country to country. There is a marvellous opportunity for businesses to innovate and create engaging shopping experiences, but it does mean payment networks need to keep one step ahead by utilising market intelligence and providing fresh solutions to meet customer needs.""We are well-placed to help solve the challenges ahead as an established voice in the global payment ecosystem. Long ago we recognised the importance of creating a smooth and secure transactional journey for customers. We began our international expansion in 1981 and, in 1991 we launched the J/Smart™ EMV(R) compliant chip card application for issuing partners, and in 2001 J/Smart™ card issuance commenced. There have been many milestones since."As the payments gateway for Asian customers, we will continue to collaborate with our partners in Europe and internationally to build confidence and to find cutting-edge payment solutions for our 140M+ cardmembers worldwide. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories."Download and read the full whitepaper here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6725429756592041984[1] JCB Proprietary Data (July 2020)[2] JCB World Conference 2019, 'Future of Payments and Authentication'. (October 2019).[3] JCB Proprietary Data (February 2020)[4] JCB Proprietary Data (March 2020)About JCBJCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes 34 million merchants in the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories with more than 140 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information: www.global.jcb/en/ Contacts:Propeller GroupContact: Mykayla CarrEmail: jcb@propellergroup.com / mykayla.carr@propellergroup.comPhone: +44 7445 067604JCB International/EuropeContact: India StoneEmail: istone@jcbeurope.eu Phone: +44 020 7087 4754JCB (Head Office in Japan)Contact: Kumiko Kida, Ayaka NakajimaEmail: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jpPhone: +81 3 5778 8353 Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

11 11 月, 2020

iROO raises funds for Rare Disorders Society Singapore

SINGAPORE, Nov 11, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Taiwanese fashion label iROO International Pte Ltd (iROO) reunites with Rare Disorders Society Singapore (RDSS) for their third annual charity campaign, specially fronted by Taiwanese celebrity Carolyn Chen. Furthermore, anybody who wants to show their support can download the iROO mobile app and bring home Hope, RDSS's sloth mascot.Hope represents the many dreams and wishes that RDSS beneficiaries with a rare condition have. Despite their conditions, these children have the same hopes, dreams, and wishes, any children may have. Carrying Hope shows RDSS beneficiaries how much Singaporeans care and supports them.Anybody in Singapore and Malaysia who wants to support RDSS can get a Hope plushie from iROO. All they need to do is download iROO's mobile application available on iOS and Google Playstore here (https://iroo.onelink.me/lGAb) and purchase Hope for just $49 each. A pair of both plushies can be purchased at $77. Each Hope plushie will come in a limited edition iROO boy's or girl's outfit, making Hope a collectable item. Taiwanese celebrity, Carolyn Chen, known for her roles in "The Bold, The Corrupt, and The Beautiful" and "In the Family", will be hosting a Facebook Live to give away a pair of autographed plushies. https://www.facebook.com/carolyncatfansclub1/Chief Operating Officer of iROO International Pte Ltd, Emily Huang says, "This is the third year iROO is working with RDSS and every year, we are increasingly proud and inspired by the work RDSS has done. 2020 has been a challenging year for everyone and especially so for RDSS and their beneficiaries. As such, I hope Singaporeans will join iROO in our efforts in providing relief to these families by helping them improve the quality of life of children suffering from rare disorders."iROO is located at #01-131/132 Great World, #01-179-182 Vivo City, #B2-36 Takashimaya S.C Ngee Ann City, #01-11 Raffles City Shopping Centre and #01-248 Jewel Changi Airport. About iROOTaiwanese fashion label iROO was founded in 1999 with the concept of "weekly collections", launching new designs in sync with runway fashion trends each week. With over 80 stores in Taiwan and Singapore, the label aims to deliver an array of high-quality products infused with aesthetically innovative designs at affordable prices. iROO houses a full collection of style wardrobe catering to the needs of every woman with its Black & White Collection, Feminine City Collection, Party Collection, Casual Weekend Collection, and the "Accessory" Collection.iROO Outlets: Great World, Vivo City, Takashimaya S.C Ngee Ann City, Raffles City Shopping Centre & Jewel Changi Airport.- Facebook: www.facebook.com/iroosingapore- Instagram: @iroosg- Website: www.rdss.org.sg- Hashtags: #carryhope2020 #carryhoperdss #iROORDSS- App: https://iroo.onelink.me/lGAbFor more information, please contact:Danielle ChowFresh CommunicationsT: +65 97277766E: danielle@freshcomms.sg Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

