PM Edition: Here are the top 10 business articles on LiveNews.co.nz for August 11, 2026 – Full Text
1. Sustainable Business Council and 123Carbon launch the Aotearoa-New Zealand registry to accelerate low carbon freight.
August 10, 2026
Source: Sustainable Business Council
The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) and 123Carbon, a Netherlands based platform specialising in decarbonising hard-to-abate industries, are launching a blockchain-based registry to support the introduction of the Low Emission Freight Certificate (LEFC) programme in New Zealand.
The LEFC programme is a market-based mechanism designed to accelerate decarbonisation of New Zealand’s road transportation sector by facilitating investments in lower-emissions freight vehicles and supporting infrastructure. It has been developed by SBC (a global network partner of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development – WBCSD) and is supported by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).
The registry is designed to help create stronger commercial incentives for investment in lower-emissions freight by enabling verified emissions reductions to be recognised and traded.
The new registry allows carriers to verify their low carbon transport activities and generate LEFC Environmental Attributes Certificates, which can be sold to forwarders and cargo owners who can book and claim a reduction in transport emissions within their supply chain. This flexible system provides carriers with new pathways to recover their investments in low emissions and alternate fuels and trucks. The registry will be operated by 123Carbon, a global leader in market-based registries.
SBC’s Charlotte Kootstra, Sustainability Manager – Climate and Environment says, “The LEFC has been designed in partnership with industry to help accelerate the decarbonisation of New Zealand’s freight sector.
By creating a credible and transparent mechanism for recognising and rewarding lower-emissions freight, we can help unlock investment in the vehicles, fuels, and infrastructure needed to reduce freight emissions.
We’re delighted to be partnering with 123Carbon, who have a global track record in providing market-based registries, as we move into the next phase of testing the programme in a real-world environment.”
SBC’s CEO Mike Burrell says, “The freight sector is one of the most important and challenging areas of New Zealand’s decarbonisation journey. The launch of this registry marks an important milestone, demonstrating the power of collective action in tackling some of our most difficult decarbonisation challenges.
Moving from framework design to a live registry is a significant step towards creating the market conditions needed to accelerate investment in low-emissions freight. It’s exactly the kind of practical, business-led solution needed to help New Zealand reduce emissions while supporting a productive and competitive economy.”
James Veale: Managing Partner APAC at 123Carbon says, “It is our mission to introduce our solution to local markets in cooperation with organisations like SBC. With their local knowledge and network and our advanced platform, we can support the road freight sector in accelerating and achieving their sustainability goals.”
The registry will be piloted in Q3 2026 with leading companies who are operating biofuels, BEV and hydrogen trucks within New Zealand, after which the registry will be made available to the entire New Zealand road market. Though the initial focus will be on the New Zealand road freight market, there is potential to expand into other modalities (Air/Sea/Rail) and other regional geographies such as Australia.
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2. Head Start and the future of essential regional services
August 10, 2026
Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council
Chair Dr Deon Swiggs says the Canterbury Regional Council supports reform that delivers better outcomes for communities and the environment and is focused on ensuring regional services continue to be delivered without interruption.
“There are a range of governance models being proposed across Waitaha Canterbury, and our focus is not on favouring a particular structure. What matters is that Canterbury communities continue to receive the services they rely on.”
“Flood protection, public transport, water management, biosecurity, environmental regulation, emergency management and regional planning must remain integrated and resilient, whatever the final governance model.”
Chair Swiggs says the proposed reforms will end regional councils as they are now.
“Regional councillors won’t be re-elected in 2028 under any of these models. The Government’s guidance is also clear that Head Start proposals are for territorial authorities, not us. So, our job is making sure the work we deliver carries through seamlessly to whoever takes on those responsibilities.”
Why regional coordination is important
He says the region’s environmental and regional functions require coordinated decision-making, specialist expertise and long-term investment.
“Our rivers, catchments, transport systems, natural hazards and ecosystems don’t stop at council boundaries. Effective management requires coordinated planning and a region-wide perspective.
“Services such as freshwater monitoring, biosecurity, consenting and compliance operate every day and cannot simply be paused and restarted,” he said.
