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Organon accelerates Women’s Health progress across Asia Pacific with 2026 Her Health Grants

SYDNEY, March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Organon Asia Pacific Cluster today announced the 2026 Her Health Grant recipients for the Asia Pacific region, marking a significant milestone in efforts to strengthen and expand women’s health initiatives across the region.

The Her Health Grants are designed to support organizations that expand access, equity, and informed choice for women and girls—areas where the Asia Pacific region continues to face significant unmet needs.

This year, five not-for-profit organizations in the Organon’s Asia Pacific Cluster were successful in receiving a Her Health Grant submission, underscoring the importance of our region within Organon’s global mission, particularly in sexual, reproductive and maternal health.

This year’s grant round attracted exceptionally strong submissions from across the region, showcasing the depth of expertise, innovation, and community–led commitment to improving health outcomes for women across diverse communities. Organon congratulates all recipients for their outstanding proposals and their dedication to delivering meaningful, sustainable impact for women and girls.

Five organizations have been chosen for their strong, community–driven solutions to improving women’s health. These are:

Australia – Menopause and Eczema: Improving Care Navigation and Health Outcomes for Australian Women

Eczema Support Australia will implement a project supporting women experiencing menopause and eczema, improving care pathways and access to tailored information and support.

India – AWESOMM_HER: Awareness and Informed Decision–Making for Adolescent Girls

PSI India will support school–linked health information programs and community outreach initiatives that strengthen adolescent girls’ ability to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

Indonesia – REACH (Revitalizing Equitable Access and Choice for Her)

UNFPA Indonesia will focus on expanding equitable access to contraceptive options and reproductive health information for women and girls in underserved communities.

Thailand – Smart Family Planning in Action (Phase 2)

Kenan Asia will expand access to modern contraception and strengthen evidence–based family planning programs through community outreach and provider training.

Vietnam – Enhancing Access to Contraceptives and Reproductive Health Services for Women Workers in Industrial Zones

UNFPA Vietnam will work to improve contraceptive access and reproductive health services for women workers in industrial zones, who often face limited mobility and barriers to healthcare.

Speaking to the significance of this year’s announcement, Andreas Daugaard Jørgensen, Managing Director of Organon Asia Pacific, said: “With Asia Pacific receiving a significant number of the global Her Health Grant allocation, the region’s fast–growing and unmet healthcare needs are unmistakable. Practical advocacy and on–the–ground support are what drive meaningful progress for women’s health. These Her Health Grants elevate community leadership and ensure that solutions reflect the realities of the women they serve. At Organon, we listen to women and act with purpose, because healthier women and girls strengthen societies—and we are proud to partner in creating tangible, positive impact.”

Programs and activities funded by Her Health grants remain independently designed and implemented by the organizations in question.

About Organon

[Organon (NYSE: OGN) is a global healthcare company with a mission to deliver impactful medicines and solutions for a healthier every day. With a portfolio of over 70 products across Women’s Health and General Medicines, Organon focuses on addressing health needs that uniquely, disproportionately, or differently affect women, while expanding access to essential treatments in over 140 markets. 

Headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, Organon is committed to advancing access, affordability, and innovation in healthcare. Follow us on LinkedIn. 

For more information, visit Organon Asia Pacific LinkedIn
Date of preparation March 2026. SG-NON-110090

StarCharge Energy Oceania Brings V2G Closer to Mainstream with CEC-Listed Halo 7.4kW

Halo 7.4kW supports the next phase of V2G rollout in Australia

SYDNEY, March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — StarCharge Energy Oceania today announced that its Halo 7.4kW V2G charger, model AD20074EU1923, has secured listing with the Clean Energy Council (CEC) in Australia, marking an important step toward broader deployment of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology in the local market.

Designed for residential and light commercial applications, the Halo 7.4kW bi-directional DC wallbox enables V2G functionality through bidirectional power flow for charging and discharging. The unit has already been featured in several early V2G trial programs across Australia, reflecting growing confidence in both the technology and its local application.

StarCharge Energy Oceania is also actively collaborating with EV OEMs and industry partners to support the next phase of V2G development, including efforts to help bring ISO 15118-20-enabled EVs to market sooner. The company believes that technical maturity, ecosystem readiness, and commercially viable pathways to adoption will be critical to enabling broader V2G rollout in Australia.

“Achieving CEC listing for the Halo 7.4kW is a significant step for StarCharge Energy Oceania and for the broader adoption of bidirectional charging in this market,” said Kouki Xiang, CEO of StarCharge APAC. “Since StarCharge was founded 12 years ago, one of our core values has been to make advanced technology more accessible. By launching Halo in Australia, we are helping move bidirectional charging closer to broader market adoption and supporting the transition to smarter, more integrated energy solutions.”

