25.8 C
Vientiane
Friday, July 25, 2025
spot_img
Home Blog Page 2224

Laos 5th Largest Tourist Market for Thailand in January

Laos 5th Largest Tourist Market for Thailand in January
Beautiful Scenery of Similan Islands, Thailand's Phang Nga province (photo: holidify.com)

Laos ranked fifth among the major tourist source markets for Thailand from January 1 to 15 of this year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

UN Expert: Cambodia Ready to Legally Recognize LGBT Families

Changing families give rise to needed policy changes. Sao Mimol kisses her partner in Cambodia during an LGBT Pride event. (file)
Changing families give rise to needed policy changes. Sao Mimol kisses her partner in Cambodia during an LGBT Pride event (UN Women)

Cambodia is poised to make strides toward full integration of LGBT persons in all social sectors, effectively protecting them from violence and discrimination, a UN expert said Friday, urging authorities to recognize LGBT families and ensure social integration legally.

Japan Uses Demining Experience in Laos to Help Ukraine

Ukrainian military servicemen walk past a sign which reads 'Caution mines' on the frontline in Donetsk region (Jan 2022, VOA).
Ukrainian military servicemen walk past a sign which reads 'Caution mines' on the frontline in Donetsk region (Jan 2022, VOA).

Japan is using experience gained from clearing mines in Laos and Cambodia to provide assistance to Ukraine.

Laos Among List of Countries Greenlit for Chinese Group Tours

Chinese group tours

Laos is among 20 countries China has authorized for the resumption of outbound group tours, according to its Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Led by Legend Capital, GenScript ProBio Completed Nearly USD220m Series C Round of Financing

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 21 January 2023 – On 17 January 2023, GenScript ProBio announced its Series C round of financing of nearly USD220 million, led by Legend Capital, which marks the largest scale in the CDMO sector in China since the second half of 2022. Several active healthcare investment institutions also participated in this round. The parent company, Genscript Biotech Corporation, also invested approximately USD30 million in this round.

The fund will help GenScript ProBio accelerate its manufacture capacity expansion and technology platform upgrading, enlarge footprint in the global market, strengthen quality and management system, deepen interaction with the broader healthcare ecosystem resources behind active investors, all of which will enable GenScript ProBio to enhance its leading position in the biologics and CGT (cell and gene therapy) CDMO space and become a top tier player on the global arena.

GenScript ProBio, a subsidiary of GenScript Biotech Corporation, offers end-to-end biologics and CGT CDMO services based on its extensive experiences in drug discovery, process development and GMP manufacture. Since its inception, GenScript ProBio has undertaken more than 80 CMC and CMO projects worldwide in the biologics CDMO field, and helped its clients obtain more than 20 global IND approvals. As one of the earliest players in the field of CGT CDMO, GenScript ProBio has participated in over 60 CMC projects worldwide and over 20 IND filings. With strong technical strength, solid performance and an experienced team, GenScript ProBio has become one of the most influential CDMO service providers.

Jafar Wang, Co-Chief Investment Officer of Legend Capital, said, “We are highly optimistic about the global competitiveness of Chinese CRO/CDMO players. Even in a complex international environment, China’s leading CRO/CDMO companies still have the opportunity to provide quality services to international customers and win significant market share. As an outstanding representative of China’s biologics and CGT CDMO players, GenScript ProBio has achieved rapid growth in the past three years and won the extensive trust of customers at home and abroad. Looking forward, GenScript ProBio’s technology accumulation, famous brand, global clientele, rich talent pool, comprehensive management system and strong financing ability will bring the company further to win stronger international influence. Legend Capital has more than 140 portfolios in the healthcare sector, and has established an ecosystem covering the whole value chain of biopharmaceutical industry, with plenty of cases and extensive experience in management best-practice sharing. We look forward to becoming a shareholder of ProBio who can create value, generate collaboration opportunities and growth together!”

Weihui Shao, the rotating CEO of GenScript Biotech Corporation, said, “GenScript ProBio has been growing rapidly, helping pharmaceutical and biotech companies around the globe to progress their pipelines, and attracting top-tier healthcare investors. Highly-efficient business planning and execution, comprehensive management system and solid talent base are the three driving forces for the sustainable growth of GenScript Biotech Corporation and GenScript ProBio. At the same time, given the increasingly strong innovation atmosphere in the biotech field, GenScript Biotech Corporation and GenScript ProBio will continue to stimulate innovation and create enterprise vitality. Through this round of financing, GenScript ProBio will be better positioned to participate in the commercialization process of global biologics and gene and cell therapy, and make a great contribution to the healthcare industry. GenScript Biotech Corporation will also adhere to the mission of ‘Make Human and Nature Healthier Through Biotechnology’, commit to promote business development, and contribute to the sustainable development of the healthcare industry and human society.”

