• Launching in Hong Kong, one of Asia’s busiest transit hubs, the ongoing multi-phased #TravelWithAsia initiative aims to enhance travel experiences and tourism economy in the region, which saw a remarkable 26% increase in cross-border trips in 2024.^[1]
• Through strategic collaborations with leading airlines, banks, public transit operators, and key merchants, the initiative will curate unique and seamless door-to-door experiences for travellers across major tourist destinations in the region.

HONG KONG, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Visa, a global leader in digital payments, announced the launch of #TravelWithVisa in Hong Kong, an ongoing regional initiative designed to connect travellers with major destinations in Asia Pacific. With a multi-phased approach, the initiative aims to enrich travel experiences, boost travel spending, and contribute to the Asia Pacific’s tourism economy, which saw a remarkable 26% increase in cross-border trips originating within the region in 2024, outpacing the global growth rate of 12%.^[2]

Strategic collaborations shaping travel experiences in Asia Pacific 

The Asia Pacific region is playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of tourism. In 2024, seven out of the top ten fastest-growing travel destinations globally, in terms of arrivals, are from the Asia Pacific region, including Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.^[3]  Leveraging this momentum and as the first phase of the #TravelWithVisa initiative, Visa is announcing partnerships with five renowned international airlines—Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways (ANA), Ethiopian Airlines, EVA AIR, and Singapore Airlines, to offer Hong Kong and Macau outbound travellers rewarding flight experiences with premium benefits. By collaborating with major banks, the initiative will also introduce new offerings and features through Visa travel card programmes to further enrich every traveller’s journey.

In the next phase, #TravelWithVisa will showcase Visa’s intercity smart mobility solutions that will enable a more efficient door-to-door travel journey, along with merchant offers that will curate new travel experiences and exclusive access to mega events across Asia Pacific for Visa cardholders. #TravelwithVisa is set to facilitate seamless, safe and enjoyable payment experiences while transforming the way people travel and explore the world.

Stephen Karpin, Regional President, Asia Pacific, Visa, said, “Travel is a powerful catalyst for fostering global connections, bridging cultures, and driving economic prosperity. This is at the heart of our #TravelWithVisa initiative, which is designed to unlock transformative growth opportunities across Asia Pacific. By collaborating with a network of partners and leveraging our robust payment solutions, we are delivering exceptional value and seamless travel experiences to consumers. We also want to express our appreciation to the tourism offices for their support of our vision. Together, we are contributing to the tourism ecosystem and the economic development of the region.”

Shirley Yu, Group General Manager, Greater China, Visa, said, “As one of Asia Pacific’s busiest aviation hubs, Hong Kong serves an important travel gateway connecting Greater China region and other parts of the world. Its accessibility, vitality and popularity as a destination have made it constant focal point for travellers from around the world; hence, making it an ideal launchpad for the #TravelWithVisa initiative. Through Visa’s extensive network, strategic partnerships and payment innovation, we will continue to unlock new opportunities for businesses of all types and sizes, not just in Hong Kong but across the region.”

A sustained mission to advance the travel and tourism sector

Visa is committed to elevating the travel experiences across Asia Pacific and the world through a series of major initiatives. Recent highlights include Visa’s sponsorships of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA Awards), the Red Bull F1 teams and The FIFA World Cup™, bringing exciting and unique entertainment to travellers. To facilitate efficient and convenient journeys for urban commuters, Visa has launched its contactless payment solution, Tap to Ride, for transit operators in key cities across Asia, including China Mainland, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, the Maldives, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Beyond these collaborations, Visa continues to share insights on regional travel trends, reinforcing its role in shaping a more connected and dynamic tourism economy.

Click here to learn more about the travel privileges.

At the launch event for the #TravelWithVisa initiative, Stephen Karpin, Regional President for Asia Pacific at Visa, welcomed the attending guests, industry partners and representatives of tourism offices, with an opening remark on Visa’s commitment to contributing the tourism ecosystem and economic development of the Asia Pacific region.

Visa announced its strategic collaborations with five international airlines — Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways (ANA), Ethiopian Airlines, EVA AIR, and Singapore Airlines — offering rewarding flight experiences with premium benefits.  These efforts are further supported by tourism offices across Asia Pacific, including the Japan National Tourism Organization, Macao Government Tourism Office, Singapore Tourism Board, Taiwan Visitors Association Hong Kong Office, all contributing to the #TravelWithVisa vision.

