Category: Daily News

Strengthening Hong Kong-Zhejiang Ties

– Over 600 government, business leaders attend Ningbo conference

  • Hong Kong Investment Promotion Conference – Zhejiang Ningbo Forum cum Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Co-operation Forum was successfully held in Ningbo, attracting over 600 government and business leaders
  • Promoted Hong Kong’s role as superconnector and super value-adder to Zhejiang’s business community, focusing on competitive advantages in finance, supply chain, innovation and technology and professional services
  • Three roundtable sessions facilitated comprehensive business networking between Zhejiang, Ningbo and Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Investment Promotion Conference – Zhejiang Ningbo Forum cum Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Co-operation Forum, co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Hong Kong SAR (HKSAR) Government and Ningbo Municipal People’s Government, was held today at the Shangri-La Hotel, Ningbo. The event attracted over 600 government and business leaders who discussed collaboration opportunities among Zhejiang, Ningbo and Hong Kong.

The event was held on the 20th anniversary of the Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Co-operation Forum. Hong Kong’s business advantages were highlighted to Zhejiang government officials as well as business leaders from the finance, supply chain, innovation and technology and professional services sectors. In addition to fostering Zhejiang-Hong Kong and Ningbo-Hong Kong collaboration, Zhejiang enterprises were encouraged to leverage Hong Kong’s platform to explore opportunities.

The Forum’s opening ceremony was hosted by Mayor of Ningbo and Deputy Secretary of the CPC Ningbo Municipal Government Tang Feifan this morning, with speeches delivered by the HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee, Executive Vice Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Zhou Ji, Chief Engineer of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Xie Shaofeng, Chief Risk Officer and Director General of the Department of Public Offering Supervision of the China Securities Regulatory Commission Yan Bojin, Vice Governor of Zhejiang Provincial Government Lu Shan, Standing Member of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Ningbo Municipal Committee Peng Jiaxue and HKTDC Chairman Dr Peter K N Lam.

In his speech, Mr Lee said: “The Hong Kong SAR Government and the HKTDC established a high value-added supply chain service mechanism at the end of last year to help mainland enterprises set up international or regional headquarters in Hong Kong to manage offshore trade and supply chains. Hong Kong has robust international trade networks and rich expertise, diverse talent and world-class professional services. We are well positioned to offer mainland enterprises new supply chain services and lead these businesses in exploring emerging markets, breaking through the US blockade.”

Mr Zhou stated that the historical ties between Zhejiang and Hong Kong are long-standing, with the two regions sharing close personal relations, cultural connections and commercial linkages. Hong Kong is Zhejiang’s largest source of foreign investment, the largest partner in trade in services and second-largest destination for Zhejiang’s overseas investments. By the end of 2024, Hong Kong has established over 30,000 enterprises in Zhejiang, while Zhejiang had invested in over 3,000 enterprises in Hong Kong. The mutually beneficial collaboration between Zhejiang and Hong Kong is an exemplary model of regional cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong.

Mr Xie stated that Zhejiang’s digital economy is vibrant, with outstanding advantages in industry agglomeration and strong momentum in developing industry and information technology. Ningbo and Hong Kong are both international port cities, sharing a close bond, human connection and commercial ties, with a long-standing history of interaction between the two places. Looking towards the future, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will continue to support Ningbo and Hong Kong in strengthening exchange and cooperation, promoting complementary advantages to make new and greater contributions to ensure the prosperity of Hong Kong’s economy and the nation’s modernisation.

Mr Yan said that the China Securities Regulatory Commission fully supports mainland enterprises listing in Hong Kong. In March 2023, the China Securities Regulatory Commission implemented new regulations for overseas listings and established a regulatory coordination mechanism with various ministries. Since implementing the new rules, 141 mainland enterprises have completed the filing process for listing in Hong Kong, including 19 enterprises from Zhejiang. Among these, 13 Zhejiang enterprises and one Ningbo enterprise have completed their listing. These companies are involved in key sectors, such as information technology, biomedicine and consumer goods, contributing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange ranking fourth globally in IPOs  in 2024.

He pointed out that the next step for the China Securities Regulatory Commission is to continue improving the institutional mechanism to provide a more transparent, efficient and predictable regulatory environment for overseas listings by enterprises.

Mr Lu remarked that Hong Kong would become a “super navigator” for Zhejiang’s globalisation efforts, while Zhejiang would become Hong Kong’s best partner.

He said: “In terms of deepening economic cooperation, Zhejiang enterprises can leverage Hong Kong’s international platform to further expand into global markets and enhance their brand visibility. Hong Kong enterprises can also increase their investments in Zhejiang and Ningbo to share the benefits of Mainland China’s economic development. In the technology field, we see joint efforts by research institutions and enterprises from both sides, and we believe that more technological innovation and industrialisation will be achieved in both regions.”

Mr Peng stated that for many years, members of Hong Kong’s Ningbo community have been contributing to the development of Hong Kong and the nation, creating many inspiring stories of patriotism showing love for their hometown and showcasing entrepreneurial innovation.

He noted: “In recent years, cooperation between Ningbo and Hong Kong has been greatly advanced and continuously deepened, yielding fruitful results. For the people of Ningbo, Hong Kong is not only the world-renowned ‘Pearl of the Orient’, but also a vital force driving Ningbo’s reform, opening up, and modernisation. It is a place of deep emotional connections and an opportunity-rich city linking us to the wider world. Ningbo will strive to elevate Ningbo-Hong Kong cooperation to new heights.”

Dr Lam said: “This event showcased Hong Kong’s unique advantages as an international business hub and explored how Zhejiang enterprises, particularly those from Ningbo, can leverage our business platform and partner with our expert professional services to optimise their operations and accelerate their global expansion.”

Following the opening ceremony, Deputy Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government Michael Wong introduced Hong Kong’s advantages, encouraging Zhejiang enterprises to utilise Hong Kong’s platform to connect with international markets. He noted that since 2022, over 80 key enterprises have established themselves or expanded their operations in Hong Kong, with 80% coming from Mainland China, including many leading companies across fields, such as AI and robotics, data science, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, life and health technology and fintech.

Mr Wong said: “In this era, in which the global economy and international trade face significant challenges, we need to unite and work together more than ever. In Hong Kong, we will leverage our strengths to meet the nation’s needs and actively integrate into the country’s overall development. We hope to join hands with mainland enterprises to create a better tomorrow.”

In her keynote speech, Casa Bauhinia Co-Founder Prof Anna Pao Sohmen shared insights on future Zhejiang (Ningbo) – Hong Kong collaboration. She stated that Hong Kong enjoys a long-standing legal system, an open free market and an excellent strategic location, and with the enterprising spirit of Ningbo enterprises, they can surely create golden opportunities.

She said: “The pragmatic and open approach of Ningbo, combined with Hong Kong’s ‘Lion Rock spirit’ and can-do approach, will certainly lead to breakthroughs.”

During the event, Invest Hong Kong signed MOUs with 12 Zhejiang (including Ningbo) enterprise representatives, advancing key Zhejiang-Hong Kong and Ningbo-Hong Kong collaboration projects.

Yesterday, HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee and Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee Wang Hao attended the First Plenary Session of the Hong Kong/Zhejiang Co-operation Conference. The Zhejiang/Hong Kong co-operation mechanism was established during the conference, marking a new chapter for comprehensive exchange and collaboration between the two regions. At the meeting, the two governments signed MoUs on 13 key areas, covering 51 projects. One MoU signed between HKTDC and the Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province outlined aims for the HKTDC to proactively encourage Hong Kong businesses to invest and expand in Zhejiang, and to also organise trade delegations from various sectors to visit Zhejiang. The two counterparts will continue to explore new areas of trade collaboration to promote high-quality development.

During the panel discussion today, distinguished guests – including Chairman of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation Dr Sunny Chai, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited Bonnie Chan; and Chief Executive Officer of the Airport Authority Hong Kong Vivian Cheung – exchanged thoughts on collaboration opportunities in finance, I&T and supply chain. Executive Director and Co-President of Tigermed Hao Wu also shared his company’s success in achieving international growth by leveraging Hong Kong’s platform.

