Author: Charles Chua

EuroEyes (1846.HK) Chongqing Clinic Set to Groundbreaking, Officially Enters Southwestern China

EuroEyes Chongqing Clinic Ground-breaking Ceremony

EuroEyes International Eye Clinic Limited (“EuroEyes” or the “Company”, stock code: 1846) held the ground-breaking ceremony of its new clinic in Chongqing today, marked as its 7th clinic in China. The Company enters Southwestern China officially, and will bring high-quality vision correction services to the mountain city. As told, EuroEyes Chongqing clinic is estimated to invests 30 to 40 million yuan. EuroEyes and its Chongqing partner will invest 60% and 30% respectively through joint ventures (10% by other institutional investors). Chongqing clinic is scheduled to open in the third quarter next year.

EuroEyes was established in 1993 and is one of Europe’s leading brands in the vision correction industry, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. EuroEyes is operated by famous German doctor Dr. Jorn Slot Jorgensen, and was awarded with many Ophthalmology prize. EuroEyes has a far-reaching geographical coverage of 27 eye clinics and consultation centers in Germany, Denmark and the PRC. According to the report of BOCI, EuroEyes was awarded with World Champion – Most Trifocal Lens Implants, European Champion – Most ICL Implants and German Champion – Most ReLEx SMILE Procedures in 2018. EuroEyes is a market leader in advanced lens exchange surgery and refractive surgery (excluding PRK / LASEK) in Germany and Denmark. In 2018, EuroEyes’ market share in Germany and Denmark was 13.2% and 10.8% respectively.

According to statistics, there are approximately 1.4 billion people with myopia around the world, of which nearly half are in China. By 2020, China’s myopia population will reach approximately 700 million. At the same time, uncorrected presbyopia is common among middle-aged and elderly people, and the number of uncorrected presbyopia is around 371 million in the population aged over 40. In addition, the incidence of cataracts is about 80% in China’s population aged 60-89, and more than 90% aged over 90. With the increasing incidence of myopia and the aging trend in China, the gap in the demand for eye health-care and vision correction is widening.

In Europe, the market and technology in vison correction surgery is more mature, however, in China, the market is in the ascendant, and the penetration rate is comparatively low. According to Frost & Sullivan, the population ages 18-45 with myopia in Germany in 2018, 1,424 people per million received ReLEx SMILE surgery treatment, compared with only 669 people per million in China, or 1.1 times higher of receiving the medical treatment than in China; Elsewhere, the number of ICL operations in Germany is 4.3 times higher in comparison to China; the age 45 or above with presbyopia who accepted an ICL surgery in Germany is also 4.3 times higher than the number in China.

Since entering China in 2013, EuroEyes aims at providing world standard German technology and 100% German services to patients in China with myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia and cataracts, allowing them to enjoy a clear vision. According to Financial Report of EuroEyes, the revenue of China region in 2018 is approximately 94 million yuan, accounts for 28.2% of the overall revenue worldwide. From 2016 to 2018, the CAGR of revenue and gross profit in China region is 85.1% and 633.7% respectively

Benefiting from China’s huge customer market, as well as the Company’s established brand foundation and good reputation in the first tier cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, it is perfect time for EuroEyes to further develop into the fast-growing super second tier and second tier cities in China. EuroEyes plans to strategically expand the layout in the second tier cities of China and accelerate its growth at the pace of opening 1-2 clinics every year.

Dr. Jorn Slot Jorgensen, the Founder, Chairman of the board and CEO of EuroEyes said that Chongqing is a major Southwestern city with the largest population in China. EuroEyes is privileged to work with local partners in Chongqing to establish its first flagship clinic in the Southwest China.

Ms. Chen Lixuan, the Chinese partner of EuroEyes Chongqing Clinic, said that her cooperation with EuroEyes was due to her mother’s receiving a trifocal lens exchange surgery at EuroEyes Shanghai Clinic in 2017, experiencing the professional service and amazing postoperative results as a genuine patient. And leveraging the rich capital and network resources accumulated from her business in service and real estate industry, Ms. Chen introduced this high-quality German brand to her hometown, benefiting more people in Chongqing.

