PM Edition: Here are the top 10 business articles on LiveNews.co.nz for November 3, 2026 – Full Text
1. Building a Cyber-Ready Workforce in Singapore: SIM Academy Shares A Business Guide to Developing Talent
November 2, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Cybersecurity has become a growing necessity
As organisations face increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats, including data breaches, phishing and ransomware attacks, cybersecurity has become a critical component of risk management across industries.
In the past report released by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), more than 8 in 10 organisations experienced at least one cybersecurity incident in a year. 99% of these organisations suffered from at least one negative business impact. It could be a business disruption, data loss, reputation damage or financial loss.
Cybersecurity has become a core concern for individuals, businesses, and governments in Singapore and beyond. Understanding what cybersecurity is, why it matters is increasingly recognised as an essential skill in today’s digital economy.
A growing workforce gap
With cybersecurity roles appearing on Singapore’s Shortage Occupation List and employers continuing to face persistent talent gaps, demand for trained professionals remains strong.
Singapore’s cybersecurity workforce expanded from approximately 4,000 professionals in 2016 to about 12,000 in 2022, representing a threefold increase over six years. Despite this growth, the sector continues to face a shortage of skilled talent, with demand for cybersecurity professionals expected to rise by an estimated 6% to 9% annually.
This challenge is also evident globally, where new cybersecurity roles are emerging faster than qualified professionals are entering the field. The shortage extends beyond the number of available workers. Organisations are seeking candidates who can combine technical expertise with practical experience, business understanding, problem-solving ability and strong communication skills.
Demand spans the full cybersecurity lifecycle. In Singapore, employers are seeking professionals for roles including security operations analyst, cyber defence incident responder, threat monitoring specialist, vulnerability assessment professional, penetration tester, security architect and security engineer.
The role of employers
Businesses should treat cybersecurity recruitment as part of workforce planning rather than as an emergency response to an open vacancy. A more sustainable approach involves identifying the organisation’s most important systems, data assets and operational risks, then mapping those requirements to specific capabilities.
Hiring managers should also assess candidates on practical capability. A qualification may demonstrate commitment, but employers should look for evidence that applicants can investigate a problem, document findings, follow procedures and communicate recommendations clearly.
Why cybersecurity is worth learning for employees
Demand for cybersecurity talent in Singapore has increased significantly, with roles such as Digital Forensic Analyst, Incident Response Specialist and Cybersecurity Consultant regularly featured on job portals.
Employers are also more open to hiring mid-career switchers who can demonstrate relevant and up-to-date training. Some professionals from sectors such as operations, finance and customer service have successfully transitioned into cybersecurity roles, highlighting the value of transferable skills.
According to the recent ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study, education is the third most frequently cited pathway into a cybersecurity career. The report found that 38% of participants aged 21 to 29 entered the field through an IT-related pathway, while an equal proportion came through routes outside IT or cybersecurity education. These included career changes, professional certifications, self-directed learning, military experience, and internships or apprenticeships.
Practical tip for companies to get started
Course providers such as SIM Academy also offer structured programmes for mid-career professionals looking to transition into cybersecurity. One example is the SCTP in Cybersecurity: Network Security and Digital Forensics, developed in partnership with IBM.
With strong industry demand, structured learning pathways, and accessible funding support, a career switch into cybersecurity is a challenging but achievable goal.
Companies seeking cybersecurity talent and open to offering internships or employment to SCTP graduates can reach out to SIM Academy to explore partnership opportunities.
References
https://www.sim.edu.sg/
Hashtag: #SIMAcademy #SIMA
About SIM Academy
SIM Academy provides leading-edge professional development and enterprise solutions. SIM Academy offers over 300 executive and business programmes that help almost 10,000 professionals annually on average hone their competencies to drive business value and achieve peak personal and enterprise performance.
Our programmes encompass a comprehensive range of lifelong learning opportunities designed to empower professionals with the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to become effective change-makers and leaders in today’s volatile and uncertain business landscape.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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2. Queenstown Lakes builds on enduring China friendship
November 2, 2026
Source: Destination Queenstown & Lake Wānaka Tourism
Queenstown & Wānaka, New Zealand (2 November 2026) Queenstown Lakes Mayor John Glover is leading a delegation of tourism and business leaders to friendship city Hangzhou this week, strengthening a longstanding relationship and exploring opportunities in tourism, technology, transport and energy.
The delegation includes Destination Queenstown (DQ) and Lake Wānaka Tourism (LWT), Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce and local business leaders. The visit follows an invitation from Hangzhou’s Mayor Yao Gaoyuan to attend the 10th Hangzhou International Sister City Mayors Conference, held from 4-7 November.