Jiange Meng, Chairman of GenScript Biotech Corporation, said, “In the post-pandemic world where the investment environment is complex and volatile, we are glad to see that GenScript ProBio has attracted many top-tier investors. GenScript ProBio is a subsidiary newly incubated by GenScript Biotech Corporation. With the mission of ‘Innovation through Collaboration’, we have helped many biopharma and biotech companies to reduce R&D expenses and accelerate the product development processes. We will take this opportunity to further focus on the construction and optimization of the one-stop R&D and manufacture platform for biologics and gene and cell therapy, so as to make GenScript ProBio a stronger player in the new chapter of the industry.”

Hashtag: #LegendCapital #GenScriptProBio

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

About Legend Capital

Founded in 2001, Legend Capital is a leading VC&PE investor focusing on the early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in China, with offices across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea.

It currently manages USD and RMB funds of over US$10 billion in commitments, and has invested in around 600 companies, covering technology, healthcare, consumer, enterprise service and intelligent manufacturing sectors. Rooted in China, Legend Capital participated in the rise of many world-leading companies by solid investment coverage and systematic post-investment value-add. Over the years, Legend Capital has also become a widely recognized name in bridging key resources in China and overseas through cross-border activities, and a valuable partner to Chinese and overseas investors.

Legend Capital values long-term sustainable investment and incorporates ESG into its long-term development strategy. As a UNPRI signatory since November 2019, Legend Capital is among the first group of top VC/PE firms in China to join the initiative.

For more information, please visit and follow us on LinkedIn .

Asian University for Women Celebrates Tenth Commencement; John Edward Sexton, President Emeritus of New York University and Champion of Global University Network will be the Commencement Speaker

CHATTOGRAM, BANGLADESH – Media OutReach – 21 January 2023 – After a hiatus of three years as a result of Covid-19, over 1500 people — graduating students from the Classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022, faculty and staff, and guests from home and abroad will gather in an open air pavilion at the permanent campus site of the Asian University for Women (AUW) in Chittagong’s Baizid Area to celebrate its Tenth Commencement. Flags of all 19 nations from which AUW draws its students will adorn the pathway to the pavilion and segments of the national anthem of each will be sung by the AUW Choir in a symbolic call for unity. The ceremony will be held within a hundred meters of where the new Campus Center building, designed by eminent architect Moshe Safdie, is going up in construction.

John-Sexton.jpg

John Sexton

Four Hundred and Eighty Six students hailing from Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; Cambodia; the People’s Republic of China; Indonesia; Myanmar; Nepal; Pakistan; Palestine; Senegal; Sri Lanka; Syria; and Vietnam will be conferred their undergraduate degrees. Vice Chancellor Dr. Rubana Huq will lead the conferrals.

The Commencement Ceremony, presided over by Chancellor Cherie Blair, international human rights lawyer and wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dr. Dipu Moni (who is also Bangladesh’s Education Minister), will confer a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, to Professor John Edward Sexton, President Emeritus of New York University (NYU) and former dean of NYU Law School in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to global higher education as the architect, champion and maker of NYU’s Global Network which saw new NYU campuses built in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai and other centers spanning the world.

Professor Sunil Amrith, Renu and Anand Dhawan Professor of History at Yale University in the United States and Professor Rupa Viswanath, Professor of Indian Religions at the University of Gottingen in Germany will be inducted as Distinguished Honorary Professors.

AUW will also announce a number of new milestone initiatives during the course of the Commencement:

HSBC-AUW School of Apparel & Retail Management. Funded by philanthropic support from the Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation – HSBC, the new HSBC-AUW School of Apparel & Retail Management will offer a one year Master of Science in Apparel and Retail Management. Guided by a Global Academic Committee chaired by Dr. Dipak Jain, former Dean of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (who also served as Dean of INSEAD in Fontainbleau, France), this new Masters Program will prepare young female professionals with expertise in fashion, merchandising, supply chain management, brand management, and occupational health and safety issues. It is intended to help the burgeoning ready made garments (RMG) industry induct more female talent in management roles. This new initiative builds on an ongoing program at AUW, originally created with funding from the Ikea Foundation, to academically prepare and induct talented RMG workers to pursue their undergraduate studies at AUW.