EuroEyes Chongqing Clinic will be the first flagship clinic after the successful IPO in Hong Kong. It represents EuroEyes’ strategic determination to take root in China and it also shows EuroEyes’ confidence in its further development in the market of Southwestern China. Along with the construction of Chongqing Clinic, EuroEyes will provide high-qualified glassless surgery for the patients around “Two Rivers and Four Banks” in Chongqing with the unique advantage of “German doctor and German quality”, and strive to improve the eye health-care level and life quality of residents in Southwest.

Religious leaders and policymakers gather in Jakarta to discuss Muslim-Buddhist relations in South and South East Asia

The Vienna-based International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will host a regional workshop on 18-19 December involving more than 65 religious leaders and policymakers from five different countries as part of efforts to promote understanding and cooperation between religious communities across South and South-East Asia.

The workshop, themed “Fostering inter- and intra-religious dialogue to prevent and mitigate conflicts in South and South-East Asia” is jointly organized by KAICIID and the OIC in partnership with the Indonesian Centre for Dialogue and Cooperation among Civilizations (CDCC) and the Jakarta-based Gusdurian Network. It also foresees the participation of senior representatives of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) institutions.

Intra- and interreligious dynamics in South and Southeast Asia have become increasingly troubled over the past decade. Rising intolerance, whether along ethnic or religious lines, has caused divisions and raised security issues in various countries in the region. The workshop seeks to provide a platform for dialogue and exchange on interreligious relations in South and South East Asia, to facilitate collaboration between religious leaders from different faith backgrounds, and to foster relations with decision-makers on a regional level.

“If we want to fight the effects of intolerance, which has become a worrying trend not just here in South East Asia, but all over the world, we must focus on the need to integrate different ideologies, different ways of life, and different religious beliefs”, KAICIID’s Secretary General Faisal bin Muaammar said about the importance of the encounter.

Key topics to be addressed during the workshop include the role of religious leaders in detecting hate sentiment and incitement to violence online, the facilitation of safe access to holy sites and ways to protect them, as well as the multiple challenges related to inclusiveness in the educational sector.

“Through this meeting, the OIC hopes to further engage religious leaders and policymakers in constructive dialogue on how multi-religious societies, including Buddhist and Muslim communities, across the region can come together not only for the wellbeing of followers of Islam and Buddhism but for the betterment of humanity at large,”, the OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, said.

The meeting in Jakarta is the second of its kind, following a workshop that took place in Bangkok, Thailand in 2017 with the participation of 70 religious leaders and policymakers from the region. Based on the input from the event participants, KAICIID initiated its country programme in Myanmar.

About KAICIID

The International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) is an intergovernmental organization that promotes dialogue to build peace in conflict areas. It does this by enhancing understanding and cooperation between people of different cultures and followers of different religions. The Centre was founded by Austria, Saudi Arabia and Spain. The Holy See is the Founding Observer. Its Board of Directors comprises prominent representatives from five major world religions (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism). The Board designs and supervises the Centre’s programmes. https://www.kaiciid.org/.

About the OIC

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), established in 1969, is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations with a membership of 57 countries spread over four continents. The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world. It endeavours to safeguard the interests of the Muslim world through the promotion of international peace, security and harmony in cooperation with countries of the world. https://www.oic-oci.org/.

For accreditation, interview requests, photographs and more information, please contact: press@kaiciid.org

The media is cordially invited to attend the opening ceremony on 18 December at 9:00 am and the press conference, which takes place on 19 December at 3:30 pm.

Venue: Hotel Borobodur, Jl. Lap. Banteng Selatan, Ps. Baru, Kecamatan Sawah Besar, Jakarta, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10710, Indonesia

CIMC Vehicles eyes emerging cold chain logistics, CICC expects market value exceeds RMB 40 billion

A few important policies have been released to support the ongoing development of the manufacturing industry. These, along with the deployment of policies in recent months by the People’s Bank of China, China Banking Regulatory Commission and other departments, help to guide the financial industry in increasing support for manufacturers. All signs show that these policies have somewhat favoured the overall profitability of the manufacturing industry. Among which, CIMC Vehicles (1839.HK), which has received much attention since its Initial Public Offering (“IPO”), has rallied much faster than many of its counterparts and continues to outperform the market.

Stronger Industry’s growth momentum, especially cold chain logistics

Looking at the segmented fields of the semi-trailer industry, we draw attention to the growth prospects of the cold chain logistics industry. Since 2014, China’s cold chain industry has experienced a period of rapid development. According to the China Cold Chain Logistics Development Report (2019), the growth rate of China’s cold chain logistics increased from 19% in 2014 to 20.3% in 2018. The annual growth rate of circulation services and related equipment introduced by cold chain logistics has exceeded 30%. With the improvement of China’s economy, the continued trend toward urbanization and the implementation of a series of promotional policies for consumption upgrades and domestic consumption expansion, it is expected that the total volume of China’s cold chain logistics will continue to increase.