Queenstown’s friendship-city relationship with Hangzhou dates to 2014. Home to more than 12 million people, Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang province in eastern China and is known for its historic West Lake and cultural heritage. It is also a major technology centre and home to Alibaba Group’s global headquarters.
Glover says the visit is an opportunity to build on that friendship and explore practical benefits for both communities.
“We’ve built a great friendship with Hangzhou, and I’m looking forward to spending time with our hosts, and other mayors, seeing what we can learn from each other,” says Glover, who is personally covering the cost of his trip.
“This is about exploring ideas that could make a difference for our communities, particularly across tourism, tech, transport, and energy.”
Under the theme ‘City + AI’, the conference will bring together Hangzhou’s international friendship and sister cities to discuss innovation, city management and tourism, alongside business meetings and site visits.
The wider visit includes a DQ and LWT tourism sales mission to Shanghai, Hangzhou and Beijing, strengthening connections across China, the third largest international visitor market for both Queenstown Lakes and New Zealand as a whole.
DQ and LWT Chief Executive Mat Woods says the trip will help local operators build relationships with travel sellers and better understand how Chinese visitors research and book their holidays.
“China has its own digital platforms and ways of planning travel. Spending time with our partners there helps us understand what their customers are looking for and how we can reach our target audience,” Woods says.
“It’s a chance to share what makes Queenstown and Wānaka special in each season and help our partners create a wider range of holidays, supporting local businesses and jobs throughout the year.
“I’m also really excited by the technology we could bring into our visitor economy, particularly electric vehicles and other ways to reduce emissions in line with the district’s destination management plan. There’s an opportunity to learn from what’s happening in Hangzhou, put those ideas into practice here and show visitors from around the world what’s possible.”
Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce CEO Sharon Fifield says the visit offers opportunities to build on the district’s tourism strengths and develop wider business connections.
“One of the advantages of being connected internationally is that we get to lift our eyes and see how other places are solving problems,” Fifield says.
“Queenstown is facing some very real growing pains, particularly around infrastructure and productivity. China is moving incredibly quickly in areas such as technology, innovation and infrastructure, so I’m really interested in what we can learn and what ideas we might be able to bring home and apply in a Queenstown context.
“And for our local businesses, it’s about opening doors. That might be to new technology, expertise, partnerships or markets. As a relatively small economy at the bottom of the world, it’s important to look globally for ideas and solutions that can help Queenstown thrive.”
The tourism sales programme includes a delegation of local accommodation and activity operators, with industry training events in Shanghai on 2 November, Hangzhou on 4 November and Beijing on 6 November. The sessions will promote Queenstown and Wānaka across all four seasons, supporting efforts to spread the benefits of tourism more evenly through the year.
Participants will also join parts of the official friendship-city programme while in Hangzhou.
Queenstown also maintains a sister-city relationship with Aspen, Colorado, and a Memorandum of Understanding with Ulsan, South Korea, to work together on tourism and promotion.
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3. HKSTP Partners to Power the Next Frontier of AI-enabled Finance at FinTech Week x StartmeupHK Festival 2026
November 2, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
3 MoUs signed to reach global market through payment, position and platform
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 November 2026 – Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), from 2 to 3 November at FinTech Week x StartmeupHK Festival 2026, had the HKSTP Pavilion set up with waves of memoranda signing took place, other than the 20 tech ventures showcasing innovative solutions spanning Wealth & RegTech, Web3 & Digital Assets, Life & Health InsurTech, and GreenTech with the adoption of AI.
Witnessed by Terry Wong, CEO of HKSTP (first from left) and Paulina Leong, General Manager of Visa Hong Kong & Macau (first from right), Eric Or, Chief Ecosystem Development Officer of HKSTP (second from left) and Vivian Ying, Head of Products of Visa Hong Kong and Macau (second from right) signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen connections among innovators, industries and investors in pushing fintech developments forward.
HKSTP and Visa, exploring to connect innovation and application, the innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem and global leader in digital payment announced at the signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) of a strategic partnership focusing on three areas: AI-enabled and agentic commerce, digital payment adoption and use cases, engagement initiatives. By expanding the combined networks in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector and I&T, while bringing the public-private community closer, it is expected to see with the MoU that fintech developments in Hong Kong are to be accelerated and celebrated.
“Collaboration across industries and sectors has always been central to what we advocate,” stated Terry Wong, CEO of HKSTP. “This signing represents not only a strategic partnership, but a testament, at the same, to our expanding network supporting the growth of tech ventures, and a reflection to our continued commitment in advancing the city’s I&T landscape.”
