Key News Highlights: 

• The Château Le Fantôme 2022 vintage realised a price of more than €16 thousand Euros per bottle.
• The 2022 vintage is presented in bottles and a box with artwork created by artist Oliviero Rainaldi.
• The charity auction supported a Vatican charitable project.
• The private vineyard in Pomerol France produces extremely limited wines that are not available for purchase. 

BORDEAUX, France, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Château Le Fantôme has raised €50 thousand Euros for a Vatican charitable project by auctioning 3 bottles of its 2022 vintage. The wine is presented in bottles and a box with artwork created by artist Oliviero Rainaldi. At a realized price of more than €16 thousand Euros a bottle, Château Le Fantôme stands among the most exclusive wines in the world. The winning bidder who wishes to remain anonymous mentioned “It is a privilege to be helping a Vatican charitable project especially during the Christmas season. Let us not forget the true meaning of this holiday.” 

The auction supported a Vatican charitable project. The winning bidder’s funds were remitted directly to the project coordinator at the Vatican.   

Château Le Fantôme is believed to be the only non commercial vineyard in Pomerol, France. The château sits on soils first planted by the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem during the first centuries of the last millennium according to stone markers found on the property, making this one of the oldest vineyards of Bordeaux. 

The cross on the bottle’s design pays homage to its past while the artwork by Oliviero Rainaldi, titled Calma Tu Alma, embraces the future. During the Great Jubilee of 2000, Pope John Paul II awarded Oliviero the title of Academic of the Pontifical Academy of Fine Arts and Letters of the Virtuosi at the Pantheon. 

Château Le Fantôme’s wines are not available for purchase. These extremely limited and rare bottles of wine are only shared among certain individuals close to the producers, and luminaries in all corners of the world.

About Château Le Fantôme

Château Le Fantôme is believed to be the only non commercial vineyard in Pomerol, France. According to stone markers found on the property the terroir was cultivated by the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem nearly 1000 years ago making it one of the oldest vineyards in Bordeaux. Its wines are not available for purchase. 

Contact : charity@chateaulefantome.com

HONG KONG, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — FinVolution Group (NYSE: FINV), a leading fintech service provider in the pan-Asian region, reaffirmed its commitment yesterday to advancing financial inclusion through cutting-edge credit technology and strategic partnerships at the Asian Financial Forum 2025 in Hong Kong.

Dr. Ming Gu, Senior Vice President of FinVolution Group, shared his insights on how fintech innovation is transforming access to credit for underserved populations in Southeast Asia.

“Fintech is creating new pathways for underserved populations to access credit and financial support, empowering them to invest in their futures,” he said at a thematic workshop on the future of fintech in Southeast Asia.

Driving financial inclusion through innovation

Gu emphasized FinVolution’s mission to bridge the gap between financial institutions and underserved communities by leveraging advanced credit technology.

The company has built its business around serving young workers and small business owners from grassroots backgrounds, whose financial needs are often overlooked by traditional banks and other financial institutions.

Through user-friendly digital lending platforms and collaborations with local partners, FinVolution has supported over 6 million borrowers and facilitated loans exceeding US$3 billion in its markets outside China as of Q3 2024.

FinVolution’s AI-powered tools enable financial institutions to better assess creditworthiness, particularly for those without traditional credit histories, Gu explained.

Opportunities and challenges in Southeast Asia’s market

Gu highlighted Southeast Asia’s potential as a key growth market for fintech, driven by its young population, e-commerce growth, and credit-driven consumption habits.

“Very few regions in this world can meet all these criteria,” he said, highlighting the underpinnings of Southeast Asia’s ascent as a fintech powerhouse. “Digital lending always goes hand in hand with the growth of e-commerce.”

“The number one factor driving financial inclusion and literacy is GDP per capita,” Gu said. “Fintech and other technologies serve as a tool to facilitate this process, but it is GDP per capita that remains the cornerstone of development.”

For instance, Indonesia’s ambitious Golden Indonesia 2045 Vision aims to accelerate the nation’s economic growth by at least 5% annually over the next two decades.

This initiative reflects the nation’s commitment to fostering financial inclusion and leveraging technology as a catalyst for sustainable progress.

“Indonesia is the place to watch over the next five to 10 years,” Gu added. “We are very bullish on Southeast Asia.”

Symbiotic relationship with regulators and financial partners

Despite these opportunities, challenges such as the lack of credit histories and increasing fraud risks persist, threatening the future of fintech in this region.

FinVolution combats these issues with advanced proprietary risk management systems and fraud prevention technologies.

Gu stressed the collaboration with regulators and financial institutions in creating a robust and inclusive financial ecosystem.

FinVolution itself adheres to stringent regulatory standards, securing necessary licenses and aligning with local laws. This endeavor coincides with steady improvements to Southeast Asia’s regulatory stringency in recent years, which are credited for creating an environment conducive to fintech innovation.

“I believe a symbiotic relationship between regulators and fintechs like us is crucial to Southeast Asia’s rise as a key global fintech hub,” Gu noted.

With over 100 financial institution partners, including digital banks and consumer finance companies, FinVolution provides end-to-end credit tech solutions that streamline processes and expand outreach.

FinVolution Group remains dedicated to driving financial inclusion and innovation in Southeast Asia. With a focus on technology and collaboration, the company aims to empower individuals and communities while fostering a thriving fintech ecosystem in the region.

