Starting today, customers can use Green GSM’s mobility services in key areas of Northern Mindanao, including El Salvador, CDO, Laguindingan, Alubijid and Opol, by booking rides through the Green GSM app, contacting the customer service hotline, or simply hailing an available vehicle on the street. With its extensive operating network, Green GSM aims to meet diverse mobility needs, from daily travel and intercity journeys to airport transfers.

Every journey with Green GSM is not only a convenient mobility experience, but also a green choice, empowering people to actively contribute to emissions reduction while helping limit air and noise pollution through their everyday choices. The company upholds its “5 Green Promises,” comprising Good Cars, Good Drivers, Good Prices, Good Experiences and Good for the Environment, helping establish a new standard for local mobility services.

Powered by a 100% all-electric fleet of VinFast vehicles, Green GSM offers quiet, relaxing rides with no emissions. The comfortable cabin and smooth operation of electric vehicles provide passengers with a pleasant experience, even on longer journeys.

Green GSM’s drivers are thoroughly trained in driving skills, professional conduct and road safety. In particular, fares are transparently displayed on the app or through the official in-car meter. Knowing the cost of a ride in advance also gives customers greater control when planning their journeys, particularly for intercity trips or airport transfers.

To mark the launch, new users who register with Green GSM will receive 15 Green Points, equivalent to 15 peso. The points can be used to receive discounts on Green GSM rides.

Green GSM’s presence in Northern Mindanao is expected to create meaningful value for the local community. The development of electric vehicle-based transportation will help strengthen regional connectivity while creating more employment opportunities for service drivers, while passengers gain an additional safe, modern and convenient mobility option with more affordable costs than other ride-hailing companies.

The official launch of the service in Northern Mindanao follows positive results from its trial period, which began in late August. Previously, Green GSM had launched electric taxi services in key urban areas across the Philippines, including Metro Manila in Luzon, Central Visayas and Mindanao.

Mr. Pham Nhat Minh Hoang, Global CEO of Green SM, said: “Expanding into Northern Mindanao enables Green GSM to increase our service coverage in a region with strong potential, while giving more residents access to electric mobility with consistent service quality and reasonable costs. We will continue to develop our network and work with local partners to build a scalable electric transportation model that can create long-term value for the Philippines.”

With a focus on innovation, sustainable development and a people-centered approach, Green GSM aims to contribute to the green transition in the Philippines. Going forward, the company will continue to enhance service quality, develop its network and consistently uphold its “5 Green Promises”, delivering safer, more convenient and sustainable mobility experiences.

Hashtag: #GreenSM

Markets, not savings, powering the gain

Global financial assets increased by 8.6% in 2025 to a record EUR268.4trn, despite a challenging geopolitical and economic backdrop. Markets did the heavy lifting in 2025, as rising asset prices accounted for roughly 4 out of every 5 euros of new household wealth. Fresh savings fell 5.4% to EUR4.1trn. “Global wealth set another record in 2025, but that only tells half of the story,” said Ludovic Subran, Chief Economist and Chief Investment Officer at Allianz. “Since 2019, nominal financial assets are up 50%, but in real terms, stripped of inflation, they only grew 23%. The situation is worse in Western Europe where financial assets in real terms are up 0.5% compared to 2019. It is 21% in North America and 70% in China.”

Portfolios set the tone

Portfolio composition increasingly determines who captures the gains from wealth creation. Securities increased by 12.4% in 2025, more than twice as fast as deposits (5.7%) or insurance and pensions (5.0%), pushing their share of global financial assets to a record 46.9%. North American households, with 60.7% of their portfolios invested in securities, benefited particularly strongly from rising markets; their region generated 51.4% of the global increase in financial assets. Over the past decade, valuation gains accounted for 71% of North American financial-asset growth, compared with only 36% in Western Europe, reflecting the importance of investing savings over holding them in low-earning accounts.

2026-27: AI as a swing factor amid slowing GDP growth

We estimate that global financial assets could grow by a solid 9% in 2026, but the medium-term backdrop is turning tougher as slower growth, persistent inflation, fragmentation and high public debt weigh on returns. Going forward, AI is therefore the key swing factor: stronger productivity and earnings could sustain asset returns, but the growing reliance on AI-powered markets to drive household wealth also creates vulnerability. With the S&P 500 up around 95% since end-2022, much of the recent wealth boost rests on elevated market valuations and AI expectations. We find that a 25% correction in the S&P 500 would erase around USD27trn of US household wealth in the year of the shock, equivalent to almost 14% of total net worth, weighing on confidence and consumption, and pushing the US economy into recession.

But the AI wealth story is not only about how much wealth is created, it is also about who captures the gains. “AI could become the next great wealth engine, but the key question is who gets a stake in it,” said Katharina Utermöhl, Head of Thematic & Policy Research at Allianz Research. “As AI potentially shifts more value creation towards capital, broader participation in capital returns and policies that help workers adjust will be key to making the AI wealth dividend more widely shared.”

Singapore: The world’s 4th-richest country by net wealth per capita

Gross financial assets of Singapore’s private households increased by 9.1% in 2025 to EUR1.4trn, up from 8.5% growth in 2024, modestly above the global average (8.6%) though just below the average for the surveyed Asian countries excluding Japan and China (9.8%).

Securities grew fastest among all asset classes, up 12.7%, ahead of insurance and pensions (9.3%) and deposits (6.8%). However, due to Singapore’s strong capital-funded pension system, insurance and pension remained the dominant asset class in the average private household’s portfolio, with a share of 47.2%, followed by deposits with 33.2%. Securities accounted for just 19.6% of Singaporean portfolios – well below both the regional average of 30.8% and the global figure of 46.9%.

Adjusted for inflation, Singaporean financial assets grew by 8.1% in real terms in 2025, up from 6.0% in 2024. They have increased by a cumulative 33.3% since 2019 – below the regional average of 39.6%, though well above the global average of 22.9%.

Private households’ liabilities rose by 7.4% to EUR269.9bn, growing more slowly than gross financial assets. As a result, net financial assets increased by 9.5% to EUR1.1trn. With net financial assets of EUR192,840 per capita, Singapore ranked 4th among the world’s richest countries in 2025.

Net financial assets per capita in 2025

The interactive “Allianz Global Wealth Map” can be found here on our homepage:
https://www.allianz.com/en/economic_research/research-data/interactive-wealth-map.html

You can find the study here on our homepage:
https://www.allianz.com/en/economic_research/insights/publications/global-wealth-report-2026.html

Hashtag: #AllianzResearch

About Allianz

Reimagining A Diamond Is Forever for a New Era, Redefining Natural Diamond Storytelling

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 September 2026 – De Beers Group unveils the campaign film for Desert diamonds. Following the Desert diamonds Asian launch in Shanghai on 29 July, the campaign extends across 25 key cities in China, timed to Jewellery & Gem WORLD Hong Kong (JGW) and the Golden Week. Blending classical Chinese poetry with contemporary aesthetics, the film reinterprets A Diamond Is Forever for a new era and places natural diamonds within a register of cultural resonance and inner narrative.

Desert diamonds are De Beers Group’s contemporary expression of natural diamonds, honouring the rarity of each stone and the brilliance forged by nature under immense heat and pressure over billions of years. The category answers a younger generation’s wish to resist definition by convention, to embrace the authentic self and to speak in its own voice. It carries natural diamonds beyond the bridal occasion into a lasting choice whether given to someone else or kept for oneself.

