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Workshop on Canada-Laos Trade Policy Talks Indo-Pacific Strategy

Participants at the workshop on Canada-Laos Trade Policy. (Photo supplied)

On October 12, Canadian Chargé d’Affaires Bob Paquin and Director General of the Department of Foreign Trade Policy, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Saysana Sayakone, co-chaired a workshop on Canada-Laos Trade Policy.

The workshop featured presentations by Ottawa-based senior Canadian officials on Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, and an update from both Canada and Laos on the Canada-ASEAN FTA, which is currently being negotiated.

The workshop was moderated by Canadian Chamber of Commerce CEO Kevyn McGraw, and was attended by ministry and private sector representatives. It resulted in a vibrant discussion on Canada and Laos’ trade relationship and much greater understanding on the upcoming benefits of successfully concluded Canada-ASEAN FTA.

Chargé d’Affaires Paquin described the workshop as a “very useful and informative bilateral information sharing session on trade policy, especially with regard to the huge potential to improve trade and investment between Canada and ASEAN, and especially here in Laos.”

The workshop began with a presentation on Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy from Canadian Strategy Secretariat Head Christian DesRoches, who attended virtually. DesRoches explained that Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, which was launched in November 2022, presents a comprehensive and integrated set of strategic priorities for the coming decade, spanning defense and security, trade and economic cooperation, people-to-people ties, international assistance, and environment and climate change.

Underpinning this Strategy is the recognition that Canada must expand its presence and strengthen its partnerships in the region. The Strategy has had immediate local impacts for Canada’s mission in Laos, which will be increasing in size with an additional Canadian diplomat arriving in Vientiane this October. Chargé d’Affaires Paquin also underscored that the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service is active across the ASEAN region, including in Laos. The Trade Commissioner Service helps companies navigate the complexities of international markets and make informed business decisions.

This year also saw the creation of a Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Laos. CanCham will work with partners, government agencies and the business community to promote responsible business practices and support sustainable economic growth and shared value for local and Canadian businesses.

Expanding Canada’s regional engagement is a key element of the Indo-Pacific Strategy and is rooted in a commitment to strengthening and diversifying Canada’s regional partnerships, including ASEAN. Canada and ASEAN benefit from decades of trust and engagement in development, security, and trade partnerships, as well as shared histories and cultures.

However, Chargé d’Affaires Paquin also reflected that, despite the Indo-Pacific Strategy and its focus on ASEAN, Canada-Laos bilateral trade was only USD 43 million in 2022, down from a high of USD 50 million in 2019, dropping mostly due to the Covid pandemic. Moreover, with Laos graduating from Least Developed Country status in 2026, Laos will lose some of its comparative advantages as a Canadian trading partner.

To help address trade barriers with Laos, and other ASEAN countries, and offset the impacts of the Covid pandemic and Laos’ graduation among other regional obstacles, Canada and ASEAN launched free trade negotiations in November 2021. The fifth round of negotiations recently concluded.

Paquin explained that success in establishing a mutually beneficial FTA “will bring many benefits to both parties,” such as reducing trade barriers. Laos-Canada trade is expected to increase by at least USD 5 million when the FTA is in place. Attending virtually, Canada’s Deputy Chief Negotiator, Alisha Somerville, reported on the status of negotiations, and described some of the capacity building Canada is planning to provide to the Lao negotiators.

Director General Saysana Sayakone also shared his thoughts on the benefits of an FTA, as well as progress on FTA negotiations. He commented that the Canada-ASEAN FTA would be beneficial for Laos, especially after the country graduates from Least Developed Country Status in 2026. Sayakone also noted that he and his team look forward to participating in FTA negotiations in Canada. Director General Sayakone reflected that the workshop was a useful learning opportunity for ministry staff and expressed his hope that more such workshops will be hosted by Canada in the future.

Laos Considers Raising VAT Rate to Boost Revenue

(Photo from Ministry of Finance)

The Lao Ministry of Finance is considering raising the value-added tax (VAT) rate from 7 to 10 percent in an effort to boost government revenue and support the economy.