About StarCharge Energy Oceania

StarCharge Energy Oceania provides EV charging and energy solutions across residential, commercial, and public charging applications. Its portfolio includes AC chargers, DC fast chargers, energy storage, and bidirectional charging solutions.

MineScape 2026: Powered by Digital Twin and AI

BRISBANE, Australia, March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Datamine, a trusted leader in mining software solutions, is proud to announce a major evolution of MineScape 2026, one of its leading software solutions. MineScape 2026 brings Digital Twin capability, Rapid design automation, Advanced scheduling, and an AI-enabled assistant into one connected experience expanding the MineScape ecosystem beyond design into an execution-ready mine planning and simulation environment.

MineScape is an integrated mining suite purpose-built for coal and stratigraphic deposits. It combines geological modelling, mine design for both surface and underground operations, tactical and long-range scheduling, and drone surveying within a single platform. By unifying these workflows, it increases productivity, minimizes unplanned work, and enables faster, more accurate decision-making while lowering operational costs.

Digital Twin Operational Intelligence

The Digital Twin establishes a dynamic, continuously updated digital replica of the mining operation, integrating real-time operational data, planning models, and predictive scenarios into a unified decision environment.

By enabling simulation before execution, teams can test strategies, evaluate outcomes, and quantify risk before committing resources in the field. This capability allows operations to anticipate disruptions, optimize plans, and validate decisions in advance. The result is safer operations, improved productivity, reduced operational uncertainty, and stronger confidence in every decision that drives the mine.

AI now Integrated

AI is built directly into MineScape, and it enables natural language interaction and context-aware guidance during a session, allowing users to quickly access knowledge and verify answers through linked source material.

MineScape AI combines four capabilities: a Smart Chat Assistant, File Analyzer, Command Executor, and MPL Expert that can generate, interpret, and explain MineScape Process Logic (MPL) code. These tools accelerate problem solving, improve automation, and help users understand and apply workflows more effectively.

Built-in safeguards detect and block personally identifiable information (PII), and Datamine agreements ensure customer data is never used to train AI models.

Scheduling and Rapid Design

The Tactical Scheduler introduces a powerful optimization solver designed to address complex operational decision problems, while Minemax Scheduler integration enables advanced long-range scheduling directly within MineScape for seamless strategic planning.

On the design side, Rapid Pit, Rapid Ramps, Rapid Dumps, and Rapid Drive dramatically accelerate mine layout development through automated, high-efficiency design tools. These capabilities enable faster, more accurate planning while enforcing geotechnical and operational constraints—ensuring designs to flow directly into downstream scheduling and simulation workflows without rework.

Lean more about  https://dataminesoftware.com/minescape-by-datamine/

Press enquiries:

Datamine
Clara Ferrari
Marketing Manager
clara.ferrari@dataminesoftware.com

PetroChina Successfully Concludes “the 14th Five-Year Plan”, 2025 Operating Results Remain at Historical High Levels

HONG KONG, March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PetroChina Company Limited [“PetroChina” or the “Company”, (HKSE: 00857; SSE: 601857)] announced that in 2025, the Company proactively responded to changes in the external environment, continuously intensified exploration and development, further propelled the transformation and upgrading of refining and chemicals, focused on improving marketing quality. The Company  deeply promoted quality and efficiency improvement, steadily advanced green and low-carbon transformation, accelerated the layout of emerging industries, distinctively strengthened innovation-driven development, led the development of new quality productive forces, and continuously improved ESG performance, further enhancing the value creation capability of the oil and gas industry chains. Despite a 14.6% year-on-year decrease in Brent crude oil prices, the Company maintained high operating results. In 2025, the Company achieved revenue of RMB 2,864.47 billion and profit attributable to owners of the Company of RMB 157.32 billion. Free cash flows reached RMB 120.19 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 15.2%. The Debt-to-Asset ratio and the Debt-to-Capital ratio stood at 36.4% and 11.2% respectively, the assets and liabilities structure was further optimized, and the financial position remained sound.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the Company recorded cumulative profit attributable to owners of the Company exceeding RMB 700 billion, with cumulative dividend per share of RMB 2.03 and an average annual dividend payout ratio of 51%, significantly exceeding the 30% standard stipulated in the Articles of Association. In return for shareholders, the Board recommends the distribution of a final dividend of RMB 0.25 per share (inclusive of applicable taxes) for 2025, bringing the full-year dividend to RMB 0.47 per share (inclusive of applicable taxes), representing a dividend payout ratio of 54.7% and the total dividend payout of RMB 86.02 billion. Both the final and full-year dividends per share maintained the best level for the same period in history, while the payout ratio also reached its highest level in the past five years.

