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Qianhai’s First Major Project in Hong Kong: “Shenzhen and Hong Kong Join Hands to Win the Future” Introduced at the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone Promotion Conference held in Hong Kong

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 20 January 2023 – Following the re-opening of the borders between Hong Kong and Mainland China, the frequent interaction between Shenzhen and Hong Kong will resume and deepen in the future. For over a year since the issuance of the Plan for Comprehensive Deepening Reform and Opening Up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone (the “Qianhai Plan”) by the State Council on September 6, 2021, Qianhai has been tasked with two main initiatives, namely the expansion of the cooperation zone and the deepening of reform and opening up. Covering various aspects and key projects, these initiatives have been proven successful with the close cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. In order to provide an update on the Qianhai Plan for the first year since its issuance, and introduce the latest policies and development opportunities of Qianhai, the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen Municipality (the “Qianhai Authority”) specially oragnized the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone Promotion Conference with the theme of “Shenzhen and Hong Kong Join Hands to Win the Future” at the Hong Kong Conference and Exhibition Centre on 12 Jan 2023.

Group photo of major guests
Group photo of major guests

This grand event was the first large-scale promotion conference organized by the Qianhai Authority in Hong Kong after the re-opening of the borders, with the attendance of more than 300 guests.

Political and business leaders from Shenzhen and Hong Kong gathered at the promotion conference, including Zeng Pai, Member of the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Director General of the Qianhai Authority and Secretary of Nanshan District Committee; Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Xu Weigang, Director General of the Economic Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong S.A.R.; Jiang Likun, First Deputy Director General of the Greater Bay Area Office of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee (Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Shenzhen); Huang Xiaopeng, First Deputy Director General of the Qianhai Authority; Jian Zheng, Deputy Director General of the Commerce Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality; Wen Ping and Guo Xiaoyang, Deputy Directors General of the Qianhai Authority; Li Xiaoning, First Deputy District Mayor of Nanshan District; and Li Wei, Member of the Standing Committee of Nanshan District Committee.

Zeng Pai, Member of the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Director General of the Qianhai Authority and Secretary of Nanshan District Committee, pointed out in his speech at the conference that the recent orderly re-opening of the borders between Shenzhen and Hong Kong would enable the two cities to join hands in the future for capturing opportunities arising from, and taking the lead in, the latest global development. Committed to its mission of “relying on Hong Kong, serving the Mainland and opening up to the world”, Qianhai will strive to collaborate with and serve its Hong Kong counterparts in most competitive sectors of the Hong Kong modern service industries, such as finance, legal service, trade and logistics. Efforts will be made to improve the cooperation mechanism and optimize policies and systems favorable to Hong Kong. As part of the Qianhai Global Service Provider Campaign, a familiar business and living environment will be created for Hong Kong people and enterprises in Qianhai so that they can fully capitalize on the advantages of the two cities for a win-win future.

Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, stated in his speech that Qianhai is one of the most important cooperation platforms in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (the “Greater Bay Area”). Over the past few years, the governments of Hong Kong and Shenzhen have done a lot of work for the Hong Kong professional sectors to tap into the Qianhai market. A series of measures have also been launched, including tax concessions, settlement support funds, as well as the further opening-up initiatives for professional services. These measures have been well received by the relevant sectors in Hong Kong as they enabled qualified professionals from Hong Kong with construction, engineering and legal expertise to practice and provide services in Qianhai and even the Greater Bay Area through the existing mechanism. With the implementation of the mechanism for wholly owned Hong Kong enterprises (“WOKEs”) to adopt Hong Kong law in Qianhai, WOKEs registered in Hong Kong are allowed to opt for laws of Hong Kong as the applicable law in their civil and commercial contracts, bringing more convenience and opportunities for Hong Kong people and enterprises developing in Qianhai.

During the conference, Huang Xiaopeng, First Deputy Director General of the Qianhai Authority, introduced the new development and opportunities of Qianhai over the past year since the issuance of the Qianhai Plan.

First, Qianhai has been well positioned for development. Apart from its prime location, vast land resources and convenient transport, it also boasts abundant natural resources and promising development potential. Situated at the heart of the Greater Bay Area, it is within one-hour travel distance from Guangzhou, Macao and Hong Kong given its well-equipped railway network and land, sea and air transportation, featuring an international airport and six ports open to the world.