Paulina Leong, General Manager of Visa Hong Kong and Macau echoed, “HKSTP has built a vibrant ecosystem that gives start-ups the environment to innovate and grow, we can bring Visa’s global network, technology and expertise to help innovators turn promising ideas into trusted, real-world solutions and scale them to markets around the world.”
Adding to the vision, two more MoU were signed, respectively, between park company Fill Easy and AIR by Animoca Brands, a known fintech entity, in pursual of qualifying for trust service provider status under the EU’s eIDA 2.0 framework; and AIVI Technologies and CASH Group, launching AI-powered thematic index solutions on its trading platform Quantphemes, with the CASH Quant Finance Lab operated within the Ecosystem as well.
Apart from Pavilion-led happenings, panel discussions across industries throughout the two-day event, attracted attention towards the trajectory of fintech development and AI & DeepTech applications, where industry leaders, ecosystem partners and policymakers gathered in exchanging insights from different points of view, where concurrently, the 20 park companies illustrated the city’s capabilities and determination in advancing fintech through showcase, business matching, and leads to collaboration opportunities, solidifying Hong Kong’s pivotal role as a connector of sectors and markets.
Hashtag: #HKSTP #FinTechWeek #StartmeupHK
HKSTP
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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4. AGD and ISCA Renews MOU to Strengthen Finance Capabilities Across the Public Service with Continuing Professional Training
November 2, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Through this partnership, AGD and ISCA will collaborate on professional development in more areas such as AI, sustainability, assurance and financial governance. The organisations will curate and promote training programmes with reference to the Public Sector Finance and Internal Audit Competency Frameworks and create opportunities for professional exchange with the wider accountancy community.
The expanded collaboration comes as global economic shifts, technological advances and sustainability considerations change how organisations operate, assess risks and allocate resources. Across business and government, finance professionals are increasingly expected to contribute to planning, evaluate options and advise leaders alongside their financial reporting and compliance responsibilities.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Ms Esther Wee, Accountant-General and Chief of Government Finance, and Mr Lee Boon Teck, President of ISCA.
Equipping public sector officers with AI capabilities
To build AI capabilities, AGD is supporting its public finance and internal audit workforce of approximately 4,000 officers in developing AI and digital competencies, including through ISCA’s AI Fluency Programme. More than 400 officers have already enrolled, with the programme being progressively extended across the Public Service.
Officers will undergo structured training covering practical applications, responsible use of AI and the professional judgement needed to work effectively with AI-generated information.
The training aims to establish a common foundation of AI capabilities across public finance teams, helping officers embrace technology while maintaining high standards of financial governance and accountability.
Building careers with purpose and global professional connections
Beyond preparing officers for AI, AGD and ISCA are also expanding pathways across public sector agencies as it strengthens the professional capabilities needed to support resource allocation, governance and financial stewardship of public resources.
Public agencies will be progressively brought into AGD’s Accredited Training Organisation network, enabling officers to gain practical experience and mentorship within their agencies as they pursue a career that contributes to Singapore. To date, 27 agencies have joined the network.
The Chartered Accountant of Singapore [CA (Singapore)] pathway opens doors to a wider professional community. Through ISCA’s membership in Chartered Accountants Worldwide, a network representing over 2 million Chartered Accountants and students across more than 190 countries, public sector officers can connect with international professional knowledge, networks and learning opportunities.
Developing finance professionals for tomorrow
Ms Esther Wee, Accountant-General and Chief of Government Finance, said: “Managing public finances well is fundamental to maintaining public trust. As technology transforms how finance work is done, sustaining that trust will require our officers to strengthen their professional judgement, and build emerging capabilities to take on new responsibilities. AGD will work with ISCA to enhance continuing professional development opportunities and extend structured training and mentorship across Ministries and Statutory Boards. These efforts reflect our continued commitment to developing a trusted and future-ready public finance and internal audit workforce — one that can steward public resources well and meet the evolving needs of Singaporeans.”
Mr Lee Boon Teck, President of ISCA, said: “AI can help finance professionals work faster and analyse information more effectively. But it cannot replace the professional judgement, ethical responsibility and accountability that are central to our profession. Our partnership with AGD brings together AI capabilities and the strong professional foundation of the CA (Singapore) qualification. We want public sector officers to have the same opportunities to develop professionally, learn from industry and connect with the global accountancy community. Ultimately, the value of a finance professional is not just in producing numbers but in using those numbers to help organisations make better decisions.”
Hashtag: #ISCA #CharteredAccountants #DifferenceMakers #Accounting #Accountancy
Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA)
The Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) is the national accountancy body of Singapore. Established in 1963, ISCA administers the Singapore Chartered Accountant Qualification programme and is the designated entity by the Singapore Ministry of Finance to confer the Chartered Accountant of Singapore [CA (Singapore)] designation.