The three thematic roundtable sessions held in the afternoon attracted numerous enterprises. Focusing on topics such as listing in Hong Kong, opportunities for innovation and technology companies, and cross-border supply chain management, the sessions brought together institutions and businesses from Hong Kong and Zhejiang for in-depth and targeted discussions on future collaborations.

During the event, HKTDC, Invest Hong Kong and the Immigration Department of the HKSAR Government set up consultation booths to provide professional advisory services to attendees.

The forum has become an important platform for deepening Zhejiang-Hong Kong collaboration, enabling more mainland enterprises to leverage Hong Kong’s business advantages and partner with its professional services sector to expand globally.

Photo download: https://bit.ly/3GonfSl

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Media enquiries

City Express (PR agency):

Lou JinjingTel: (86) 15005897910Email: loujinjing@hbjt.com.cn
Liu YingTel: (86) 15706780806Email: 894353323@qq.com

HKTDC’s Shanghai Office:

Sun PingTel: (86) 21-63528488Email: p.sun@hktdc.org

HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:

Jane CheungTel: (852) 2584 4137Email: jane.mh.cheung@hktdc.org

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. 

Olympus Appoints New CEO

Names Bob White Representative Executive Officer, President, Chief Executive Officer and a new Director candidate

Olympus Corporation (Olympus), a global MedTech company committed to making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling, today announces the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) aimed at accelerating its ongoing transformation efforts in the medtech space. 

The Board of Directors has decided unanimously to appoint Bob White, a former Executive Vice President and President, Medical Surgical Portfolio for Medtronic, as a successor to Yasuo Takeuchi, Olympus’ Director, Representative Executive Officer, President and CEO, effective June 1, 2025. Bob will also be proposed as a candidate for election to the Board at Olympus’ General Meeting of Shareholders scheduled to be held in June 2025.  

“We are pleased to name Bob to this pivotal leadership role. He possesses a wealth of experience garnered from his tenure at various esteemed organizations within the medical technology sector. I look forward to welcoming him as a leader who will bring extensive knowledge and expertise to the company.” said Yasuo Takeuchi. “Over the course of his career, Bob has demonstrated exceptional leadership in driving both transformative growth and strategic initiatives. I am truly pleased that he is bringing this profound expertise and insight to Olympus.”

Comment from Bob White
“I am truly honored and grateful for the trust placed in me by the Board of Directors and the Nominating Committee. Olympus is an exceptional company, known for its market-leading solutions, cutting-edge technology, and remarkable people. I’m excited to bring my experience to the table and contribute to the company’s ongoing success and growth. I’ve long admired Olympus for its rich Japanese heritage, outstanding products, and unwavering commitment to serving the needs of both clinicians and patients.”

Bob most recently served as Executive Vice President and President, Medical Surgical Portfolio for Medtronic until April 2024. Before then, he was Senior Vice President and President of Medtronic Asia Pacific, based in Singapore where he had responsibility for APAC as well as Japan. During his tenure at Covidien, he held the positions of President of Emerging Markets and President of Respiratory and Monitoring Solutions. He has seen numerous innovation programs and led several R&D initiatives and M&A transactions within complex business portfolios. His close engagement with the market and customers has enabled him to maintain a strong understanding of physician needs.

Prior to joining Medtronic, Bob held leadership positions at GE Healthcare, Merge Healthcare and Healthcare Division, IBM. Throughout his career in the medtech industry, he has played a pivotal role in improving the lives of patients around the world through the transformation of healthcare delivery.  

In order to select and recommend the best candidate for the next CEO, the Nominating Committee engaged a leading executive search firm and formed an Advisory Search Committee in November 2024. After a comprehensive and rigorous search process, Olympus determined that Bob is the ideal leader among a strong pool of internal and external candidates. Bob possesses the skill set necessary to guide the next phase of Olympus’ transformation, including quality and regulatory initiatives.

Bob holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Cleveland State University and an MBA in finance from Case Western Reserve University, USA. He currently resides in Colorado and will be located in Olympus global headquarters in Tokyo, with his wife.

About Olympus

At Olympus, we are committed to Our Purpose of making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling. As a global medical technology company, we partner with healthcare professionals to provide innovative solutions and services for early detection, diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment, aiming to improve patient outcomes by elevating the standard of care in targeted disease states. For more than 100 years, Olympus has pursued a goal of contributing to society by producing products designed with the purpose of delivering optimal outcomes for its customers around the world. For more information, visit https://www.olympus-global.com/ and follow our global X account: @Olympus_Corp. 

Media contact:
Mail: Global-Public_Relations@olympus.com

Olympus Corp [TYO: 7733] [ADR: OLYMY] [STU: OLY1] [FRA: OLYS] https://www.olympus-global.com

TransNusa Increases Scheduled Flight Frequency to Singapore

TransNusa Focuses On Strengthening Network Connectivity

South East Asia’s first premium service airline, PT TransNusa Aviation Mandiri, is further strengthening its presence in Singapore by increasing the frequency of its scheduled flights for the Jakarta – Singapore route to two times daily from today.

This announcement comes barely a month after TransNusa successfully launch scheduled flights to Perth from its base in Bali.

TransNusa Group Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Bernard Francis said that TransNusa has plans to further strengthen its network connectivity this year.

In line with this, TransNusa launched its second daily flight to Singapore today. The additional flight, 8B 153, departed at 12.10pm from the Terminal 3 Soekarno – Hatta International Airport and arrived Singapore Changi Airport at 14.40pm today. While its additional flight, 8B 154, departed Changi Airport at 15.30pm and arrived at the Soekarno – Hatta International Airport at 16.20pm.

“TransNusa will continue to operate the current scheduled flight, 8B 151, which depart Soekarno – Hatta International Airport at 07.55am and arrive at 10.45am at the Changi Airport,” Datuk Bernard said, adding that the current flight, 8B 152, depart Changi Airport at 11.45am and arrive in Jakarta at 12.30pm.

TransNusa has been consistently achieving milestones since the introduction of a new top management led by aviation veteran, Datuk Bernard Francis. The airline, which introduced its first international flight on April 14, 2023, has expanding its wings from South East Asia to the Asia Pacific region within a short span of 2 years.

Datuk Bernard attributes the airline’s successes and accelerated growth within the last 24 months to their customised business model and the vastly experienced management team.

Datuk Bernard stressed that for its international flights, TransNusa not only provide premium services with competitive ticket prices, but the airline also has attractive product bundles called SEAT, SEAT-PLUS and FLEXI-PRO.

“Our passengers will enjoy check-in baggage of between 20kgs to 30 kgs, depending on the product purchased,” Datuk Bernard said, explaining that the baggage offering was over and above the 7kgs limit offered as a passenger’s hand carry.

“For the highest package, FLEXI-PRO, we provide more complete services such as free baggage 30kgs, free to choose seats, free food, and drinks, priority at check-in and boarding. In addition, TransNusa also provides its FLEXI-PRO passengers with the ability to be able to change their flight schedule without restrictions and obtain refund when needed.”

TransNusa, which aims to ensure its passengers travel with ease and comfort, has also configured their A320s with a 174-seat configuration, which allows for passengers to enjoy about 30 inches of legroom, comparable to the experience passengers would get in a full-service airline.

“We are committed to providing affordable and competitive ticket prices, while still providing premium services to our customers.” said Datuk Bernard, adding that the ticket price for the Jakarta – Singapore route starts from as low as SGD52 (USD40).

DATUK BERNARD FRANCIS… TransNusa to focus on strengthening network connectivity
DATUK BERNARD FRANCIS… TransNusa to focus on strengthening network connectivity

TransNusa, A Short History
TransNusa, which had to close it business operation in September 2020 due to impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the aviation industry, started operations again after injection of new shareholders and a new management team led by aviation expert, Datuk Bernard, in October 2022.