IMPORTANT DEADLINE: ROSEN, A RANKED AND LEADING FIRM, Encourages AeroVironment, Inc. Investors to Secure Counsel Before Important October 30 Deadline in Securities Class Action – AVAV

New York, New York – Newsfile Corp. – October 26, 2023 – WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) between June 29, 2021 and December 7, 2021, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important October 30, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased AeroVironment securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the AeroVironment class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=18820 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than October 30, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, the defendants made false and/or materially misleading statements by creating the false impression that they possessed reliable information pertaining to the Company’s projected growth and record backlog and also minimized any risk from COVID-19 (coronavirus), specifically explaining they were monitoring supply chain issues and affirmed their record backlog would provide a basis for strong growth. However, according to the lawsuit, AeroVironment had been experiencing a decline in sales in all of their core businesses. According to the lawsuit, defendants misled investors by providing the public with materially flawed revenue guidance for fiscal 2022. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the AeroVironment class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=18820 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

——————————-

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com

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

ROSEN, GLOBAL INVESTOR COUNSEL, Encourages Kenvue Inc. Investors to Secure Counsel Before Important Deadline in Securities Class Action Initiated by the Firm – KVUE

New York, New York – Newsfile Corp. – October 26, 2023 – WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Kenvue Inc. (NYSE: KVUE) pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus (collectively, the “Registration Statement”) issued in connection with the Company’s May 2023 initial public offering (“IPO” or the “Offering”), of the important December 8, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Kenvue securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Kenvue class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=19241 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than December 8, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, the Registration Statement contained false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Kenvue faces potential headwinds as a result of confirmed concerns about the efficacy of phenylephrine (or “PE”) , which it knew or should have known; (2) Kenvue did not discuss risks relating to the efficacy of phenylephrine in its IPO, the utility of which had been questioned since at least 2007; (3) while Kenvue disclosed risks relating to litigation, it did not disclose specific risks relating to potential litigation arising from adverse findings on the efficacy of phenylephrine; and (4) as a result, defendants’ public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times and negligently prepared. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Kenvue class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=19241 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

——————————-

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com

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

Arup celebrates 20 years of transforming Macau

MACAU – Media OutReach – 27 October 2023 – Arup marks its 20th anniversary in Macau with a cocktail reception, highlighting collaboration and envisioning a more sustainable future for the city within the Greater Bay Area (GBA).

The event, held at MGM Cotai, gathered 180 esteemed guests from Macau and other major cities in the GBA. Speakers and attendees explored Macau’s strategic position in the GBA and the vital role of the built environment industry in further driving the city’s socio-economic progress and unlocking GBA’s potential. The event provided an invaluable platform for the industry to engage in thought-provoking discussions and establish partnerships that will propel Macau’s further development and GBA integration.

“From world-class resorts to critical infrastructure and masterplanning, over the past two decades, Arup’s technical and advisory expertise has played a pivotal role in Macau’s transformation into an international tourist destination. The GBA blueprint opens new horizons. With our well-established office and expertise network in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou, our Macau office is instrumental in leveraging our synergistic strengths to drive long-term prosperity of the region.”

—— Andy Lee, East Asia Region Chair

Arup’s journey in Macau started with Sands Macao, the city’s first foreign entertainment development. Since then, our services and project portfolios have expanded and diversified significantly including strategic infrastructure projects such as the 4th Macau-Taipa Bridge, LRT Seac Pai Van Line and East Line. As a catalyst for the city’s sustainable urban development, our visionary masterplan for the whole Macau aims to foster its transformation into a happy, smart, sustainable, and resilient city in the coming decades.

In recent years, our involvement in cross-boundary facilities and cooperation zones, such as Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and Hengqin New Area urban design, has facilitated Macau’s integration into the GBA, unleashing opportunities for regional synergy and cooperation.

“We look forward to continued collaboration with our clients and partners to capture the enormous opportunities presented by the GBA development, particularly in the fields of transport, city planning and design, digital innovation, climate resilience and sustainability. Together, we will realise the full potential of the GBA, and lead Macau’s next phase of development.”

—— Philip Wong, Director, Macau Office Leader

Hashtag: #Arup

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

About Arup

Dedicated to sustainable development, Arup is a collective of 20,000 designers, advisors and experts working across 140 countries. Founded to strive for humanity and excellence in everything that we do, we collaborate with our clients and partners, using imagination, technology and rigour to shape a better world.