Results Review

Oil and gas supply capability was continuously strengthened, with new energy business accelerating development. The Company vigorously implemented advanced effective development, actively promoted a virtuous cycle of increasing reserves and production, and achieved multiple major breakthroughs and significant discoveries in Sichuan Basin, Junggar Basin, Qaidam Basin, Ordos Basin, and Songliao Basin. The Company fully tapped the potential of mature oil and gas fields, strived to improve recovery rates, and efficiently advanced the construction of key production capacity projects including Tarim Fuman and Sichuan Tianfu tight gas, completed the construction of two national-level shale oil demonstration zones in Jimsar and Daqing Gulong as well as the Qingcheng production base. Oil and gas output reached new record highs, with shale oil and coalbed methane output increasing substantially. The Company strengthened operation management of existing overseas oil and gas projects, achieving stable operation and profitable development. In 2025, the Company recorded oil and gas output of 1,841.9 MM boe, year-on-year up by 2.5%. The Company continued to refine its new energy business layout, successively completed a batch of wind and solar power key projects in Tarim Shangku and Xinjiang Altay, acquired equity in State Grid Xinyuan Company to deploy pumped storage, and established CNPC Electric Power Company to specialize in and optimize power purchase and sales business. In 2025, the Company generated 7.93 billion kWh of wind and solar power, year-on-year up by 68.0%, signed new geothermal heating contracts covering an area exceeding 100 million square meters, and completed CO2 utilization of 2.66 million tons, year-on-year up by 40.3%. The oil, gas and new energies business achieved an operating profit of RMB 136.07 billion.

Refining transformation advanced toward innovation and demonstrated positive momentum, with prominent highlights in the new materials business. The Company continuously advanced the transformation, upgrading and structural adjustment of refining and chemical operations, driving the business toward the mid-to-high end of the industry value chain. The ethylene projects at Jilin Petrochemical and Guangxi Petrochemical were completed and brought into operation, with volume of ethylene output exceeding 10 million tons for the first time. In response to market demand, the Company continuously optimized production operations and product structure, endeavored to raise the proportion of high value-added products, achieving notable results in reducing oil and increasing chemicals and specialties. By integrating customer resources, strengthening channel development, and intensifying marketing efforts for chemical products and refining specialty products, the Company strove to increase sales volumes and market shares, chemical product sales maintained rapid growth. Domestic market shares of paraffin, bonded marine fuel oil, specialty asphalt and other products remained in leading positions. In 2025, the Company processed 1.38 billion barrels of crude oil and produced 117 million tons of refined products, and the chemical commodity products reached 40.03 million tons, representing a year-on-year increase of 2.7%, the chemical new materials reached 3.33 million tons, up year-on-year by 62.7%. The refining, chemicals and new materials business realized an operating profit of RMB 24.25 billion.

Marketing achieved remarkable results, with continuously improving value creation capability across the entire industry chain. Taking the marketing enhancement initiative as a key lever, the Company coordinated to optimize market layout and resource allocation, strengthened the integration of production and sales, vigorously expanded sales and reduced inventory, and ensured smooth operation of the industry chain. The Company continuously optimized marketing strategies, implemented personalized and differentiated marketing based on different regions and petroleum products, appropriately captured the timing of LNG spot procurement and gas storage injection-withdrawal operations, and implemented multiple measures to control natural gas procurement costs. Overseas market expansion and trading operations were actively pursued to enlarge the scale of oil and gas product trading and contribute to cost reduction and efficiency improvement across the industry chain. New energy services including vehicle LNG refueling, charging and battery swapping, and integrated energy solutions were also developed, with 1,525 integrated energy stations established, 450 LNG refueling stations put into operation, and 37,600 charging guns added. In 2025, the Company achieved sales volumes of 160.81 million tons of gasoline, kerosene and diesel, representing a year-on-year increase of 1.1%; and a total of 314.71 billion cubic meters of natural gas, up year-on-year by 7.0%, of which domestic natural gas sales reached 247.53 billion cubic meters, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.6% . The refined products marketing business achieved an operating profit of RMB 17.55 billion, while the natural gas marketing business achieved an operating profit of RMB 60.80 billion.

Technological innovation delivered abundant achievements, with core competitiveness steadily enhanced. Taking innovation as the primary development strategy, the Company continuously strengthened the scientific and technological innovation system, achieved a number of landmark results in energy and chemical technology innovation, and strongly supported the development of the businesses. Shendi Take-1 Well was successfully completed, setting multiple world records, while Shendi Chuanke-1 Well broke through the 10,000-meter threshold. 100,000 ton-level gas-phase POE complete technology was put into application, and a solution-polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber unit with proprietary technology was completed and brought into operation. The “Digital‑Intelligent Transformation” strategic initiative has been vigorously implemented to promote the deep integration of artificial intelligence with the energy and chemical industry, and significantly improved digital and intelligent industrialization across the entire industry chain, with production and operation efficiency and refined management capabilities continuously strengthened. In 2025, the Company recorded R&D expenditure of RMB 27.25 billion, accounting for 1.0% of revenue, with the proportion of capitalized R&D expenditure at 13.6%, and obtained 2,042 domestic patents. As of December 31, 2025, the Company held a total of 23,075 patents domestically and overseas.

