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OPPO celebrates this year’s Global Accessibility Awareness Day with collaboration with Blind Mountain Biker Xavier Hopkins

SHENZHEN, CHINA – Media OutReach – 19 May 2022 – In honor of this year’s Global Accessibility Awareness Day, OPPO has teamed up with blind mountain biker Xavier Hopkins to create an Inspiration Matters concept video to show how futurist technologies, which are inspired by of OPPO Air Glass and the AR app CyberReal 2.0, will empower people to pursue their dreams.

Hopkins, who was born with albinism, suffers from highly sensitive eyes as well as a condition called nystagmus, which causes his eyes to move involuntarily from side to side. To him, anything further than two meters appears as a great blur, making it difficult for him to accurately perceive distances.

“I try to memorize what’s where because if there are big rocks, I won’t be able to see them until I’m about to hit them. So, I walk the route before each ride to try and avoid crashes.” Hopkins said.

“I’ve had a few crashes and broken my collarbone and hurt my neck before. But I love what I do, and a few crashes are not going to get in my way”

In the video, futurist AI technology is used to create a 3D model of the mountain routes that Hopkins travels and to predict road conditions in almost real time, enabling him to visualize the road ahead just like anyone else. Although the technologies in the film may appear like something from a distant future, they are inspired by real prototypes developed by OPPO, including its assisted Reality device OPPO Air Glass and the AR application CyberReal 2.0.

OPPO strongly believes that the benefits of technology should be equally accessible to all. Therefore, OPPO has implemented several accessibility related services, including the Color Vision Enhancement technology first release on the Find X3 smartphone, which assists users with color vision deficiencies. In addition to including a suite of accessibility features on its own products, OPPO has also recently launched the OPPO Research Institute Innovation Accelerator — a platform through which it will work with innovators worldwide to develop accessible technology and digital health solutions aimed at empowering people to live life their own way.

To watch the Inspiration Matters concept video or learn more about the OPPO Research Institute Innovation Accelerator, please visit the program official website at oppo.com/en/proposal/.

Top Cryptocurrency Exchange Bybit Offers Up to 30% APY on Its New Liquidity Mining Pools

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Media OutReach – 19 May 2022 – Bybit, a cryptocurrency with the second largest BTC Futures exchange by open interest, launched its new Liquidity Mining on May 19, 2022.

Bybit users will have access to three liquidity pools: Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), and BitDAO (BIT), all paired with Tether (USDT). The pools will allow users to deposit funds and earn up to 30% APY, with even higher rewards available when using up to 3x leverage.

Liquidity providers in all 160 countries where Bybit operates will be able to add one or both sides of the liquidity pair. The pool will automatically rebalance the assets and minimize the risk of impermanent loss. Liquidity providers will earn rewards in USDT that can be credited to their accounts or reinvested in the pool to increase rewards.

Bybit’s Liquidity Mining pools are based on a revamped automated market maker (AMM) model. Users can add liquidity to earn yield derived from trading fees. They can also add leverage to increase their share of the pool and maximize their yield. The liquidity pools will also allow Bybit users to swap between assets without needing to leave the platform and with minimal slippage.

Our leverage feature allows users to access greater yields using their funds as collateral. Users can manage risks and safeguard themselves against excessive losses with multi-layered liquidation protocols to ensure safety and fairness across all Bybit trades, every step of the way.

We also have strategies to lock in profits and limit losses based on market movements, real prices that protect users against market manipulation, and an insurance fund that helps to protect traders from negative equity and significant losses beyond a trader’s position margin.

“We are very excited about the opportunities Bybit’s Liquidity Mining will open up for all Bybit users. As traders ourselves, we understand the importance of having a diversified trading and investment strategy optimized for earning passive income on your assets. To that end, our products offer some of the best yield-earning opportunities in the market today on one of the most reliable trading platforms out there. This marks another milestone in sharing growth opportunities with our community who believe in a future of DeFi and personal financial freedom,” said Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit.