The report also pointed out that the total amount of cold chain logistics in 2018 accounted for only 1.7% of total social logistics, which is still far off the numbers being registered in developed countries, suggesting that the industry is still in its early stages of development. With the development of cold chain logistics towards warehouse integration and logistics automation, the research and development (“R&D”) as well as production of cold cars and core components for cold car demand has ushered in huge new business opportunities.

CICC’s report released on 12 December 2019 stated that China currently has about 53,000 refrigerated trailers, and that it expects China’s long-term refrigerated trailers penetration to reach 1 million units and market volume to hit RMB 40 billion (excluding tractors). The report pointed out that, as the industry leader, CIMC Vehicles had a market share of 9% in China in 2018 and that its products have certain advantages in terms of light weight, thermal insulation capacity, durability, and order response speed. It found that with the enhancement of product standards, CIMC Vehicles is expected to ramp up its market scale on the basis of size and product strength. CICC believes that as the sales structure of domestic refrigerated trucks shifts towards refrigerated trailers, the average selling price (“ASP”) of CIMC Vehicle’s refrigerated trailer products will generally rise, echoed by increased downstream demand driving growth in related businesses.

According to Frost & Sullivan, the overall sales of North American refrigerated trailers in 2017 reached 44,200 units and is expected to increase to 54,600 units by 2022. The planned capacity of a new CIMC Vehicles assembly plant in the US is expected to help the company double its market share of refrigerated trailers in the North American market. As for the European market, it is expected that the overall sales of refrigerated trailers will increase from 31,500 in 2017 to 40,100 in 2022. Before listing, CIMC Vehicles did not produce or sell refrigerated trailers in Europe. This implies, upon the formulation and implementation of the capacity expansion plan, as well as the enhancement in the production and delivery capacity of refrigerated trailers, CIMC Vehicles will experience rapid growth in its refrigerated trailers in the European market. This is based on its “Global Operations with Local Wisdom” strategy, “smart” production and extensive experience accumulated from Industry 4.0. To summarize, CIMC Vehicles is expected to quickly exploit new opportunities in China and emerging markets, as well as other mature markets in North America and Europe.

CIMC Vehicles has been expanding its refrigerated-trailers business in North America since 2008. In 2018, CIMC Vehicles had a market share of 7% in the refrigerated-trailer market in North America. As of the first half of 2019, sales of refrigerated trailers in North America increased by 67% over the same period last year, while the market share of refrigerated semi-trailers in North America continued to rise. With the prosperous development of the domestic cold chain industry, CIMC Vehicles is positioned to quickly capture significant market share. Currently, the CIMC Vehicles cold chain sector owns Shandong CIMC (covering various types of refrigerated-trailers) and Qingdao CIMC (covering refrigerated-trailers) production bases, of which standardization and customization are the two major development directions.

In addition, CIMC Vehicles is expected to continue benefitting from changes in the market structure driven by economic transformation, industrial upgrades, and the gradual increase of industry concentration, to become the biggest beneficiary under current market conditions.

Gaining attention from capital markets

CICC’s two recent industry reports also focused on CIMC Vehicles. Together with earlier reports by Haitong and CMB, various signs have indicated CIMC Vehicles is gradually gaining the attention of investors, with its stock price outperforming the HSI. The stock price of CIMC Vehicles began its ascension in September 27, and has so far rallied by over 38% from its low. Compared with the HSI, which hit its low in early October and has so far rebounded by only 7.17%, CIMC Vehicles has clearly made a positive impact among investors.

The market has also shown signs of continuous acceptance of CIMC Vehicles’ fundamentals and policy expectations. The implementation of the new national second-generation semi-trailer standards and the Chinese government’s moves to further enforce overload regulations will provide further momentum for the development of CIMC Vehicles. The company proposes a “Trailer Pioneer” product that complies with the second-generation national standard in order to help consolidate its market share in China and further enhance the company’s bargaining and pricing power as a domestic industry leader.