ISCA supports over 46,000 members across industries in Singapore and globally, with members in more than 40 countries. With a growing international presence, ISCA has 12 overseas chapters, 7 offices across 10 countries and a network of over 150 strategic partners, strengthening professional connections and opportunities across borders. ISCA is also a member of Chartered Accountants Worldwide, a global network representing more than 2 million Chartered Accountants and students across over 190 countries.
Accountant-General’s Department (AGD)
The Accountant-General’s Department (AGD) is a department under the Ministry of Finance (MOF). We support the Accountant-General in fulfilling her statutory duties under the Constitution, the Financial Procedure Act and other legislative statutes. We partner with MOF in making Singapore a better place through finance and closely cooperate with Government agencies to raise the capabilities of financial management in the Public Sector.
For more information, visit www.agd.gov.sg.
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. Alibaba Brings Cloud and AI to the First Youth Olympic Games in Africa
November 2, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
- Dedicated cloud infrastructure powers Dakar 2026’s operations and will serve as Senegal’s national cloud platform post Games
- AI capabilities bring Senegal’s iconic Teranga spirit to life at the Opening Ceremony
DAKAR, SENEGAL – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 November 2026 – In a historic milestone for African sport, Alibaba Group, in partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Dakar 2026 Organizing Committee, will power the Summer Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 (Dakar 2026) with its cloud and AI technology. As a Worldwide Olympic TOP Partner, Alibaba will optimize operations and elevate spectator engagement for Dakar 2026, and deliver a lasting digital legacy for Senegal.
Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee, said: “Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games are the first Olympic event taking place on African soil. I’m delighted that our Worldwide Olympic Partner, Alibaba, is helping bring this historic moment to life. Through its cloud and AI technology, Alibaba is helping the Games run more smoothly and bringing fans around the world closer to the action.”
Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye, President of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee (YOGOC), said: “We want Dakar 2026 to feel ambitious, welcoming and unmistakably Senegalese. The right technology will help us run the Games smoothly and give young athletes, visitors and audiences a connected experience from the moment they arrive. It will also leave us with stronger digital capabilities to support future events and public services.”
Toby Xu, Chief Financial Officer, Alibaba Group, said: “Sport is now a truly digital experience, and audiences expect more ways to follow and engage with the action. Cloud and AI capabilities are helping the industry respond by making services easier to scale and adapt. As a Worldwide Olympic Partner for nearly a decade, Alibaba has consistently helped drive the Olympic Movement forward-moving from digitalization to intelligence through technological innovation. For Dakar 2026, we look forward to seeing how these technologies continue to shape the future of the Olympic Movement and beyond.”
Future-ready digital infrastructure to boost operational efficiency
The Dakar 2026 Organizing Committee will deploy a private cloud built on Alibaba Cloud’s Apsara Stack for the Games’ digital operations. Serving as the event’s digital backbone, this scalable and secure cloud platform will host applications and services such as ticketing and e-visa processing.
Running on this dedicated cloud infrastructure, the ticketing system built by Alibaba Cloud will handle online ticket sales and on-site access control for over one million tickets across all seven venues and the official Festival Site. The highly elastic infrastructure will ensure seamless performance during high-demand sales windows and peak entry periods.
Upon completion of the Games, the private cloud infrastructure will be handed over to Senegal to serve as a national cloud platform, supporting the country’s long-term digital transformation and leaving a lasting technological legacy.
After the Games, businesses and developers in Senegal can tap into Alibaba’s full-stack capabilities for AI innovation through this cloud platform and Alibaba’s Qwen open-weight models. As one of the world’s most popular AI model families, Qwen boasts 460 open-weight models and over 3 billion global downloads. It supports over 200 languages worldwide, spanning diverse linguistic groups from Niger-Congo languages like Wolof and Kongo, to Indo-European languages such as French and Italian.
Fusing culture and AI at Dakar 2026
At the Opening Ceremony of Dakar 2026, the Organizing Committee unveiled an AI-powered celebration of drum performance created using Alibaba’s WAN video generation model. Centered around the iconic rhythm of the African drum, the one-minute video brought together 100 participants from the Dakar 2026 Learning Academy—representing youth from across Africa and around the world who embody the human legacy of the Games—virtually performing drum together.
The experience continues throughout the Games for athletes, spectators, media and the local community. Embracing Senegal’s spirit of Teranga, the Wolof concept of hospitality, Alibaba is utilizing technology to foster openness, respect, and co-creation in the host city. At the official Festival Site, visitors can step into a kiosk hosted by Alibaba to generate a short video of themselves playing the Senegalese Sabar Drum. Additionally, an AI agent powered by Alibaba’s cloud-based AI technology answers questions about Dakar 2026 and the history of the Youth Olympic Games.