9 11 月, 2020

Table tennis tournaments restart in China

WEIHAI (China) • The ITTF Women's World Cup opened in Weihai on China's east coast yesterday, signalling the return of international table tennis tournaments following an eight-month pandemic-enforced hiatus. The event attracted 21 players from 15 countries and regions, including world No. 1 Chen Meng and fellow Chinese Sun Yingsha, the world No. 3. International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) chief executive Steve Dainton said: "Today is an important and historical day for our sport. After months and months of no international table tennis events, we finally restart." The #Restart event series, including the Women's and Men's World Cups and the ITTF Finals, will take place in China this month. Liu Guoliang, president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, said: "International table tennis events restarted in China, which not only responds to the expectations of table tennis fans around the world, but also provides a good opportunity to show the achievements of China's epidemic prevention and control to the world." World Cup debutantes Chen and Sun will go straight into the knockout stage, which begins today. They can expect a challenge from Mima Ito (No. 2) and Kasumi Ishikawa (No. 9) of Japan, Chinese Taipei's Cheng I-ching (No. 8), and Singapore's Feng Tianwei (No. 9). Like the other top eight seeds, fifth-seeded Feng bypassed yesterday's group stage. She will start her bid for a fifth World Cup podium finish against Lily Zhang in the round of 16. The American yesterday topped Group 2 despite dropping her opener against Ukraine's Margaryta Pesotska (13-15, 6-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-3, 10-12), rebounding with victories over Puerto Rican Adriana Diaz (11-13, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 12-10, 11-5) and Canadian Zhang Mo (11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-8, 7-11, 13-11). Top seed Chen said: "Every participant at the World Cup is among the world's best players. I will start my game from the knockout stage, so I need to get into it as soon as I can. Hopefully I can find form from the first match." XINHUA

4 11 月, 2020

JCB expands its merchant network with Paymentwall in digital media and home entertainment sector

TOKYO & EUROPE, Nov 4, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - JCB International Co., Ltd., the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., Japan's only international payment brand, and Paymentwall announce the activation of JCB cards in the digital media and home entertainment sector.This partnership will simplify the online transactional journey for digital media and home entertainment communities as they make in-app and online purchases from small and medium-sized companies across the world.Globally, throughout 2020 to date, the video game industry sector has seen a 7.4% increase in sales year-on-year and a user increase of 12.7% year-on-year, and it is forecasted that the market will reach an expected annual sales growth of a further 0.9% as we move towards 2025[1].This collaboration is set to expand the virtual media entertainment market even further. Additionally, this partnership will offer cardmembers enhanced fraud protection, speedier transactions, local payment processing and 24/7 in-app help and support functions.Mr. Honor Gunday, CEO of Paymentwall said, "establishing a relationship with JCB has been a key milestone for us as we expand into new regions where we can offer our customers and end-users more advanced payment options. JCB has almost 60 years of insight and understanding when it comes to its cardmembers across countries in Southeast Asia, Japan, China, and Korea. We are happy to be a part of this network."Mr. Tsuyoshi Notani, Managing Director, JCB International (Europe) Ltd. expresses, "our flexible approach with our partners has enabled us to work alongside Paymentwall to help their mobile entertainment developers and merchants to reach their aspirations too. This collaboration is one that we are particularly excited about as it will support the growing trend and consumption growth of virtual media and home entertainment, which has gained popularity with our cardmembers, especially in recent months. We are both looking forward to unlocking the gateway to Asia for Paymentwall's online retailers, as well as securing card acceptance for our global cardmembers."[1] 'Online Games.' 2020 [Online], https://bit.ly/3mIqbdd, [Accessed 11/08/2020]About JCBJCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes 34 million merchants in the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories with more than 140 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/About PaymentwallPaymentwall is a global payments platform. The platform allows millions of people around the world to make payments using not only credit cards but also 150 local payment options, including bank transfers, e-wallets, and prepaid cards. Paymentwall helps over 200,000 merchants, including LG Electronics, Shopify, Bottega Veneta, Kigo, Wargaming, Tencent, and Samsung to expand globally and monetize new markets. Through the offices in San Francisco, London, Berlin, Lisbon, Cairo, Sofia, Kyiv, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Manila, Hanoi, Beijing, Shenzhen, Seoul, Gurgaon, and Bangalore, Paymentwall provides its merchants and their end-users support in over 30 languages. Paymentwall's call centers, risk and fraud prevention divisions, and merchant support teams work 24/7, 365 days a year to assist their customers. For more information, please visit: www.paymentwall.comContactsJCB International/EuropeIndia StonePhone: +44 020 7087 4754Email: istone@jcbeurope.euJCB (Head Office in Japan)Kumiko Kida, Ayaka NakajimaPhone: +81-3-5778-8353Email: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp Paymentwall EuropeYev PetrovPhone: +49 152 2204-4136Email: zhenya@paymentwall.comPaymentwall, Inc. (HQ)Terry ChanPhone: +1 (415) 707-9920Email: terry@paymentwall.com Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