As the market continues to pay attention to Sino-U.S. Trade negotiations, the actual impact of these talks on CIMC Vehicles is under company’s control. CIMC Vehicles sells three models in North America, of which the van trailers are produced and assembled locally in the United States, and some parts of the refrigerated trailers are purchased in North America, meaning that trade friction has limited impact on these two models. Chassis trailer, which are produced in China but assembled in the United States, have limited exposure in the short term. However, the company’s post-IPO expansion plan includes increasing the capacity of refrigerated trailers in North America. The company’s recent announcement states that, in addition to retaining the new refrigerated trailer project in Monon, it is also setting up a refrigerated trailer assembly plant in Canada. The company will flexibly adjust the supply chain of chassis trailer in accordance with the latest trade situation in order to better deal with the impact of tariffs. Market expects that CIMC Vehicles is making its best efforts to reduce the negative impacts of tariff adjustments. As these uncertainties are gradually lifted, the market will naturally return the investment value of our shares.

Unique investment concept

CIMC Vehicles is one of the few representatives of smart and high-end manufacturing in the Hong Kong stock market. It is also a global leader in segmented fields, occupying a leading position within the industry. As an advanced manufacturing company with a unique investment concept, CIMC Vehicles currently has “low valuations and high dividend returns” for investors.

Prior to listing, the company implemented a high dividend payout policy, with dividend payout ratios ranging from 20 to 30% over the past three years. Dividend payout ratio was adjusted to 40 to 60% after listing. CIMC Vehicles disclosed in its financial report for 1H2019 its operating cash flow was RMB 855 million, which provided capital reserves and a satisfactory buffer to continue implementing its historical high dividend payout policy, and to achieve high dividend returns.

Compared with other high-end manufacturing shares in other Hong Kong stocks, such as Weichai Power (PE ratio 10.45x) and Sinotruk (PE ratio 8.12x) etc., CIMC Vehicles was rather undervalued with PE ratio around 6.94x. As the market becomes more familiar with CIMC Vehicles, the company’s valuation is expected to rise sharply.

Low profile listing for a bright start

As a leading state-owned company in a segmented industry, CIMC Vehicles landed quietly in the Hong Kong capital market and is gradually becoming recognized by the market. CIMC Vehicles is indeed at the forefront of industry development, it is certain to benefit from the opportunities brought by the increase in industry concentration, comprehensive industrial upgrades, and product enhancements. Under the influence of favourable policies, investment highlights of low valuations and high dividends are gradually being recognized by investors. CIMC Vehicles, having unique investment value and being a relatively stealthy target in the Hong Kong stock market, is expected to continue to attract investors’ attention.

Holista Files Patent for Water-Soluble Technology Targeting Cannabidiol (CBD) and Other High-Value, Fat-Soluble Nutraceuticals

Highlights

  • Formulation makes water soluble cannabidiol (CBD) oil up to 40 times better absorbed
  • Taste masking technology increases acceptance in oral pharma and food formulations
  • Project Leader is Dr Roscoe Moore Jr – retired United States Assistant Surgeon General – an advocate of evidenced based CBD
  • Technology could apply to most fat-soluble medications and foods, including curcumin and Vitamin D
  • Commercialisation by licensing begins in North America in 2020

Holista CollTech (ASX: HCT, Holista) today announced that it has filed its 100%-owned global patent for platform technology that will deliver many fat-soluble medications by creating a water-soluble delivery system. This patented process can apply to a whole range of molecules including the Cannabidiol (CBD) oil industry.

The commercial benefits for the CBD producers include making their CBD formulation up to 40 times more potent (allowing them to reduce their dosages significantly) as well as making their product palatable for the young and the elderly.

Fat-soluble molecules have poor bioavailability as they don’t dissolve well and reach the bloodstream. As such, a higher dosage needs to be ingested. This is both wasteful and costly. The platform technology will particularly benefit the Cannabidiol (CBD) oil industry where the active material is scarce, costly and poorly water-soluble.

In a statement released this week, by our Project Leader and head of Holista’s Technical Advisory Panel, Dr Roscoe Moore Jr stated “Working on developing this technology is exciting. Most medicine consumed orally is wasted due to its poor absorption by the body. This is especially true for CBD, which is also expensive. More important, the integrity of the final molecule is preserved exactly as it is found in nature and hence, there is no apparent need for any lengthy approvals process anywhere in the world. We only use materials certified as ‘Generally Regarded as Safe’ (GRAS) by the FDA[1].”