Community empowerment and youth development
Beyond technology infrastructure, Alibaba is collaborating with the Dakar 2026 Organizing Committee to drive local youth development initiatives alongside the Games. Alibaba Philanthropy has expanded its Panda Pack Project to Senegal, providing sports equipment packages to the Jeunesse en Jeux engagement program. Aiming to reach over 350,000 children across 850 schools, this initiative reinforces the long-term legacy of Dakar 2026 by promoting sports accessibility in local communities.
In addition, the Alibaba Cloud Tech Academy provides free online cloud computing training for Senegalese youth under 35, already drawing over 10,000 registrations.
The Summer Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 is taking place in Senegal from 31 October to 13 November 2026 across Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly. The event brings together 2,700 athletes aged 17 or under to compete across 35 sports.
Alibaba’s contribution to Dakar 2026 builds on its proven track record as a Worldwide Olympic Partner at Tokyo 2020, Beijing 2022, Paris 2024, and Milano Cortina 2026. This experience will support reliable event delivery while creating meaningful digital value for Senegal.
Hashtag: #AlibabaGroup
About Alibaba Group
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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6. Green light for Rotorua business park intersection
November 2, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
A $3.46 million grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund will provide safer access to Rotorua’s Eastgate Business Park from State Highway 30, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Transport Minister Chris Bishop say.
A four-way intersection controlled by traffic lights at the junction of SH30 and Wahanga-A-Rangi Crescent will improve safety on the busy highway, support development at the business park and provide for future access to the planned Rotorua Airport Business Park nearby.
“Having safe, suitable access to Eastgate will support development at the site and future-proof the wider area for more growth,” Mr Jones says.
“This investment reflects the Regional Infrastructure Fund’s focus on backing practical regional infrastructure that unlocks economic opportunities.”
Mr Bishop says building one road intersection to serve both business parks is the most practical approach.
“It will serve existing businesses while providing for the airport business park as it develops,” Mr Bishop says.
“Creating future-proofed transport links now means less work as the area gets busier with industry and more vehicle movements.”
The project will be managed by Rotorua Lakes Council. Construction is expected to begin in the next few months, subject to final confirmation and contractors being secured.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/11/02/green-light-for-rotorua-business-park-intersection/
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7. PlasticCard.nz Releases Free CR80 Card Artwork Checker, QR Code Generator and AI Business Card Designer
November 2, 2026
Source: PlasticCard.nz
PlasticCard.nz launches three free browser-based tools for businesses and designers preparing plastic card artwork, QR codes and business card concepts.
NEW PLYMOUTH, New Zealand, 1 November 2026: PlasticCard.nz, an established New Zealand supplier of custom-printed plastic cards, has launched three free online tools for preparing plastic card artwork: a CR80 card artwork checker, a QR code generator and an AI business card designer. All three run in a web browser and none needs an account.
The CR80 card artwork checker shows front and back artwork at true credit-card size (85.60 × 53.98 mm, ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1), with adjustable bleed and safe margins. Users can mark a contact chip, magnetic stripe, signature panel, embossing, slot punch, round hole or RFID/NFC antenna zone, so text and logos stay clear of areas that hide or damage print. Blank templates download as layered PSD, SVG, PDF or PNG files. Artwork is checked inside the browser and is not uploaded to PlasticCard.nz.
The QR code generator creates codes for websites, contact details, Wi-Fi and other data. A logo can be added and the code set to its printed size. Artwork downloads as SVG, PDF or 300 and 600 dpi PNG. A software decoder checks the QR artwork before each download so the code can be confirmed before printing.
The AI business card designer produces a front-and-back business card concept from the exact wording a business enters and a short description of the look it wants. Concepts are laid out for an 86 × 54 mm card with bleed (90 × 58 mm artwork). Proof and print files can be downloaded, and the PlasticCard.nz team checks each design before it goes to production.
“We carefully check artwork before anything goes to print. The delay often comes when we need to go back and forth with customers over artwork details that could have been checked earlier. These free tools give businesses and designers a way to check their work before sending it to us, which helps everyone get into production faster,” said Allan Hall of PlasticCard.nz.
The tools cover the formats PlasticCard.nz supplies, including plastic business cards, loyalty and gift cards, membership cards, staff ID cards and hotel key cards, as well as RFID and NFC cards. Printers, designers and organisations preparing their own artwork can use them whether or not they order from PlasticCard.nz.