From Humble Beginnings to Global Impact: Eber Announces Strategic Expansion

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 27 October 2023 – Eber, a Loyalty Marketing Program Platform, has undergone substantial growth and adaptation to cater to businesses of all sizes, from local enterprises to global corporations. Founded in 2016, Eber has shifted from their initial focus on gift card services to become a significant player in the loyalty marketing industry.

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Eber’s Strategic Expansion: A Growing Team and Office Upgrade
In the dynamic world of business, adaptability is often the key to success. Eber has recently embarked on a strategic expansion journey to position itself for future growth and success.

  • A More Spacious Environment

Eber recognises the need for a skilled and dedicated team, and has been on a recruitment drive to bring in top talent. To support this growing team and facilitate seamless collaboration, the company invested in an office upgrade designed to foster creativity and provide an environment where employees can thrive. This is a strategic move that aligns with Eber’s vision to provide the highest quality services to their clients.

  • Enhanced Facilities

The new office location has been carefully chosen to provide an upgraded environment for Eber’s dedicated team. Modern amenities and facilities are designed to enhance productivity and overall well-being. These improvements include improved meeting spaces and ergonomically designed workstations.

  • Business Growth

Eber’s new office space represents their commitment to scale up their operations and accommodate future growth. This move is pivotal in ensuring that the company can continue to offer its esteemed clientele exceptional services while harnessing the potential of a growing workforce.

Growing Team for Greater Innovation

Complementing the office relocation is the addition of team members. Eber, as a leading loyalty marketing programme platform in Asia, is well aware of the fast-growing needs of the industry and the evolving dynamics of the market. Hence, they have boosted their efforts in enhancing their capabilities to continue exceeding the expectations of clients and partners.

  • Market Dynamics and Flexibility

Industries and markets evolve at an unprecedented pace. As such, Eber recognises the importance of staying ahead of the curve and has increased their team size, enabling them to be better equipped to closely monitor these changes and adapt their strategies in real-time. This has empowered the company to allocate resources effectively, as well as tackle unforeseen challenges and emerging opportunities, fully maximising its current pool of talents.

  • Specialisation

Specialised skills and expertise are required to efficiently address client needs. Employing more employees has enabled Eber to form a team of professionals who excel in specific areas, guaranteeing tailored solutions that will meet each client’s unique requirements.

  • Long-Term Sustainability

Eber’s decision to expand its existing team goes beyond meeting immediate needs; it’s about ensuring long-term sustainability and success. A bigger team is set to support ongoing development, innovation, and adaptation to changing market dynamics, helping the brand to strive for sustained excellence.

How Eber Emerges in the Industry Race

Eber’s loyalty programmes and marketing solutions revolve around the core objective of improving every touchpoint in the ecosystem’s journey. The company’s seamless integration capability extends to a diverse range of point-of-sale (POS) systems and external software and hardware integrations, allowing businesses to manage their own loyalty programmes with embedded features.
Hashtag: #Eber


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

About Eber

Established in 2016 and headquartered in Singapore, Eber is dedicated to assisting businesses, both large and small, in their growth journeys through intelligent loyalty marketing platforms. Their goal lies in building long-term business-customer relationships with stellar results. In late July, Eber and their client Lalamove were honoured with ‘Best Membership Programme’ and ‘Best Use of Rewards and Incentives’ at the Loyalty and Engagement Awards Singapore 2023, held by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.

Conflux‘s Hong Kong Office Officially Opens, Ushering in a New Chapter of Global Growth

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 27 October 2023 – On October 25th, the Conflux Hong Kong office celebrated its official launch with an opening ceremony at the Hong Kong Cyberport.

The ribbon cutting ceremony
The ribbon cutting ceremony

Conflux founder Professor Long Fan was unable to attend in-person and instead sent his blessings through a video call. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was conducted jointly by Peter Yan, CEO of Cyberport Management Co., Ltd., Terry Chan from the Invest Hong Kong of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Dr. Wu Ming, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Conflux, and Zhang Yuanjie, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Conflux. Special congratulations were extended by Dr. Joseph Rodarick Law, Justice of the Peace of Australia and Executive Chairman of J Global. Positioned strategically in the heart of Asia and extending its reach worldwide, the Hong Kong office stands as a pivotal hub in Conflux’s comprehensive internationalization strategy to deliver services to global users and partners.