Supporting the transition to new unitary authorities
Canterbury Regional Council is advocating for future governance models to protect regional service delivery, maintain integrated decision-making and deliver strong environmental, economic and community outcomes.
Chair Swiggs says the organisation will make its operational systems, environmental data and technical expertise available to the Government and Canterbury councils through the detailed design phase, to help ensure any new entities can continue service delivery from day one.
“What matters is whether these functions keep being delivered at the scale Canterbury needs.”
Protecting Ngāi Tahu partnerships and Treaty arrangements
Government guidance is also clear that proposals must show how existing Treaty settlement arrangements carry forward. Chair Swiggs says partnerships with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Papatipu Rūnanga must also endure.
“In Canterbury that means the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act, our relationships with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and the ten Papatipu Rūnanga, and the iwi management plans that sit underneath them. Those relationships are part of how the work gets done, and they need to be embedded in whatever model emerges,” he said.
Canterbury local government reform timeline
Cabinet is expected to decide in September which proposals will proceed to a detailed design phase. Those plans must be in by March next year with final Cabinet approval expected in May. Governance arrangements for the new unitary authorities are expected to be implemented before or soon after the October 2028 local body elections. Where no proposal is submitted or accepted, the Government has signalled an interim process from the 2028 elections.
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Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/08/10/head-start-and-the-future-of-essential-regional-services/
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3. Over 5,000 public servants at MSD the latest to hold stop-work meetings amid bargaining for better pay and service delivery – PSA
August 10, 2026
Source: PSA
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4. Innovative Health Management Platform LIVE4WELL’s “Purple Wellness Day” Concludes Successfully
August 10, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Causeway Bay Pilot Spearheads Citywide Preventive Healthcare, Echoing Primary Healthcare Agenda
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 August 2026 – Faced with the dual challenges of a steady rise in chronic disease rates and the immense pressure borne by public health resources in Hong Kong, putting preventive healthcare into practice has become a matter of urgency. To actively respond to the Government’s direction of strengthening primary healthcare and district-based service delivery, innovative health management platform LIVE4WELL has picked Causeway Bay as its first community pilot site, demonstrating its vision and practice in contributing to public health. Working with district organizations, the initiative enabled nearly 1,000 members of the public to experience non-invasive, painless and rapid screening. By combining artificial intelligence (AI) with big data, the platform encourages the public to take ownership of their own Bio-wealth Assessment Data, to identify and address potential health risks early.
Innovative health management platform LIVE4WELL has picked Causeway Bay as its first community pilot site, demonstrating its vision and practice in contributing to public health. Working with district organizations, the initiative enabled nearly 1,000 members of the public to experience non-invasive, painless and rapid screening.
As a community force, LIVE4WELL has also submitted policy recommendations to the HKSAR Government, spanning the smarter use of AI in health assessment, the rollout of non-invasive community outreach screening, the inclusion of inflammatory markers in community-level screening, and extending Chinese and Western medicine collaboration into the aspect of wearable devices, thereby supporting the HKSAR Government in aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the policy direction for the year ahead.
Business and District Leaders Aim to Fill the Gap in Advancing Chronic Disease Prevention and Control
LIVE4WELL’s six-day “Purple Wellness Day”, a public health screening experience event held in Causeway Bay from August 5 to 10, came to a successful close today. The event transformed a shopping mall space into an innovative health exploration hub, bringing together a wide range of top-tier health screening devices from Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland, and overseas, more than 20 healthy-living partner merchants and various star speakers, enriching the public’s journey of health exploration.
Ms. Miranda WONG, Co-founder, LIVE4WELL, said, “The management of chronic diseases should never begin only after the onset of illness. As a digital health partner, LIVE4WELL builds on the Government’s primary healthcare policy framework to provide the public with more proactive and accessible preventive healthcare support. By integrating AI and big data technologies into retail and community settings, we are making non-invasive screening part of everyday life, rather than medical procedures that feel out of reach. At its core, this is our long-term commitment to health management and social care — whether it is identifying chronic disease risks early in elderly family members, or helping younger generations catch issues like pre-diabetes in time. We hope technology can make ‘early detection, early management’ a part of everyone’s daily life, rather than something people come to regret only after their condition has worsened.”