About PlasticCard.nz
PlasticCard.nz is an established New Zealand supplier of custom-printed plastic cards for businesses and organisations throughout New Zealand. Its range includes plastic business cards, loyalty, gift and membership cards, ID badges, hotel key cards, and RFID and NFC cards, with variable data printing, barcodes, QR codes and magnetic stripes. The company is based in New Plymouth and delivers New Zealand-wide.
More information is available at plasticcard.nz
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8. OneGrowth Makes its Overseas Debut: China Telecom Smart APAC · AI Innovation Summit Held in Bangkok
November 3, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
OneGrowth Global Collaboration and Co-Creation Initiative Launched
At the summit, China Telecom held the launch ceremony for the “OneGrowth Global Collaboration and Co-Creation Initiative,” together with representatives of partners including Singtel, NTT, AIS, TRUE, ETL, MEASAT, SenseTime on the stage. They announced the official launch of the initiative and witnessed OneGrowth’s cooperation blueprint entering a new stage of implementation in Asia-Pacific.
Since the launch of the OneGrowth Global Cooperation in 2025, China Telecom has consistently upheld the cooperation philosophy of “Open, Nurture, and Empower” and the cooperation commitment of “Co-creation, Sharing, Co-governance, and Win-win,” working with global partners to explore new models for the coordinated development of the digital and AI industries. OneGrowth’s debut in Asia-Pacific is an important milestone in further deepening China Telecom’s regional ecosystem cooperation.
Dr. Chomparee Chompurat, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society of Thailand, pointed out that AI serves as a vital engine driving Thailand’s digital transformation and economic growth. Thailand is actively accelerating AI adoption across key sectors—including agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, and public services—to boost productivity, industry competitiveness, and public quality of life, while strengthening digital infrastructure such as high-performance computing, cloud services, and data centers. Dr. Chompurat emphasized that responsible AI governance, talent development, and international cooperation are critical pillars. Thailand looks forward to deepening pragmatic cooperation with international partners, including China Telecom, to jointly foster digital infrastructure, AI innovation, and technology development across the Asia-Pacific region.
Integrating Cloud and Network Resources to Power the AI Era
Liu Ziqian, General Manager of the Department of Science and Technology Innovation at China Telecom, shared China Telecom’s innovation practices from infrastructure to intelligent applications.
Built on its Xirang intelligent cloud, China Telecom continues to advance cross-region and cross-architecture computing power scheduling, with more than 118 EFLOPS of computing power under unified management. Through XingChen TokenHub, it brings together more than 170 mainstream large models, and it is developing the XingChen AI foundation models and the TeleAgent, moving AI capabilities from model supply to task execution and business process applications. Globally, China Telecom has established branches in 53 countries and regions and promoted the building of a “2+5+X” global computing power layout. China Telecom is also actively exploring the integration of AI and communications technology: its AI Flow technology can stably transmit high-definition video under extremely low bandwidth, and it is extending into applications such as vision network to support industry digital transformation.
On regional infrastructure development, Bill Chang, CEO of Nxera and Singtel’s Digital InfraCo, spoke on the development of digital and AI infrastructure in Asia. He discussed the coordinated build-out of capabilities such as networks, AI data centers, GPU and AI cloud services, and orchestration platforms, and looked ahead to the evolution from “National AI Grid” to “Cross-border AI Corridors.” These practices show that the coordination of computing power and connectivity will provide important support for expanding regional AI services and advancing industrial intelligence.
Five-Pillar Cooperation & Multi-Party Signing: Expanding the APAC Digital Network
Yin Jin, CEO of China Telecom Global, said in his keynote speech that Asia-Pacific has vast demand for digitalization and rich industry application scenarios, making it an ideal starting point for OneGrowth’s international expansion. OneGrowth has so far made multiple advances.
In Asia-Pacific, China Telecom will focus on five key areas—AI data centers (AIDC) and computing power, Token operations, vision network, satellite communications, and mobile services—to deepen collaboration with regional partners. Among them, the overseas edition of the TeleAgent platform will make its debut in Asia-Pacific first, and China Telecom will promote the development of its AIDC business through diverse cooperation models, jointly exploring localized operation and commercialization pathways for AI services.
In terms of industry applications and ecosystem collaboration, Jeff Shi, President of Asia Pacific and Group Vice President of Strategy at SenseTime, spoke on taking Chinese AI innovation global, sharing ideas from Token factories to industry applications and discussing how full-stack AI capabilities, combined with industry scenarios, can enable solutions to be deployed locally across different markets. Kota Yamashita, President and CEO of NTT Mobility, drew on Japan’s experience in autonomous driving to discuss the role of telecom operators in vehicle-road collaboration, remote monitoring, and smart mobility services. Tee Seeumpornroj, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of AIS, shared insights on building an AI infrastructure hub, discussing how 5G-Advanced networks and AI-ready data centers can support an AI connectivity hub linking Thailand and the Mekong region.