Second, cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong has been close. From January to November 2022, the actual use of Hong Kong capital in Qianhai, where the number of WOKEs was nearly ten thousand, amounted to US$4.907 billion, accounting for 55.3% of the total investment in Shenzhen. Eighteen categories of professionals, such as architects registered in Hong Kong and tourist guides from Hong Kong and Macao, may practice in Qianhai immediately upon filing required documents. In the 2022 “Hong Kong and Macao Youth Employment Plan”, 3,530 jobs were offered. There were nearly 700 participants from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan in the 2022 Qianhai-Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao-Taiwan Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. The Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub, measuring an area of 139,000 sq.m., provided incubation support to an aggregate of 378 Hong Kong start-up teams with a total financing amount of over RMB2.9 billion. These achievements have turned Qianhai into an area that has the strongest cooperation with Hong Kong.

Third, an exceptional legal environment has been created in Qianhai based on the principle of the rule of law. Qianhai has been fostering a legal and business environment similar to, and compatible with, that of Hong Kong. Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and foreign-invested enterprises registered in Qianhai may agree on the choice of applicable laws with the counterparties to resolve disputes over business contracts. The Qianhai court was ranked first among the primary courts in China in accepting foreign, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan-related commercial cases, and in applying Hong Kong law to try cases. Upon the establishment of the First Circuit Court of the Supreme People’s Court and the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration in Qianhai, the judicial model combining the final judgment and the final award from the respective courts has been formed.

Fourth, cross-border finance has been made convenient. Qianhai has taken the lead in implementing various pilot projects, such as an integrated capital pool of multinational companies with domestic and foreign currencies and the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme. As such, Qianhai has become the major channel for expanding the cross-border capital flow between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Cross-border receipts and payments of free trade accounts amounted to RMB351.3 billion, 84% of which were transacted with Hong Kong. With the optimization of the pilot schemes for cross-border equity investments, namely the Qualified Foreign Limited Partnership Scheme (“QFLP”) and the Qualified Domestic Investment Enterprise Scheme (“QDIE”), Hong Kong-invested management companies under the QDIE scheme have set up bases in Qianhai while those under the QFLP scheme have accounted for over 90% of the market share in Shenzhen.

Fifth, great efforts have been made for reforms and innovations. 80 out of 765 innovation achievements of Qianhai in total were recorded in 2022. There were seven new measures adopted and promoted nationwide, bringing the total number to 72. In order to accelerate the reform and innovation of technological development mechanism, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Union of Innovation China has been established. The union comprises 44 national “specialised, sophisticated, distinctive and innovative” small giant enterprises, 126 innovation carriers such as enterprise engineering centers, engineering laboratories and technology centers, and 10 unicorn companies, accounting for one-sixth (1/6) of the market share of the Greater Bay Area.

Sixth, the opening-up achievements have been substantial. Eight ministries and state council committees, including the Ministry of Commerce, approved the creation of a national import trade innovation demonstration zone in Qianhai, and the construction of a national cross-border trade big data platform and an electronic component trading center. The total import and export volume of Qianhai Comprehensive Bonded Zone exceeded RMB230 billion, representing an increase of 50%. In 2022, 30 new investment projects of some of the Fortune Global 500 companies were launched in Qianhai with a total investment amount of RMB49.7 billion. The Qianhai International Talent Hub has also provided 451 services under a one-stop approach. Encompassing three international blocks, four Hong Kong and Macao medical institutions and nine international schools, Qianhai has become one of the regions with the highest level of internationalisation.

Seventh, favorable business policies have been in place. The State Taxation Administration, the General Administration of Customs, the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate and other national departments and committees have issued special policies to facilitate the measures of Qianhai in welcoming WOKEs and supporting their development in the area. Also introduced were eight significant policies which cover foreign investment incentives, business clusters, corporate headquarters, financial industry, trade and logistics industry, technological innovation and professional service industry. Favorable business policies, which have been extensively implemented in ​​Qianhai, can be enjoyed in conjunction with municipal policies.

