• China-Vietnam road border crossing presently experiencing delays by 20-30 days
• DHL Global Forwarding, the first international forwarder to launch the two-way China-Laos rail service, sees rapid demand with 20-24 hour transit time and costs up to 50% less than airfreight
• Vientiane and Kunming key as multimodal hubs for China-ASEAN trade

SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach – 28 January 2022 – Heavy road congestions on the China-Vietnam border due to local COVID-19 related situations have resulted in soaring demand for newly launched two-way China-Laos rail services facilitating trade between China and ASEAN. Over 2000 trucks are in the queue on both sides of the main connection Pingxiang (China) bordering Lang S’on (Vietnam), causing delays of up to 20-30 days.

The alternative border at Dongxin (China) bordering Mong Cai (Vietnam), which reopened on 10 January, is still experiencing backlogs. Both congestions are expected to continue through to the Lunar New Year.

DHL Global Forwarding, the leading international freight specialist division of Deutsche Post DHL Group, and the first international forwarder to launch a two-way rail freight service between Kunming, China and Vientiane, Laos has seen significant uptake with a daily connection in each direction for its service on the newly opened China-Laos railway. The rail service shortens transit time between Kunming and Vientiane to about  20 – 24 hours, compared to 20-30 days with the present congestion through Vietnam.

Rail-truck solution between China & Southeast Asia: Key to keeping supply chains  running

“We launched the China-Laos Railway service in December and it was just in time. The backlogs on the road borders between China and Vietnam are not likely to clear before Chinese New Year, and it is really critical during this peak season to have the rail alternative,” said Steve Huang, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Greater China.

“Thanks to the two-way rail service between Laos and China, we’ve been able to help customers keep their delivery timelines with limited delays. The service strategically positions Laos, a land-locked country, as a land-linked hub. DHL Global Forwarding has the most extensive road and rail services in the region, and our customers moving goods between China and ASEAN countries now have a strong viable alternative between air and ocean freight,” Thomas Tieber, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Southeast Asia said.

Peak season relief: Faster, Cheaper freight from China to ASEAN

DHL’s scheduled service using the new China-Laos Railway is one of the six international economic corridors under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Laos section of the railway is 414-km that connects Kunming (China) to Boten, Laos’ northern border with China, to Vientiane in the south, on its border with Thailand. The route cuts the journey time from Vientiane to the Chinese border to less than four hours, compared to 15 hours by road (in normal conditions). At Boten, the railway will connect with the BRI network at Kunming, China, through another 595-km railway link, providing Laos with a land link to global and regional supply chains.

DHL’s scheduled service leveraging the China-Laos Railway runs in both directions between China and ASEAN markets, including Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, providing an attractive, highly cost-efficient alternative when logistics costs are at an all time high.

The two-way service combines trucking from all over China to the hub in Kunming, running through the China-Laos railroad, then onward with DHL’s established road network service and back, with significant cost savings and competitive transit times, providing a viable transportation alternative. Examples of the services include:

• Chengdu – Bangkok – road/rail services are 78% cheaper and 2 days faster than airfreight
• Kuala Lumpur – Chengdu – road/rail services are 70% cheaper, same transit time compared to airfreight
• Shanghai – Singapore – road/rail services are 38% cheaper, 4 days longer compared to airfreight

Note to editors:

Find out more about DHL’s road and multimodal logistics offerings, with its road freight services on the rise in Southeast Asia, and a rail freight service from Xi’an in China to Hamburg and Neuss in Germany, that cut transit time down by over 40 percent. Read more on DHL’s Logistics of Things.

DHL – The logistics company for the world

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 400,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 66 billion euros in 2020. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. Deutsche Post DHL Group aims to achieve zero-emissions logistics by 2050.

#DHL

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

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 28 January 2022 – Advanced Colorectal and General Surgery has recently launched a new website, https://colorectalsurgery.com.sg/ to provide honest and transparent advice to the general public on how colorectal and other non-invasive surgeries are commonly performed for various medical conditions.

Having encountered many patients who seek advice on colorectal and general surgery matters, most of them were confused and did not know how to identify the common underlying symptoms and the available treatments.

With the new website, the general public will be well informed and equipped with the necessary medical knowledge on how to proceed with their medical condition before it is too late. The centre also firmly believes that with early detection of symptoms, there can be early intervention and preventative treatment through a wide range of minimally invasive surgery to achieve the best treatment outcomes.