Dr Moore is the retired Assistant Surgeon General of the United States. He currently sits on several Company boards linked to CBD in the United States and Canada.

CBD Oil has an earthy, musky and lingering bitter taste due to the high concentration of organic compounds that make it very unpalatable. This makes formulating CBD for oral consumption difficult. The taste masking technology linked to this patented formulation used GRAS botanicals to allow wider applications in pharmaceutical and food with oral dosing.

“Holista drew from parallel work done on the turmeric molecule which is also very fat soluble” said Dr Swanand Malode, leader the teams in Europe and Asia that worked on this technology for more than five years.

“We note that there is growing consensus in the medical community that CBD can be used to improve patient outcomes for conditions such as seizure, inflammation, pain, psychosis or mental disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, nausea, migraines, depression, anxiety” said Dr Rajen Manicka, CEO of Holista.

Holista is focused on fat-soluble substances such as CBD, curcumin and Vitamin D, targeting initially the food and nutraceutical markets in Australia and North America.

According to a new estimate from cannabis industry analysts the Brightfield Group[2], the hemp-CBD market alone could hit $22 billion by 2022. The prospects for Australia are also increasing. According to a 2016 University of Sydney report[3], “Medicinal Cannabis in Australia: Science, Regulation & Industry”, found that the Australian medicinal cannabis market, if it emulates cannabis regulations in Netherlands and Canada, may produce demand for as much as 8,000 kg of product. Australia approved medical cannabis in 2016 and is working towards liberalising this space further.

CBD, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis, has had a surge in popularity. Unlike Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the chemical compound that gives cannabis its psychoactive effects, CBD has been shown to help patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, Multiple Sclerosis and epilepsy – without having the harmful effects.

The patent was registered in the USA and filed for a global coverage, as US Filing No: 16/694,197 (the patent may be viewed on the Holista website). Holista has instructed its patenting firm to secure all global strategic markets world-wide.

With the patent filing completed, Holista has commenced negotiations with companies involved in CBD processing in North America and expect these negotiations to complete in 2020, leveraging the expertise and network of Dr Moore Jr.

The commercial model will seek to charge an industry-standard formulation fee for non-exclusive access and then a quarterly licensing fee and royalty based on wholesale pricing of the licensee product.

[1] FDA – Food and Drug Administration, USA
[2] For more information on the Brightfield Group, refer to www.brightfieldgroup.com
[3] Details of the study can be found at mgcpharma.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/mgc_whitepaper_final-sml.pdf

For further information, please contact:
Corporate Affairs & Business Opportunities
Dr Rajen Manicka: rajen.m@holistaco.com
General Enquiries: enquiries@holistaco.com

Australia
283 Rokeby Road
Subiaco WA 6008
P: +61 8 6141 3500 ; F: +61 8 6141 3599

Malaysia
12th Floor, Amcorp Trade Centre, PJ Tower
No. 18, Persiaran Barat off Jalan Timur
46000, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
P: +603 7965 2828 ; F: +603 7965 2777

Media and Investor Relations Enquiries
WeR1 Consultants Pte Ltd
3 Phillip Street #12-01
Singapore 048693
E: holista@wer1.net; P: +65 67374844

About Holista CollTech Ltd (Holista)

Holista is a research-driven biotech company, the result of a merger between Holista Biotech Sdn Bhd and CollTech Australia Ltd. Headquartered in Perth and with extensive operations in Malaysia, the company is dedicated to delivering first-class natural ingredients and wellness products globally. Holista is a leader in the research of herbs and ingredients for the making of healthier food.

Listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), Holista researches, develops, manufactures and markets “health-style” products to address the unmet and evolving needs of natural medicine. Holista’s suite of ingredients, among other things, includes low-GI baked products, reduced-sodium salts, low-fat fried foods and low calories sugar without compromising taste, odour and mouthfeel. Holista remains the only company to produce sheep (ovine) collagen using patented extraction methods. For more information, please refer to http://www.holistaco.com

XD Inc. Commences Trading on HKEX Main Board

Mr. Huang Yimeng, Executive Director and Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of XD (Left), and Mr. Dai Yunjie, Executive Director and President of XD (Right) strike the gong at the listing ceremony to mark the official listing of XD shares on the Main Board of HKEX.
Mr. Huang Yimeng, Executive Director and Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of XD, presents an illustration as a souvenir to the HKEX. The artwork, consisting of characters of the Group’s games and also landmarks of Hong Kong, displays the Group’s creativity and strong game publishing and operating capabilities.
Officiating guests from the Group and HKEX representatives together celebrate the listing of the Group.