Back row:

• [Left 5] Lutricia Kwok, Head of Marketing, Hong Kong and Macau, Visa
• [Left 6] Shirley Yu, Group General Manager, Greater China, Visa
• [Left 7] Paulina Leong, General Manager, Hong Kong and Macau, Visa
• [Left 8] Ciyi Lim, Head of Cross Border Payments, Asia Pacific, Visa

Front row (From left to right):

• Vivan Ying, Head of Products and Solutions, Hong Kong and Macau, Visa
• Robert Pei, Head of Products, Greater China, Visa
• Wilson Yong, General Manager of Hong Kong, Singapore Airlines
• Mesay Shiferaw, Area Manager, Ethiopian Airlines
• Chiemi Maruyama, Executive Director, Japan National Tourism Organization Hong Kong Office
• Sherry Yu, Assistant General Manager and Representative in Hong Kong, Macao Government Tourism Office
• Stephen Karpin, Regional President, Asia Pacific, Visa
• Brian Ng, Administrative Specialist, Taiwan Visitors Association Hong Kong Office
• Justina Wong, Hong Kong PR Representative, Singapore Tourism Board
• Kevin Cheng, General Manager of Hong Kong Branch, EVA AIR
• Hiroki Takano, General Manager of Hong Kong and Macau, All Nippon Airways (ANA)
• Yolanda Yu, Head of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea, Air New Zealand
• Annie Cheng, Head of Corporate Communications, Greater China, Visa

The #TravelWithVisa initiative was unveiled with a Visa-branded hot air balloon – a symbolic representation of exploration, travel and journey at K11 MUSEA against the iconic backdrop of Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour.

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

AUSTIN, Texas, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Vooglam, an innovative and culturally inspired eyewear brand known for its boundary-pushing frame designs, has recently unveiled a comprehensive rebrand that repositions the brand at the intersection of today’s hottest style tribes and mainstream style. At the core of this rebrand is the launch of seven distinct product lines and a brand new ambassador program, “The Style Underground.”

The new Vooglam aims to position eyewear as the ultimate accessory for personal expression, offering a curated pool of frames inspired by iconic cultural moments and movements. Using a two-pronged approach, the brand translates radical and expressive style tribes from Ravers to Afropunks into masterfully curated collections while inviting members of these subcultures to join Vooglam’s global community in The Style Underground.

Each product line from Retro Radio and Pan Africa to Cyberpunk and Rave Culture transposes faithfully authentic motifs, details, and vocabulary into eyewear that allow wearers to “Show off their vision” no matter how loud or subdued. Each line interprets and subverts tropes and themes associated with a distinct subculture to ensure both accuracy and innovation are at the forefront of every product.

Meanwhile, The Style Underground, an exclusive ambassador program, connects influential insiders immersed in the latest creative currents with each other and with the brand based around a shared passion for true expression. The program demonstrates Vooglam’s dedication to authenticity and representation while offering ambassadors early access to products, exclusive events, and co-design opportunities, bucking the unwelcome tendency of brands to exploit creative communities without credit. This further reflects the brand’s vision of cultivating a global community by translating subcultural authenticity into personal style.

Meeting aesthetic needs may be a top priority; however, beyond aesthetics, Vooglam has ensured every frame is crafted with cutting-edge materials and techniques. The brand’s premium prescription lenses and functional eyewear including UV protection, blue light filtering, and specialized driving glasses show that while style may be the brand’s virtue par excellence, functionality has not been thrown to the wayside.

The rebrand is live now across all Vooglam platforms including web, mobile, and app. New styles and collections drop monthly. Fashion enthusiasts, subculture devotees, and eyewear collectors are invited to explore the collections and join Vooglam’s mission to redefine eyewear as the ultimate accessory for fearless self-expression.

For more information about Vooglam and The Style Underground ambassador program, visit https://www.vooglam.com/ or follow @Vooglam on social media platforms.

About Vooglam

Established in 2017, Vooglam creates high-quality eyewear inspired by today’s style tribes, transforming the functional into tools for self-expression. With a catalog of almost 2,000 unique frame designs available in over 170 countries, serving more than one million customers, Vooglam delivers eyewear for every look and need. The brand combines functional vision solutions with meticulously researched and authentic subcultural design elements, offering fully customizable eyewear that includes prescription lenses and lens types. Organized into seven distinctive product lines, Vooglam’s offerings range from the audacious to the subtly creative. Through cutting-edge manufacturing techniques, premium materials, and rigorous quality control, Vooglam continues to transform how consumers express themselves through eyewear.