The soul of the campaign traces back to the landscape evoked by the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei in the lines: “In the great desert, a single smoke rises straight; over the long river, the setting sun is round.” Through an exceptionally concise visual language, the film distils the rawness, vastness and stillness of the desert into the essence of its narrative, conveying to a younger generation the deeper core of Desert diamonds — authenticity, individuality and inner radiance. Through the lens, “straight,” “long” and “round” are no longer simply poetic images, but the truest forms of all things once every ornament has fallen away. In the desert, artifice is stripped away by wind and sand, leaving heaven and earth revealed in their purest geometric contours. This untouched, elemental state evokes an almost Zen-like sense of completeness. It is in such an extreme environment that natural diamonds take shape, and each refracted ray of light echoes the silent rhythm of the deep desert—brilliant and untamed.

Working in a minimalist visual language and an understated narrative, the film presents its four models in their most authentic state. Every frame is pared back to its essence, capturing the most unadorned dialogue between a person and a natural diamond. Throughout, the rhythm of the gong, a traditional Chinese instrument, provides a continuous thread. Its resonant Eastern tones answer the imagery of the desert, evoking a distinctive sense of freedom and ease.

Lü Mo, Director, said: “Young people today move between tradition and modernity, with classical Chinese aesthetics and global culture coexisting in their inner world. At its core, Wang Wei’s poetry embodies a distinctly Eastern form of minimalism — ‘straight,’ ‘long’ and ’round’ reveal the original forms of all things once everything superfluous has been stripped away, reflecting an independent spirit that neither follows trends nor caters to popular taste. This resonates with the younger generation’s refusal to be defined by external expectations. Through this film, I hope to convey that your sharpness, your edges, and even all the ‘imperfections’ that others may never see are precisely the irreplaceable marks that make you who you are.”

De Beers Group’s consumer research places figures to this: 95% of Chinese respondents said they would like to own a Desert diamond, 94% agreed that Desert diamonds are distinctive, and 96% viewed them as an innovative departure from tradition. As authenticity and individuality increasingly shape contemporary values, the natural beauty of Desert diamonds—and the uniqueness found in their imperfections—speaks to the radiance of a generation unwilling to be tamed, whether the occasion is a personal milestone or a feeling for someone cherished that words cannot fully convey.

The campaign runs across 25 key cities, among them Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, reaching audiences through digital television and social media platforms and through an integrated online and offline approach. De Beers Group continues to work with its three strategic retail partners—Chow Tai Fook, Chow Sang Sang and TSL | Tse Sui Luen—extending the campaign onto the jewellery floor, where the rich natural colours and distinctive character of Desert diamonds can be seen at close range.

Building on the spirit of A Diamond Is Forever, the new campaign film offers a contemporary reading of an idea now nearly 80 years old. Since its creation in 1947, the line has embodied the lasting, rare and timeless qualities of natural diamonds. Drawing on Chinese culture, the film opens a dialogue with a younger generation around the authentic self, taking the idea beyond traditional expressions of emotional commitment towards individuality, personal expression and inner radiance.

Shaped entirely by nature, Desert diamonds hold a radiance that comes from within. What lasts is not only the rarity of a natural diamond through the passage of time, but the strength to stay true to oneself and shine boldly. And what is carried forward is more than the value held in a stone: it is a spirit of authenticity and individuality that stays with a younger generation through the years.

For more information on natural diamonds, please follow and visit the official channels below:

De Beers Group official website www.debeersgroup.com
Natural Diamonds Instagram @ADiamondisForeverhk
Website: www.adiamondisforever.com/zh-hk

Hashtag: #DeBeersGroup #ADiamondIsForever #NaturalDiamonds #Desertdiamonds #Diamonds

About De Beers Group

About Building Forever

Building confidence in the natural diamond category with industry partners, guided by the Building Forever and diamond traceability strategies

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 September 2026 – 16 to 19 September, De Beers Group participated in Jewellery & Gem WORLD Hong Kong (JGW), presenting an immersive experience centred on Desert diamonds. Drawing inspiration from the wonders of nature and the artistry of human craftsmanship, the showcase created a captivating space that brought the story of natural diamonds to life.

Following its successful Asian debut in Shanghai in July, Desert diamonds returned to Hong Kong as De Beers Group’s first major beacon initiative in more than a decade and its largest category-marketing investment in 15 years. The activation reaffirmed the Group’s commitment to strengthening long-term confidence in the natural diamond category, working alongside strategic partners across the value chain and guided by its Building Forever sustainability framework and diamond traceability strategy.

Industry leaders convene to shape the future

De Beers Group Chief Executive Officer Al Cook, Executive Vice President of Diamond Trading Paul Rowley, General Manager of Natural Diamonds Lynn Serfaty and Vice President of Natural Diamonds APAC Loletta Lai attended the Group’s breakfast meeting, where they exchanged views with industry partners from around the world.

Distinguished guests included Lekoko S. Kenosi, Ambassador of Botswana to China; Lin Qiang, President of the Shanghai Diamond Exchange; Nosiphiwo Mzamo, Chief Executive Officer of the State Diamond Trader of South Africa; Amber Pepper, Chief Executive Officer of the Natural Diamond Council; Jillian Wolk, Chief Executive Officer of Tracr and Annie Wong, Chief Operating Officer of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group. Together with De Beers Group leadership and other attendees, they discussed future opportunities and areas for collaboration across the natural diamond industry.

“We firmly believe that natural diamonds have an enduring future, and we remain confident in the long-term opportunity presented by the Chinese market. China has always been one of De Beers Group’s most important markets. For more than half a century, we have built deep and enduring relationships with retailers, consumers, governments and industry partners. We continue to invest in China and launched our Desert diamonds category-marketing initiative in July this year. The campaign has already delivered encouraging results in the US market and is showing strong momentum in China. Looking ahead, we invite our industry colleagues to work together to strengthen consumer confidence in the long-term value of natural diamonds,” said Al Cook, Chief Executive Officer of De Beers Group.

“The natural diamond market is gradually stabilising. Supply and demand are moving towards equilibrium, while diamond prices are showing signs of recovery. The US market remains resilient and the Chinese market is also beginning to stabilise, while India, Europe, Japan and the Gulf markets are providing further momentum for industry growth. Global annual natural diamond production has declined from a peak of approximately 170 million carats to around 100 million carats. Effective supply management is essential to restoring market balance. Looking ahead, the industry must continue to invest in detection, grading and traceability systems, enabling consumers to distinguish clearly between natural and laboratory-grown diamonds, while advancing collective category marketing and industry collaboration.” said Paul Rowley, Executive Vice President of Diamond Trading at De Beers Group.

“Desert diamonds are such a gift. They resonate with Chinese philosophies of resilience, transcendence and harmony between humanity and nature, while building a bridge between southern Africa and China. Through the Asian launch of Desert diamonds, retailer partnerships, social media communications and media engagement, we aim to further support China’s focus on quality consumption and help more consumers understand and appreciate the enduring value of natural diamonds,” says Lynn Serfaty, Managing Director of Natural Diamonds at De Beers Group shared her perspective on the emotional and cultural resonance of natural diamonds in China.

An immersive journey from earth to adornment

Following the breakfast meeting, De Beers Group officially unveiled its Show & Tell experience, inviting global industry guests on an immersive journey that combined visual, tactile and emotional storytelling.