2 11 月, 2020

Dusit International to manage its first Dusit Thani hotel in Kyoto, Japan

BANGKOK, Nov 2, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Dusit International, one of Thailand's leading hotel and property development companies, has signed a hotel management agreement with Yasuda Real Estate Co., Ltd., a community-focused property developer based in Tokyo, to operate the luxury Dusit Thani Kyoto - its first Dusit-branded hotel in Japan.Dusit Thani Kyoto is designed to blend seamlessly with its traditional surrounds in the heart of the citySigned through D&J Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Dusit International based in Tokyo, the historic deal reflects Dusit's commitment to sustainable expansion by bringing long-term value to its local communities through creating jobs, contributing to the economy, and encouraging responsible tourism.Located in the heart of the city, only 850 metres from Kyoto Station in the Honganji Monzen-machi district, the new property will comprise approximately 150 rooms set over four floors. Facilities will include a Thai-themed all-day dining restaurant, a Japanese specialty restaurant, a lobby lounge and bar, function rooms, a health club equipped for fitness, and wellness facilities. Guests will enjoy easy access to nearby attractions such as Higashi Honganji Temple, Nishi Honganji Temple (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Kyoto Tower, and Kyoto Aquarium. Gion, the city's most famous Geisha district, is only 10 minutes away by train, while Nishiki Market, a lively shopping and dining street known as 'Kyoto's Kitchen,' can be reached in 15 minutes. In 2019, some 87.91 million people visited Kyoto, an increase of 2.86 million on 2018. While international tourism is currently paused in line with travel restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Dusit's management expects the city will quickly regain its status as a major tourism hub when people are free to visit Japan once again."We are delighted and honoured to have the opportunity to work with Yasuda Real Estate Co., Ltd. to bring our unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality to Japan for the first time," said Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International. "Continuing our strategy for sustainable expansion, the signing of Dusit Thani Kyoto serves as a major milestone for our company. It also highlights our confidence in the strength and resilience of Japan's travel market and its ability to bounce back strong after all the current challenges. Kyoto is a wonderful destination, rich in history, heritage, and culture, and we look forward to embracing this in our operations while doing our utmost to deliver long-term value for all stakeholders."Mr Masahiro Nakagawa, President, Yasuda Real Estate Co., Ltd., said, "Our company prides itself on developing projects which not only celebrate cultural and natural heritage, but which are also positioned to deliver social and economic value far into the future. With a locally inspired design and unique blend of Thai and Japanese hospitality traditions, Dusit Thani Kyoto will be ideally positioned to deliver a truly distinctive stay experience in the heart of the city. We are delighted to partner with Dusit for this very special project."Dusit International's property portfolio now comprises 339 properties operating under six brands across 14 countries. In Japan, the company already has a presence through Elite Havens, the leading provider of high-end vacation rentals in Asia, which manages a collection of ski chalets in Niseko. About Dusit InternationalEstablished in 1948, Dusit International is a leading hospitality group listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Building on its two core areas of business - Hotels & Resorts and Hospitality Education - the company has expanded its operations over the past four years to comprise five business units. The additional units include Foods, Property Development, and Hospitality-Related Services. Today, the company's property portfolio comprises more than 300 distinctive hotels, resorts and luxury villas operating under six brands across 14 countries worldwide, as well as two leading hospitality colleges with campuses in Thailand and the Philippines. Following a three-pronged strategy for sustainable growth, including balance, expansion and diversification, the company has recently expanded into food production, on-demand hospitality services, and property development to reach new markets and add further recurring streams of revenue to the company. For more information, please visit www.dusit-international.com Official photos of Dusit Hotels & Resorts can be downloaded at medialib.dusit.com About Yasuda Real Estate Co., Ltd.Yasuda Real Estate was established in 1950 by inheriting the residual assets from Yasuda Hozen-sha Company which was at the core of the former Yasuda Zaibatsu (Conglomerate). Yasuda has continued office development and rental business in central Tokyo as its core business while expanding redevelopment business and housing business in accordance with the demands of the times.Yasuda upholds the belief "Customers first," which was promoted by its founder Zenjiro Yasuda, and prides itself in being a comprehensive real estate company that contributes to society by creating value.Media Contact:Sureerat Sudpairak | Director of Marketing Communications | Dusit InternationalTel: +66 (0) 2200 9999 ext. 3321 | Mobile +66 (0) 89 006 8697 | Email: sureerat.sp@dusit.com Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com