Eighth, unlimited business opportunities are expected. The launch of the Qianhai Global Service Provider Campaign has attracted and nurtured the top 50 global and top 20 domestic service providers in eight key segments, namely finance, trade and logistics, information, technology, culture and creativity, commerce, shipping and public services. Endeavoring to serve as the core engine for the development of the modern service industries of the Greater Bay Area, this campaign aspires to build a major producer services center in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, the first six business clusters between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, namely international venture capital investments, natural gas trade, financial leasing, cross-border e-commerce, tax-related services and high-end think tanks, have been rolled out.

This promotion conference, which was the first event upon the re-opening of the borders between Hong Kong and the Mainland in 2023, aims to boost the development potential of business cooperation between the two places. Aside from assisting Hong Kong professionals in settling and developing locally, Qianhai has also introduced other professional services and high-end services from Hong Kong. Leveraging the mutually-beneficial relationships between the two places, Qianhai will explore more possibilities and join hands with Hong Kong for a better future.

Hashtag: #ShenzhenQianhaiAuthority #QianhaiCooperationZone #QianhaiOpportunity #QianhaiPlan

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine is Officially Approved as Regular Imported Vaccine by the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau of Macao SAR

SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach – 20 January 2023 – On January 20, 2023, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd. (“Fosun Pharma” or “Group”; Stock Code: 600196.SH, 02196.HK) announced that COMIRNATY® Original/Omicron BA.4/BA.5 bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (also known as COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine) is officially approved as a regular imported vaccine by the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau of Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (“Macao SAR”). It is indicated as a booster dose for individuals aged 12 years and older who have completed the primary vaccination course against COVID-19. After this approval, people in need can now receive the COMIRNATY® vaccines at qualified medical institutions, which are approved by the Health Bureau of Macau Special Administrative Region, in Macao SAR, with a local medical prescription.

In May 2022, the monovalent COVID-19 vaccine COMIRNATY® (30 mg per dose) (also known as BNT162b2 or COMIRNATY® Original) for people aged 12 years and older was officially approved by the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau of Macao SAR as a regular imported vaccine. Since November 1, 2022, the self-paid COMIRNATY® Original vaccination service has opened for non-local residents in Macao SAR, which is indicated as a primary course of vaccination against COVID-19 for individuals aged 12 years and older.

Starting from November 1, 2022, the Chinese government resumed the e-visa application for travel to Macao. On the same day, the self-paid COMIRNATY® Original vaccination service for non-local residents of Macao has been officially put into operation in the University Hospital of Macao. In order to meet the growing demand for vaccination, the second self-paid vaccination site in Macao, Kiang Wu Hospital, has been put into operation officially since December 21, 2022.

For the self-paid COMIRNATY® Original vaccination service for non-local residents of Macao, customers can make an appointment and pay through the GoSmart online platform designated by the supplier, Jacobson Pharmaceutical (Hong Kong) Limited. As for the self-paid COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine, customers can make an appointment to get vaccination in Macao through the Fosun Health platform or other designated cooperation platforms after the self-paid vaccination service of the COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine is officially put into operation in Macao SAR.

COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine can effectively deal with Omicron sub-lineages

COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine, an effective deal with Omicron sub-lineages, is an iteration and supplement to the COMIRNATY®, a monovalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccine (BNT162b2) which is already in the market. The COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine contains 15-µg of mRNA encoding for the spike-protein of the wild-type of SARS-CoV-2 and 15-µg of mRNA encoding for the spike protein of the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 sub-lineages of SARS-CoV-2.

Clinical data from an ongoing Phase 2/3 trial demonstrated a robust neutralizing immune response one month after a booster dose of the COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine. One month after a booster dose of the bivalent vaccine, Omicron BA.4/BA.5-neutralizing antibody titers increased 13.2-fold from pre-booster levels in adults older than 55 years of age and 9.5-fold in adults 18 to 55 years of age. These results suggest that a booster dose of the bivalent vaccine may induce a higher level of protection against the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages than the monovalent COVID-19 vaccine.

In addition, as the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 subseries variant virus (including BA.4.6, BA.2.75.2, BQ.1.1 and XBB.1) that is currently raging in many Asian countries and regions, the COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine produced a higher immune response comparing with the monovalent COVID-19 vaccine. The safety and tolerance of the two vaccines were similar. An analysis of the antibody response of the COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine to the new substrain of Omicron virus showed that after inoculation with COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine, the titers of neutralizing antibodies against BQ.1.1 and XBB.1 increased respectively by 8.7 fold and 4.8 fold.