Within 6 months, the airline introduced its first international route between Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur and celebrated its first-year anniversary for this route on April 14, 2024.

“When we re-launched TransNusa in October 2022, we started from the bottom again. Everything was new because the pandemic had disrupted the aviation business operations boundaries. As such we re-created and customised our business operations and strategy model of being the first Premium Service Carrier based on the post-pandemic scenario,” Datuk Bernard explained.

TransNusa launched its first international route between Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur in April, 2023, followed by the Jakarta – Singapore route on November 20, 2023. After which, the airline successfully launched three more new international routes by the end of 2023. TransNusa’s aggressive international growth strategy combined with its domestic business operations approach has enabled the airline to experience strategic growth in the last two years.

Since the takeover of new shareholders and the injection of a new management team, TransNusa has been making headlines in Malaysia, Singapore, China and Australia with news of being the first airline in Indonesia and the world to develop and introduce a new domestic route connecting Bali and Manado. TransNusa also became the second Indonesian airline to receive approval to fly to China.

About TransNusa
Established in 2005, TransNusa started its operation by providing chartered flights. It began its commercial flights in 2011. After ceasing operations due to the Covid-19 pandemic, TransNusa relaunched itself in 2021 as a low-cost airline in its domestic market. In 2023, TransNusa introduced a new business model making it the first Premium Service Airline in the region. The new business model will apply only to its international routes. TransNusa introduced its first international route in April this year. The airline introduced its Jakarta – Kuala Lumpur round trip route and had its maiden flight on April 14. The airline is currently based in Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Passengers can book their flights on the TransNusa website (www.transnusa.co.id), through authorized travel agents in Singapore and Indonesia, or by contacting the airline’s customer service centre at, +62216310888. For the Singaporean market, passengers can contact TransNusa’s General Sales Agent, Chariot Travels Pte Ltd, at +65 86602719.

Media Contact
Trina Thomas Raj
trina@myqaseh.org
+60124992672 (watsapp)

Earth Day Special: foundit Report Reveals 27% Surge in Green Jobs as Singapore Accelerates Sustainability Push

Key Highlights:

– Green jobs in Singapore show 27% year-on-year growth with 12% month-on-month increase in March ’25
– Engineering, Construction & Infrastructure sector leads sustainability hiring with 29% share of green jobs
– Consulting & Strategy sector accounts for 11% of sustainability-focused positions
– ESG Analyst emerges as the role with the highest growth in demand 28% year-on-year 
– Singapore’s green job sector projected to grow by 11% in 2025

Jobs platform, foundit (formerly Monster APAC & ME), today published the foundit Earth Day Special Singapore Report as part of the foundit Insights Tracker (fit). The report highlights significant growth in sustainability-driven hiring across Singapore’s employment landscape.

The tracker reveals an overall year-on-year (YoY) growth of 27% in green jobs, with a positive month-on-month (MoM) increase of 12% in March 2025, building on the 17% growth seen in February.

“Singapore’s green job market is witnessing remarkable growth,” said V Suresh, CEO of foundit. “Our Earth Day Special report reveals a 27% year-on-year surge in green job opportunities, underscoring the nation’s steadfast commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. Pivotal sectors such as Engineering, Construction, and Sustainable Finance are spearheading this transition, driving substantial and lasting impact. This upward trend not only mirrors the evolving demands of the labour market but also resonates strongly with the objectives of Singapore’s Green Plan 2030, reaffirming sustainability as a cornerstone of the country’s long-term economic vision.”

Engineering, Construction and Consulting sectors lead sustainability hiring

The Engineering, Construction & Infrastructure sector has emerged as the frontrunner in sustainability-focused hiring, accounting for 29% of all green job opportunities across monitored industries. This dominance reflects Singapore’s commitment to eco-friendly urban development and sustainable infrastructure projects.

 Representing 11% of green job postings, the Consulting & Strategy sector is gaining momentum, driven by growing demand for sustainability consultants and environmental strategists as organisations integrate ESG frameworks into their operations.

Education and Manufacturing & Production sectors each contribute 7% of sustainability-focused positions, highlighting increased focus on workforce reskilling and the transition toward cleaner production practices.

Energy and Research & Technology sectors each account for 6% of green job opportunities, supporting innovations in renewables, green hydrogen, and sustainable R&D initiatives across Singapore.

ESG and Renewable Energy professionals lead demand among sustainability roles

In terms of sustainability-focused roles, ESG Analysts witnessed the highest growth with a 28% year-on-year increase, underscoring the rising importance of environmental, social, and governance considerations in business operations.

Sustainability Consultants followed closely with 24% year-on-year growth, while Renewable Energy Engineers showed strong demand with 22% year-on-year growth, reflecting Singapore’s push toward clean energy alternatives.

Other high-growth roles include Green Supply Chain Managers (+19%), Environmental Policy Officers (+16%), Carbon Credit Analysts (+14%), and Climate Risk Specialists (+13%), indicating broad demand across sustainability functions.

The report highlights evolving skill requirements, with employers increasingly seeking cross-functional expertise that blends engineering, finance, policy, and digital proficiency to meet regulatory and ESG expectations.

Looking ahead, the green job sector in Singapore is projected to grow by 11% in 2025, with renewable energy, electric mobility, and green infrastructure identified as key growth drivers.

The foundit Insights Tracker is a comprehensive monthly analysis of online job posting activity conducted by jobs platform, foundit. Based on a real-time review of millions of employer job opportunities culled from a large, representative selection of online career outlets, the foundit Insights Tracker (FIT) presents a snapshot of employer online recruitment activity nationwide.

About foundit – APAC & Middle East

foundit, formerly Monster (APAC & ME), is Asia’s leading jobs and talent platform offering comprehensive employment solutions to recruiters and job seekers across APAC & ME. In addition to its innovative AI-powered job search, foundit offers e-learning, assessments, and services related to resume creation and interview preparation. foundit has connected over 120 million job seekers across 18 countries with the right job roles and upskilling opportunities. 

Over the last two decades, the company has been a leader in the world of recruitment solutions and has launched cutting-edge tools to give recruiters access to passive candidates in addition to active ones. With its advanced technology, foundit is efficiently bridging the talent gap across industry verticals, experience levels, and geographies.

Today, foundit is committed to enabling and connecting the right talent with the right opportunities by harnessing the power of deep tech to sharpen hyper-personalised job searches and offer precision hiring.

To learn more about, foundit in APAC & Gulf, visit: www.foundit.sg |www.foundit.com.ph | www.foundit.my | www.foundit.in | www.founditgulf.com | http://www.foundit.hk | www.foundit.id 

For media inquiries or further information, please contact
Namrata Sharma
Namrata.sharma@adfactorspr.com
Contact number – +65 81383034

A Decade of Olympus India’s Commitment to Community Welfare

Benefiting 7,000 Children Across 30 Schools with its CSR Initiatives

Olympus Medical Systems India Pvt. Ltd. (OMSI), an Olympus Group company, today announces the successful inauguration of newly constructed washrooms at eight government schools across major locations in India. This milestone is part of OMSI’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Program. By actively supporting community well-being and education through long-standing projects, OMSI and Olympus Corporation (Olympus), remain dedicated to supporting the next-generation education in India.

Inauguration Ceremony at Government Middle School, Aklimpur, in Sohna Block of Gurugram District of Haryana, India
Inauguration Ceremony at Government Middle School, Aklimpur, in Sohna Block of Gurugram District of Haryana, India

The WASH Program, a decade-long CSR project by OMSI, focuses on enhancing school infrastructure by constructing and renovating washrooms to ensure that students—especially girls—have access to clean and safe sanitation facilities. This initiative addresses critical challenges in sanitation, hygiene, and child health that directly impact education. Several reports highlight that one in four girls in India drop out of school due to inadequate toilet facilities, underscoring the vital importance of this initiative for promoting gender equality and educational continuity.  