Next, Terry Chan from the Invest Hong Kong of the Hong Kong SAR Government offered his blessings. He emphasized that Hong Kong’s free, open, and well-regulated business environment provides an excellent foundation for developing the digital economy. He congratulated Conflux on the opening of the new office and expressed his hope that Conflux, leveraging Hong Kong’s unique advantage of being “backed by the motherland and connected to the world,” will expand its digital business, support the development of the Greater Bay Area, and align itself with the global community.

Peter Yan, CEO of Hong Kong Cyberport Management Co., Ltd., also offered his congratulations. Peter stated that Cyberport has evolved into an innovation community centered around the digital industry, bringing together over 1,900 technology and creative enterprises. Cyberport is actively working to establish itself as a global digital technology hub, contributing to the economic momentum in Hong Kong. He congratulated Conflux on the opening of their office and expressed his commitment to providing support to Conflux, working together to create Cyberport’s digital advantage.

Afterwards, Dr. Wu Ming, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Conflux, delivered a speech. He introduced Conflux’s upcoming global strategic plan, stating that Hong Kong marks the first step of Conflux’s global strategy. Subsequently, offices will be established in Dubai, Europe, and other regions, to expand business outreach and connect with the global digital ecosystem. In the meantime, Dr. Wu Ming expressed that the Conflux Hong Kong office will fully utilize Hong Kong’s advantages in international finance, technology, and trade. By actively integrating into Hong Kong’s blueprint for technological development, Conflux will collaborate with more users and ecosystem partners, leverage the advantages of technological innovation, and contribute to the development of Hong Kong’s digital economy.

The next address came from Zhang Yuanjie, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Conflux, where he presented the current state of Conflux’s ecosystem, highlighted select ecosystem application cases, and unveiled the ecosystem layout plan. He expressed his optimism about Hong Kong’s role as a global financial hub, and promised that Conflux remains committed to providing high-quality Web 3.0 infrastructure and ecosystem support, bolstering blockchain technology, digital economy, and Web 3.0 development in Hong Kong and China.

Dr. Joseph Rodarick Law, Justice of the Peace of Australia and Executive Chairman of J Global, delivered the last speech. He welcomed technological pioneers like Conflux to Hong Kong, encouraging them to establish their roots in the city. He expressed his blessings for the future development of Conflux in Hong Kong.

Conflux was founded in 2018, with Professor Long Fan and Chief Scientist, as well as Turing Award laureate, Professor Andrew Yao at its core. The team comprises exceptional young computer scientists from prestigious institutions such as Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China University of Science and Technology, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Following two years of dedicated research and development, the team launched the Conflux public blockchain globally. As the sole regulatory compliant public blockchain in China and one of the high-quality underlying infrastructures for the development of Web 3.0, Conflux’s public blockchain has achieved a leading edge in data, boasting 3000+ transactions per second (TPS), 5000+ nodes, 0.5-second block time, and 23-second confirmation time. The mainnet has been running stably for nearly three years, with over 24.7 million on-chain accounts, 127 million transactions, and nearly 18,000 deployed smart contracts. Conflux ranks third in the world in terms of network size (by number of consensus nodes) and is the only Chinese public blockchain that stands among the top global performers.

At the opening ceremony, Dr. Wu Ming also introduced to the guests the Blockchain SIM card (“BSIM card”), jointly developed by Conflux and China Telecom. Leveraging the hardware security advantages of SIM cards, the BSIM card protects user private keys, presenting a seamless and secure solution for Web 3.0 users. He mentioned that in the near future, Conflux will initiate pilot testing for the BSIM card in Hong Kong.

With the development of the global digital economy, embracing digital transformation becomes a proactive and strategic choice. The BSIM Card solves the identity authentication problem, bridging the gap between the digital and physical worlds. The next focus of digitizing the economy lies in the deep integration of digital and real-world assets. In his speech, Dr. Wu Ming mentioned that the Hong Kong office will continue to actively engage in digital economy compliance business. Serving as the foundational infrastructure for the digital economy, it will support Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area in vigorously developing a blockchain-based cross-border trade settlement system using the Hong Kong dollar. This initiative, coupled with the “Belt and Road” strategy, aims to construct a digital payment ecosystem, unleashing the potential and innovative value of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.