BEIJING, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In Yiwu, David W. Ferguson, honorary chief English editor at Foreign Languages Press and the author of China’s Development in the New Era – the Zhejiang Experience, encountered many incredible things.

“Why is this clearly intelligent and accomplished young lady with a degree in finance and accounting and a Master in Economics selling soft toys from a market stall in Yiwu?” A vendor at Yiwu International Trade Market drew his attention.

This girl, who spent her childhood at the market, went to the UK for study at the age of 16. After completing her master’s degree, she returned to the market. Her family, together with tens of thousands of individual entrepreneurs in Yiwu, has created the world’s largest small commodity market.

Zhejiang International Communication Center (ZICC) and Foreign Languages Press jointly launched the first episode, Decode China: the Incredible Yiwu Market, inviting Ferguson to share the Yiwu story. Stay tuned.

A co-production by Zhejiang International Communication Center and Foreign Languages Press

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — TCL Electronics, a leading consumer electronics brand and the world’s top two TV brand, has been honored with multiple awards at CES 2025, demonstrating its technological excellence in display innovations and smart home solutions. Among the highlights is the TCL 50 PRO NXTPAPER 5G smartphone, which received the prestigious CES 2025 Innovation Award in the Mobile Devices, Accessories & Apps category.

Additionally, TCL also garnered six accolades at the 2024-2025 Global Top Brands Awards Ceremony (GTB), recognized across a broad range of product categories, from TVs and air conditioners to washing machines. The TCL Premium QD-Mini LED TV X11K received the “Mini LED Display Technology Innovation Award” for its unparalleled visual detail, clarity, and depth. The FreshIN Series Air Conditioner was recognized with the “Smart Fresh Air Technology Innovation Award”, while the TCL Super Drum Series Front Load Washing Machine earned the “Clean Technology Innovation Gold Award”. Furthermore, TCL was named among the “2024-2025 CE Brands Top 10” and “2024-2025 Global TV Brands Top 10”, underscoring its leadership and influence in the industry.

Founded by the International Data Group (IDG) in 2006, these awards, organized by Asia Digital Group and Europe Digital Group, and co-hosted by TWICE with support from IDC, are among the most influential recognitions in the consumer electronics sector. Bill Jiang, Vice President of TCL Industries and General Manager of the Global Marketing Center, accepted the awards on behalf of the company.

Other TCL product categories, such as smart locks, RayNeo AR Glasses, and mobile routers, also received multiple “Best of CES 2025” awards from international media.Besides, TCL’s 5G RedCap dongle, the TCL LINKPORT IK511, along with TCL 50 PRO NXTPAPER 5G were honored with the 2025 CES Picks Award in the TechRadar Pro category. On the eve of CES, TCL was awarded the 2025 Circana Consumer Electronics Performance Award for Top Increase in TV market share in North America.

About TCL Electronics

TCL Electronics (1070.HK) is a leading consumer electronics brand and leader in the global television industry. TCL now operates in more than 160 markets around the world. The company specializes in the research, development, and manufacturing of consumer electronics products ranging from TVs, audio, home appliances, mobile devices, smart glasses, commercial displays, and more. Visit the TCL website at https://www.tcl.com.

SHANGHAI, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Yum China Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: YUMC and HKEX: 9987, “Yum China” or the “Company”) today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, before the U.S. market opens on Thursday, February 6, 2025 (after the trading hours of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Thursday, February 6, 2025).

Yum China’s management will hold an earnings conference call at 7:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Thursday, February 6, 2025 (8:00 p.m. Beijing/Hong Kong Time on Thursday, February 6, 2025).

A live webcast of the call may be accessed at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/v2wgc5an.

To join by phone, please register in advance of the conference through the link provided below. Upon registering, you will be provided with participant dial-in numbers and a unique access PIN.

Pre-registration Link: https://register.vevent.com/register/BI475e24b0874041078f0918c1c1fc901a

A replay of the webcast will be available two hours after the event and will remain accessible until February 5, 2026. Additionally, earnings release accompanying slides will be available at the Company’s Investor Relations website http://ir.yumchina.com.

About Yum China Holdings, Inc.

Yum China is the largest restaurant company in China with a mission to make every life taste beautiful. The Company has approximately 400,000 employees and operates over 15,000 restaurants under six brands across around 2,200 cities in China. KFC and Pizza Hut are the leading brands in the quick-service and casual dining restaurant spaces in China, respectively. In addition, Yum China has also partnered with Lavazza to develop the Lavazza coffee concept in China. Little Sheep and Huang Ji Huang specialize in Chinese cuisine. Taco Bell offers innovative Mexican-inspired food. Yum China has a world-class, digitalized supply chain which includes an extensive network of logistics centers nationwide and an in-house supply chain management system. Its strong digital capabilities and loyalty program enable the Company to reach customers faster and serve them better. Yum China is a Fortune 500 company with the vision to be the world’s most innovative pioneer in the restaurant industry. For more information, please visit http://ir.yumchina.com.

Investor Relations Contact
Tel: +86 21 2407 7556
E-mail: IR@yumchina.com

Media Contact
Tel: +86 21 2407 8288 / +852 2267 5807
E-mail: Media@yumchina.com