XD Inc. (“XD” or the “Group”), a top five PRC game operator who earns most of its revenue from overseas , commenced trading of shares on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (“HKEX”) today, under the stock code 2400.

Mr. HUANG Yimeng, Executive Director, Chairman of Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of XD, said, “Since its inception, XD has stayed true to its original aspiration of ‘impacting each and every gamer by promoting the spirit of craftsmanship’ in developing and introducing quality games to the world, and establishing TapTap , the largest game community and platform in the PRC. Listing on the Main Board of SEHK presents us with a good opportunity, giving us a strong drive to grow our business and engagement. Looking ahead, we will keep strengthening our game portfolio, increase the active user base and engagement of TapTap, enhance overseas operation, upgrade our information infrastructure facilities and technologies, and also look for strategic investment and acquisitions. It is our hope that the Group can, with excellence results in the future, reward shareholders and investors for their strong support and trust.”

XD has maintained high growth. Between 2016 and 2018, its revenue and profit increased at a CAGR of 57.0% and 288.5% to RMB1,887.1 million and RMB352.7 million respectively. XD also operates TapTap2, the leading game community and platform in China, which together with its online games, has presented it with strong synergies. The Group’s games were offered in more than 100 countries and regions across the globe. In the five months ended 31 May 2019, overseas market accounted for 67.8% of its total revenue from game operation. The Group has a diverse portfolio of games of different genres. As at 30 September 2019, the Group operated 42 online games and 12 premium games. Its game pipeline included 11 online games and seven premium games expected to be released by 2020.

Lifequest World Corp Subsidiary, Biopipe Global Successfully Completes Installation and Commissioning of First 2 Plants in India

Biopipe Global Corp, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lifequest World Corp, with JV partner Biopipe Global India has successfully installed and commissioned 10m3 and 30m3 plants at hotels in India. We are also ready to ship a 30m3 plant to South Africa and await the release of a 108m3 plant by customs in Bangladesh.

Mr. Senthil Kumar, President and CEO of Biopipe Global India, stated “We are thrilled with the results and how quickly we have been able to procure, install and commission the first two plants. We have targeted the hotels first because as of Jan 1, 2020, all hotels with kitchen and laundry must have a sewage treatment plant (STP) on site. There are approximately 1,784,000 hotels in India and Biopipe’s small footprint and versatility makes it an ideal, if not the only STP solution for hotels. Everyone was waiting for the demo plants to be fully commissioned and with full EPC capability in place, our focus is now on building our sales pipeline, which continues to grow. We expect to install approximately 1,000m3 in the next 3 to 4 months.”

Enes Kutluca, the CEO of Biopipe said, “We are extremely pleased with Mr. Senthil’s team’s ability to not only overcome initial hurdles but also their ability to assemble, install and commission a plant with limited engagement from our side. We are now very confident that this will allow us to scale very quickly in India.”

In South Africa, Biopipe’s focus is on leasing and build own operate (BOO) projects, and about to ship the first plant that will be installed at a prominent college in Eastern Cape. Our JV partner, Abrimix expects several orders to follow, once we have successfully commissioned and met the effluent discharge standards. We are confident of meeting the discharge standards. These plants will be leased and expect them to generate significant cashflow for the Company over a long period.

About Biopipe

Biopipe, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lifequest, has developed a patented 100% sludge free, chemical free, odor free, silent, easy to assemble and install, scalable, low cost, ecological and virtually maintenance free sewage wastewater treatment system. The treated water exceeds EU Standards for discharge and can be reused for irrigation, flushing and cleaning.

www.biopipe.co | www.lifequestcorp.com

Contact: media@lifequestcorp.com or +1 646-201-5242

www.environestglobal.com

Contact: infotank@environestglobal.com or +91-8220595903

This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company’s current beliefs, expectations or intentions regarding future events. Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation, and specifically disclaims any intention or obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE: Lifequest World Corp

PBOC Issues 2020 Commemorative Coins for Year of the Rat

The series consists of 17 coins, with 10 in gold and 7 in silver, all of which are the legal tender of the People’s Republic of China.
A ceremony held at the Palace Museum in Beijing, while the coins displayed on the NASDAQ screen in Times Square on Dec 4th.