Over its fiscal year which ended in March 2025, the 10th year since the program began, OMSI constructed washrooms in eight government schools across four major locations—Delhi NCR, Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai. —This initiative provides improved sanitation facilities for over 2,700 students and ensures better hygiene standards for the school communities. The inauguration for these schools took place in March 2025, attended by OMSI leaders, school headmasters, and other officials. Over the past decade, the company has contributed to creating hygienic learning environments for approximately 7,000 students across 30 schools through this program.

Nutrition kits handed over by Naoshi Kikumoto,MD, OMSI
Nutrition kits handed over by Naoshi Kikumoto,MD, OMSI

Additionally, OMSI’s Olympus Arogya Bachpan (Disease-Free Childhood) Program, provided health check-ups, distributed nutrition kits, and held awareness sessions on essential topics such as personal hygiene and safety for approximately 450 students across two schools. This program, initiated in 2018, aims to improve student well-being through hygiene education, child safety awareness, and health check-ups, helping to combat malnutrition and instill lifelong healthy habits.  

Since its establishment in 2009, OMSI has remained committed to enhancing health, hygiene, and awareness through these activities, positively impacting thousands of children across India and enabling them to pursue their education in a safe and hygienic environment.  
“We at Olympus believe that every child deserves the opportunity to grow up healthy and to receive a quality education. Through our CSR programs, we are proud to contribute to a brighter, healthier future for children and communities across India,” said Naoshi Kikumoto, Managing Director, OMSI.  

Together with Olympus, OMSI will continue advancing global corporate citizenship to make people’s lives healthier, safer, and more fulfilling across India and beyond.  

Olympus’ Other CSR activities in India:
Beyond its ongoing efforts in areas of hygiene and sanitation, OMSI also played a crucial role in supporting India’s healthcare infrastructure. In its fiscal year which ended in March 2025, the company supported the Saairaam Cancer Foundation in Salem, Tamil Nadu, and JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research), Pondicherry, by donating a Laparoscopic System and contributing to ENT (ear, nose and throat) cancer screening initiatives, respectively. These efforts aim to enhance cancer awareness, early detection, and treatment in underserved regions.   

During the COVID-19 pandemic, in its fiscal year ended in March 2021 and 2022, OMSI supported Civil Hospital Gurgaon, with Antigen Test Kits, Viral Transport Medium Kits, canopy tents for testing camps, and rental vehicles for transporting samples and lab technicians. The company also donated a fully equipped ambulance, solar lights and other essentials to support the Earth Saviours Foundation. Furthermore, OMSI focused on strengthening infrastructure at Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) in remote areas across the country. It also provided basic sanitation facilities at government hospitals in severely affected regions lacking such services.   

About Olympus   
At Olympus, we are committed to Our Purpose of making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling. As a global medical technology company, we partner with healthcare professionals to provide innovative solutions and services for early detection, diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment, aiming to improve patient outcomes by elevating the standard of care in targeted disease states. For more than 100 years, Olympus has pursued a goal of contributing to society by producing products designed with the purpose of delivering optimal outcomes for its customers around the world. For more information, visit https://www.olympus-global.com/ and follow our global X account: @Olympus_Corp. Also visit LinkedIn page of OMSI.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Sanjana Grover
Olympus Medical Systems India Pvt Ltd
sanjana.grover@olympus.com
https://www.olympus.in/

Public Relations Group
Olympus Corporation
Global-Public_Relations@olympus.com
https://www.olympus-global.com/

Olympus Corp [TYO: 7733] [ADR: OLYMY] [STU: OLY1] [FRA: OLYS] https://www.olympus-global.com

CIRC: Attained a New High in Fiscal Year 2024

– Continuoued to consolidate The leading position of nuclear medicine and facilitated the development of nuclear medical equipment as a new engine

In recent years, with the launch of top-level design for nuclear medicines and the implementation of supporting policies, the domestic nuclear medicine industry has ushered in a golden period of development. According to the data analysis of BCC Research, there will be a growth in the global nuclear medicine market from $12.6 billion in 2023 to $21 billion by the end of 2029, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.29% during the forecast period from 2024 to 2029. Meanwhile, Medraysintell, a market intelligence agency specializing in radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, predicts that there will be a growth of about $30 billion in the global nuclear medicine market in 2030.

As a leading nuclear medicine company in China, CIRC (01763.HK) recently disclosed its annual report for 2024 as of December 31st. In 2024, CIRC achieved a remarkable growth in revenue and net profit, which not only delivered a satisfactory answer on the performance level, but also showed a strong technical transformation capability in nuclear medicine research and development.

Year-by-year growth facilitated nuclear medical equipment to become a new engine
According to the financial data, CIRC achieved revenue of RMB 7.575 billion in 2024, with a year-on-year increase of 14.2%, and the net profit of RMB 880 million, with a year-on-year increase of 13.3%.

From the perspective of branch business, all fields have blossomed in an all-round way. As the core pillar of the company, the nuclear medicine business achieved revenue of RMB 4.168 billion, accounting for 55% of the total revenue. Among them, the income of imaging diagnosis and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals increased by 4.1% year-on-year, and the distribution of medical centers all over the country achieved remarkable results. The income of Technetium-labeled medicines increased by 8.7% year-on-year. The breath test business continued to maintain a stable high market share, achieving revenue of RMB 2.35 billion, by a year-on-year increase of 1.1%.

It is worth noting that in 2024, CIRC accelerated the localization of high-end radiotherapy equipment, and nuclear medical equipment and related services became the new engine of growth, with revenue reaching RMB 1.223 billion, a year-on-year increase of 31.0%. The new generation of Precision radiation therapy planning system was successfully approved for medical device registration certificate, and the world’s first spiral tomotherapy system, Tomo C, was delivered to Shandong Cancer Hospital for installation, which was successfully selected intothe 2024 high-end medical equipment promotion and application project of two ministries and commissions (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology/National Health Commission) and Tianjin First (Set) Major Technical Equipment Promotion and Application Guidance Catalog (Version 2024), with sales during the year leading in the domestic market.

CIRC recorded RMB 716.1 million in revenue from radioactive source products, representing a year-on-year increase of 22.2%. Gamma knife source and non-destructive testing radioactive source continued to maintain a stable and high market share. CNNC Qinshan Isotope successfully obtained the Class A radiation safety license, and the cobalt-60 radioactive source production line delivered 2 million curies.

40-year solid accumulation in nuclear technology laid a solid foundation

As the main body of the nuclear technology application industry of CNNC, CIRC has been accumulated in the industry for over 40 years, forming a “6+N” industrial layout with six major businesses as the core, including nuclides, nuclear medicines, nuclear medical equipment, integrated solution for nuclear medicine, radioactive source and application, and irradiation application. During the Reporting Period, CIRC achieved 224 patent authorizations, with a total of 969 valid patents, and continued to maintain the leading position of the R&D investment intensity in the industry.

In the field of nuclear medicine research and development, CIRC has demonstrated a strong technical capability from research results turned into technologies. Sodium fluorine-18 injection obtained the drug registration certificate from the National Medical Products Administration and was approved for marketing, filling the market gap of PET diagnostic imaging agent in the field of bone imaging in China. Iodine-131-MIBG injection is close to the end of Phase III clinical trial. After the drug is launched, it will provide a new diagnostic method for neuroendocrine tumors such as pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma. It is worth noting that CIRC has proactively laid out integrated diagnosis and treatment drugs, and the research and development of Lutetium-177oxyoctreotide injection is progressing smoothly, marking a strategic upgrade from simple diagnosis to precise diagnosis and treatment.

In addition to stabilizing the base of nuclear medicine, CIRC has gradually increased its emphasis on nuclear medical equipment. According to the sales data in recent years, the income of nuclear medical equipment has steadily increased. In 2024, a new generation of Gamma Knife was approved, which integrated CBCT image guidance, six-dimensional bed auto-correction, and other intelligent technologies, and the treatment efficiency was improved by 30%. In the Class A large-scale medical equipment market, CIRC occupies an absolute dominant position through its holding subsidiary, CNNC ACCURAY. In February this year, 19 of the 28 high-end radiotherapy equipment in the second round of Class A large-scale medical equipment licensing list released by the National Health Commission came from CNNC ACCURAY, accounting for 68% of the market. It is worth noting that the breakthroughs in the fields of Cobalt-60-based Stereotactic Therapy System also promote the localization of radiotherapy equipment.