Valeo and Appotronics will collaborate to create new front lighting systems that utilize innovative laser video projection technology.

These innovative solutions will enhance adaptive lighting (ADB) functionalities in vehicles, significantly improving road safety and address drivers’ increasing demands for more comfortable lighting options and entertainment features.

SHANGHAI, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Valeo, a world leader in automotive lighting systems and software, together with Appotronics (688007.SH), inventor of ALPD® laser display technology have announced a strategic partnership to offer a new generation of automotive front lighting solutions integrating exclusive Appotronics’ ALL-in-ONE full-color laser headlight system.

Valeo will bring its unique expertise in lighting systems design and electronic control units design, along with unrivaled software capabilities, to integrate Appotronics recognized knowledge in projection systems design based on laser display technologies into new generation front lighting solutions.

Maurizio Martinelli, CEO of Valeo Light Division, stated: “This partnership strengthens Valeo’s global leadership in next-generation lighting, combining safety, adaptability, and an enhanced driving experience. Leveraging our combined expertise in automotive lighting hardware and software, this new partnership reinforces existing technology alliances and reflects a shared ambition to redefine smart automotive lighting.“

Yu Xin, Vice President of Appotronics, said: “The Appotronics-Valeo partnership represents a transformative step in smart automotive lighting, combining our complementary strengths to advance next-generation illumination solutions. Together, we’re accelerating innovations that prioritize safety, intelligent adaptability, and personalized driving experiences for the global market.“

A smart lighting system for safer and more immersive driving

By combining their expertise, Valeo and Appotronics will offer headlight solutions that provide advanced lighting functions (ADB) to complement traditional lighting functions (LH/HB), thereby improving safety and comfort for drivers and other road users.

Valeo will leverage its integration and software capabilities to integrate Appotronics state of the art ALPD® laser display technology. The front lighting system will offer high-definition information projection onto the ground, as well as outdoor movie projection capabilities—enabling video playback on flat surfaces or dedicated screens outside the vehicle.

ALL-in-ONE: A breakthrough in smart automotive lighting

The ALL-in-ONE system integrates several advanced functions in one compact module: Adaptive Driving Beam (ADB), road surface projection, and in-car cinema capabilities. Its smart system automatically optimizes lighting for different driving scenarios—extending illumination range with high beams on highways, and preventing glare with glare-free beams in urban areas. In addition, the headlight also offers 10-level brightness adjustment, complete with auto-focus, keystone correction, and image scaling capabilities.

The ALL-in-ONE headlight is powered by Appotronics’ proprietary ALPD® semiconductor laser technology, which delivers 10 times the brightness of standard automotive LEDs with 200% greater luminous flux using equivalent DLP chips – all while consuming less energy.

About Valeo

Valeo is a technology company and partner to all automakers and new mobility players worldwide. Valeo innovates to make mobility safer, smarter and more sustainable. Valeo enjoys technological and industrial leadership in electrification, driving assistance systems, reinvention of the interior experience and lighting everywhere. These four areas, vital to the transformation of mobility, are the Group’s growth drivers.

Valeo in figures:  21.5 billion euros in sales in 2024 | 106,100 employees, 28 countries, 155 plants, 64 research and development centers and 19 distribution platforms at February 28, 2025. Valeo is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange

Learn more at www.valeo.com 

Media Contact

Dora Khosrof | +33 7 61 52 82 75
Caroline De Gezelle | + 33 7 62 44 17 85
Jérôme Abribat | + 33 7 64 86 58 20
press-contact.mailbox@valeo.com

Investor Relations
+33 1 40 55 37 93
valeo.corporateaccess.mailbox@valeo.com

About Appotronics

Appotronics is the inventor of the ALPD® laser display technology and one of the first companies to list on the Shanghai Stock Exchange STAR Market. From optics for cinemas, vehicles and home, to AR glasses, Appotronics’ cutting-edge products are designed to meet the evolving needs of consumers and businesses worldwide. Learn more at https://www.appotronics.com/

Media Contact

Song Jingli | +86 186 1017 6043
songjingli@highseador.com

HANGZHOU, China, April 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Zhejiang Doer Biologics Co., Ltd. (“Doer Bio”), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative biotherapeutics for metabolic diseases and cancers, today announces that DR10624, its first-in-class (FIC), tri-specific agonist targeting Fibroblast growth factor 21 receptor (FGF21R), Glucagon receptor (GCGR), and Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) has completed the dosing of the first patient in the Phase 2 study of DR10624 for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).