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has officially announced 2020 gold and silver commemorative coins for the Year of the Rat, which starts on Jan 25, 2020 and lasts until Feb 11, 2021, when the Year of the Ox begins. A coin issuing ceremony was held at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Nov 18, while the coins were displayed on the NASDAQ screen in Times Square, New York on Dec 4th.

The Rat (‘Gengzi’) is the first in the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac and the Chinese lunar calendar. In traditional zodiac, an important part of Chinese traditional culture, the rat represents cleverness, intelligence and wealth. The first Chinese zodiac commemorative coins were issued in 1981, they have been collected by millions of fans since.

The coins have the national emblem of the People’s Republic of China on the front, with country name and year, while there are two kinds of patterns on the back: one adopts Chinese folk mouse shapes, and publishes denominations and ‘Gengzi’; the other uses Chinese folk traditional decorative rat shapes, lined with auspicious patterns (partial color), the denomination and ‘Gengzi’.

The purity of commemorative coins is as high as 99.9%, with maximum circulation of 18 (100,000 yuan) to 200,000 (10 yuan). With their exquisite design and deep cultural significance, the gold and silver commemorative coins of the Chinese Year of the Rat have inspired the interest of westerners in Chinese zodiac and coin culture, and may just set off a worldwide investment and collection craze.

China Gold Coin Corporation
Mr. Wang Yuanquan
wangyuanquan@chngc.net
+86 10 59311097
http://www.chngc.net

NetDragon Wins Another “Smart Campus” Tender in Fuzhou, Bringing Cumulative Win Amount to nearly RMB60 million

Promethean’s ActivPanel Elements series interactive panel

NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited (“NetDragon” or “the Company”, Hong Kong Stock Code: 777), a global leader in building internet communities, is pleased to announce that the Company recently won the tender of interactive multimedia equipment project for primary schools in Changle District, Fuzhou. Promethean’s new series of interactive flat panels, ActivePanel Elements series, which are equipped with NetDragon’s flagship education products including 101 Education PPT and AcitvInspire, will be entering nearly 70 schools in Changle District to cover approximately 430 classrooms. Since the beginning of the year, the amount of NetDragon’s cumulative winning bids from the Fuzhou “Smart Campus” project has totalled nearly RMB60 million, and the delivery and revenue recognition are expected in the first quarter of 2020.

ActivPanel Elements series was created by Promethean, a NetDragon subsidiary and the world’s leading educational technology company. Continued with Promethean’s 20+ years tradition of developing purpose-built interactive displays for education, the new ActivPanel Elements series are flat panels designed for classrooms. It does not only offer users with a natural and smooth touch experience with unique VellumTM writing technology, but also offers wider and clearer visual sensation, resulting in a better foundation for the transformation of teaching approaches.

Since joining NetDragon’s global family in 2015, Promethean’s products have accomplished three major upgrades. Owing to this, it has won the “Best of Show” awards at the ISTE EdTech Conference in 2016, 2017 and 2019. Besides, thanks to its smooth interactive experience, outstanding performance and user-oriented design, the new ActivPanel Elements series was a winner of the prestigious Red Dot Design Award in 2019. Currently, more than a million classrooms worldwide are equipped with Promethean ActivPanel series panels.

Mr. Yu Biao, Senior Vice President of NetDragon, commented that NetDragon signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Fuzhou Bureau of Education in June, aiming to jointly construct a smart education model zone. And previously in August, the Company also won the tender of smart campus construction project of Fuzhou No.3 High School Binhai Campus and Fuzhou Experimental School Binhai Campus. This latest round of tender win of the project of Changle District Education Bureau in Fuzhou will cover nearly 70 primary schools, which will be used as a reference of “smart campus”. Looking ahead, NetDragon will continue to integrate global education resources and channels, aggressively rollout Promethean products in the China market, upgrade technology applications and classroom participation to a higher level, and ultimately contribute to digital education and smart campus construction in China.

About NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited
NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited (HKSE: 0777) is a global leader in building internet communities with a long track record of developing and scaling multiple internet and mobile platforms that impact hundreds of millions of users. These include China’s number one online gaming portal, 17173.com, and China’s most influential smartphone app store platform, 91 Wireless, which was sold to Baidu for US$1.9 billion in 2013 as the largest Internet M&A transaction in China.