To deepen pragmatic collaboration, China Telecom Global signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Thai operators AIS and TRUE respectively, with the cooperation with TRUE focusing on Tiantong satellite services in Thailand. China Telecom’s Satellite Communications Branch signed MoUs with MEASAT Satellite Systems and Extend Networks, collaborating on Tiantong satellite services in Malaysia.
Looking ahead, China Telecom will continue to uphold the principle of “Co-creation, Sharing, Co-governance, and Win-win,” leverage its strengths in cloud-network convergence, computing power services, and AI technology, with OneGrowth as the bond of cooperation to deepen collaboration with telecom operators, technology companies, and industry partners in Asia-Pacific. Together, they will promote the coordinated development of digital and AI infrastructure, AI technology, and industry applications, and jointly build an open, collaborative, and inclusive digital and AI ecosystem in Asia-Pacific.
Hashtag: #OneGrowth
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. Global Data Ecosystem Conference in Shanghai Hears About Int’l Digital Cooperation, Data-AI Integration
November 3, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Under the theme of “Data Intelligence Connecting the World,” the conference also unveiled new initiatives and discussed efforts to boost the practical use of data technologies across various industries.
During the opening ceremony, the China Meteorological Administration introduced two key initiatives: The Shanghai Node for International Exchange of Earth System Data and Trusted Data Space for the Meteorological Industry. These achievements are expected to empower smart city development and support the high-quality growth of the digital economy.
In addition, the Working Group for the World Data Organization Maritime and Trade Digitization Specialized Committee was officially established. Building on Shanghai’s strengths in shipping and trade, the group is expected to support the smart upgrading of port and trade operations.
Song Xianrong, director of the International Data Governance Cooperation Department of the National Data Administration, and Wu Jianxiong, chairman of Shanghai Data Group, attended the launch ceremony.
The conference also officially launched the China-Kazakhstan Industrial Cooperation in Digital Economy initiative, through which the two countries will collaborate in areas including digital economy industry research, co-development of cross-border digital infrastructure, smart city construction, and the development of data factor markets.
Moreover, the conference held an awards ceremony for the Shanghai regional leg of the 2026 Data Elements × Competition (a national contest aimed at unlocking the multiplier effect of data as a production factor). The event in Shanghai covered 20 major categories, including meteorological services, manufacturing, financial services, green and low-carbon development, and healthcare, with 143 teams receiving awards. The winning projects will be supported in moving from the competition stage into real-world industrial applications.
The Token Industry Ecosystem Synergy Initiative was also unveiled by the National Data Development Research Institute, a research institute directly under China’s National Data Administration, and several leading companies across the industry chain. The initiative aims to advance the development of standards, evaluation, and practical application scenarios for the “token” sector, while forging new pathways for measuring, pricing, and circulating data — with the AI token as the unit of account — in the era of large AI models.
Experts Discuss Emerging Industry Trends
At the main forum, Sun Shengli, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a speech on specialized data center architecture and sustainable ecology as well as the underlying support path for scientific data mining and utilization.
A representative from Kazakhstan shared the country’s experience in developing the digital economy, opening up new perspectives for digital cooperation with China. Joe Weinman, founder of the International Institute for Future Industries and a pioneer in AI economics, analyzed industry transformation driven by data.
Vincenzo Aquaro, Chief of the Digital Government Branch in UN DESA’s Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government, focused on the era of AI agents and shared cutting-edge research on the global development of digital government.
Wu Jianxiong, chairman of Shanghai Data Group, said the firm will build an open, shared, and mutually beneficial platform for communication, engage deeply in the reform of data as a factor of production, and work alongside industry partners to foster the coordinated development of data resources.
Technological and Industrial Innovations Unveiled
During the forum, a carbon footprint certification chain for recyclable materials was launched. By leveraging data capabilities, this system enables end-to-end traceability and management of recyclable materials, empowering the circular economy to scale up and standardize.
UniTrust, a trusted governance platform for AI agents developed by the Shanghai Electronic Certificate Authority Center, was also unveiled. The platform is intended to establish a foundational layer of digital trust to ensure the secure and reliable circulation of data factors.
In addition, the first batch of high-quality datasets from AIsaisi, a one-stop open community for AI-driven scientific research, was released, providing data resources to support cutting-edge scientific research and innovation.
The National Data Development Research Institute, Shanghai Data Group, and Shanghai Data Research Institute also jointly released a series of research findings on the integrated development of blockchain, data, and AI.