Apart from an opportunity to gain returns with a low barrier to entry, one added benefit of liquidity mining is community building through trust. It incentivizes asset holders to be more involved in the community and play more active roles.

Bybit’s Liquidity Mining pools join other stellar products as part of their Bybit Earn range catering for investors of varied risk appetites. The range includes Dual Asset, which allows users to deposit their preferred asset and lock in an attractive yield; and Flexible Savings, which can serve investors as saving accounts for cryptocurrencies and feature safe, predictable yield payments.

About Bybit

Bybit is a cryptocurrency exchange established in March 2018 that offers a professional platform where crypto traders can find an ultra-fast matching engine, excellent customer service and multilingual community support. The company provides innovative online spot and derivatives trading services, mining and staking products, an NFT marketplace as well as API support, to retail and institutional clients around the world, and strives to be the most reliable exchange for the emerging digital asset class. Bybit is a proud partner of Formula One racing team, Oracle Red Bull Racing, esports teams NAVI, Astralis, Alliance, Virtus.pro and Oracle Red Bull Racing Esports, and association football (soccer) teams Borussia Dortmund and Avispa Fukuoka.

For more information please visit:

For updates, please follow Bybit’s social media platforms on









#Bybit

Vovinam Athletes Win First Gold Medal for Laos

Lao vovinam athletes bring home a gold medal.

Laos has received its first gold medal in Vovinam at the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam. 

Tongcheng Travel Achieves Solid User Growth in First Quarter of 2022 Amid Challenging Operating Environment

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 19 May 2022 – Tongcheng Travel Holdings Limited (“Tongcheng Travel” or the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries the “Group”, Stock Code: 0780.HK), an innovator and leader in China’s online travel industry, today announced its unaudited financial results for the three months ended 31 March 2022 (the “period under review” or “2022 Q1”).

Despite strong recovery of the domestic travel industry in the first two months of 2022, the sudden virus outbreaks in first-tier cities and regions since March 2022 has brought severe impact to the travel industry and halted recovery. Tongcheng Travel swiftly adjusted its business strategy in response to the rapidly changing operating environment and implemented stringent cost control measures to maintain resilience. It continued to deliver solid operational results in 2022 Q1. Financial highlights for the first quarter with comparative figures of the previous year are as follows:

  • Revenue increased by 6.5% to RMB1,718.0 million (2021 Q1: RMB1,613.8 million)
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 4.4% to RMB438.4 million (2021 Q1: RMB420.0 million)
  • Adjusted profit for the period amounted to RMB245.0 million (2021 Q1: RMB298.9 million)

Sustainable user growth was recorded in the first quarter of 2022. Key operational data are as follows:

  • Number of average monthly active users (“MAUs”) increased by 4.5% to 244.8 million (2021 Q1: 234.2 million)
  • Number of average monthly paying users (“MPUs”) climbed 16.1% to 31.7 million (2021 Q1: 27.3 million)
  • Number of paying users (“APUs”) rose by 21.4% and reached a new high of 205.6 million (2021 Q1:169.3 million)
  • User paying ratio increased to 12.9% (2021 Q1: 11.6%)

Mr. Ma Heping, Executive Director and CEO of Tongcheng Travel, said, “The first quarter of 2022 was a period of mixed opportunities and challenges as the pandemic continued to disrupt the travel industry in China. Tongcheng Travel reacted swiftly to the market turbulence, maintained flexible operations and continued to deliver stable growth in MAUs and MPUs. Our accommodation business in particular delivered robust growth in the first quarter, posting more than 10% growth in room nights sold in lower-tier cities, with its absolute amount significantly surpassing the pre-COVID level. In the short run, the adverse impact of the pandemic will continue to exert pressure on the travel industry. We expect to see a shift in consumer travel preference from long-haul travel to first-tier cities to short-haul trips to nearby regions. Tongcheng Travel will leverage its diversified travel resources, leading market position, flexible operational strategy, and advanced technological capabilities to capture opportunities from this change.”