On March 16, 2020, Fosun Pharma and BioNTech announced a strategic collaboration to develop and commercialize COVID-19 vaccines based on BioNTech’s mRNA technology platform for Greater China Market, including the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, and Taiwan region. COMIRNATY® Original has been authorized for emergency use (EUA) for the government vaccination program in the Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR since March 2021. Vaccination was commenced in the Taiwan region in September 2021. In November 2022, The Health Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for a booster dose of an Omicron BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 12 years of age and older. In addition, the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau of Macao SAR granted a Special Import Authorization for the Omicron BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 12 years of age and older. The COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine has been vaccinated for the public in Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR under the government vaccination programme since December 1, 2022.

Fosun Pharma has started to provide COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine to the private medical system in Hong Kong SAR since January 6, 2023. People in need will be able to receive vaccines at their own expense at clinics or medical institutions that provide the COMIRNATY® Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine.

Hashtag: #FosunPharma

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Fosun Pharma

Founded in 1994, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd.(“Fosun Pharma”; stock code: 600196. SH, 02196. HK) is a global innovation-driven pharmaceutical and healthcare industry group deep-rooted in China. Fosun Pharma directly operates businesses including pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical devices, medical diagnosis, and healthcare services. As a shareholder of Sinopharm Co., Ltd., Fosun Pharma expands its areas in the pharmaceutical distribution and retail business.

Fosun Pharma is patient-centered and clinical needs-oriented. The company enriches its innovative product pipeline through diversified and multi-level cooperation models such as independent research and development, cooperative development, license-in, and in-depth incubation. Fosun Pharma has formed technological platforms for innovative small molecule drugs, antibody drugs, and cell therapy with a focus on key disease areas including oncology and immunomodulation, metabolism and digestive system, as well as the central nervous system. Fosun Pharma also vigorously explores cutting-edge technologies, such as RNA, gene therapy, ADC, and PROTAC, to enhance its innovation capabilities.

Guided by the 4IN strategy (Innovation, Internationalization, intelligentization, and Integration), Fosun Pharma will uphold the development model of “innovation transformation, integrated operation, and steady growth”, with the mission of creating shareholder values through strengthening its independent R&D and external cooperation and enriching its product pipelines, as well as promoting the global networks and enhancing operational efficiency. Fosun Pharma will actively promote the digital and physical business layout in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry and is committed to becoming a first-class enterprise in the global medical and health market.

For more information, please visit our official website:www.fosunpharma.com.

Police in Vientiane Capital Destroy Banned Fireworks

Police in Sikhottabong District, Vientiane Capital have destroyed fireworks that were imported illegally into the country.

Moobicast Recognised as Participating Aggregator (PA) Under IMDA’s Full SSIR Regime, Implements Feature to Combat Fraudulent Messages

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 20 January 2023 – Maven Lab, an Omni Channel Communication Company provider based in Singapore, has been listed as a Participating Aggregator (PA) under IMDA’s Full SMS Sender ID Registry Regime, also known as the Full SSIR Regime. Through this, Maven Lab’s SMS solution – Moobicast, is equipped to protect mobile users from receiving spoofed messages.

The Full SSIR Regime is an initiative that was first publicly proposed on August 2022 by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). According to the proposal, all organisations that deliver SMS with Sender IDs to Singapore mobile users are required to register their Sender IDs under the SSIR. In addition, organisations may only engage with SSIR-affiliated SMS “Participating Aggregators” or SMS service providers.

Intended to strengthen the SMS communications channel for Singapore consumers, the public proposal received favourable responses from organisations and SMS service providers. Following extensive evaluation, the transition to the Full SSIR Regime will be effective as of 31st January 2023.

As an approved Participating Aggregator, Maven Lab aims to support the Singapore government in safeguarding consumers and helping organisations promote a secure digital communication space. To further support this, Maven Lab has also implemented a solution for managing whitelisted and blacklisted Sender IDs in accordance with business requirements and IMDA guidelines. This feature allows organisations to construct a list of approved and unapproved Sender IDs to filter communications and ensure smooth delivery. This helps to prevent the transmission of potentially inappropriate or fraudulent messages.