Visitors entering the space were transported through the changing light of a vast desert landscape. Exterior screens depicted rolling sand dunes, while the interior brought together contemporary exhibition design and traditional Chinese bamboo-weaving craftsmanship, an element of China’s intangible cultural heritage.

Artist Xu Mingyu created sharply faceted geometric display cases inspired by the precision of natural diamond cuts. The woven textures echoed the intricate patterns formed on desert surfaces by the passage of time. Through this dialogue between ancient Eastern craftsmanship and the untamed poetry of natural diamonds, the installation connected heritage, nature and contemporary design.

The Show & Tell experience unfolded across five narrative chapters, creating a sensory journey from the earth to the wearer’s hand.

At the Desert diamonds display, loose natural diamonds were presented along a spectrum of warm, earthy hues, recalling the layered tones of the desert landscape. The distinctive colours of Desert diamonds arise naturally from subtle variations in nitrogen content and plastic deformation, giving every stone an entirely individual appearance and personality. No two Desert diamonds are alike, just as every person’s story is unique.

In a rapidly changing digital age, younger consumers are increasingly drawn to authenticity and permanence. Formed over billions of years, natural diamonds embody this pursuit through their inherent rarity and individuality. At the exhibition, retail partners presented Desert diamonds jewellery collections including Chow Tai Fook’s Desert Rose collection, Kashikey, represented by Chow Sang Sang, and alongside classic three-stone and five-stone designs.

Guests then moved to the Tracr area to explore the digital identity of a registered natural diamond. From mine to retail, the origin and journey of each diamond can be recorded and traced. A dedicated science and technology zone featured a range of De Beers Group’s detection instruments, enabling guests to see first-hand how natural diamonds can be differentiated from laboratory-grown diamonds.

The journey also highlighted De Beers Group’s long-standing conservation work. A dedicated rhino conservation area showcased decades of commitment to habitat protection, species breeding and relocation, bringing the Group’s Building Forever sustainability commitment to life in a tangible and meaningful way.

The experience concluded with a multi-sensory exploration of Desert diamonds. A fragrance experience inspired by the vast desert landscape evoked the interplay between the beauty of the desert and the brilliance of diamonds, while interactive quizzes invited guests to discover their own natural diamond aura.

Advancing trust through collaboration and traceability

During the exhibition, De Beers Group also participated actively in a series of industry exchange activities, engaging with value-chain partners to explore the opportunities and future direction of the natural diamond industry.

At the Natural Diamond Value Chain Repositioning and Outlook Forum, jointly organised by the Natural Diamond Council and the Hong Kong Diamond Federation, participants from across the industry exchanged insights on the evolution of the natural diamond value chain and its future prospects. Meanwhile, at the Brilliant Convergence: Envisioning the Future of Jewellery Design seminar hosted by the Hong Kong Diamond Federation, Loletta Lai, Vice President of Natural Diamonds APAC at De Beers Group, joined jewellery designers and industry representatives to discuss how natural diamonds can continue to inspire contemporary jewellery design and sustain their appeal in an evolving market landscape.

In addition, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) presented “The Beauty of Natural Diamonds” exhibition during the show, inviting visitors to explore the formation and unique beauty of natural diamonds through a scientific lens. Through diamond fluorescence, microscopic images of inclusions and growth features, as well as GIA Diamond Grading Reports, the exhibition revealed the unique “natural fingerprint” of every natural diamond. Notably, ahead of this year’s exhibition, GIA completed its acquisition of a 30% shareholding in the Tracr diamond traceability blockchain platform, an important milestone for the natural diamond industry. This strategic collaboration supports Tracr’s evolution into independent industry infrastructure, providing dual assurance through diamond grading and origin traceability, and laying a strong foundation for a more transparent and trusted future for the natural diamond industry.

Extending the industry conversation into a jewellery experience, De Beers Group also invited members of the media and fashion community to visit the De Beers London Hong Kong flagship boutique, where they experienced the beauty and distinctive appeal of natural diamond jewellery through an immersive journey. Behind the brilliance of every natural diamond lies a traceable journey, from its origin at the mine to the careful craftsmanship applied through sustainable practices. Every stage reflects De Beers Group’s unwavering commitment to exceptional quality and sustainability. Through jewellery try-ons and expert-led guidance, guests experienced first-hand how natural diamonds are being reinterpreted in a contemporary fashion context, deepening their emotional connection with appreciation of the category.

Guided by the enduring belief that “A Diamond Is Forever,” De Beers Group’s presence at this year’s Jewellery & Gem WORLD Hong Kong not only demonstrated the continuing vitality and broad potential of natural diamonds in the global market but also created an emotionally resonant natural diamond journey for industry partners and consumers through the storytelling platform of Desert diamonds. The initiative brought new depth and warmth to natural diamond category education.

Looking ahead, De Beers Group will continue to work with industry partners worldwide, with its Building Forever sustainability framework and diamond traceability strategy serving as two key pillars in advancing the natural diamond industry towards a more transparent and sustainable new era. Through the interplay of art and culture, every natural diamond formed deep within the earth can shine ever more brightly in its time, continuing a timeless story of enduring beauty.

For more information on natural diamonds, please follow and visit the official channels below:

Hashtag: #DeBeersGroup #ADiamondIsForever #NaturalDiamonds #Desertdiamonds #Diamonds

About De Beers Group

• Commits HK$14 million over two years to empower more than 38,000 beneficiaries.
• Incubates three inaugural community projects, bridging young people and the wider community.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 September 2026 – The Hongkong Land Foundation (“the Foundation”) today announced the launch of “The Central Spark Series” with three winning projects selected from its “AI for Good” Hackathon. Together with its other ongoing initiatives, these projects form part of Hongkong Land’s HK$14 million commitment over the next two years to benefit more than 38,000 people across Hong Kong. The Central Spark Series also aligns with the HKSAR Government’s 2026 Policy Address, supporting its strategic vision for the renewal of Central as well as its agenda to strengthen people’s livelihood and foster a more inclusive society.

The Central Spark Series’ official launch ceremony brought together leaders from across government and the public sector, academia, social enterprise, and commerce. Officiating and attending guests demonstrating this cross-sector collaboration included Mr Ho Kai Ming, JP, Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare; Ms Grace Chan Man-yee, Member of the 8th Legislative Council (Social Welfare Functional Constituency); Ms Jeanne Cheng, JP, District Officer (Central and Western District); Mr Ivan Ho, Harbourfront Commission Chairman; Ms Sam Lam, Interim Director of the Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Prof Esterina Nervino, Associate Director of Global Governance & Innovation for a Shared Future at City University of Hong Kong; and Prof Howard Ling, Chief Consultant of Impact Incubator.

In March 2026, the Foundation organised the “AI for Good” Hackathon, a collaborative social innovation programme developed in partnership with The Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Ten NGOs and educational institutions pitched proposals to a panel of industry and community leaders. Three winning projects were selected: Central Connect by the Hong Kong Design Institute, Central as Canvas by Caritas Hong Kong, and Central POP! by the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation. These three projects form the foundation of The Central Spark Series, with further details outlined in the appendix.

The Central Spark Series leverages Hongkong Land’s Central portfolio in the heart of Hong Kong as a dynamic platform for learning, public participation and community engagement. By bringing young people, NGOs, tenants, employees and the wider public into the district, it translates the Foundation’s People, Place and Culture pillars into visible, on-the-ground experiences. Together, these projects demonstrate how different sectors can collaborate to build longer-term partnerships and create measurable social impact by creating more inclusive and resilient communities. They also nurture the next generation in art and culture, heritage and creativity, building a talent pipeline for Hong Kong’s creative industries.