Multi-dimensional Traffic Channels to Boost User Acquisition

During the period under review, Tongcheng Travel continued to expand its traffic channels through multi-dimensional cooperation with Tencent to strengthen its brand exposure and direct users to its mini-program from multiple platforms. It also made use of a popular IP right authorized by Tencent to launch a series of eSports-related online and offline activities to engage the younger generation.

To enhance user experience, Tongcheng Travel improved the user interface of its App and enriched the contents therein. Collaboration with China’s major handset vendors enabled it to provide users with comprehensive products and services through its quick Apps on mobile phones and other mobile devices. Moreover, it worked with location-based apps to boost user acquisition and made use of short-video platforms to increase user engagement.

In view of the enormous potential in the under-penetrated yet rapidly-growing lower-tier cities market, Tongcheng Travel keeps exploring alternative offline user acquisition opportunities to expand its user base. It continued to collaborate with hotels and tourist attractions to acquire offline users. On top of that, it fostered strategic cooperation with urban and rural bus operations and continued to roll out smart ticketing equipment to enhance its offline coverage across the country.

Online and Offline Branding and Marketing Campaigns Strengthened User Engagements

Tongcheng Travel enhanced its brand profile both online and offline. To reach out further to the Z-generation, it appointed a Z-generation actress as its new brand ambassador. It also increased offline advertisement placement in tier-3 and below cities to build a stronger presence to amplify its lower-tier city strategy. In addition, the Group enriched the “campus card” program with added tailor-made products and services for university students. Marketing promotions were launched at universities and vocational schools to enhance interactions and user engagements.

Technology-driven Support to Promote Industry Digitization

With technology innovation at its core, Tongcheng Travel is committed to promoting digitization of the travel industry. It further optimized the Huixing system to provide intelligent travel solutions when the supply of transportation tickets was in shortage during the pandemic and the Spring Festival travel rush. It strengthened cooperation with airports to help them enhance operational efficiencies with its technological innovations. In addition, Tongcheng Travel provided SaaS solutions to more small- and medium-sized hotels in lower-tier cities to help them drive higher operational efficiency. The nationwide rollout of bus ticketing system and smart ticketing machine also contributed to the digitalization of the bus-ticketing sector.

Support to Small Chain Hotels to Weather the Pandemic

As a socially responsible enterprise, Tongcheng Travel endeavors to bring positive influence to society and proactively take part in charitable social activities. It volunteered to utilize its artificial intelligence automated calling system to help disseminate COVID prevention policy information in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China, which greatly enhanced the efficiency of information distribution. To help individual and small chain hotels overcome the difficulties posed by the pandemic, it launched a series of free online professional courses containing industry-specific content. It also cooperated with Tencent and launched a charity activity to help rebuild the village that had suffered from a flooding disaster in Henan Province.

Rebound Anticipated after Temporary Disruption

The travel market is expected to experience volatility in the short term due to the pandemic. However, the travel market is expected to rebound once the pandemic situation becomes stable. The accelerated online penetration rate amid the pandemic has created immense opportunities for OTAs.

Mr. Ma said, “Going forward, we will further penetrate the travel market by leveraging our diversified traffic channels and actively exploring alternative travel resources to enlarge our user base. We will further enhance products and services by utilizing innovation and strengthen our technological capabilities to transform from an OTA to ITA. Moreover, we will seek investment opportunities aligned with our core strategies to propel future growth. Last but not least, we will reinforce corporate governance, environmental protection, and social responsibility in the course of operations to generate sustainable value for our stakeholders and the communities we serve”.

About Tongcheng Travel Holdings Limited (HKSE Stock Code: 0780.HK)

Tongcheng Travel (formerly known as Tongcheng-Elong) is an innovator and market leader in China’s online travel industry. It was formed out of the merger of Tongcheng and eLong, the leading online travel agencies in China, in 2018. It is a one-stop shop for users’ travel needs. With the mission “make travel easier and more joyful”, Tongcheng Travel offers a comprehensive and innovative selection of products and services covering nearly all aspects of travel, including transportation ticketing, accommodation reservation, tourist attraction ticketing, and various ancillary value-added travel products and services designed to meet users’ evolving travel needs throughout their trips primarily through its online platforms, which comprise its Tencent-based platforms, its proprietary mobile apps, quick apps and other channels.