Dalit Education & Empowerment Program. AUW has committed to begin a decade-long special initiative to support the education and empowerment of 600 young women from Dalit families from across South Asia.

New Majors in (i) Humanities and (ii) Computer Sciences. In the autumn of 2023, AUW will introduce two new undergraduate majors. The Humanities major will encompass study of Literature, History, Religion and Philosophy. The Computer Sciences major will follow the curricular structure and content from the leading undergraduate computer sciences programs and will be taught in a hybrid form with participation of resident and non-resident faculty.

Mariam Mirzakhani Chair in Mathematics. AUW will establish an endowed chair in mathematics named after Mariam Mirzakhani, the Iranian mathematician educated in Sharif University in Iran and at Harvard University in the United States, who went on to win the Fields Medal prior to her untimely death from cancer.

The Commencement proceedings will be followed by a two-day international conference on Can Universities Shape Society? Reflections, Ideas, and Dreams. The conference is dedicated to honor the memory of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year old Iranian woman who was murdered while in the custody of State authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran on Seotember 22 2022 after being arrested by its Morality Police on the ground of her lacking adequate hijab. We hope that by dedicating the conference to Mahsa Amini more people will be inspired to fight the unbearable injustice of unequal treatment of women anywhere. Woman, Life, Freedom!

For detailed program schedule and outline, please see: https://asian-university.org/auw-10th-commencement-ceremony-and-conference/

Hashtag: #AsianUniversityforWomen

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

About Asian University for Women (AUW):

Founded in 2008 and located in Chattogram, Bangladesh, AUW is the first of its kind: a regional institution dedicated to women’s education and leadership development through liberal arts and sciences education. It is international in outlook but rooted in the contexts and aspirations of the people of Asia. Chartered by the Parliament of Bangladesh, AUW exists solely to support a rising network of women leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers from across the region. It seeks out women who show significant academic achievement and potential, demonstrate courage and a sense of outrage at injustice, and are empathic to the woes of other people.

1322 students from 18 countries currently attend AUW: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Timor Leste, Vietnam, and Yemen. More than 85% of AUW students are on full or near-full scholarships funded by supporters from around the world. The University has graduated over a thousand students to date. A majority of AUW graduates secure employment in the private and public sectors in their home countries while about 25% go on to pursue graduate studies at other institutions of higher learning including Oxford, Cambridge, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Columbia, Duke, Brandeis and Tufts, among others. To learn more about Asian University for Women, please visit.

ST Design’s Sale Soars 10 Times Through Youtube Promotion, and Bespoke Progress Tracking System Around the Corner

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 20 January 2022 – ST Design will cooperate with a technology solution developer in early 2023 to plan the research and development process for a cutting-edge project tracking system. Its operation will be beneficial for all parties involved including interior design companies, contractors and customers by streamlining the progress monitoring across computers and mobile devices simultaneously. The system is expected to support multimedia uploads ranging from text, images, voice recordings and videos. An in-build messenger will also be made available for all stakeholders to promptly communicate with each other, fostering transparent communication along the line.

ST Design witnesses outstanding performance in sales despite the recent economic downturn. More than 200 projects were completed over the past year. More than 85% of customers are satisfied with his service, and 90% of the projects were completed within 3.5 months. In order to keep up with the digitalization buzz in the market, Mr. Leung came up with the idea of ​​video shootings as a promotional tactic. He uploaded over a hundred videos to his Youtube channel over the last two years, receiving 650,000 views thus far, contributing to a 1000% increase for ST Design’s sales figures.

In addition to running a Youtube channel, ST Design business model is one of the key contributors to business triumph. The interior design company offering one single contractor to oversee the entire renovation project is often considered as the market norm. ST Design on the other hand, provides a project manager for assistance as to avoid miscommunication. A complaint mechanism is also in place to cater any reported complaints. Customers can directly contact the project manager, leading to a much effective communication exchange. ST Design doesn’t adopt a low-cost strategy. On the contrary, ST Design believes that a growth mindset, life-long learning and qualifications obtained along the way are more than enough to maintain a strong market profile and to avoid quality of deliverables sacrificed for price.

Mr. Leung predicts the interior design industry will increasingly acknowledge the importance of professionalism in the future, coupled with tougher requirements for license applications. It will not be as easy as before to enter the industry or start a company from scratch. Additionally, customers are becoming increasingly wary of renovation companies and will only entrust their home to contractors who are deemed credible. Looking ahead, Mr. Leung imagines the only plausible strategy that a company could put to work is nothing but a strong positive reputation. He hopes the progress tracking system could help ST Design retain the trust of its customers with an uplift in communication effectiveness, while injecting innovations and facilitating reforms in the interior design industry.