Beyond Hong Kong, the Foundation extends its reach into other communities where Hongkong Land operates. The Foundation recently backed the Cultural Legacy Innovation Challenge in Beijing, supporting local young people to reimagine the travel route along the Beijing Central Axis. The project promotes the city’s heritage and history to residents and visitors from around the world. In addition to monetary support, Hongkong Land volunteers also give back to the community by offering their time and effort. This year, volunteers across Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, Singapore and South Asia have contributed more than 3,000 hours to various projects.

Michael T. Smith, Group Chief Executive of Hongkong Land, and Director of Hongkong Land Foundation, said “Businesses thrive only when their communities flourish. Through our Hongkong Land Foundation, we are committed to unlocking upward social mobility for the next generation through meaningful mentorship, networks, and opportunities. Central, Hong Kong has long stood as the preeminent financial district. Through the Central Spark Series, we will bring together non-profit, academia, talent, commercial partners, tenants, and the wider community to broaden that identity to help make it a vibrant hub for creativity, collaboration, and community.”

Hongkong Land has a longstanding commitment to corporate social responsibility. Since its establishment in November 2020, the Foundation (formerly Hongkong Land HOME FUND) has committed more than HK$133 million in community initiatives benefiting more than 760,000 people. Working alongside its partners over the long term, Hongkong Land remains committed to creating lasting impact for the communities of Hong Kong and beyond.

Appendix: Winning projects of the Central Spark Series

Hashtag: #HongkongLand

Hongkong Land

Hongkong Land is a major listed property development, investment and management group. It focuses on developing, owning and managing ultra-premium mixed-use real estate in Asian gateway cities, featuring Grade A office, luxury retail, residential and hospitality products. With over US$50 billion in assets under management, Hongkong Land’s premium and ultra-premium mixed-use real estate footprint spans over 1.82 million sq. m. lettable area in operation and 1.57 million sq. m. lettable area under development, with flagship mixed-use projects in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. Its properties hold industry leading green building certifications and attract the world’s foremost companies and luxury brands. Established in 1889, Hongkong Land takes a long-term view, investing significantly alongside its capital partners and concentrating its portfolio where it can create the most value for tenants, customers and investors. Hongkong Land Holdings Limited has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange, with secondary listings in Singapore and Bermuda. Hongkong Land is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group.

Hongkong Land Foundation

The Hongkong Land Foundation was established in November 2020 (formerly the Hongkong Land HOME FUND) to underscore our long-term commitment to liveable cities and vibrant communities. Building on our legacy of innovation, placemaking, and sustainability, the Foundation focuses on three interconnected pillars: People, Place, and Culture. Through these pillars, we drive social engagement and community development, acting as a catalyst for meaningful social impact. We address long-term socio-economic challenges and enrich lives across the communities we serve – creating lasting positive change, enhancing well-being, and fostering shared prosperity and resilience wherever Hongkong Land operates.

Stars from Korea, Japan and Hong Kong Perform at the Moon-Met Indigenous Voices Concert, Opening a Season of Sustainable Tourism

HUALIEN, TAIWAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 September 2026 – Hualien, a destination on Taiwan’s east coast known internationally for its mountain and ocean scenery, will host its major annual music event, the 2026 Hualien Moon-Met Indigenous Voices Concert, on September 26 and 27. This year’s performers include NIEL, lead vocalist of the popular Korean boy band TEEN TOP; Aisa Senda, a Ryukyuan singer from Okinawa, Japan; Sheron Tan, an Indigenous singer from Sabah, Malaysia; and William So, Hong Kong’s “King of Love Songs.” Spanning K-pop, Austronesian culture and Mandopop, the concert will be held at Hualien’s well-known Dongdamen Square and reflects Hualien’s long-standing openness to diverse cultures.

A Gift from Nature: Hualien’s Mountains, Coastline and Indigenous Culture

With the towering gorges of Taroko National Park, the blue Pacific coastline and a pleasant climate throughout the year, Hualien has long been a first choice for international travelers exploring Taiwan’s natural scenery. In addition to its natural landscapes, Hualien has a rich Taiwanese Indigenous cultural heritage. This year’s concert is combined with an Indigenous-themed market, allowing visitors from abroad to explore the mountains, coastline and Indigenous communities during the day, then walk in the moonlight in the evening, sample local night market food and try Indigenous handicrafts, with music and nature as the backdrop.

A Full Second Half of the Year: A Different Theme Each Month

As autumn sets in, Hualien is presenting a series of international themed events in the second half of the year, inviting travelers from around the world to experience Hualien in every season:

• September – Moon-Met Indigenous Voices Concert: Artists from Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan come together for an international concert celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.
• October – Indigenous Culture and K-Pop Crossover Festival: Continuing the momentum, October brings a crossover concert that combines traditional Taiwanese Indigenous culture with Korean pop music (K-pop), bringing together striking visuals and sound.
• November – Hualien Pacific Hot Spring Festival: With winter approaching, the Hot Spring Festival in November invites visitors to enjoy Hualien’s high-quality natural hot springs and relax in a mountain setting for a restorative break.
• December – Hualien Pacific Tourism Festival (New Year’s Eve Concert): The final major event of the year, Hualien’s New Year’s Eve celebration attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually and is an excellent opportunity for international travelers to experience New Year’s Eve in Taiwan.

An Ideal Destination for International Travelers: Countdown Celebrations and Relaxing Travel

In addition to well-developed tourism facilities and abundant natural and cultural resources, Hualien offers subsidy programs specifically for international travelers, and its range of themed events in the second half of the year provides an excellent opportunity to experience Taiwanese culture in depth. The New Year’s Eve celebration in December is particularly well suited to travelers planning a year-end holiday abroad, offering the chance to welcome the new year amid Hualien’s mountain and ocean scenery and festive atmosphere.

Hualien warmly invites travelers from around the world to take advantage of the peak travel season in the second half of the year and plan a trip to experience its natural scenery, rich culture and international performances.

EVENT INFORMATION

https://hualien.travel/zh-tw/events/2026/?utm_source=gemini
https://reurl.cc/7YnRdb
https://concert.hl.gov.tw/
https://iapc.hl.gov.tw/News_Content.aspx?n=30681&sms=24976&s=205755

Hashtag: #Hualien #MoonMetIndigenousVoicesConcert #SustainableTourism

A New Chapter in Toblerone Innovation

In 2024, Toblerone introduced its distinctive diamond-shaped truffles to the market, marking a bold step beyond the brand’s legendary triangular bar. The launch proved a resounding category success, redefining what consumers expect from premium boxed chocolates. Now, Toblerone takes this innovation further with a partnership that is set to captivate chocolate lovers worldwide: Toblerone Diamond Truffles with Biscoff^®.

Each diamond-shaped truffle is individually crafted from smooth Toblerone milk chocolate, filled with smooth Biscoff^® spread and finished with crunchy nougat pieces. The result: the unmistakable caramelised taste and crunchy texture of Biscoff^®, elevated by Toblerone’s signature chocolate craftsmanship.

When Two Global Icons Unite

Biscoff^® has become one of the world’s most sought-after biscuits, transcending categories and cultures. This collaboration between Toblerone and Biscoff^® represents a strategic partnership that unites two iconic brands to create something truly new in the premium chocolate category – a product that meets growing consumer demand for innovative, indulgent experiences.