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Facing the explosive growth of the nuclear medicine market, CIRC Accelerated Pharmaceutical Center continues to expand its nationwide network layout. In 2024, a new positron emission drug production line has been added in Lanzhou, with a total of 23 lines put into operation; Newly added Fuzhou Technetium Drug Production Line, with a total of 27 units put into operation. CIRC has built the first 10,000 Curie level lutetium-177 production line and a thousand level germanium-gallium [68Ge-68Ga] generator production line in the country, achieving a breakthrough in the localization of high-end nuclides.

It is worth noting that CIRC has created a hierarchical innovation ecosystem through the “Parent-Subsidiary Collaboration” model. In 2024, its subsidiaries, CNNC HEADWAY (breath test) and CNNC Chengdu Gaotong (nuclide), were awarded the national level specialized, refined, and new “little giants” enterprise, bringing the total number of specialized, refined, and new enterprises under CIRC to 18. Among them, CNNC HEADWAY dominates the breath testing market with its integrated solution of “medicine box+instrument”, while CNNC Chengdu Gaotong has become a benchmark in the field of nuclear technology application through its full chain layout of “Nuclide-Drug-Equipment”. This innovative system, resembling an “Aircraft carrier battle group”, provides sustainable momentum for the company’s long-term growth.

Expanding Development Space with Globalization Layout

As the main force of CNNC Group’s march towards people’s life and health science and technology and the main channel for the transformation of advanced nuclear science and technology achievements, CIRC responds to the Group’s “Overall&Coordination” internationalization strategy and the national “the Belt and Road” initiative, vigorously promotes the internationalization strategy and constantly expands overseas markets. By 2024, the export revenue will reach RMB 627 million, and the products will be exported to dozens of countries and regions such as Brazil, Peru, and Nigeria.

At the beginning of this year, we successfully signed a contract for the supply of equipment for a million curies design source gamma irradiation station in Bangladesh. This is another equipment supply project for irradiation stations that has landed after winning the bid for the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture’s design source gamma irradiation station project in 2024. After its completion and operation, the irradiation station will mainly serve the irradiation sterilization of medical products in Bangladesh, significantly improving the quality level and production processing capacity of local medical products, assisting the development of Bangladesh’s medical industry, and benefiting local people’s livelihoods.

In Nigeria, CIRC successfully signed a contract for the overall supply of nuclear medical equipment, achieving the first successful landing of the Group’s nuclear medical equipment overall supply project. In addition, CIRC actively expands into the ASEAN market and successfully exports cold chain drugs to Thailand; We have also signed strategic cooperation agreements with multiple entities in Brazil to support the signing of a memorandum of understanding on strategic cooperation in the field of nuclear technology applications between the National Atomic Energy Agency and Brazil.

Conclusion

Against the backdrop of policy support and sustained market demand, CIRC stated to focus on the “Do as the Demard of the Country” and further deepen the coordinated development of nuclear medicine and high-end equipment around the “Healthy China” strategic framework. According to its 2025 plan, key projects such as Qinshan Isotope Base, Phase I of Jiajiang Radioactive Source Base, and Phase I of North China Pharmaceutical Base will be promoted according to milestones, involving nuclide production, radioactive source manufacturing, and pharmaceutical supply chain layout. At the same time, CIRC will enhance its digital diagnosis and treatment service capabilities through the iteration of smart nuclear medicine projects, and plans to launch no less than 3 intelligent systems within this year.

At the international level, CIRC will continue the market expansion strategy along the “the Belt and Road”, rely on the existing business models such as radiation station equipment export, nuclear medical equipment overall solution output, focus on the cooperation in South America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and other regional markets, and further improve the global market penetration rate in the future or through localized cooperation.

The management of the Company stated that in 2025, CIRC will continue to strengthen technological innovation, improve the modern industrial system, accelerate the cultivation and development of new quality productivity, continuously enhance core functions, improve core competitiveness, and accelerate the establishment of an internationally-renowned supply group of technology, product and service in isotope and radiation.

InnoEX and Spring Electronics Fair attract some 88,000 global buyers

  • Low-altitude economic solutions highly popular with many industries actively exploring business opportunities

– The 3rd InnoEX and 21st Spring Electronics Fair concluded successfully today, attracting some 88,000 buyers from 148 countries and regions.
– One of the highlights of this year’s InnoEX were the low-altitude economic solutions, which generated significant interest and attracted enquiries and business discussions from global buyers, including those from emerging markets.
– Over half of InnoEX and Spring Electronics Fair respondents intend to expand into emerging markets, including ASEAN, Mainland China and the Middle East.
– 40% survey respondents at the Spring Electronics Fair expect their overall sales to increase in the next one to two years, while half of all respondents are confident that they can maintain the current level.

The 3rd InnoEX, co-organised by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the HKSAR Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), alongside the 21st HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition), concluded successfully today. The four-day exhibitions attracted some 88,000 buyers from 148 countries and regions.  Apart from local visitors, the fairs welcomed buyers mainly from Mainland China, India, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

Sophia Chong, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director, said, “As the two core events of the Business of Innovation and Technology Week (BIT Week), InnoEX and the Spring Electronics Fair attracted some 88,000 visitors from Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas. By showcasing the latest smart solutions and R&D achievements to international buyers, exhibitors initiated numerous regional business collaborations and discussions, while exploring new markets successfully. The exhibitions further advanced Hong Kong’s development as an international I&T hub and reinforced its status as a global trade centre, demonstrating Hong Kong’s advantages of connecting with both the Mainland and the world.”

This year’s InnoEX focused on five major technology areas, namely the low-altitude economy, AI, robotics, cybersecurity, and smart mobility, aiming to address pain points for both large and small and medium-sized enterprises and bring new development opportunities for them. Among the technology solutions, the low-altitude economy was particularly popular, attracting the attention of many buyers.

InnoEX brought together the latest innovative R&D and solutions from around the world. The Smart Hong Kong Pavilion, set up by the Digital Policy Office, had over a hundred I&T achievements closely related to the lives of citizens, including I&T solutions from 20 government bureaux and departments, and award-winning solutions from multiple I&T competitions.

In addition, there were multiple local pavilions, 17 pavilions from 16 provinces and municipalities in the Mainland, and overseas pavilions, including from Canada and the United Kingdom, the French ‘So French So Innovative’ pavilion, and the Smart Cities Council from Australia. The fair also attracted tertiary institutions and big companies which participated as independent exhibitors, including China Mobile Hong Kong, Huawei, IBM, and more. The exhibitors showcased their technological solutions in different fields and successfully attracted many buyers to discuss cooperation.

Exhibitors expand into new markets while buyers actively source
Zeng Quanhong, Manager of Marketing Department, Vertaxi, stated that the company showcased its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at InnoEX, establishing relationships with some 30 potential buyers from ASEAN, Canada, Europe, India, UAE, and Hong Kong. “InnoEX is a quality platform with high foot traffic which has broadened our horizons. For example, after communicating with buyers from Thailand, we learned that the aircraft could be applied to local tourism services in Thailand, helping us explore new markets. Our participation this year was very successful, and we will definitely return next year.”

Australian buyer Spacious Property Development Group (Spacious) looked for technologies that can help reduce hotel operating costs at InnoEX, and was particularly interested in automated delivery robots, cleaning robots, and vending machines offered by exhibitors from Mainland China and Hong Kong respectively. Angela Liang, Managing Director of Spacious, said, “InnoEX provided us with an excellent opportunity to introduce innovative technologies to the Australian market, especially now that the United States has increased tariffs, prompting suppliers around the world to actively explore other new markets.”