Mr. LEE Man-lung, Joey, MH, Chairman of Centre Stage Squarer and Wan Chai District Council Member, who attended the opening event and arranged for district residents to take part, said, “Screening that is non-invasive, painless, and delivers results instantly is a major breakthrough in AI technology — one that goes beyond technological progress but more importantly, gives businesses the capacity to create health assessment tools that are more beneficial and relatable to people’s lives. Health assessment is no longer a tedious questionnaire or cold clinical equipment, it is a new experience of conversing with one’s own body. The event is an excellent demonstration of how community organizations can harness technology to expand district health support services, building a low-cost and easily accessible health platform for the elderly and grassroots families. It is an approach well worth other organizations emulating.”
Non-invasive Screening Helps the General Public in Early Identification of Multiple Potential Health Risks
To encourage citizens to take the first step toward self-health management, approximately 300 free screening slots were reserved during the event, allowing people in need to experience a range of non-invasive, rapid and precise AI health screening, and to receive personalized health reports and expert interpretation on the spot. Visitors took part in non-invasive thematic areas across seven exploration zones, covering liver and kidney metabolism, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and retinal condition, blood glucose and metabolic risks, cell vitality and inflammation, musculoskeletal and postural health assessments, stress and mental balance, as well as hearing and blood pressure. After completing the journey, LIVE4WELL shared with participants a comprehensive body report that clearly presented their individual health indicators and risk assessments.
The event also featured more than 20 free expert health talks, attended by a cumulative total of nearly 500 participants, covering topics such as chronic disease prevention, nutrition, sleep, emotional well-being and mind-body health, reflecting the public’s increasingly keen demand for proactive self-health management.
From the Causeway Bay Pilot to a Health Vision for All 18 Districts
Held at the SOGO Causeway Bay store, “Purple Wellness Day” was LIVE4WELL’s first pilot scheme in bringing health technology into the community. Demonstrating at one of the city’s busiest commercial landmarks, the event exemplified how professional health management services can be seamlessly integrated into everyday life. Looking ahead, LIVE4WELL hopes to extend this successful model to all 18 districts of Hong Kong, deepening collaboration with community organizations such as District Councils, Care Teams, residents’ associations and district service groups to widen the reach of preventive healthcare. LIVE4WELL is actively connecting with more enterprises and brands that share its vision, so that through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and in its positioning as a digital health partner, it can contribute to Hong Kong’s primary healthcare development and realize the vision of “boosting health for all 18 districts”.
Aligning with Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan to Jointly Build a Forward-Looking Healthy City
In recent years, the Hong Kong Government has continued to strengthen primary healthcare services, promote preventive healthcare, and enhance community-based support for the elderly and of chronic diseases in its Policy Addresses and long-term healthcare planning. As Hong Kong formulates its First Five-Year Plan and proactively aligns with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, LIVE4WELL, as a community force, is also committed to contributing its strengths through concrete action. LIVE4WELL believes that AI- and data-driven preventive healthcare technology, coupled with the strengths of the private sector and the community, can complement the public healthcare system. When the public achieves “early detection, early management”, the pressure on the public healthcare system can be gradually alleviated, enabling a sustainable health ecosystem for Hong Kong.
To build a healthier city in the long run, LIVE4WELL recommends progressively introducing inflammatory markers as a new dimension of health monitoring, building on existing health screening. Chronic inflammation is often closely associated with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Continuous tracking of inflammatory markers allows high-risk individuals to be identified early and followed up in a timely manner, easing the long-term healthcare pressure on Hong Kong.
Given that many citizens have a certain degree of resistance to, or psychological burden associated with, invasive tests such as blood draws, LIVE4WELL believes that the authorities should make good use of AI health assessment tools and roll out non-invasive community outreach screening to raise public participation. Combining existing screening with comprehensive health data analysis would help forecast healthcare demand. LIVE4WELL further recommends that the authorities continue to promote collaboration between Chinese and Western medicine to strengthen Hong Kong’s preventive healthcare system.