As a technology-driven company, Tongcheng Travel leverages big data and AI capabilities to better understand the preferences and behaviors of users, thereby offering users customized products and services. Tongcheng Travel has a strategic focus on lower-tier cities in China and seized opportunities there supported by its and diversified traffic sources, product innovation capability and flexible operation strategies. Through the in-depth understanding of user experience and advanced technological capabilities, Tongcheng Travel has been revolutionizing what consumers expect from the online travel industry, making the entire travel process more convenient, personalized and enjoyable than ever. Tongcheng Travel aims to develop and apply its advanced technology to transform from an online travel agency to intelligent travel assistant.

For more information, please visit the Group’s website at

#TongchengTravel

Wet Weather to Continue Across Laos This Week

Hot day in Vientiane Capital.

Parts of Laos will experience cool and rainy weather in the mornings starting from today. 

25 “Ghost Projects” Uncovered in Xieng Khouang Province

A recent government inspection meeting in Xieng Khouang Province has revealed that the province has lost some LAK 226 billion to “ghost projects.”

Laos Sees Trade Deficit of USD 102 Million in April

Containers loaded onto the Laos-China Railway

Laos posted a trade deficit of 102 million US dollars in April, the first trade shortfall in 2022 following three months of trade surplus.

HSBC and HKFYG release study on Hong Kong youth’s competitiveness in the GBA Professional ethics tops respondents’ self-assessed advantages, with lower score for digital literacy Students are most interested in “cultural and creative”, “financial services”, and “technology and innovation” sectors

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 19 May 2022 – HSBC and The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) Youth Research Centre today (19 May) published a study on The Competitiveness of Hong Kong’s Young People in the Greater Bay Area. The respondents – 720 local university students who have shown an interest in developing their careers in the mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) – are most interested in working in three sectors: cultural and creative (17.9%); financial services (17.6%), and technology and innovation (17.2%) [Table 4, the electronic copy of the Appendix, same hereafter].

DSC00600r.jpg
(From left) Evelyne So and Pearl Ngau, awardees of HSBC Greater Bay Area (Hong Kong) Scholarship; William Chiu, Global Head of Future Skills, Group Corporate Sustainability, HSBC; Christa Cheng, Supervisor of the HKFYG; Chan Shui-ching, Centre-in-charge of Youth Research Centre of the HKFYG release study on Hong Kong youth’s competitiveness in the GBA.

The study conducted between March and December 2021, surveyed Hong Kong university students in Year 3 or above. The results reveal that students are most attracted by the career prospects (84.1%), market size (84.0%), social networks (70.7%) and training opportunities (70.4%) in the GBA [Table 2], and that they are most keen to work in Shenzhen (52.5%), followed by Guangzhou (19.4%) [Table 5].

The study attempts to establish a framework for the five key skills to boost employability in the GBA. Respondents were asked to assess their own competitive advantages against this skills framework. The findings reveal that university students perceive themselves to be competitive in the GBA. On average, students display the greatest confidence in their professional ethics (8.38 out of 10), Putonghua skills (8.04), and flexibility and adaptability to change (7.78), while ranking digital literacy the lowest (6.17) [Table 7].

Among respondents, 79.7% agree that “the outlook for a business startup in the GBA is positive”, with 90.1% acknowledging that scholarship and seed funding are helpful to their career development in other GBA cities [Table 10]. However, challenges remain, with 70.9% of respondents believing that young people in Hong Kong are unaware of the opportunities springing up in the GBA [Table 3]. Participants cite their key challenges as being a lack of networks in mainland China; competition from Mainland talent; and an inadequate understanding of the Mainland judicial system [Table 8].