In addition, some exhibitors successfully established important partnerships through InnoEX. Among them, Philippine buyer Digital Pilipinas and International Digital Economies Association signed a distribution agreement with the United Kingdom’s exhibitor Unifi.id to introduce Unifi.id’s smart card system for buildings to the Philippines, with hopes of expanding into other emerging markets in the future. Xi’an Meinan Biotechnology Co. Ltd also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with H & Y Building Decoration Electrical Engineering (HK). The partnership aims to enhance the quality of construction projects in Hong Kong and internationally by utilising Meinan’s waterproof mortar technology, promoting sustainable development.

The Spring Electronics Fair showcased a variety of products, focusing on products and solutions in the fields of smart home, health tech and wearable devices and the exhibition attracted buyers from around the world and helped exhibitors expand into new markets. Many companies launched new products at the Electronics Fair, including Guangzhou’s Havit Technology, which introduced a hat with headphone functionality utilising air conduction technology and a patented design. Qingdao’s Thunderobot Technology, a subsidiary of Haier Group, made its debut in Asia outside of Mainland China with its smart glasses.

At the fair, Shenzhen Antop Technology Co. from Mainland China, showcased air purifiers designed for households with pets. The company’s International Business Development Manager, Bojia Yang, said, “In the past, the US market accounted for over 80% of our business. With the increase in US tariffs, we are actively expanding our global operations and exploring new markets, targeting Asia, Europe, and South America. We have made contact with many potential buyers from India and South America at the exhibition, and in the first two days, we received about 50 potential leads, with at least one third showing significant collaboration potential.” The company is also discussing a contract for an order valued at approximately USD2.5 million.

Additionally, Hong Kong medical technology exhibitor CYBERMED, is currently discussing business deals with two buyers from Mainland China and the Middle East, with each order valued at approximately USD200,000.

American buyer DeWalt Mobile Solutions, which produces and sells mobile phone accessories, sourced products at Spring Electronics Fair. Its Director of International Operation, Danny Lo, said, “We are a leading brand in the US and plan to purchase products worth USD500,000 to USD1 million at the electronics fair. Face-to-face communication with suppliers during this crucial sourcing time and discuss business in response to the tariff situations with them was especially important for us.”

Four thematic days to explore the latest industry developments, with industry leaders sharing their insights
During InnoEX and Spring Electronics Fair, several conferences and seminars focused on hot technology topics were held, including the Tech-Driven Industry and Economy Conference, powered by the HKSAR Government’s Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, which brought together government officials from various countries and regions to discuss how policy measures can promote industrial development. Participants also shared successful policy measures and emerging trends in various countries.

Talent is crucial to promoting the development of the I&T ecosystem and, this year, InnoEX and the Spring Electronics Fair jointly hosted “Exhibitors Meet Talents” to assist exhibitors in recruiting professionals and attract people who were interested in exploring job opportunities and engage with employers in the I&T industry.

Half of respondents intend to expand into emerging markets
To further understand the development trends of the I&T and electronics industries, HKTDC appointed an independent survey agency to interview 315 InnoEX and 642 Spring Electronics Fair exhibitors and buyers during the exhibitions. The key results are  as follows:

InnoEX and Spring Electronics Fair
– 50.7% of respondents from InnoEX and Spring Electronics Fair expressed their intention to expand into emerging markets, including ASEAN countries, Mainland China and the Middle East.

InnoEX
– 33% of respondents believe that the greatest strength of Hong Kong’s innovation and technology sector is its unique position as an intermediary between the world and Mainland China. This s followed by having a highly skilled and multicultural talent pool (25.1%) and a robust and efficient financial market (24.6%).
– 68.8% of surveyed Hong Kong exhibitors believe that FinTech is the strongest and most advantageous field of I&T in Hong Kong, followed by Smart Cities (18.2%).

Spring Electronics Fair
– 40% of respondents expect their companies’ overall sales to increase in the next one to two years. Additionally, 50.5% expect to maintain the current overall sales figures, while less than 10% anticipate a decline.
– Nearly 30% of respondents believe that compared to traditional electronic products and household appliances, consumers are willing to pay a premium of 21% to 30% more for products that are compatible with smart home or AI applications.

In addition, the 2nd Hong Kong World Youth Science Conference brought together top experts, including Nobel Prize winning scholars, to discuss various innovation and science fields. The World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit, held in Hong Kong for the first time, also attracted nearly a thousand participants from all over the world to discuss the latest trends in areas such as AI, digital finance, digital government and smart living, creating synergies with BIT Week events.

Photo download: https://bit.ly/3YA7Y75

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Websites
InnoEX: innoex.hktdc.com/en
Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition): hkelectronicsfairse.hktdc.com/en

Media enquiries

Yuan Tung Financial Relations:

Salina ChengTel: (852) 3428 2362Email: salcheng@yuantung.com.hk
Hing-fung WongTel: (852) 3428 3122Email: hfwong@yuantung.com.hk

HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:

Sharon HaTel: (852) 2584 4575Email: sharon.mt.ha@hktdc.org
Johnny TsuiTel: (852) 2584 4395Email: johnny.cy.tsui@hktdc.org
Clayton Lau Tel: (852) 2584 4472Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.

Standard Chartered GBA Business Confidence Survey shows calm before tariff storm in Q1

The latest Standard Chartered GBA Business Confidence Index (GBAI) jointly published by Standard Chartered and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) today indicated broad-based improvement in business sentiment in the region for the first quarter of 2025.

The GBAI “current performance” index for business activity rose to 53.5 in Q1 from 50.7 prior – the highest since Q2-2024. Six of the eight index components rose quarter-on-quarter, and all previous sub-50 underperformers rallied back above the neutral mark, namely “capacity utilisation” (+3.2pts), “raw material inventory” (+9.0pts), “financing scale” (+3.2pts) and “profits” (+3.1pts).

The GBAI “expectations” index for business activity improved in tandem with its “current performance” counterpart, to 54.3 in Q1 from 52.9 in Q4-2024. Encouragingly, seven of eight expectation sub-indices rose quarter-on-quarter, led by a 3.1 percentage point increase in “profits” and a 2.8 percentage point increase in “raw material inventory”.

All the city sub-indices, be it “current performance” or “expectations”, rose quarter-on-quarter, with Shenzhen being the only exception. Hong Kong extended its rising “current performance” streak to four straight quarters, to 53.5; its “expectations” index jumped to 56.9 – bested only by Guangzhou – from 50.8 prior. Guangzhou’s current and expectation prints stood at 60.3 and 58.0, respectively, the highest among cities.

This showed that GBA companies weathered the initial rounds of US tariff hikes (10%+10%) well, in part thanks to the DeepSeek breakthrough lifting market sentiment as well as the rising prospect of more policy stimulus from China’s policymakers. However, respondents’ more-upbeat outlook in February-March (when the Q1 survey was conducted) likely did not prepare them for recent events – US’ announcement of sweeping and sizeable reciprocal tariff hikes on China and most other countries.

Kelvin Lau, Senior Economist, Greater China and North Asia, Standard Chartered, said: “Given the urgency to stabilise market sentiment following the tariff-induced sell-off, the likelihood of China cutting the reserve requirement ratio and/or policy rate (7-day reverse repo rate) in April has materially increased. We expect that both monetary and fiscal policies on the Mainland will stay supportive. Meanwhile, Hong Kong would need to ramp up short-term support to SMEs and continue to diversify its trade to facilitate more non-US trade corridors. Our next survey, to be conducted in May-June, should provide a better view of the readiness of GBA businesses to live with high tariffs.”

More consumption boosts welcomed
Looking ahead, 41% of respondents saw a positive impact from the consumption boosting initiatives announced by China in January. Meanwhile, 38% said the consumer goods trade-in programme would bring positive impact on their business. When asked what else the government could do to expand the consumption-supportive measures, the most popular suggestion was “relax market access for private sector and foreign investment to help boost services consumption”.