Iain Livingston, President Toblerone & World Travel Retail at Mondelēz International, proudly says: “Toblerone has always stood for being never square, and celebrating unapologetic indulgence. With our diamond-shaped truffles already proving a category success, combining them with globally loved Biscoff^®, was a natural next step. People look for surprising combinations of familiar tastes, and this is a collaboration that only two icons could bring to life. We couldn’t be more excited to share it with the world.”

The excitement is shared by Lotus Bakeries as Isabelle Maes, Chief Marketing Officer at Lotus Bakeries, emphasizes: “Biscoff^®‘s unique caramelised taste and crunchy texture have become a global phenomenon, loved across cultures and age groups. Partnering with Toblerone – a brand synonymous with quality and indulgence – allows us to bring our iconic Biscoff ^® biscuit and spread experience to consumers in an entirely new and exciting format.”

The Perfect Treat – Available in Two Formats Across Key Global Markets

Toblerone Diamond Truffles with Biscoff^® are available in two pack sizes to meet different consumer occasions – perfect for gifting, sharing, or an indulgent treat:

• 495g premium box – an exclusive format launching with retailer Costco across the United States, Canada, Taiwan, Australia, United Kingdom, Spain, France, Sweden, Iceland as well as New Zealand.
• 180g sharing box – available in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, and Australia. More to follow.

The exclusive Costco deal represents a landmark moment for Mondelēz International and its Toblerone brand, marking the first time the company has partnered with Costco to launch a product range on a global scale. Another testament to the strength of both the Toblerone brand and the universal appeal of Biscoff^®.
https://www.mondelezinternational.com/our-brands/toblerone/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/mondelezinternational/
https://www.instagram.com/toblerone

Hashtag: #Toblerone #Biscoff #NeverSquare

Toblerone

Biscoff®

Since 1932, Biscoff® has been delighting consumers’ taste buds with its delicious caramelised taste and crunchy texture. Originally from Belgium but now loved all over the world, Lotus Biscoff® cookies were first brought to market by Jan Boone Sr., who created a caramelised cookie using only natural ingredients. This unique recipe and cookie remain the basis of our three hero products: the original Lotus® Biscoff® cookie, the Lotus® Biscoff® sandwich cookie and the Lotus® Biscoff spread. Whether they are enjoyed at home, on the go, at the office or on a flight, Biscoff® provides everyone around the world with a unique moment to truly enjoy!

While World Cleanup Day often brings attention to streets, parks and other public areas, Eureka used the occasion to highlight less visible spaces around us – from overlooked corners at home to shared environments that can easily escape regular cleaning.

The campaign brought together creators across four European markets – Germany, Italy, France and Spain – with each collaboration bringing a local perspective to the idea of “Find the Unseen.”

In Germany, @mit_den_jungz explored “Find the Unseen” through a familiar everyday habit: cleaning the spaces we see, while often missing the ones we do not. By combining personal interaction with a hands-on demonstration of Eureka FloorShine 880 Wet and Dry Vacuum, the content encouraged viewers to look at familiar surroundings more carefully and reconsider what may be left out of their usual routines. In this way, the campaign idea became less about simply cleaning more, and more about noticing what is usually overlooked.

Looking ahead, Eureka plans to continue working with creators across Europe to discover more of these “unseen” spaces. Through future collaborations, the brand aims to encourage people to pay greater attention to their surroundings, both in their own homes and in the shared spaces they use every day, and make cleaner environments part of everyday life.

Eureka also introduced the “Find the Unseen” social media challenge, which invited consumers to use Eureka cleaning products on overlooked areas in their homes and share videos of the process online for a chance to receive cashback.

As part of the World Cleanup Day campaign, Eureka is offering 6% off any Eureka product from now through September 30 with the promotional code eureka920 on its German website.

Learn more: https://de.eureka.com/pages/worldcleanday2026/

Hashtag: #Eureka

About Eureka

Founded in Detroit, USA, in 1909, Eureka is a century-old vacuum cleaner brand dedicated to making cleaning easier. The brand focuses on innovation, practical design and ease of use, developing cleaning solutions for everyday homes.

World Cleanup Day often draws attention to streets, parks and other public areas. Eureka extended that idea into everyday environments, asking people to look beyond the spaces they clean routinely and notice the corners and shared areas that may receive far less attention.

The wider campaign brought together creators across France, Germany, Italy and Spain, with each collaboration interpreting “Find the Unseen” through a local perspective.

In France, @Antoiz turned the campaign into a real-world challenge by offering €50 to anyone who could help him find the dirtiest place possible. After speaking with people about spaces that might fit the challenge, the search led to an entrance hall where dirt had built up away from everyday attention.

Rather than simply talking about overlooked spaces, the content went out to find one. @Antoiz then put the Eureka FloorShine 880 Wet and Dry Vacuum to work on the area, turning the discovery into a hands-on cleaning challenge and showing the result after cleaning. The format gave “Find the Unseen” a literal and relatable meaning, connecting curiosity, discovery and practical cleaning in one story.

Looking ahead, Eureka plans to continue working with creators across Europe to discover more of these “unseen” spaces. Through future collaborations, the brand aims to encourage people to pay greater attention to both their homes and the shared spaces they use every day, making cleaner environments a more natural part of everyday life.

Eureka also introduced the “Find the Unseen” social media challenge, inviting consumers to clean overlooked areas in their homes with Eureka products, share videos online and participate for a chance to receive cashback.

As part of the campaign, Eureka is offering 6% off any Eureka product from now through September 30 with the promotional code eureka920 on its French website.

Learn more:
https://fr.eureka.com/pages/worldcleanday2026/

Hashtag: #Eureka #WorldCleanupDay

About Eureka

Founded in Detroit, USA, in 1909, Eureka is a century-old vacuum cleaner brand dedicated to making cleaning easier. The brand focuses on innovation, practical design and ease of use, developing cleaning solutions for everyday homes.

Source: Whole Earth Farming

18 September 2026

At full maturity, regenerative “whole earth farming” practices could also offset CO2 emissions equal to the entire airline industry’s

NEW YORK – Hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers could play an outsized role in feeding humanity’s growing population while restoring nature, but a new book underlines that they are the least supported producers in global agriculture.

Whole Earth Farming: Smallholders and the Great Regenerative Transformation says there are roughly 475 million smallholder farms in the Global South, typically operating on less than two hectares (five acres). Together, these farmers already produce about 30% of the world’s food, despite severely limited access to finance, markets, technical and practical education support.

In his book, development expert Hugh Locke says helping just half of the smallholders farmers worldwide – about 240 million farming families – to adopt regenerative agriculture and agroforestry could yield all the additional food required by population growth through 2050 while improving rather than degrading nature.

And those farms would occupy only about 12% of the world’s arable land.

“The world’s smallholder farmers are too often treated as beneficiaries of development assistance when they should be recognized as architects of the next agricultural transformation,” says Locke, co-founder of the Smallholder Farmers Alliance in Haiti.

The world population is expected to increase by roughly 1.5 billion by 2050, he notes, with that growth concentrated in developing countries. Locke’s central proposition is that meeting that additional food does not have to come at the cost of further soil degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change.

Instead, he argues, the same investment needed to increase smallholder productivity could help turn agriculture into a regenerative force.

Haiti: a working laboratory

Many of the insights in Whole Earth Farming are based on Locke’s experience with the Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA), which he co-founded with Haitian agronomist Timote Georges in 2010.