The new website will focus on laparoscopic surgery, colonoscopy screening, cyst removals, endoscopy, hernia surgery and other common general surgeries. Besides the standard surgical treatments, there is a comprehensive list of common symptoms that people should watch for if they are unsure of their condition. The website also offers other helpful information, such as the basic costs of different surgeries and the applicable medical insurance.

About Advanced Colorectal and General Surgery

Advanced Colorectal and General Surgery is a Singapore based medical centre led by Dr QM Leong.

Dr QM Leong is a graduate of the University Of London and obtained his membership to the Royal College Of Surgeons Of Edinburgh in 2003. He also received his fellowship from the Royal College Of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 2008. His most notable achievement was receiving the prestigious MOH HMDP scholarship to train under Prof Kim Seon Hahn in Korea University for Laparoscopic and Robotic colorectal surgery in 2010.

Dr QM Leong has extensive background knowledge in colorectal and general surgery. And his medical philosophy is, “A good surgeon knows how to operate. A better surgeon knows when to operate. The best surgeon knows when not to operate.”

#AdvancedColorectalandGeneralSurgery

QUANZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach – 27 January 2022 – The first CRE train service between Quanzhou and Moscow was launched to boost economic and trade relations between the major economic development zone of Jinjiang and Europe. On January 18, 2022, a CRE train (No. 75010) departed from Quanzhou East Station, loaded with products such as sanitation supplies, bags, shoes and clothing, and handicrafts, etc. for Moscow. According to Quanzhou Municipal Bureau Of Commerce, this is the first CRE train to Europe from Quanzhou, which is the starting point of Maritime Silk Road, and the inauguration of the train route will open new avenues for the foreign trade in Jinjiang, a county-level city of Quanzhou City.

The train carried 50 containers weighing about 445 tons, with a total value of about RMB 10.37 million. About half of the products are manufactured by Fujian Province Jinjiang City Foreign Trade Co., Ltd., Fujian Zonsun Import and Export Trade Co., Ltd., and Insoftb (China) Co., Ltd. The non-stop train departing from Quanzhou East Station will cross the border at Manzhouli Frontier Station and arrive at Moscow after a 20-day travel, with a total journey of about 10,960 km. This rail freight service shortens the transportation time by 25 days when compared with maritime shipping time.

Jinjiang, at the forefront in terms of foreign trade exports, realized a foreign trade value of RMB 67,359 million during Jan. to Sept. 2021, showing a year-on-year growth of 87.97% and 54.2% compared with 2020 and 2019, respectively. The value of exports to EU was RMB 6,889 million, with a growth of 57.6%, and the number of orders is still rising. The operation of the CRE train (Quanzhou – Moscow) will boost the economic and trade relations between Jinjiang and other countries along the route of “Belt and Road Initiative” and promote Jinjiang Products to march towards the world, the authorities at Quanzhou Municipal Bureau Of Commerce claimed.

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

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 27 January 2022 – FTLife Insurance Company Limited (“FTLife”) is pleased to announce that it garnered four awards at the 2021 BENCHMARK Wealth Management Awards for its excellence in agent training, distribution channel, marketing, and product development.

FTLife garners four awards at the 2021 BENCHMARK Wealth Management Awards for its excellence in agent training, distribution channel, marketing, and product development.

The four awards received by FTLife include:

• Academy of the Year
• Broker Support – Best-in-Class
• Campaign of the Year – Outstanding Achiever
• Critical Illness Product – Outstanding Achiever

FTLife Chief Executive Officer Joe Cheng said, “It is an honour for us to earn recognition in this prestigious award scheme. It indicates our long-standing commitment and dedication to developing industry leaders for the industry while providing strategic partners and customers with innovative solutions and unrivalled experiences. Looking forward, FTLife will continue to ‘Think beyond insurance.’ to bring greater value for all stakeholders including the industry, customers and society at large.”

The “Academy of the Year” Award was bestowed on FTLife for its people-oriented approach to talent development. We provide our consultants with top-notch training and development. In addition, advanced and creative technologies are employed to help them scale even greater success. Last year, co-developed with a local tech start-up, we introduced industry’s first-in-kind smart presentation and communication tool “AI Drill” that utilises artificial intelligence and big data to enhance the competency and professionalism of our people. 

Holding fast to its brand promise of “Embrace Change for Better Future,” the FTLife partnership distribution team seeks to deliver ideal business solutions and best possible pre-sale and after-sale support to our partners. The success of their continuing effort and commitment in giving partners robust support won the team the “Broker Support – Best-in-Class” Award for the fifth consecutive year.