Hashtag: #GlobalDataEcosystemConference
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– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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10. From the freezing works to professor: Annemarie Gillies’ 40-year learning journey comes full circle | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti
November 2, 2026
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology
8 minutes ago
EIT professor Annemarie Gillies has been on a forty year learning journey.
She was 31, had worked at Whakatū for seven years and had no plans to do anything different. The pay was good; she earned enough to buy a new car and her first home. When the works closed on 10 October 1986, she was devastated and faced some tough choices.
“I had to sell my car just to make sure I had money for the mortgage payments.”
At the time EIT, then the Hawke’s Bay Community College, partnered with the government to run programmes for freezing workers who had lost their jobs. Many of Annemarie’s workmates enrolled, and she chose a business simulation course.
“It made me think, I can’t get a job where I’m dependent on other people. I have to get a job where I’m the boss. Studying business makes you work-ready, so you can get a job out in the community and be a bit choosier about what you do.”
She decided to stay on for two more years, completing a National Certificate in Business Studies. The college didn’t offer degrees then, but the experience gave Annemarie the confidence to look further afield.
“I applied to all the universities to see how many cross-credits I would get for the 13 papers I’d done. Most of them would give me six, one gave me seven, but Massey University gave me eight. That meant I didn’t have to do the whole first year of a Bachelor of Business Studies in Accountancy.”
“The thing that kept motivating me was, I’ll just keep going until I fail a paper, and if I fail a paper, I’ll finish. But when I failed a paper, it made me more determined. I tried to do eight papers each year to make up my 24.”
Annemarie went on to become Business Manager of the Te Pūmanawa Hauora Research Centre in Massey’s Māori Studies department, hired by Professor Mason Durie (now Sir Mason), and spent five years there as business manager and got involved in research. Professor Durie was always supportive of his staff continuing their study. She kept studying alongside her job, completing a Diploma in Māori Development and then a Master of Business Administration. After moving to Massey’s College of Business, she completed her PhD with the support of a Health Research Council scholarship, became a senior lecturer and was later put forward for associate professor.
She credits strong, supportive leaders such as Professor Tony Vitalis, who then headed Massey’s School of Management.
“He just believed in everything I did. In 2000 I developed Māori business and management papers and strategic governance, which was pretty pioneering back then. I developed a whole diploma, which I ran until I left in 2014.”
She was then appointed Professor of Māori and Indigenous Research at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.
Through the National Science Challenges, Annemarie has worked with colleagues across the motu on projects including Our Land and Water, focused on agribusiness, and Sustainable Seas, focused on the blue economy. That work took her to Rēkohu (the Chatham Islands) to work alongside Moriori.
Closer to home, through Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence, and her work with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, she led a pilot project applying traditional knowledge labels to wāhi tapu – places of special spiritual, cultural and historical significance to Māori. Working with international organisation Local Contexts, the team added hapū kōrero to archaeological sites recorded in the New Zealand Archaeological Association’s ArchSite database. The pilot began in Waimārama, where Annemarie’s whānau is from, and will now be opened to other hapū and iwi.
Most recently, Annemarie and her team helped secure a place for Mataatua Wharenui, one of Aotearoa’s most treasured meeting houses, on New Zealand’s World Heritage Tentative List – the first step towards UNESCO World Heritage status. This was a dream that was strongly advocated by the late Sir Hirini Moko Mead, who provided leadership for this project. He was instrumental in getting the Wharenui returned to Ngāti Awa in 1996. The next stage of the UNESCO World Heritage will require much more work and material for international assessors, from management plans, risk assessments, and local and national government collaboration to letters of support and engagement with Mataatua iwi.
“We had to use international language, so people across the world could relate to it and see why it would be suitable for the tentative list”, explains Annemarie. “
“Comments from the Minister’s representative Indicated how we kept our language indigenous and international to ensure we expressed and were able to apply and clearly link the universal values criteria to Mataatua Wharenui. We provided examples that connected us to other indigenous groups – the values had to be universal, not national.”
Today, Annemarie has come full circle and is back where her learning began. She says it’s been an amazing journey and one she believes would never have happened if the Whakatū freezing works hadn’t closed.
“If it hadn’t closed, I would have probably stayed there, and I would have retired by now. Many of the people who worked with me went on to become teachers, nurses, other health professionals, and lawyers. So, in one respect, it was probably a godsend for some people, but not so for others.”
With some recent business closures, some Hawke’s Bay workers are once again facing an uncertain future. Annemarie’s story is a reminder that losing a job can be the start of something bigger, and that sometimes the first step is walking through the doors of a place like EIT.
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