Wing Chu, Principal Economist (Greater China Research Team), HKTDC, said: “Boosting domestic demand is one of the government’s top priorities, as highlighted in the Government Work Report delivered by Chinese Premier Li Qiang in March. More than 50% of respondents have indicated that they are either already well positioned to tap into the mainland consumer market or are currently expanding or planning to expand their operations to do so. Additional supportive measures from the government could further bolster their businesses.”

About the GBAI
The GBAI is the first forward-looking quarterly survey in the market that looks at the business sentiment and synergistic effects in cities and industries across the GBA. It is compiled based on a survey of more than 1,000 companies in the GBA covering the manufacturing and trading, retail and wholesale, financial services, professional services and innovation and technology sectors. The index enables investors and businesses to better understand the current business climate, gauge future performance prospects and formulate their market strategies for the GBA.

Related materials
Standard Chartered GBA Business Confidence Index Report: https://www.sc.com/hk/gba/gba-index-report/
HKTDC Research: https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/MTk4MDY0MTYwOQ

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Media enquiries

Corporate Affairs DepartmentStandard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited 
Flora Chiu 
Tel: (852) 3843 2285 
Email: flora.chiu@sc.com 
  
Communications & Public Affairs DepartmentHKTDC 
Katy WongClayton Lauw    
Tel: (852) 2584 4524Tel: (852) 2584 4472
Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.orgEmail: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org

About Standard Chartered

We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 53 of the world’s most dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.

Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges.

The history of Standard Chartered in Hong Kong dates back to 1859. It is currently one of the Hong Kong SAR’s three note-issuing banks. Standard Chartered incorporated its Hong Kong business on 1 July 2004, and now operates as a licensed bank in Hong Kong under the name of Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Standard Chartered PLC. 

For more stories and expert opinions please visit Insights at sc.com. Follow Standard Chartered on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. 

The 3rd InnoEX officially kicked off today with the low-altitude economy taking centre stage

– Electronics Fair runs concurrently showcasing cutting-edge products and solutions

– The 3rd InnoEX, themed “Innovate-Automate-Elevate”, opens today and runs for four days
– The exhibition focuses on low-altitude economy, smart mobility, AI, robotics and cybersecurity, showcasing intelligent solutions to address industry pain points and unlock new business opportunities
– The Smart Hong Kong Pavilion, established by the Digital Policy Office, features over 100 innovative projects
– The 21st Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition), held alongside InnoEX, spotlights smart home, health tech and wearable devices

The 3rd InnoEX, co-organised by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the HKSAR Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), opened today (13 to 16 April) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and held concurrently with the 21st Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) (EFSE). The two exhibitions feature more than 2,800 exhibitors from 29 countries and showcase intelligent solutions to address industry pain points and unlock new business opportunities. Professionals from the innovation and technology sector, investors, trade buyers and end users from various industries including SMEs are invited to visit and source.

InnoEX and the EFSE are the highlight events of the Business of Innovation and Technology Week (BIT Week). During the opening ceremony of BIT Week, Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government, gave opening remarks while Margaret Fong, HKTDC Executive Director, gave a welcome speech. Margaret Fong said, “BIT Week is more than just a series of events, but a testament to Hong Kong’s role as an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub. Hong Kong’s strategic location, world-class infrastructure, and business-friendly environment make it an ideal destination for cutting-edge research, investment, and entrepreneurship.

Margaret Fong also mentioned that this year’s InnoEX has over 500 exhibitors from 17 countries and regions, representing a diverse lineup of world-class innovators, R&D centres, and technology pioneers. Japan, Thailand and the UK have expanded their participation, and welcomes first-time participation from Australia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Sweden and the UAE, enhancing the international stature of the fair. Alongside InnoEX is the EFSE which is showcasing the latest in consumer electronics to international buyers.

InnoEX spotlights Mainland China low-altitude economy solutions and robotics
InnoEX and the EFSE bring together pavilions and exhibitors from Hong Kong, Mainland China, Macao and other regions across Asia—including ASEAN members, as well as the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Africa and Oceania.

InnoEX focuses on the most popular and anticipated technology fields in the market, covering areas such as the low-altitude economy, smart mobility, AI, robotics, and cybersecurity, showcasing various smart solutions.

Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government and Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government visited exhibitors at InnoEX and showed their support. Professor Sun Dong also hosted the InnoEX welcome dinner last night, attended by exhibitors, buyers and industry representatives.

As Hong Kong is actively developing the low-altitude economy, InnoEX brings several rapidly developing drone and aerial car companies to showcase their solutions. Among them is Shanghai-based Vertaxi (Booth: 3B-B02A), whose drones have supported flood relief operations in Mainland China. Sichuan-based Aerofugia (Booth: 3B-B03) also introduces its electric aerial car in InnoEX.

In terms of smart mobility, Hong Kong’s Novautek Autonomous Driving Limited (Booth 3E-B11) presents an unmanned vehicle capable of delivering food and parcels, even in adverse weather and on steep slopes.

The use of artificial intelligence has become widespread and across various industry sectors. Cyberport has brought TradeMonday (Booth 3D-A01) to demonstrate a data analytics platform for the retail sector, helping SMEs gather competitors’ intelligence and refine market strategies.

Demonstrating the rapid advancement of robotics, Guangdong pavilion’s High Torque (Booth: 3E-B01) unveiled a 10kg humanoid robot that can walk, jump and overcome obstacles. Universities use this robot for hands-on programming training, helping students develop coding skills.

As Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important, Hong Kong exhibitor Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited (Booth: 3E-B09) offers a deepfake-detection solution capable of exposing face-swap and voice-mimicry scams with 98% accuracy.

The Smart Hong Kong Pavilion, set up by the Digital Policy Office, focuses on data-driven and AI applications, featuring over 100 projects that impact daily life. Highlights include solutions from 20 government bureaux and departments and award-winning entries from innovation competitions. Among them is the Architectural Services Department’s “Wall Climbing Robot”, which navigates rough and glass surfaces to conduct facade inspections safely and accurately, eliminating the personnel risks associated with high-altitude work.

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has 16 park companies at the HKSTP pavilion across three industry fields, namely AI & Data, Digital Transformation, and Micro-Electronics & Sustainable Technology. Highlighted innovations include Green Vigor’s patented Hydro Power Intelli-Recycle, which recycles unused energy from water supply systems in buildings and converts it into renewable energy. Additionally, there are eight HKSTP park companies joining EFSE.

InnoEX features four themed days, each with forums and seminars on hot technology topics. The theme day today (13 April) is on the low-altitude economy and technology-driven economy. The Tech-Driven Industry and Economy Conference, presented by the HKSAR Government’s Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, centred on the theme “Empowering Industry for a Connected Global Economy”, and Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, gave the opening speech. The conference invited government officials and industry experts to discuss how policies help foster industrial development, drive innovation and support sustainable growth, and share successful global practices and emerging trends.

The other themed days of InnoEX include AI and Robotics Technology (14 April) and Cybersecurity (15 April) while the last day (16 April) will focus on Solutions for SMEs, with government departments and several technology solution providers introducing government support programs and innovative solutions to assist SMEs in their development.    

EFSE brings cutting-edge products
Running alongside InnoEX, the 21st EFSE continues under the theme “World’s Leading Electronics Marketplace”, with a focus on smart home, health tech and wearable devices.

In the smart home sector, local exhibitor Tuya (Booth: 1B-F02) has partnered with major appliance brands to enable seamless interconnectivity across smart home ecosystems, allowing users to control appliances from different brands via a single app.

In the field of health tech and wearable devices, Mainland China exhibitor Shenzhen Minew Technologies (Booth: 5E-E20) will showcase an electronic bedside tag for hospitals that displays patient conditions and medication schedules, with data updated centrally to reduce manpower needs and minimise errors.

Returning this year, the Digital Entertainment Experiential Zone offers e-sports and interactive gaming experiences—including boxing, rowing and sailing simulations—for participants and buyers.

The key event of EFSE, the Tech Trends Symposium, will take place tomorrow under the theme of “AI on the Go: A New Era of Intelligent Wearable Electronics“. The symposium will feature industry leaders sharing how smart glasses, rings and other wearables integrate AI to reshape work and life.