LIVE4WELL encourages the public to make good use of wearable devices to continuously track their personal health data, in step with the Government’s promotion for collaboration between Chinese and Western medicine — putting into practice the preventive care approach of “Chinese medicine for prevention, Western medicine for treatment” where TCM-based recuperation works hand-in-hand with Western medical diagnosis and treatment.
High resolution photos HERE
Photo captions:
Photo 1: Mr. LEE Man-lung, Joey, MH, Chairman of Centre Stage Squarer and Wan Chai District Council Member (center); Mr. Leo ZHUANG, Co-founder, LIVE4WELL (left); Ms. Miranda WONG, Co-founder, LIVE4WELL (right) pictured at “Purple Wellness Day”.
Photo 2: Ms. Miranda WONG, Co-founder, LIVE4WELL, delivered a speech at the “Purple Wellness Day”.
Photo 3:Mr. LEE Man-lung, Joey, MH, Chairman of Centre Stage Squarer and Wan Chai District Council Member, delivered a speech at the “Purple Wellness Day”.
Photo 4: LIVE4WELL reserved free screening slots to allow the public to experience first-hand a range of non-invasive, rapid and precise AI health screening, and to receive personalized health reports and expert interpretation on the spot.
Photo 5: The hearing test was popular among various screenings, with many elderly welcoming the chance to better understand their own hearing ability.
Photo 6: Health talks were held during the event, delivered by experts from various sectors, exploring topics such as preventive healthcare, chronic disease management, health management and social care.
Hashtag: #LIVE4WELL #預防醫學 #PurpleWellnessDay #PreventiveHealthcare #AI
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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5. Faster support for young people in Central, Lakes
August 10, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
A new child and youth mental health and addiction service that will make it easier for young people and their families to access the right support has been officially launched in Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says.
“This service has been designed to provide a single point of connection, helping children, young people and families navigate the mental health and addiction system and connect with the support that best meets their needs,” Mr Doocey says.
“When someone reaches out for help, they shouldn’t have to navigate multiple services or tell their story over and over again. This service takes a ‘no wrong door’ approach, ensuring people have a clear place to go.
“Rather than duplicating existing services, the new service, Hono ki te Ora, will work alongside health, education, social and community providers to improve coordination and help young people get to the right support sooner.
“I have heard from too many young people that, in a time of need, the system can feel too fragmented and they don’t know where to go for help. We know that not knowing where to go or who to talk to has been reported as the reason for unmet mental health needs for around one in three children.”
The service supports children and young people aged 5 to 24 years across Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes district, with self-referrals as well as referrals from schools, GPs and community organisations.
Mr Doocey says Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes was prioritised because it is one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing regions, with a growing number of young families.
“Central Lakes is also one of New Zealand’s most geographically isolated communities. More than 70 per cent of New Zealanders who live over two hours from a major base hospital live in this region, making strong local services and better coordination of support especially important.
“The service operates from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Since beginning to receive referrals in May, the team has fully recruited its workforce, strengthened relationships across the community and established the foundations needed to support our young people.
“During its first three months of operation, 80 referrals have already been received, with every young person receiving support from the team.
“Thirty-five children and young people are currently being actively supported, while others have been successfully connected with the services best placed to meet their needs, including specialist services.
“The early response demonstrates the value of having a dedicated point of connection for children, young people and their families and is already helping ensure people are connected to the right support at the right time.
“I look forward to seeing the real results that will be delivered in the region as a result.”
Note to editor:
- The website can be accessed here.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/08/10/faster-support-for-young-people-in-central-lakes/
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6. Road closed, SH38, Rotorua
August 10, 2026
Source: New Zealand Police
State Highway 38 in Rerewhakaaitu, Rotorua, is closed following a two-vehicle crash.
Emergency services were notified about 1:40pm.
One person is injured and was being provided medical attention.
The road remains closed as emergency services work at the scene.
ENDS
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/08/10/road-closed-sh38-rotorua/
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7. A two-way relationship – why China matters to Hawke’s Bay
August 10, 2026
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology
1 minute ago
By Lucy Laitinen
Before this year, I hadn’t fully appreciated how important our education partnerships with China are, not just for our institution, but for Hawke’s Bay and New Zealand. Two visits to China over the past two months have changed my perspective.