The organization now works with roughly 10,000 member farmers in Haiti.

When participating smallholders receive basic agricultural support based on sustainable practices, their yields increase by an average of about 40%, he notes, while household incomes rise between 50 – 100%, depending on local conditions.

SFA members also plant an average of approximately 1 million trees a year.

With SFA’s leadership and help, Haiti’s farmers began transitioning production to a regenerative approach that combines agroforestry with what the SFA calls “tree currency”: farmers plant and care for trees in exchange for agricultural services, training, seeds and other inputs. The model connects increased farm productivity directly with environmental restoration.

The Haiti experience helped shape one of the book’s central conclusions: hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers are producing below their potential because agricultural policies, research, financing and extension systems have disproportionately supported large-scale agriculture for decades.

“This is not about nostalgia or returning agriculture to the past,” Locke says. “It is about recognizing where one of the greatest opportunities for the future now exists.”

Farming that restores instead of extracting from nature

Rather than simply reduce the damage farming causes, regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach to farming that aims to improve the natural systems on which agriculture depends.

It draws on three streams of knowledge: Indigenous and ancestral farming traditions; decades of experience with organic farming, agroecology, permaculture and other sustainable approaches; and contemporary science, including advances in soil biology, ecosystem science and impact measurement.

Depending on local conditions, regenerative farmers can employ techniques including crop rotation, cover crops, intercropping and diverse cropping systems, composting and other methods of building soil organic matter, reduced tillage, agroforestry and integration of livestock.

The objective is not adherence to a universal checklist. It is measurable improvement in outcomes such as soil health, biodiversity, water quality and availability, carbon storage, food production, farmer livelihoods and community resilience.

Locke describes this as regenerative agriculture’s “dual revolution”: a farming methodology and a framework for determining whether farming is actually producing regenerative results.

This distinction is important because practices appropriate to a smallholder in Haiti, India or Kenya may be very different from those suitable for a farm in Canada or the United States.

“The question is not simply, ‘Are you using regenerative practices?’” says Locke. “The more important question is, ‘Is the land, the ecosystem and the farming community measurably better as a result?’”

The approach represents a shift, he says, from shifting agricultural practices to “do less harm” to practices designed to produce net positive outcomes.

Climate dividend

The book also examines how such a transformation could affect climate change.

Healthy soils and growing plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store carbon in soil and biomass. Regenerative systems can also reduce emissions associated with the manufacture and transportation of synthetic fertilizers.

Drawing on peer-reviewed research, Locke says approximately 240 million smallholder farms making the transition to regenerative agriculture across an estimated 480 million hectares could eventually remove every year up to 0.72 gigatons of CO2 from the atmosphere annually during the period in which soil carbon is actively accumulating.

Furthermore, reduced reliance on synthetic fertilizer could provide an additional climate benefit of roughly 0.1 gigaton of CO2 equivalent annually, bringing the estimated combined benefit to approximately 0.6 to 0.85 gigatons per year at mature adoption.

That is roughly comparable in scale to the annual CO2 emissions of global aviation.

Locke stresses that soils cannot absorb carbon indefinitely. Soil carbon generally accumulates over one to three decades before approaching a new equilibrium, and outcomes vary substantially with soils, climate, farming practices and farmers’ starting conditions.

“Regenerative agriculture is not a license to keep emitting carbon elsewhere,” says Locke. “Its climate potential is important precisely because it comes alongside other benefits we urgently need anyway: healthier soil, greater biodiversity, more resilient farms, increased food production and stronger rural communities.”

Measuring what “regenerative” actually means

The book arrives as regenerative agriculture is moving rapidly into the mainstream but still lacks a universally agreed definition.

Locke argues that this makes credible measurement especially important.

Rather than allowing a farm or company to be considered regenerative because it has adopted one favoured technique, Whole Earth Farming advocates assessing a broad range of environmental and social outcomes.

The book highlights the emerging “Regen10 Outcomes Framework,” developed through more than two years of global consultation, as an important step toward establishing a common reference for assessing regenerative agriculture while allowing farmers to choose methods appropriate to local circumstances.

The framework encompasses ecological health, farmer livelihoods, food quality, community resilience and other outcomes.

The distinction also guards against reducing regenerative agriculture to carbon alone.

A farming system that sequesters carbon while degrading biodiversity, water resources or farmer livelihoods, Locke argues, cannot meaningfully be called regenerative.

A great regenerative transformation

Locke calls the opportunity a “Great Regenerative Transformation,” comparable in ambition to the Green Revolution that dramatically increased agricultural production during the second half of the 20th century.

But there is a fundamental difference. Where the Green Revolution relied heavily on improved crop varieties, irrigation, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and increasing standardization, Locke envisions a transformation that combines traditional agricultural knowledge with ecological science, locally adapted practices and modern systems for measuring outcomes.

The goal is not simply more food per hectare. Success would instead be measured by what agriculture produces and what it leaves behind: healthier soils, restored ecosystems, greater biodiversity, improved water systems, climate resilience and viable farming communities.

Locke argues that smallholders are particularly well positioned to lead such a transformation because many retain traditional agricultural knowledge, operate diversified farms and have not adopted industrial farming systems as extensively as producers in wealthier countries.

The challenge is giving them access to the training, finance, research, markets, data and extension services needed to make that potential real.

Alongside its practical exploration of smallholder farming and regenerative agriculture, Whole Earth Farming makes a less expected case: that the Bahá’í Faith offers principles relevant to agriculture’s future; its teachings connect farming with humanity’s spiritual, social and economic development.

Locke focuses particularly on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, who from 1901 to 1921 directed the farming community of ‘Adasíyyih in the Jordan Valley. He argues that practices used there anticipated many now associated with regenerative agriculture, including crop rotation, agroforestry, integrated livestock and soil-building, while applying broader principles of equality, consultation and justice.

Locke extends these ideas globally, arguing that the faith’s principle that “the earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens” provides a framework for treating farmers, governments, companies and international institutions as parts of an interdependent agricultural system. He stresses that the principles require no religious belief, describing them as “open-source foundational truths” that could help regenerative agriculture scale across cultures, continents and generations without fragmenting into competing definitions.

“Not a measure of the problem, but a measure of the possibility”

The book carries a foreword by Roy Steiner, Senior Vice President, Food Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation, who describes the world’s 475 million smallholder farming households as “not a measure of the problem, but as a measure of the possibility.”

Steiner writes that regenerative transformation cannot be reduced to carbon or measured by crop yield alone, and that it cannot succeed without farmers themselves being active agents of change.

The book has also drawn endorsements from leaders spanning agriculture, humanitarian action, conservation, development and public policy.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton says Locke shares lessons from his work with smallholders “with both rigorous evidence and genuine humanity.”

Chef and humanitarian José Andrés writes that farmers have the power not only to produce food but to strengthen local economies and nourish the future, concluding: “Read this book. Then do something.”

Other contributions and endorsements have been provided by

• Elizabeth Dowdeswell, former UN Environment Programme Executive Director and Lieutenant Governor of Ontario;
• Danielle Nierenberg, Food Tank President;
• Rainn Wilson, actor and environmental advocate, who wrote the introduction;
• Paula Caldwell St-Onge, former Canadian Ambassador to Haiti;
• Tara Shyam, Executive Director of Regen10; and
• Leaders from organizations working in agriculture, food security, reforestation and international development.