When asked how young people could best embrace the opportunities in the GBA, 63.9% of respondents are willing to join GBA-based work experience programmes or internships. Respondents also highlight a desire to understand industry outlooks (51.4%) and participate in activities, workshops or knowledge exchange programmes about the GBA (41.3%) [Table 9].

A group of 16 GBA experts, scholars and employers were interviewed for this study. Collectively, they believe that the comparatively strong English language skills of young people in Hong Kong, coupled with their global vision, could improve the service quality of Mainland enterprises and help these enterprises open doors to international markets. However, competition for jobs is intense in the GBA and Hong Kong is not the only source of talent for employers. To increase their employment prospects, Hong Kong youth will have to improve their professional skills, and develop a good understanding of the GBA’s planning, policies and industry prospects. The expert group suggest that young people interested in working in other GBA cities should target the industries and cities that best suit them. They should also treat the experience of working in the Mainland as a step in their career development, using the GBA experience to enrich their resumes and advance their career pathways.

The study also interviewed 26 young Hong Kong people studying, working or starting up businesses in the Mainland cities of the GBA. They agree that immersing themselves in the culture and lifestyle of other GBA cities has deepened their understanding of the region and kept them abreast of its development. While the pandemic has inevitably extended their stays in the GBA, some interviewees working in the GBA report a deepened understanding of life in the area.

Daniel Chan, Head of Greater Bay Area, HSBC, said, “Since the GBA development framework was announced in 2017, economic policies and infrastructure projects implemented have brought much closer the cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. At present, there are more than 85,100 residents from Hong Kong and Macao that have registered for employment in Guangdong. If Hong Kong is to reap the full benefit, it is vital that our next generation gains first-hand understanding of the whole GBA economy’s breadth and depth. As a large private sector employer in the GBA, we are glad to see that Hong Kong university students are open-minded about career opportunities in the region. GBA is a focus of HSBC’s growth strategy in Asia. We are committed to building a sustainable talent pipeline and supporting the future development of the GBA.”

In response to the study, Angela Ngai Mei-mui, Deputy Executive Director of the HKFYG, suggested companies to open up more opportunities for internships and consider job rotations between the GBA cities to increase their competitiveness. This would not only strengthen the practical skills of young people within a profession, but also facilitate talent mobility. She also recommended building online learning platforms to cover the five core skillsets and personality traits essential for employment in the GBA. In the long run, these courses should be mutually recognised by Hong Kong and the Mainland to ensure quality control and encourage participation. Furthermore, the study also suggested the need to integrate the concept of career pathways in the GBA into life-planning education for young people in Hong Kong. Through company and factory visits, alongside job shadowing, NGOs can support young people to learn about emerging opportunities in the GBA at an earlier age.

More details: http://hkfyg.org.hk/en/2022/05/19/gba_study_en/

About The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited is the founding member of the HSBC Group. HSBC serves customers worldwide from offices in 64 countries and territories in its geographical regions: Europe, Asia, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa. With assets of USD3,022 billion at 31 March 2022, HSBC is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world.

About The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups

The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) was founded in 1960 and is now the city’s largest youth service organisation. For the past six decades, it has been committed to serving the youth of Hong Kong by providing a variety of services, activities and programmes, which have an annual attendance of nearly six million. We encourage youth to reach their fullest potential, and with community support, we now have over 80 service units. We also have 12 core services, which include the Youth S.P.O.Ts, M21 Multimedia Services, Employment Services, Youth at Risk Services, Counselling Services, Parenting Services, Leadership Training, Volunteer Services, Education Services, Creativity Education and Youth Exchange, Leisure, Cultural and Sports Services, and Research and Publications. Our aim is to motivate young people to grow into responsible and dutiful citizens and we now have over 250,000 registered volunteers and over 450,000 registered members. We believe that our motto HKFYG * Here for You reaffirms our commitment and dedication to the young people of Hong Kong. For more details, please visit

#GBA #HSBC #HKFYG

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