Hashtag: #STDesign

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

Qianhai Announces Ten Major Events Marking its Comprehensive Deepening of Reform and Opening up

SHENZHEN, CHINA – Media Outreach – 20 January 2023 – The year 2022 marked the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s first inspection tour to Qianhai and the first anniversary of the official 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 Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council. Committed to its mission of “relying on Hong Kong, serving the Mainland and opening up to the world”, Qianhai has expedited the creation of an innovative pilot platform for deepening reform in an effort to become an exceptional hub for opening up. Coupled with its robust development trend, Qianhai exemplifies the characteristics of China’s path to modernization.

Qianhai is committed to its mission of “relying on Hong Kong, serving the Mainland and opening up to the world”.
Qianhai is committed to its mission of “relying on Hong Kong, serving the Mainland and opening up to the world”.

There were ten major events that marked the extensive reform and opening up of Qianhai in 2022:

I. Reform and opening-up were proven successful with the Qianhai Plan fully implemented by national ministries and state council committees, Guangdong Province and Shenzhen

Over the past year, the Shenzhen Municipal Committee and the Shenzhen Municipal Government have made every effort to promote the reform and opening up of Qianhai. As over 40% of the 72 key tasks set out in the Qianhai Plan were completed and the rest of the tasks recorded substantial progress, the development of Qianhai was proven successful and robust.

II. “Nine Measures Favorable to Hong Kong Companies” were launched to facilitate closer cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong

On June 27, 2022, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Qianhai launched “Nine Measures Favorable to Hong Kong Companies”, which provide development opportunities and quality services for Hong Kong enterprises and individuals in nine aspects, namely housing, entrepreneurship, public service, employment, development platform, technological innovation, finance, settlement and well-being.

III. Qianhai ranked first among free trade zones in China in the institutional innovation index, further highlighting its position as a business cluster of reforms and innovations

On July 22, 2022, Sun Yat-sen University released the “2021-2022 China Pilot Free Trade Zone Institutional Innovation Index”, in which Qianhai continued to rank first. Throughout the year, 80 out of 765 institutional innovation achievements of Qianhai in total were recorded. Among these achievements, seven were adopted and promoted nationwide, bringing the total number to 72. As such, Qianhai has become a business cluster of reforms and innovations in the new era.

IV. Release of the Qianhai Global Service Provider Campaign enhanced the level of opening up

To accelerate the development of a new high-quality and efficient service industry system and build an important producer services center in the Asia-Pacific region, Qianhai released the Qianhai Global Service Provider Campaign on November 8, 2022. This campaign aims to attract and nurture the top 50 global and top 20 domestic service providers in eight key segments, namely modern finance, trade and logistics, information, technology, culture and creativity, commerce, shipping and public services. It is planned to introduce and cultivate more than 300 global modern service providers by 2025, and the added value of the modern service industry is expected to be RMB100 billion or above. Capitalizing on these advantages, Qianhai aspires to become a global service provider cluster which features the world’s top 500 corporate headquarters, competitive enterprises of specific business segments as well as specialised, sophisticated, distinctive and innovative “small giants”.

V. Breakthrough in management system reform and extensive coverage of supporting policies were achieved

In March 2022, the Shenzhen Municipal Committee and the Shenzhen Municipal Government issued a plan to optimize the management system of the Qianhai cooperation zone. Based on the plan, the management powers of the Qianhai Authority, the government of the administrative zone and relevant units directly under the Shenzhen Municipal Government in the Qianhai cooperation zone are more clearly defined. This moderate separation of powers between the administrative zone and the economic zone marked a substantial breakthrough in the reform of the management system.

Qianhai intensively introduced more than 10 policies in finance, trade and logistics, professional services, legal area, think tank development, technological innovation and headquarters economy. Enterprises within an area of ​​120.56 square kilometers are entitled to the relevant support. These policies have enabled not only the geographical expansion of the cooperation zone, but also the extension of its policy and service coverage.

VI. Shenzhen and Hong Kong jointly released favourable financial policies for the first time to accelerate the opening up of the financial industry

On September 2, 2022, Shenzhen and Hong Kong jointly released 18 policies in support of venture capital investments, marking the unprecedented joint issuance of policies by the two cities. The issuance, which has paved a new way for deepening the financial cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, was highly recognized by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the industry.