Established in 1999, NetDragon is one of the most reputable and well-known online game developers in China with a history of successful game titles including Eudemons Online, Heroes Evolved and Conquer Online. In recent years, NetDragon has also started to scale its online education business on the back of management’s vision to create the largest global online learning community, and to bring the “classroom of the future” to every school around the world. For more information, please visit www.netdragon.com.

For investor enquiries, please contact:
NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited
Ms. Maggie Zhou
Senior Director of Investor Relations
Tel.: +852 2850 7266 / +86 591 8390 2825
Email: maggie@nd.com.cn
Website: ir.netdragon.com

Singapore’s GrabJobs Raises US$930K to Boost Recruitment Technology

GrabJobs, a Singapore-based mobile-first Job Platform focused on entry to mid-level jobs, today announced a round of funding in 2018 that has raised US$930k from seed funding, bringing total funding to over SGD$2.5 million.

The funds will be used for continuing product development and refinement for their
GrabJobs platform. To this end, they will be integrating Natural Language Processing
(NLP) and Machine Learning technologies into their signature interview chat bot.

This will be created in partnership with Mr. Erik Cambria, Associate Professor in Artificial Intelligence at NTU.

GrabJobs will soon launch a major product feature that aims to revolutionise recruitment by eliminating the need to apply for jobs with a CV.

Job seekers for high-volume recruitment jobs, such as retail and F&B services, will benefit from this feature as it allows them to apply for jobs quickly, without the need to create and craft a CV. Relevant questions will be managed through the chat bot in order to expedite the interview and screening process.

“We are proud to help high-volume recruiters hire faster and better. In 2019, we will also be expanding outside of our current markets in Southeast Asia by partnering with regional job sites to provide our services to recruiters in the region,” said GrabJobs CEO and Co-Founder Emmanuel Crouy.

Founded in July 2015, GrabJobs claims over 5,000 companies use its platform to simplify and cut down their hiring process from days to minutes. GrabJobs has won Best Job Portal and Best Recruitment Innovation at the Asia Recruitment Awards 2018, and Most Disruptive Innovation at the Singapore HR Awards 2018.

The company has raised a total of US$1.9 million in funding over five rounds that started in 2015. The latest funding its is biggest so far.

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BlackRock Real Estate Acquires Solar Portfolio in Taiwan

BlackRock Real Assets has entered into an agreement to acquire the entire equity interest in a 59MWac / 70MWdc solar portfolio comprising 28 projects in Taiwan from J&V Energy Technology Co (J&V Energy), a solar energy producer headquartered in Taipei.

The assets were acquired through a private fund managed by BlackRock Real Assets that invests in wind and solar assets globally. The transaction marks the team’s first renewables investment in Taiwan, and first-ever floating solar acquisition.

The portfolio consists of operating and construction projects expected to be fully operational in 2019, with New Green Power (NGP), a leading solar developer and operator, continuing to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) as well as long-term operational and maintenance services.

The portfolio offers stable and long-term income for investors on the back of securing attractive 20-year feed-in-tariff (FIT) contracts with an investment grade off-taker.

The Taiwanese authorities are targeting an installed base of 25GW of renewable power by 2025 and solar technology will play a key role in shaping Taiwan’s energy future.
“We are delighted to partner with J&V Energy and NGP to make our first renewables investment in the Taiwan market, on behalf of our clients. This transaction demonstrates our commitment to the Asia Pacific region, a strategic priority for our US$5 billion global investment platform,” said Charlie Reid, Portfolio Manager of the BlackRock Renewable Power investment team.

Leo Seewald, Head of BlackRock Taiwan, said the acquisition adds renewable power capabilities to the company’s local investment platform and strengthen BlackRock’s presence in Taiwan, while supporting the market’s transition to renewable energy.

BlackRock Real Assets has invested in more than 190 solar and wind projects over the last few years, representing close to 6.6 gigawatts of capacity, able to generate enough clean energy to power more than 4.5 million homes per annum.

Also Read: Keppel Capital To Launch A$1bn Wholesale Property Fund in Australia

“The agreements with BlackRock and New Green Power are an important step in our portfolio strategy and demonstrate the growing maturity of Taiwan’s secondary market for renewables. The arrangement frees up capital for further investments and enables J&V Energy to continue to originate additional opportunities to create long term value for our shareholders,” Kai Tan, Chief Executive Officer of J&V Energy, said.