EIT Chief Executive Lucy Laitinen, New Zealand’s Minister for Vocational Education, Hon Penny Simmonds, and Qilu University of Technology (QLUT) Party Committee Secretary, Yantao Wu.
In June, I travelled to Shaoxing and Jinan to visit two of EIT’s long-standing education partners. At Zhejiang Yuexiu University (ZYU) in Shaoxing, EIT operates a joint institute where students graduate with both an EIT qualification and a ZYU degree in Computing or Creative Practice. At Qilu University of Technology in Jinan, we contribute to the delivery of wine education within their Bachelor of Brewing programme. During that visit, I attended graduation ceremonies and signed extensions to partnerships built over many years.
What struck me most was the extraordinary manaakitanga we received. The generosity, warmth and hospitality shown by our hosts was genuine and humbling.
The graduations also challenged some of my own assumptions. Like many New Zealanders, I had imagined Chinese students might be quiet and reserved. Instead, the ceremonies were vibrant, joyful and full of energy. I posed for more selfies over those two days than I had in the rest of my life.
The experience reminded me that, despite the distance between our countries, we share remarkably similar aspirations. Whether in Hawke’s Bay or China, educators want the same thing: to help people build better futures through education. Students want meaningful careers. Parents want their children to succeed. Those aspirations are universal.
Last week I returned to China as part of a delegation of New Zealand polytechnic leaders led by Hon Penny Simmonds, Minister for Tertiary Education, Science, Innovation and Technology. We met with education partners, student recruitment agencies, and a visit to electric vehicle manufacturer XPeng, which has recently entered the New Zealand market and is interested in partnering with our sector to train the technicians of the future.
One highlight was joining Minister Simmonds’ meeting with China’s Minister of Education, Huai Jinpeng, who spoke of his desire to strengthen educational cooperation between our two countries. His comments prompted me to reflect on an interesting question: what does a country of more than 1.4 billion people seek partnerships with institutions in a small region on the east coast of New Zealand?
The answer, I believe, is that our strengths complement each other.
China is placing increasing emphasis on vocational education, applied learning and graduate employability. These priorities closely align with New Zealand’s approach to tertiary education and EIT’s strengths in industry-connected learning. Our expertise in areas such as agriculture, food and wine, engineering, computing and creative arts is valued because it is practical, relevant and closely connected with employers.
This should give us confidence that regional New Zealand has a lot to offer the world. Partnerships like we have in China demonstrate that expertise developed in Hawke’s Bay has international relevance.
The benefits are tangible for Hawke’s Bay and flow directly back into our region. China is one of the region’s most important export markets for products including apples, meat, wine and wood products. As one of New Zealand’s most export-oriented regions, our prosperity is closely connected to international relationships. Education is part of that story. Chinese students studying at our Taradale and Auckland campuses support our local economy and communities, while revenue from our transnational partnerships with Chinese universities flows directly back into EIT, helping fund the delivery of education to learners across Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti. These relationships also create opportunities for staff and students to learn from different approaches to teaching, technology, and industry.
These are not one-sided arrangements where one side teaches and the other learns. They are genuine partnerships in which both sides contribute, learn and benefit.
That does not mean we should ignore the differences between our countries, or the broader strategic and geopolitical questions that governments must navigate. Educational partnerships are not built on agreement about everything – instead, they are built on trust, shared interests and practical collaboration.
When I began this year as Chief Executive of EIT, I saw our international partnerships largely through an institutional lens. Two visits to China have broadened that perspective. I now see them as part of something much bigger: relationships that strengthen our region, deepen understanding between countries, and help ensure New Zealand remains connected to a rapidly changing world.
International education is often discussed in terms of student numbers and export revenue. Those things matter. But at its heart, this is a two-way relationship. We share our knowledge and expertise, and we gain new perspectives, ideas and opportunities in return. For Hawke’s Bay, and for New Zealand as a whole, that exchange is not simply valuable. It is an investment in our future.