The “Campaign of the Year – Outstanding Achiever” endorsed FTLife’s use of digital media to promote the corporate brand and flagship products. Adhering to the brand philosophy of “Think beyond insurance.”, FTLife carefully integrated both online and offline marketing strategies and successfully enhanced the public awareness of its corporate brand, which helped promote the innovative products and attentive services of the company.

FTLife’s “HealthCare 168 Plus” Critical Protector won the title of “Critical Illness Product – Outstanding Achiever.” The plan breaks the critical illness concept that customers will be covered once they qualify for Loss of Functionality of Key Organs even in times of novel diseases, or in situations where a clear diagnosis is not possible. In addition, customers will receive up to 500% sum insured for severe urban diseases.

BENCHMARK is a profit-for-purpose organization – a purpose-driven organization with a mission to drive best practices in the finance community by emphasizing social responsibility and advocating for the protection of investors. As one of the most highly anticipated industry awards in Hong Kong, the signature Benchmark Wealth Management Awards uses a stringent rating programme.

About FTLife Insurance Company Limited

FTLife Insurance Company Limited (“FTLife”) is one of the most well-established life insurance companies in Hong Kong and a wholly-owned subsidiary of NWS Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 0659). Building on a history of more than 30 years in the territory, FTLife provides individual and institutional clients with a diverse range of insurance and wealth management products and services, including life, health, accident, savings and investment insurance. As a member of New World Group, FTLife works with diversified businesses within the Group to create synergies and provides customers with best-in-class life-planning solutions, from wealth management and succession to health, wellbeing and quality of life enhancement.

FTLife Insurance Company Limited (Incorporated in Bermuda with limited liability)

Important notes:

• The information contained in this press release is intended as a general summary of information for reference only. For details, please refer to relevant product brochures and client incentive leaflets. Please refer to the policy contract for details of full terms and conditions.
• This press release does not contain the full provisions of “HealthCare 168 Plus” Critical Illness Protector and the full terms can be found in the Policy documents. These two products may serve as standalone plan(s) without bundling with other type(s) of insurance product.
• For further details, please contact FTLife’s Customer Service Hotline on +852 2866 8898.
• This document is for distribution in Hong Kong only. It is not an offer to sell or solicitation to buy or provision of any insurance product outside Hong Kong. FTLife does not offer or sell any insurance product in any jurisdiction outside Hong Kong, in which such offering or sales of the insurance product is illegal under the laws of such jurisdictions.

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

Leading logistics service provider meets rigorous international standards for providing services associated with medical equipment in accordance to customer and regulatory requirements

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 27 January 2022 – Rhenus Hong Kong announced today that it has earned ISO certification, ISO13485:2016, after an extensive audit of the company’s internal operations. This quality management certification covers the design and development, production, storage and distribution, installation, or servicing of a medical device and design and development or provision of associated activities.

ISO 13485:2016 is a standard to certify quality management systems for businesses who provide medical devices and related services. ISO 13485:2016 can also be used by suppliers or external parties that provide products, including quality management system-related services to such organizations.

Companies that achieve ISO 13485:2016 demonstrate a high standard of process and system management. Rhenus Hong Kong’s professional handling and storage of medical devices is among the key highlights of the accreditation, which saw the audit dive into areas such as resource management, monitoring and measurement processes, product and contamination control, and traceability control and measurement.

“Gaining the ISO 13485:2016 certification is a milestone for the Rhenus HK team, as we continue to work towards delivering professional and sustainable logistics services. Covid-19 has changed the lives of everyone, and medical devices have become a necessity. The certification will allow us to provide international standards of warehousing services, especially in the areas of medical device product handling, optimal storage environment and traceability for our customers,” said Dennis Mak, Director, Warehousing Solutions & Distribution – Greater China.

ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, is the world’s largest developer of voluntary international standards.  

Established in 2002, Rhenus Hong Kong provides air, ocean and land (truck and rail) freight solutions, as well as warehousing and consolidation services.

About Rhenus

The Rhenus Group is one of the leading logistics specialists with global business operations and annual turnover amounting to EUR 5.4 billion. 33,500 employees work at 820 business sites and develop innovative solutions along the complete supply chain. Whether providing transport, warehousing, customs clearance or value-added services, the family business pools its operations in various business units where the needs of customers are the major focus at all times.

#Rhenus

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