The book includes 21 stories from 18 countries illustrating regenerative agriculture through the experiences of farmers and farming communities rather than presenting it solely as an abstract global model.

Its examples range from Colombia and Thailand to Canada, the Netherlands and farming communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Launched during Climate Week NYC, Whole Earth Farming offers a deceptively simple proposition: The world need not choose between feeding more people and restoring the planet. It’s possible to do both if hundreds of millions of farmers who have long operated at the margins of agricultural policy are finally given the means.

By the numbers

• 570 million – Approximate number of farms worldwide.
• 475 million – Smallholder farms in the Global South with less than two hectares (five acres).
• ~2 billion – People living and working on those smallholder farms, approximately one-quarter of humanity.
• 30% – Approximate share of the world’s food already produced by smallholders.
• 1.5 billion – Approximate increase in world population expected by 2050, concentrated in developing countries.
• 240 million – Smallholder farming families the book proposes supporting in a global regenerative transition.
• 12% – Approximate share of global arable land those farms would cultivate.
• 0.48–0.72 gigatons CO2/year – Estimated potential annual soil carbon removal at mature adoption during the active accumulation period.
• 0.6–0.85 gigatons CO2e/year – Estimated combined mature annual climate benefit when avoided emissions associated with reduced synthetic fertilizer use are included.
• 10,000 – Approximate number of Smallholder Farmers Alliance members in Haiti.
• 1 million – Approximate number of trees planted annually by SFA members.
• 21 stories / 18 countries – Farmer and regenerative agriculture stories featured in Whole Earth Farming .

About the author

Hugh Locke has spent his career working at the intersection of environmental conservation, international development, humanitarian service and interfaith collaboration. Since co-founding the Smallholder Farmers Alliance in Haiti in 2010, he has focused much of his work on smallholder agriculture and regenerative farming. He is President of the Impact Farming Foundation and serves on the board of the global reforestation nonprofit One Tree Planted.

Whole Earth Farming: Smallholders and the Great Regenerative Transformation

September 2026

George Ronald Publisher

ISBN 978-0-85398-688-1

Official release

As one of the outbound missions under the supervision of the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Ms Loretta Lee will lead the delegation comprising Chinese Mainland companies in sustainability and life and health sciences on a visit to Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. The visit aims to help Chinese Mainland enterprises understand the local ecosystems and precisely align their go-global needs, while attracting Canadian businesses in these strategic sectors to invest in Hong Kong, thereby driving new growth impetus.

Ms Lee said, “Canada is globally recognised for its exceptional research talent, clean technology leadership, and established life sciences ecosystem. As more Mainland green technology and life and health sciences enterprises pursue international growth through Hong Kong, they bring not only capital and access to one of the world’s largest markets, but also serve as ideal partners for Canadian companies seeking to explore Asia and beyond. We are keen to build fresh synergies with Canadian businesses to strengthen innovation, collaboration, and investment flows.”

During the visit, the delegation will meet with local institutions, chambers of commerce, and industry associations. They will also hold targeted discussions with leading Canadian green tech and healthcare enterprises, visit universities and research parks, and take part in sector-specific roundtables and business networking sessions.

Hashtag: #InvestHK

Drawing inspiration from desert rose formations and the resilience of succulent plants thriving in arid landscapes, the collection translates the beauty and vitality of desert life into contemporary jewellery design. Comprising 20 pieces, the Desert Rose collection is now available at selected Chow Tai Fook stores across 25 cities in China.

Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group, commented: “Chow Tai Fook has been a key partner since becoming a De Beers Group Sightholder in 1973. With this new Desert Rose collection, we are delighted to continue working closely together to grow consumer desire in China. Chow Tai Fook and De Beers are both passionate about consumer trust. We are committed to protect and promote the enduring value of natural diamonds.“

Annie Wong, Chief Operating Officer of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, added: “The Desert Rose collection celebrates the resilience and individuality of today’s women, with designs inspired by the beauty and vitality of desert life. Through our joint effortswith De Beers Group, we are confident in bringing the distinctive character of Desert diamonds to more consumers and inspiring a deeper appreciation of their lasting value.”

Over the past few years, De Beers Group and Chow Tai Fook have worked closely on natural diamond campaigns, staff training, and in-store activations across China. Looking ahead, the two parties will build on their established ties with a new initiative focused on strengthening consumer confidence in the long-term value of natural diamonds. This initiative also aligns with the Chinese government’s advocacy for consumption upgrading, reinforcing the positive role of natural diamonds in the country’s broader economic and lifestyle evolution.

Beyond the Desert Rose collection, De Beers Group’s immersive JGW exhibition space showcases Desert diamond loose stones and jewellery against bamboo-weave showcases created by artist Xu Mingyu. Recognised as a Chinese intangible cultural heritage, the bamboo installation draws inspiration from desert dunes and diamond facets, embodying the Building Forever commitment by bridging traditional craftsmanship with natural diamonds. The space also features Tracr, diamond verification technologies, and rhino conservation initiatives.

Together, these initiatives reaffirm the significance of natural diamonds in contemporary life and culture—and stand as a powerful testament to the deep-rooted ties between De Beers Group and Chow Tai Fook. United by a shared vision, the two companies continue to champion the heritage, artistry, and timeless value of natural diamonds, carrying forward a message that resonates across generations: A Diamond Is Forever.

Please follow the official accounts to find more information regarding natural diamonds.

Hashtag: #Naturaldiamonds #Diamonds #Desertdiamonds #DeBeersGroup #ADiamondisForever

About De Beers Group

The ceremony was held under the theme “Chasing the Light, Connecting the World.” In recent years, Optics Valley’s innovations have been reaching the world at an accelerating pace. The overseas social media matrix of “Optics Valley of China” has continued to attract attention, and “made in Optics Valley” products such as the Optics Valley Photon sky rail and driverless minibuses have been repeatedly applauded by spokespersons of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, becoming a “calling card for China” in the eyes of overseas netizens. To help companies move from “product export” to “brand export,” Optics Valley has worked with the News & Information Service Center of Xinhua News Agency and other partners to establish the Optics Valley International Communication Alliance, opening international communication resources to Optics Valley companies and providing them with one-stop services such as overseas public opinion response and multilingual content production, so as to serve as a “navigator” for companies going global. As the national news agency of China, Xinhua News Agency has 184 overseas branches and has established cooperative links with more than 2,000 media outlets around the world.

Speaking as a representative of the founding members, Li Lei, vice president of FiberHome, said that FiberHome’s business now covers more than 100 countries and regions, with wholly owned subsidiaries in 36 countries and three overseas optical cable plants in Ecuador, Thailand and Hungary; at its Philippine subsidiary, locally hired employees account for more than 95 percent of the workforce. “We will stay committed to high-quality global expansion and to deepening localized operations, and, with the platform of the Optics Valley International Communication Alliance, we will not only export China’s advanced communication technologies and solutions, but also serve as a bridge for industrial cooperation and people-to-people connectivity between China and the rest of the world,” he said.

Huakang Clean, also a founding member, is a leading enterprise in China’s cleanroom industry. It has made going global a core strategy for the 15th Five-Year Plan period, completed its market layout in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, South America and Africa, and exported mature cleanroom technology solutions. It looks forward to deepening cross-border collaboration and strengthening brand building through the alliance platform.