Lucy Laitinen, Chief Executive of Te Aho a Māui | EIT.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/08/10/a-two-way-relationship-why-china-matters-to-hawkes-bay/
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8. “Boundless Creativity, Connecting Youth” China–Indonesia Youth Cultural Exchange Series Held in Jakarta
August 11, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
At the event, the exhibitions Her Bloom: A Digital Cultural Heritage Exhibition on Luoyang, the Divine Capital and the Indonesian leg of Emerging Forces, Boundless Horizons: A Global Touring Exhibition Series Featuring Young Chinese Artists officially opened. The event also launched a China–Indonesia media organization, FAST Media Alliance, the Indonesian broadcast of the micro-drama Her Bloom, and the China–Indonesia Visual Project—Nanyang Film Festival, among other collaborative initiatives.
In her remarks, Anindita Kusuma Listya, Special Advisor to the Minister of Culture for Cultural Diplomacy and Cultural Industries at Ministry of Culture of Indonesia, expressed her strong appreciation for the event’s focus on youth connectivity, digital innovation, and media co-creation. She noted that Indonesia has consistently attached great importance to cultural exchanges and cooperation with China, encouraging young people, arts professionals, media organizations, and cultural and creative enterprises from both countries to engage in regular, in-depth, and multidimensional collaboration. As nations with diverse civilizations, Indonesia and China enjoy vast potential for cooperation and closely aligned development needs in cultural heritage preservation, digital cultural and creative industries, film and television production, and youth innovation.
Wang Siping, Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, said in his remarks that cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Indonesia have yielded fruitful results in recent years, while people-to-people exchanges have continued to gain momentum. He expressed the hope that young people from both countries would engage more frequently and that more events such as “Boundless Creativity, Connecting Youth” would be organized and widely attended. China is ready to pursue more cooperation with Indonesia and share more opportunities. China also stands ready to work hand in hand with Indonesia to cultivate the fertile ground of people-to-people exchanges, expand channels for youth engagement, strengthen the “people-to-people pillar” of bilateral relations, and advance the high-quality building of a China–Indonesia community with a shared future.
Al Busyra Basnur, Chairman of the Indonesia–China Friendship Association, noted in his remarks that both China and Indonesia possess abundant pools of young talent. Cooperation among outstanding young people from the two countries, he said, will not only deepen bilateral relations but also inject fresh momentum into regional prosperity, technological progress, and the building of a more peaceful and closely connected world. He expressed his hope of holding in-depth discussions with all parties during the subsequent activities on such issues as advancing China–Indonesia relations, talent development, and educational exchanges, with a view to identifying practical avenues for cooperation.
Arianto Surojo, Consul General of Indonesia in Guangzhou, said that the event was innovative in concept and far-reaching in significance, providing a high-level platform for cultural exchanges between Indonesia and China in the new era. Youth-oriented, digital, and innovative forms of exchange such as this, he noted, enable people—especially young people—in both countries to gain a more direct understanding of one another and forge deeper connections. They also help elevate cultural exchanges between Indonesia and China from the superficial to the substantive, enriching the content of bilateral people-to-people cooperation. “When young people thrive, nations thrive; when young people are strong, nations are strong,” he said. “Let us embrace the spirit of exploration and innovation and jointly write a new chapter in the friendship between our two countries.”
Li Mian, Deputy President of CICC, said that CICC has long worked with media organizations in Southeast Asia to promote cultural exchanges. Over the years, CICC has actively advanced audiovisual cooperation with mainstream media outlets in Indonesia and elsewhere in Southeast Asia through the television program UPanda Cinema. Through this event, CICC has launched such collaborative projects as the China–Indonesia media organization, FAST Media Alliance, the broadcast of the micro-drama Her Bloom, and the China–Indonesia Visual Project. These initiatives aim to tell the story of China–Indonesia friendship, share digital technologies and high-quality resources, and promote deeper, more substantive cooperation between the two countries.
Atika Suri, Editor-in-Chief of Indonesia’s GARUDA TV, said that the event, focusing on youth exchange and cultural empowerment, carried out a rich array of activities, including digital cultural heritage exhibitions, joint visual exhibitions, and touring exhibitions of young artists. It not only carries forward the traditional friendship between Indonesia and China, she said, but also represents an active exploration of new models and pathways for people-to-people cooperation in the new era.