The Phase 2 study (DR10624-202) is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of three dose levels of DR10624 in adult subjects at high risk of liver fibrosis associated with MASLD. Key inclusion criteria include a liver fat content (LFC) ≥ 10%, as measured by Magnetic Resonance Imaging-derived Proton Density Fat Fraction (MRI-PDFF), and liver stiffness (LSM) ≥ 8 Kpa, and < 15 Kpa, assessed via FibroScan®. A total of 96 participants will be enrolled in the study. The primary endpoint of this study is relative percentage change from baseline in LFC, as measured by MRI-PDFF after 12 weeks of treatment.

“DR10624 is a first-in-class long-acting tri-agonist targeting FGF21R, GLP-1R, and glucagon receptor (GCGR). Developed using Doer Bio’s proprietary MultipleBody® platform technology, DR10624 was engineered to exhibit balanced activity for metabolic diseases. In non-clinical studies, DR10624 has shown remarkable, dose-dependent efficacy in liver protection and antihyperlipidemic activity, leading to reductions in steatosis, inflammation, and ballooning, as well as improved NAS scores in B6-Alms1-del mice—a spontaneous MASH model characterized by obesity, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia.” said Yanshan Huang, Ph.D., founder and Chief Executive Officer of Doer Bio.

“We’re pleased to announce the dosing of first patient in our Phase 2 study of DR10624 for the treatment of MASLD/MASH. Patients with MASLD face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, while MASH, a more severe form of MASLD, is a leading cause of liver failure globally. Without effective treatment, MASH can progress to cirrhosis, liver failure, and even hepatocellular carcinoma or death. This DR10624-202 study is designed to determine the optimal dose of DR10624 for the treatment of MASLD/MASH. We are committed to advancing DR10624 as a potential treatment for patients affected by these serious liver diseases”. commented Yongliang Fang, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer of Doer Bio.

About Doer Bio

Zhejiang Doer Biologics Co., Ltd. (“Doer Bio”) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery and development of multi-domain based multi-specific biotherapeutics to address unmet medical need in the field of metabolic diseases and cancers.

Doer Bio has developed multiple proprietary platform technologies, including xLONGylation®, MultipleBody®, AccuBody®, and SMART-VHHBody.

For more information about Doer Bio, please visit www.doerbio.com.

SHANGHAI, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — To further strengthen the upstream and downstream synergistic effects of the paper-making and packaging industrial chains, two major organizers specializing in paper-making and packaging exhibitions – China National Chemical Information Center and RX will co-host the Paper Chain Southeast Asia Expo + WEPACK Southeast Asia 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The exhibition, to be held from July 29 to 31, 2025, at Indonesia JIEXPO Exhibition Center, will feature over 300 participating enterprises and present a high-quality supply system for the whole Southeast Asian paper-making and packaging industrial chain. Its organizers will deeply explore industry resources from multiple countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand, extensively invite trade visitors from related application industries to attend for consultation, help exhibitors effectively expand more intended customers and promote in-depth cooperation and mutual benefits between Chinese and Southeast Asian paper-making and eco-friendly packaging industries.

With diverse demands in Southeast Asian market driving the development of corrugated packaging market, as well as rapid growth of emerging industries like e-commerce and take-out in addition to traditional commodity and transportation packaging needs, packaging manufacturers have witnessed increasing demands for short-order equipment, corrugated paper processing equipment, folding carton processing equipment, and food container processing equipment, etc. According to research data from authoritative market consulting institutions, the Southeast Asian corrugated packaging market is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of 4% during the 2021-2026 forecast period. 