Institutions which have set up bases in Qianhai included the first financial holding company in the Greater Bay Area (China Merchants Financial Holdings), the first wholly foreign-owned fund sales company in the Greater Bay Area (UBS Fund Distribution), the first “dual-licensed” bank branch in China (Shenzhen branch of Dah Sing Bank) and Standard Chartered private equity fund (QFLP). Approximately 30% of the 236 institutions settling in the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Financial City were Hong Kong and foreign-invested companies.

VII. Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Legal-services District was officially inaugurated, marking a breakthrough in the convergence of rules applicable to cross-border commercial laws

On January 4, 2022, the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Legal-services District (the “Legal-services District”) was officially inaugurated. Joint efforts between Qianhai and Hong Kong were made to create an international legal service center and an international commercial dispute resolution center for the Legal-services District. National legal platforms established in the Legal-services District included the First Circuit Court of the Supreme People’s Court (the First International Commercial Court). The GBA International Arbitration Center was also set up, with its arbitrators coming from 114 countries and regions worldwide. In addition, 32 jurors from Hong Kong and 12 mediators from Hong Kong and Macao have been selected by the Qianhai court, which ranked first among the primary courts in China in accepting foreign, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan-related cases. Encompassing 154 legal service institutions in six service categories, such as judicial, arbitration, mediation and legal services, the Legal-services District has attracted 72 lawyers from Hong Kong and Macao to practice in Qianhai.

VIII. Qianhai was selected as the Demonstration Zone of National Import Trade Promotion and Innovation with high-quality trade performance

In November 2022, the Qianhai-Shekou Free Trade Zone was selected as the “Demonstration Zone of National Import Trade Promotion and Innovation” by the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission and 6 other ministries. With the increasing importance of its four major roles in promoting imports, serving the industry, enhancing consumption and leading by example, the free trade zone will take its international free trade practices and convenience to the next level.

China’s first off-airport cargo screening station has been launched, completing the whole process of air cargo between Shenzhen Airport and Qianhai Comprehensive Bonded Zone. The Cross-border Trade Big Data Platform, which is the only local pilot program authorized by the General Administration of Customs, has finished the first stage of scenario development, such as consignment trade and shipping schedule analysis. Moreover, the Greater Bay Area Composite Ports Project was selected as one of China’s first business environment pilot reform projects and cross-border trade efficiency enhancement projects. In 2022, the total import and export volume of Qianhai Comprehensive Bonded Zone reached a record high of over RMB230 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of nearly 50%. Its output value per unit area also ranked first in the country. The import and export volume of Shenzhen Airport Bonded Logistics Center exceeded RMB18 billion, ranking first among 85 bonded logistics centers in China.

IX. Annual transaction volume of Qianhai Mercantile Exchange (“QME”) recorded a year-on-year increase of 145%, realizing the concept of introducing financial products to and from the global market

QME, which was initiated by Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, maintained its steady development momentum and recorded growth despite adverse market conditions. In 2022, its spot transaction volume was RMB79.35 billion, representing a significant year-on-year increase of 145%.

As a composite commodities spot trading platform covering basic metals, energy, construction materials and agricultural products, QME entered into one of the first online cross-border transactions based on spot trading of soybean on April 29, 2022. In addition, QME completed cross-border payment and settlement of commodities transactions through Cross-border Interbank Payment System (“CIPS”), a system for settling cross-border Renminbi payments, for the first time with the support of the People’s Bank of China and cross-border clearing companies.

X. Land use planning of Qianhai enabled the commencement of a number of major projects and the accelerated construction of a new city center

Qianhai enjoys a wider space, more resources and stronger development momentum after the expansion of the cooperation zone. It has also expedited its land use planning, restructured layout, optimized resources allocation and further stepped up the consistent planning of its newly enlarged area.

Throughout the year, Qianhai has made significant progress in strengthening its infrastructure network. The Shenzhen-Huizhou Intercity Railway, the Shenzhen Airport-Daya Bay Intercity Railway and the Qianhuang section of the Guangzhou-Dongguan-Shenzhen Intercity Railway commenced construction; the two-way tunnel of the Guimiao Road renovation project (phase 1) was opened to traffic; projects such as the Mawan Cross-sea Passage and the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor were expedited; and the first stage study of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link (Hung Shui Kiu – Qianhai) was completed, aligning with the development strategy of the Northern Metropolis of ​​Hong Kong. Also included in the planning is the establishment of Qianhai Stone Park and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Plaza, which will create a 68-kilometer vibrant golden coastline for Qianhai.
Hashtag: #ShenzhenQianhaiAuthority #QianhaiCooperationZone #QianhaiOpportunity #QianhaiPlan

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