Li Jing, Vice President of Coocaa, a Skyworth Group company, and CEO of Coolita, said that emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, smart television, and FAST are driving the global media industry into a new digital era, creating fresh opportunities for cultural communication and international media cooperation. During the event, Coolita and CICC jointly launched the China–Indonesia media organization, FAST Media Alliance. Going forward, they will work with Indonesian media organizations and partners such as Tencent Cloud to explore innovative models in artificial intelligence, FAST, and digital content distribution; drive the digital transformation of traditional media; and promote innovation in the digital cultural industries of both countries.
The event also featured themed roundtable discussions bringing together esteemed institutions and figures. Participants included China National Archives of Publications and Culture, Tencent Cloud, “Honor of Kings”, the acting head of the Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities (ISSH) at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency, the University of Indonesia, LSPR Institute of Communication and Business, the Jakarta Film Commission, the renowned game studio Anantarupa Studios, and the visual creative studio Mono Studio. They were joined by Indonesian contemporary painting master Sidik Martowidjojo (Ma Yongqiang) and Chinese young artist Ren Zhe.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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9. Photo Feature: Global Media Explore Hainan Free Trade Port, Unlocking the New Vitality of the “Ocean Economy”
August 11, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Caption: Global Media Explore Hainan Free Trade Port, Unlocking the New Vitality of the “Ocean Economy”
As the first full year following the island-wide special customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), 2026 has been designated the “Marine Tourism Year,” with a strategic focus on ocean-themed cultural travel. Leveraging policy dividends such as visa-free access for citizens of 86 countries, expanded traffic rights, and offshore duty-free shopping, Hainan has consistently enhanced its openness to the world, fueling a surge in cultural tourism demand. In the first half of this year alone, the island recorded over 1 million inbound visits, a year-on-year increase of 48.8%, underscoring the robust growth momentum of the FTP’s tourism sector.
In Wanning’s Riyue Bay, the international media group experienced firsthand the rapid expansion of Hainan’s coastal sports industry. Renowned as a world-class surfing destination, the bay receives more than 500,000 visits annually, drawing travelers from as far as Australia and Southeast Asia. A major highlight was the nation’s first Olympic-standard artificial surf pool, which employs advanced wave-making technology to simulate 23 different wave types, enabling year-round, all-weather surfing regardless of natural conditions. Mr. Guney Isik Ganimgil, a contributor to Turkey’s Aydınlık newspaper, remarked that Hainan’s cultural tourism development has far exceeded expectations and holds tremendous investment potential.
Eco-empowered tourism and the protection of blue bays are the defining hallmarks of Hainan’s development. The Hainan Ocean Paradise Resort adheres strictly to a policy against capturing wild marine life; its rescue center has successfully rehabilitated and released over 200 rare marine creatures, including sea turtles and hawksbills, back into the wild. Meanwhile, Wuzhizhou Island has pioneered an innovative model of eco-tourism, partnering with universities to develop a tropical marine ranch. Through the strategic deployment of artificial reefs and the transplantation of tens of thousands of coral colonies, the island now offers visitors the opportunity to participate in coral transplantation—a hands-on experience that fosters a virtuous cycle between ecological conservation and tourism engagement, earning high praise from the attending media.
Deepening the integration of culture and tourism has also revitalized Hainan’s traditional maritime heritage. The Danjia fishing rafts continue to enrich their authentic marine-ethnic cultural offerings, continuously diversifying their “product portfolio”. Tianya Town, built around a century-old fishing village, has evolved into a coastal leisure landmark, now home to nearly a hundred boutique homestays and specialty cafés. The Sanya International Duty-Free Shopping Complex, housing over 1,000 international brands, has introduced cutting-edge “duty-free + technology” consumption scenarios. And the Sanya Yacht Tourism Center, with a complete industrial chain, recorded over 220,000 yacht outings in 2025, cementing its status as a premier destination for high-end coastal tourism.
After four days of in-depth exploration, the media delegation witnessed a Hainan that is open, green, and vibrantly dynamic. Today’s Hainan FTP has transcended the traditional model of seaside tourism, with policy as its backbone, ecology as its canvas, and culture as its soul. By continually energizing the blue economy, Hainan is presenting a compelling new vision of high-quality development to the world.
Hashtag: #HainanFreeTradePort
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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