At the ceremony, a think tank report was released — “Going Global, Competing Worldwide: How ‘Optics Valley of China’ Polishes Its International Calling Card in Service of Building a Strong Nation in Science and Technology — Practices and Insights,” written by Reference News Press · Reference Think Tank. According to the report, leading enterprises represented by the “Seven Stars of Optics Valley” have seen average annual growth in overseas revenue of more than 30 percent. The report sums up Optics Valley’s global communication path as “one strategic direction and ten keywords”: Optics Valley takes serving the building of a strong nation in science and technology as its strategic direction, and adheres to central-local coordination, AI empowerment, going global as a team, and tailored measures for different markets.

The report states that Optics Valley has witnessed and written the confidence and determination of a brand of a strong nation in science and technology going global, and that when the light of “Optics Valley of China” illuminates the global industrial landscape, it conveys the narrative of the times in which China takes part in global competition through technological self-reliance and self-strengthening and shares its opportunities with the world. The report suggests that, for Optics Valley to keep polishing its international calling card in service of building a strong nation in science and technology, three things need to be fully considered: first, elevating the Optics Valley story from “corporate behavior” to a “national narrative”; second, making full use of AI, a global knowledge-service infrastructure, to carry out global communication; and third, moving from “communication empowering industry” to “communication as an industrial capability.”

A training session on overseas communication capacity building was held alongside the inauguration ceremony, with David Wei, founder of Vision Knight Capital, and Cao Yang, deputy director of the International Communication Department of the News & Information Service Center of Xinhua News Agency, invited to give lectures.

The launch ceremony, themed “A Tribute to the Land,” was held in a field on the outskirts of Tacheng City, inviting Chinese and international guests to immerse themselves in the spectacular autumn harvest.

The event centered on processional performances, all presented by local performers from Tacheng. As the performances unfolded along the route, the influencers watched and captured the most touching moments with their cameras.

According to the organizers, the influencers will determine their routes by opening “mystery boxes”. They will split into two groups and take two different routes deep into Tacheng for traveling, immersive field experiences and content creation. Through short videos, photo essays, live streams and other formats, they will continue to share original content across social media platforms and media outlets in China and abroad.

Located in northwestern Xinjiang, China, Tacheng has long been home to people from different ethnic groups. Its diverse folk traditions and cultures have given this Silk Road border city a distinctive and vibrant character.

Hashtag: #Tacheng

Following strong turnouts in Malaysia and Taiwan, tantan brings its fitness-led community experiences to Bangkok and Taichung in the coming months

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 September 2026 – tantan, one of APAC’s largest dating platforms, is taking its fitness, fun and dating offline across the region with its community fitness initiative, bringing singles together through running, workouts and lifestyle experiences designed to spark genuine connections beyond the screen.

Since launching its fitness and lifestyle event series in Q3 2025, tantan has seen consistent demand for offline experiences. Across recent events, including its Singapore Halloween activation and the fitness gatherings that followed, approximately 80 per cent of available spots were filled within the first two days of registration, with the latest events reaching capacity within a day. Turnout has also remained high, with close to 90 per cent of registered participants attending.

The events have drawn a broad mix of participants, with recent registrations comprising approximately 60 per cent men and 40 per cent women. Female participation continues to climb, with female app sign-ups rising by around five per cent in the seven days following each offline event.

“We have always believed that meaningful connections can start online, but what we are seeing now is that offline can be a powerful driver of community growth. Our events are not only attracting strong participation, they are bringing new people into the tantan community, with female app sign-ups rising after each event. For us, the numbers show that giving people a reason to meet in real life can create momentum that lasts beyond the event itself. Offline is becoming an important part of how we build our communities, not simply an extension of what happens on the app,” said Willynn Ng, Regional Head of International Markets at tantan.

The growing appetite for interest-led social experiences also reflects a wider shift in how people are looking to meet. According to Eventbrite data, experiences using “meet-cute” language grew by 117 per cent in the first half of 2026, while hobby-based events centred around meeting people, going solo and finding a community are gaining momentum across wellness, nature, crafting and other lifestyle categories.

For tantan, the appeal of offline fitness lies in giving people a natural reason to connect. Rather than meeting with the sole intention of dating, participants bond over a shared activity, challenge or interest, making interactions feel more organic and less transactional.

Bringing the Initiative to More Communities across APAC

tantan is adapting the format to local communities and interests as it rolls out across the region.

In Malaysia, tantan hosted Run & Mingle on 6 September in collaboration with RSS Run Club, a Malaysian community-driven running and fitness group, bringing together 43 participants. Women made up 80 per cent of attendees, while around 80 per cent of participants were single. The strong female turnout is particularly notable given that female participation has traditionally been harder to drive at offline dating events, highlighting the growing appeal of fitness-led social experiences as a more approachable way to meet.

In Thailand, tantan will be the Official Dating App Partner of the BREW Vertical Fun Run on 20 September at ICONSIAM in Bangkok, held as part of the Iconic Coffee Festival. Organised with ICONSIAM and Brew Run Club, the event transforms the destination into a vertical running experience across seven levels, with each floor offering a different coffee, pastry, brand or social moment. Around 300 participants are expected to take part, with games and challenges planned at the end of the run to create natural opportunities to interact.

In Taiwan, tantan is taking its fitness community beyond Taipeiwith Taichung’s first ever “Bar Run” from 23 to 24 October. Organised in collaboration with a local pub 龍蛇酒雜 (LONG SER 9 ZA), the event is expected to attract approximately 3,000 to 3,500 participants, combining fitness, socialising and nightlife in a city-wide experience. Participants can roam the neighbourhood, visit partner bars for exclusive drinks, collect stamps and play games, turning the city into a social playground to explore, connect and have fun.

Across these markets, tantan’s approach is simple: fitness creates the common ground, while connections happen naturally along the way.

With more fitness and lifestyle experiences planned across APAC, tantan aims to build a community where digital discovery and real-world experiences work together, turning shared interests into shared experiences and, ultimately, more opportunities for meaningful connections offline.

https://thetantanapp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/tantanapp/

Hashtag: #tantan

tantan

As Hong Kong’s healthcare needs continue to evolve amid an ageing population and increasing prevalence of chronic conditions, there is an important opportunity to further strengthen prevention, early intervention and primary healthcare. Enabling people to stay healthy and improve their quality of life not only supports better health outcomes, but also contributes to a more resilient and sustainable healthcare system for the future.

At Bupa Hong Kong, we believe healthcare should go beyond treating illness to empowering people throughout their health journey, actively supporting individuals to manage and improve their health at every stage of life. By bringing together health insurance, integrated Western and Chinese healthcare services and digital health solutions, we enable people to take greater control of their health while receiving comprehensive medical and preventive care support.

We also recognise that strong public-private collaboration and leveraging GBA healthcare resources will be essential to meeting Hong Kong’s evolving health needs, improving hospital services and alleviating pressure on the public healthcare system. By harnessing the collective strengths of government, healthcare providers and the private sector, Hong Kong can further strengthen primary healthcare, support the adoption of digital health solutions and promote healthy ageing. Together, we can help make healthcare more accessible and seamless, while supporting better health outcomes across the community.

Bupa Hong Kong looks forward to continuing to work alongside the Government and partners across the healthcare ecosystem to support Hong Kong’s long-term development, helping people live longer, healthier, and happier lives.

For more information about Bupa Hong Kong, please visit www.bupa.com.hk/en/.

Hashtag: #Bupa #BupaHongKong #FirstFiveYearPlan #2026PolicyAddress #Healthcare

Bupa – A health insurance specialist