The Conflux Hong Kong office welcomes partners from various industries to consult and collaborate to foster a more vibrant and diverse ecosystem. Leveraging its performance and integration advantages, Conflux will engage in strategic collaborations with its ecosystem partners in areas such as technological innovation and talent exchange. With the support of the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong serves as Conflux’s gateway to digital innovation, embracing policies that explore the innovative potential and future prospects of digital economy and Web 3.0.

Hashtag: #Conflux

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

About Conflux

Conflux was established in 2018, with Professor Long Fan and Chief Scientist, as well as sole Chinese Turing Award recipient, Academician Andrew Yao, at its core. The team is composed of a group of top young computer scientists from prestigious global institutions such as Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China University of Science and Technology, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Focused on the research and development of blockchain fundamental infrastructure and key technologies, Conflux is dedicated to bringing more people the benefits of blockchain technology.

After two years of intensive research and development, the Conflux team launched its public chain globally. Its core innovation lies in the Tree-Graph consensus algorithm, which organizes blocks based on a tree-graph structure. This novel approach integrates several innovative technologies, including a high-bandwidth transaction forwarding protocol, dynamic bandwidth allocation, transaction latency execution, and incremental MPT data structure. These innovations significantly enhance the overall performance of the blockchain system, covering aspects such as networking, consensus, storage, and execution.

Conflux now boasts 3000+ transactions per second (TPS), 5000+ nodes, 0.5-second block time, and 23-second confirmation time. The mainnet has been running stably for nearly three years, with over 24.7 million on-chain accounts, 127 million transactions, and nearly 18,000 deployed smart contracts. Conflux ranks third in the world in terms of network size (by number of consensus nodes) and is the only Chinese public blockchain that stands among the top global performers. With stable cross-chain services and extensive developer tool support, Conflux has incubated and hosted hundreds of diverse ecosystem projects. Among them, more than 150 enterprises have been incubated domestically in the digital collectible platforms category alone. Additionally, Conflux has collaborated with various global brands on blockchain foundational technology and metaverse activities, including China Telecom, Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), McDonald’s China, Oreo, and Naixue’s Tea.

The team’s independently developed core blockchain technologies have been published in multiple top international academic papers and received two granted patents in the United States. Their innovative and advanced solutions have garnered widespread attention from both the academic and industrial sectors. Conflux is notably the only Chinese-led blockchain project mentioned in the technical whitepaper of Diem (formerly known as Libra), Facebook’s consortium chain project. With its globally leading performance, Conflux has shattered the monopoly of Western countries in the blockchain underlying technology field.

About BSIM Card

The Blockchain SIM card (“BSIM card”), jointly developed by Conflux and China Telecom, leverages the hardware security advantages of SIM cards, to protect users’ private keys, presenting a seamless and secure solution for Web 3.0 users. The BSIM Card is nearly identical to traditional SIM cards in appearance but offers 10-20 times more storage space and significantly enhanced computational capabilities. It can generate and store user public-private key pairs within the card and perform digital signatures without revealing the private key, thereby reducing the risk of malicious software attacks such as mobile Trojan Horses and other viruses. Its advantages include:

  1. Portability: Integrated into the user’s phone SIM card, eliminating the need for additional devices.
  2. High Security: Features a Secure Element (SE) chip with a security level equivalent to bank card chips.
  3. High Performance: Utilizes ECC hardware co-processors for fast signature generation.
  4. Universal Compatibility: Adopts a Bluetooth 4.0 interface, compatible with Android and iPhone smartphones.
  5. User-Friendly: User interface aligns with common mobile apps, reducing the learning curve.
  6. Easy Promotion: Can be bundled with carrier marketing systems, facilitating promotion and subsequent value-added services.

From a regulatory perspective in digital economic governance, using the BSIM Card as the entry point for user-managed blockchain accounts and Web 3.0 network access indirectly achieves blockchain/Web 3.0 account real-name registration through mobile phone number verification. This approach reduces KYC costs, minimizes user privacy exposure, and provides better conditions for the widespread adoption of Web 3.0 applications.

Applications of BSIM Cards include digital asset management, digital identity, “three-proof” phones (anti-fraud, anti-harassment, anti-loss), and IoT terminals.

Local Authorities Host Seminar to Address Noise Pollution in Vientiane Capital

Representational image: entertainment venues. (Photo: Jclao)

The Department of Information, Culture, and Tourism of Vientiane Capital, Laos, hosted a seminar on 26 October to discuss ways to solve noise pollution across the city.