Maven Lab aims to empower organisations consistently by providing solutions that drive traffic, increase revenue, and promote brand loyalty in a safe digital landscape. In addition, the company strives to establish itself in the communication scene by reinventing the way organisations connect with their clients in order to improve customer engagement and effortlessly achieve corporate goals.

Since its inception in 2006, Moobicast has been dedicated to helping businesses and organisations of all sizes achieve their online communication needs through various solutions. The company has branched from an SMS marketing provider to one that offers a more comprehensive range of communication services, such as WhatsApp, to suit the needs of its clientele.

Presently, the company provides an array of communication tools, including SMS API, WhatsApp API, Live-Chat, Facebook Messenger, LINE-Chat, WeChat services, two-factor authentication, and more, to support organisations in all their communications requirements. Other widely-used solutions, including mass SMS messaging, are also offered to meet current trends. Their expansion supports their mission of aiding businesses in transitioning from discontinuous conversations and non-directional marketing to one that promotes engagement.

For more information, please visit https://www.moobicast.com/ and https://www.moobidesk.com.
Hashtag: #MavenLab #Moobicast #Business #Technology

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Oudomxay to Celebrate Khmu New Year This Weekend

Baci ceremony in Khmu New Year in 2022. ( Photo: Aea Vilaiphet).

Oudomxay Province will organize the largest Khmu New Year celebrations in the country from 21 to 22 January.

Hong Kong Baptist University heralds future cinematic experience by establishing the Visualisation Research Centre

  • Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) took an important step forward in heralding a new cinematic experience for the future by establishing the Visualisation Research Centre recently. The Centre is home to the world’s first 360-degree immersive LED Visualisation Cinema and the 180-degree iDome Cinema.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 20 January 2023 – Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) took an important step forward in heralding a new cinematic experience for the future by establishing the Visualisation Research Centre recently.

Professor Jeffrey Shaw is leading the pioneering art-tech project “Future Cinema Systems: Next-Generation Art Technologies” which will develop an integrated system for artists and the creative industries.
Professor Jeffrey Shaw is leading the pioneering art-tech project “Future Cinema Systems: Next-Generation Art Technologies” which will develop an integrated system for artists and the creative industries.

The Centre is home to the world’s first 360-degree immersive LED Visualisation Cinema and the 180-degree iDome Cinema. The newly established facility will provide innovative platforms for theatre, dance, music and sports, and transform multimedia archives into post-cinematic encounters that people can explore and experience.

Creates new platforms and possibilities

The Visualisation Research Centre is one of the key deliverables under the two-year art-tech project “Future Cinema Systems: Next-Generation Art Technologies“, which is led by HKBU in collaboration with the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. The pioneering project has been awarded HK$35.4 million in funding from the Innovation and Technology Support Programme under the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR Government.

“With the new appreciation of the relationship between art and technology, there has been a global demand for new forms of cultural experience and digital entertainment. At a time when technical capabilities are developing rapidly, our challenge is to create new artistic platforms and new creative opportunities,” says Professor Jeffrey Shaw, Chair Professor of the Academy of Visual Arts at HKBU, who leads the project.

360-degree cinema offers fully immersive experience

Walking into the Centre’s eight metres wide, four metres tall 360-degree cinema consisting of over 400 LED panels (26 million LED pixels), the audience can fully immerse themselves in a three-dimensional environment. Viewers are not merely looking at panoramic movies or photographs; they also get the sense of stepping inside a spectacular virtual landscape, whether it is an exhibition hall at a museum, historical monuments across the ocean, prominent heritage sites or even the setting of video games.

This expansive visual experience is amplified by a 32.4 channel surround sound system that further substantiates this total sense of immersion.

Using high-resolution stereoscopic 3D technologies, the cinema lets viewers interactively engage with the visualised content by enlarging the focus on their areas of interest. This in turn adds new layers of understanding and meaning to the materials they see.

AI-powered evolving interactions with the audience

The new cinema further challenges the conventional passive relationship between the audience and the screen. When watching movies or a theatrical performance, people usually just sit tight in their chairs in the dark. With the Future Cinema Systems, interactivity will play an important role.