RX, the organizer of WEPACK Southeast Asia, has keenly captured market development trends, and begun to host the Indonesian Corrugated Folding Carton Manufacturing Summit since 2011. By doing so, it has accumulated extensive resources from industry buyers, media, and associations, and established long-term cooperative relationships with local authoritative institutions such as the Association Corrugated Converting Indonesia (ACCI), Indonesian Packaging Federation (IPF), and Indonesian Pulp & Paper Association (APKI). Such profound market foundation enables WEPACK to precisely link with the Southeast Asian packaging industry and assist exhibitors in quickly expanding local markets.

Upgraded Exhibition to Land in Indonesia

Paper Chain Southeast Asia Expo + WEPACK Southeast Asia 2025 will officially move to Indonesia. As Southeast Asia’s largest economy, Indonesia holds a crucial position in the global packaging industry, demonstrating strong momentum especially in paper packaging, eco-friendly packaging, and intelligent packaging fields. This will provide more potential market opportunities and help expand markets in Southeast Asia and global business at large.

Indonesia offers a massive market with rapid packaging industry growth.

Indonesia is one of Southeast Asia’s largest manufacturing and transportation hubs and one of the world’s fastest-growing emerging markets, with swift economy development featured by a stable annual growth rate of 5% and robust market vitality.

The Indonesian market influences over 600 million consumers in ASEAN. With robust export growth, it is gradually becoming a major player in the international packaging market. In recent years, Indonesia has attracted significant global investment, particularly in electric vehicles, battery manufacturing, logistics, and packaging sectors. At the same time, the booms in e-commerce, take-out, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical industries have driven increased demand for paper packaging, eco-friendly packaging, and intelligent packaging.

Paper Chain Southeast Asia Expo + WEPACK Southeast Asia, in alignment with national strategy, receives vigorous government and industry support.

Paper Chain Southeast Asia Expo + WEPACK Southeast Asia actively responds to the China-ASEAN cooperation strategy. Previous editions had garnered support from industry associations across various countries and regions, including the Asian Corrugated Cases Association (ACCA), Association Corrugated Converting Indonesia (ACCI), Malaysia Printing Association (MPA), Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM), Philippine Printing Partnership (PPP), Corrugated Box Manufacturers’ Association (CBMA), Malaysian Corrugated Carton Manufacturers’ Association (MACCMA), Lanka Corrugated Cartons Manufacturers Association (LCCMA), Hong Kong Corrugated Paper Manufacturers’ Association (HKCPMA), Vietnam Packaging Association (VINPAS) and Vietnam Printing Association (VPA), etc., continuously raising the exhibition’s international influence.

Additionally, Paper Chain Southeast Asia Expo + WEPACK Southeast Asia has received policy support from Guangdong Province’s “Guangdong Trade Global” campaign, with participating enterprises from Guangdong eligible for allowances, further reducing exhibitors’ costs for overseas market expansion.

WEPACK Southeast Asia will be co-located and held in conjunction with Paper Chain Southeast Asia Expo, creating a whole industrial chain display platform from paper-making to packaging and end application:

• Upstream: Paper-making, pulp, eco-friendly materials
• Midstream: Packaging equipment, printing technologies, intelligent packaging
• Downstream: Packaging applications in food, beverage, pharmaceutical, e-commerce industries, etc.

This integrated exhibition model will greatly improve connection efficiency between upstream and downstream industrial chain enterprises, while helping exhibitors precisely expand into the Southeast Asian market.

Strong partnership for joint efforts in creating a whole industrial chain packaging gala in Southeast Asia

In 2025, Paper Chain Southeast Asia Expo + WEPACK Southeast Asia reached a strategic cooperation agreement with Paper Chain Indonesia to launch in conjunction at the same location, collaboratively creating the largest and most comprehensive whole industrial chain specialized exhibition gala covering the paper-making technology, packaging processing, and packaging application in the Southeast Asian region.

Paper Chain Indonesia, as the only specialized exhibition in Indonesia focusing on pulping, paper-making, and eco-friendly packaging, has received strong support from government departments and business associations in Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Thailand, and other countries. The exhibition is co-organized by China National Chemical Information Center (CNCIC) and Indonesian Pulp and Paper Association (IPPA), who signed a memorandum of deep cooperation mechanism in the China–Indonesia paper-making and packaging industry in 2023. IPPA annually organizes over 30 local Indonesian front-line paper-making and packaging manufacturers to participate in the exhibition.

Paper Chain Southeast Asia Expo & WEPACK Southeast Asia 2025 looks forward to your participation, to jointly expand into the Indonesian and Southeast Asian packaging market!