BIT Week brings exciting events
InnoEX and the EFSE are the core events of BIT Week, driven by the HKSAR Government’s Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau and the HKTDC. Other highlights of BIT Week include the recently concluded Smart Lighting Expo and Hong Kong Web3 Festival, as well as the 2nd Hong Kong World Youth Science Conference, which also opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The conference brings together top experts—including Nobel Prize winning scholars—to discuss frontier topics across innovation and science.

Additionally, the World Internet Conference designated Hong Kong for the first time to host the Asia-Pacific Summit, which begins tomorrow at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The two-day event is expected to attract over 1,000 participants from around the world to explore the latest trends in AI, digital finance, digital government and smart living, creating synergies with other BIT Week events.

Photo download: https://bit.ly/4jcP3Yk

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Websites
InnoEX: innoex.hktdc.com/en
Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition): hkelectronicsfairse.hktdc.com/en

Media enquiries
Yuan Tung Financial Relations:

Salina ChengTel: (852) 3428 2362Email: salcheng@yuantung.com.hk
Hing-fung WongTel: (852) 3428 3122Email: hfwong@yuantung.com.hk

HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:

Sharon HaTel: (852) 2584 4575Email: sharon.mt.ha@hktdc.org
Johnny TsuiTel: (852) 2584 4395Email: johnny.cy.tsui@hktdc.org
Clayton Lauw           Tel: (852) 2584 4472Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels.

Doubleview Gold Corp 2025 Exploration Program

Doubleview Gold Corp. (TSXV:DBG)(OTCQB:DBLVF)(FSE:1D4) (the “Company” or “Doubleview”) is pleased to share its plans for the upcoming 2025 exploration season for its 100% owned BC projects. Based on the Company’s successful 2024 exploration season, which included publishing the Hat Project’s maiden resource estimate (‘MRE V1′), exceptional high-grade drill results from its 10,000m drill program (please see the Company’s news release from February 05, 2025) and the recently announced collaboration of the Company with Her Excellency Sheikha Sara Nasser Al-Thani of Qmission of Qatar (please see the Company’s news release from March 05, 2025), Doubleview is readying its field crews for the upcoming field season.

Hat Project – 2025 Program of WorkDoubleview is setting out to continue building on its exploration success at its polymetallic Hat Project. The 2024 drill results have provided important information which is supporting the Company’s geological team in understanding the evolution of, and ultimately the entire Hat Deposit (“Hat” or “Deposit”) system. The goals of the upcoming drill season are to continue to expand and build the resource to higher levels of confidence, to test newly identified targets to the northwest and east of the Deposit, and to find the source of the system that created the Hat Deposit.

Details for the environmental sampling program are currently being finalized. Doubleview’s intensions are to implement this work to fulfill regulatory requirements necessary towards further development of the Hat Project. The Preliminary Economic Assessment (“HAT PEA”) with an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (“HAT MRE 2.0”) is steadily progressing as expected.

President & CEO Farshad Shirvani states: “After achieving several milestones for the Hat Project, it is time to continue its development. Our field crew, technical team and I are excited about the newly acquired information which will guide this year’s efforts. Our goals are to find the porphyry system’s source, to further advance the integrity of the resource estimate categories, to continue advancing environmental work and building stakeholder relationships. There are less than 90 drill holes at the Hat Project, and we have been able to show tremendous results. At the same time, it is very clear that there are many more opportunities to enhance the Hat Deposit that our team is eager to explore.” Mr. Shirvani added: “The Company is continuing its dialogue with Her Excellency Sara Nasser Al-Thani of Qmission of Qatar to build a strong relationship to explore optimal opportunities for both sides. With the worldwide growing attention on critical minerals, by governments and major mining companies alike, we believe that the Company is a great position.”

Red Spring – 2025 Exploration ProgramPart of Doubleview’s portfolio of projects is Red Spring, which is located in central BC, Canada. It is a copper-silver-gold project which in recent exploration programs showed elevated zinc values. With copper and zinc being elements that are listed as Critical Minerals by the Canadian Government, the Red Spring project merits a well-tailored exploration program. For this season an extensive ground IP program is planned which will be followed-up by drilling based on the IP results. The goal of the exploration program is to build on existing data and together with the new results, narrow down the potential deposit type. Currently the two potential deposit types in focus for the project are sediment hosted copper-silver deposits and Eskay Creek type deposits.

Doubleview maintains a website at www.doubleview.ca.

Qualified Persons:
Erik Ostensoe, P. Geo., a consulting geologist, and Doubleview’s Qualified Person with respect to the Hat Project as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed, and approved the technical contents of this news release. He is not independent of Doubleview as he is a shareholder in the company.

About Doubleview Gold Corp
A mineral resource exploration and development company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is publicly traded on the TSX-Venture Exchange (TSXV:DBG)(OTCQB:DBLVF)(WKN:LA1W038), and (FSE:1D4). Doubleview focuses on identifying, acquiring, and financing precious and base metal exploration projects across North America, with a strong emphasis on British Columbia. The company enhances shareholder value through the acquisition and exploration of high-quality gold, copper, cobalt, scandium, and silver projects-collectively critical minerals-utilizing cutting-edge exploration techniques.

Doubleview’s success is deeply rooted in the unwavering support of its long-term shareholders, supporters, and institutional investors. Their ongoing commitment has been instrumental in advancing the company’s strategic initiatives. Doubleview looks forward to further collaborative growth and development, and continues to welcome active participation from its valued stakeholders as the company expands its portfolio and strengthens its position in the critical minerals sector.

About the Hat Polymetallic Deposit
The Hat Deposit, located in northwestern British Columbia, is a polymetallic porphyry project with major resources of copper, gold, cobalt, and the potential for scandium. As one of the region’s significant sources of critical minerals, the Hat deposit has undergone targeted exploration and development. The 0.2% CuEq cut-off resource estimate, as of the recently completed Mineral Resource Estimate and the Company’s July 25, 2024, news release, is summarized below:

Average Grade Metal Content
Open Pit Model Hat Resource Category Tonnage CuEq Cu Co Au Ag CuEq Cu Co Au AgMt % % % g/t g/t million lb million lb million lb thousand oz thousand ozIn Pit Indicated 150 0.408 0.221 0.008 0.19 0.42 1,353 733 28 929 2,045Inferred 477 0.344 0.185 0.009 0.15 0.49 3,619 1,945 91 2,328 7,575

Scandium potential for the Hat Deposit is estimated to be 300 to 500 million tonnes at an average grade of 40 ppm (0.004%) Sc2O3.

*- Copper Equivalent (CuEq) currently does not include the Scandium- Metal equivalents should not be relied upon for future evaluations.- Parameters used to calculate Copper Equivalent: Au price (US$/oz): 1900; Ag price (US$/oz): 24; Cu price (US$/lb): 4; Co price (US$/lb): 22. Au recovery: 89.0%; Ag recovery: 68.0%; Cu recovery: 84.0%; Co recovery: 78.0%. * Copper Equivalent Calculation CuEq in % = ([Ag grade in ppm] *24*0.68/31.1035 + [Au grade in ppm] *1900*.89/31.1035 + 0.0001* [Co grade in ppm] *22*0.78*22.0462 + 0.0001* [Cu grade in ppm] *4*0.84*22.0462)/(4*22.0462*0.84).

For further details, please refer to the Company’s July 25, 2024 news release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Farshad Shirvani, President & Chief Executive Officer
For further information please contact:
Doubleview Gold Corp
Vancouver, BC Farshad Shirvani
President & CEO
T: (604) 678-9587
E: corporate@doubleview.ca

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may constitute “forward-looking information.” In particular references to the private placement and future work programs or expectations on the quality or results of such work programs are subject to risks associated with operations on the property, exploration activity generally, equipment limitations and availability, as well as other risks that we may not be currently aware of. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE: Doubleview Gold Corp.