“We are developing technologies that will enhance interactivity between individuals and groups of people. In our cinematic environment, up to 30 visitors can interact with the imagery and with each other,” says Professor Shaw.

Using wearable sensors and biometric devices, this new cinematic platform can for example track the viewers’ physical position, behavior, gesture, facial expression, body temperature and heart rate to understand what they are looking at, how they are behaving with respect to other viewers, and how they are responding to the content being presented to them.

A co-evolutionary narrative engine, which comprises artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, will enable the audiovisual manifold to react and respond to the sensory prompts provided by the participants.

Boundless applications

The other innovative facility at the Visualisation Research Centre is the iDome Cinema, which comprises a laser DLP projector, a vertical hemispherical screen that is four metres in diameter, and surround sound audio equipment.

Ideally suited for museological exhibitions, the iDome Cinema uses a fisheye lens to project spherical photos and videos that can be interactively rotated. Visitors can almost literally walk inside its 360-degree representations to enjoy this immersive interactive experience. The facility can also be used as an educational tool for visualising scientific data.

With the new facilities in place, the project team is working to produce scalable outcomes that can be experienced by the general public. The deliverables of the Future Cinema Systems project will first be deployed at selected facilities in Hong Kong, such as the Hong Kong International Airport, M+ Museum and Tai Kwun.

“We are developing the project in particular relation to Hong Kong’s cultural contexts. It will give local artists and institutions opportunities to explore the next- generation creative potentials of art and technology,” says Professor Shaw. “We are about to experience something truly transformative, as the Future Cinema Systems project opens the door to boundless new horizons in the arts and creative industries.”

Hashtag: #ArtTech #HongKong #FutherCinema #HongKongBaptistUniversity #Immersive

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Millennials have big wellness ambitions, but lack the means to achieve them, Bupa survey finds

Fewer than half of Hong Kong millennials are satisfied with overall health and wellbeing

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 20 January 2023 – Millennials in Asia care about health and wellness and they are willing to spend on what they care. According to a survey by Bupa, over six in ten Hong Kong millennials consider themselves health conscious, but fewer than half (48%) are satisfied with their overall health and wellbeing, the survey found.

Bupa surveyed over 500 Hong Kong millennials aged 25-40 to examine their health and wellness trends and habits. The survey discovered that millennials today care deeply about their wellbeing, but struggle with how to prioritize it. They struggle to get enough sleep, to find healthy meal options during the hectic work week, and to do regular exercise. The survey also revealed a number of workplace-specific wellness concerns, ranging from eye strain to back pain to managing mental stress.

While previous generations saw “good health” as the absence of illness, millennials take a far broader approach. They largely view health and wellness as holistic: encompassing diet and exercise, mental health, emotional wellbeing, positive daily practices like meditation, pastimes that promote personal development, social and community support from peers, and a good night’s sleep.

Millennials face a number of barriers to achieving the healthy, balanced life they seek. There are external factors such as long working hours and social obligations, plus internal factors like lack of motivation or simply not knowing where to start. On top of all these, there’s COVID. Since early 2020, lack of access to sports facilities, less time with friends and family, and the stress of living with a global pandemic have impacted the health of everyone.

Andrew Merrilees, Managing Director, Bupa Hong Kong, said, “The unmet health and wellbeing needs of Hong Kong millennials represent both an opportunity and an obligation. There is a white space in the market for products and services capable of helping millennial consumers overcome the gap between their wellbeing ambitions and their current state of knowledge and ability.” With 70% of millennials wanting to learn more about health, but only half proactively seeking out health-related content, they need the market to come up with solutions which are engaging and accessible.

In addition, workplaces can do more beyond health coverage to look after employees. Millennials, and certainly the incoming generation of Gen Z employees, want to be connected to holistic wellness resources where they can find education and encouragement around diet, exercise, sleep and more. It is a move from “sick care” to “well care”, one that brings holistic health to the forefront.

Hashtag: #Bupa

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Laos to Experience Cold Wave Over Next Two Days

Cold Weather to Spread Across Laos on Tuesday, Wednesday
Winter in Laos (photo: alifewithoutborder)

The cold weather conditions will continue to sweep over all of Laos with moderate to strong winds from Friday to Saturday, says the Meteorology and Hydrology Department.