2026 marks the beginning of “the 15th Five-Year Plan”. The Company will remain anchored on the goal of building itself into a world-class integrated energy and chemical company built to last, proactively adapt to the global energy transition and evolving market landscape, adhere to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, and vigorously implement its five major strategies: innovation, resources, market, internationalization, and green & low-carbon development. The Company will actively enhance market analysis and judgment, proactively respond to market changes, continuously optimize production and operations, strengthen cost and expense management, and constantly enhance the operational quality and efficiency of its oil and gas industry chains. By fully leveraging its competitive advantages, the Company will develop new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, accelerate the development of emerging industries including new energies and new materials, strive to enhance its capabilities in value creation, risk response and sustainable development, and continuously create greater value for shareholders and society.

Additional information on PetroChina is available at the Company’s website: http://www.petrochina.com.cn

Issued by PetroChina Company Limited

For further information, please contact:
PetroChina Company Limited

PR Agency (Overseas media):

Ever Bloom (HK) Communications Consultants

Fax: (852) 2111 1103

Group Limited

Tel: (852) 3468 8640

Yao Cheng

Email: petrochina.list@everbloom.com.cn

PR Agency (Domestic media):

EverBloom Investment Consulting Co., Ltd

Fax: (852) 8562 3181

Tianyu Hong

Tel: (852) 5166 3828

Email: zhongshiyou.list@everbloom.com.cn

Charting New Horizons in Fixed Income: DMI 2026 Annual Summit Successfully Convened in Hong Kong

HONG KONG, March 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CSCI Technology Co., Ltd. hosted the “DMI 2026 Annual Summit” at the Financial Convention Centre of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) on 26 March 2026, bringing together nearly 300 participants from government, financial institutions and across the industry. Held under the theme of “Riding the Wave of Global Expansion, Chinese-funded Fixed Income Embarks on a New Journey”, the summit delved into the RMB internationalization process amid the restructuring of the global financial landscape, as well as the global expansion of Chinese-funded institutions  leveraging Hong Kong’s role as an international financial center. The summit facilitated in-depth discussions on core topics including macro trends and policy perspectives, the overseas development paths of Chinese-funded institutions, and RMB asset innovation, offering forward-looking insights into the future of the Asia-Pacific fixed income market.

Riding the Wave of Global Expansion, Chinese-funded Fixed Income Embarks on a New Journey - DMI 2026 Annual Summit
Riding the Wave of Global Expansion, Chinese-funded Fixed Income Embarks on a New Journey – DMI 2026 Annual Summit

Deepening a Global Vision, Empowering RMB Internationalization

Against the backdrop of global “de-dollarization” and an evolving monetary landscape, RMB internationalization and the global expansion of Chinese-funded institutions are entering a new phase of coordinated development. By hosting the summit in Hong Kong, CSCI Technology highlighted the city’s role as a gateway between the Chinese mainland and global capital markets. Focusing on RMB internationalization and the overseas expansion of Chinese-funded institutions, the summit explored how policy, markets and technology can work together to support high-quality growth in the Chinese-funded fixed income market.

Government, Industry and Research Communities Share Insights on Fixed Income Opportunities

Hosted by Ms. Yun Wang, Director of the News and Intelligence Department of CSCI Technology, the summit opened with remarks by Mr. Chun-sing Lam, Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, and Mr. Long Wang, Chairman of the Greaterbay Financier Association (GFA). Mr. Lam noted that both the national Proposal for the 15th Five-Year Plan and the latest Budget Speech of the Hong Kong SAR Government send clear policy signals to support Hong Kong in strengthening its role as an international financial center. He added that Hong Kong will advance high-quality financial development through RMB internationalization, Greater Bay Area financial cooperation, financial technology, green finance and financial infrastructure.

Speaking from the perspectives of industry coordination and user demand, Mr. Long Wang said that as financial policies in Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Macao and other markets continue to improve, younger investors are placing greater emphasis on asset allocation, cross-border services and fund security. He said the industry should better align with both user demand and policy direction, refine product design and service support, and provide stronger backing for the overseas expansion of Chinese-funded institutions and the coordinated development of cross-border finance.

In the keynote session, Mr. Wenchao Fan, Head of Fixed Income and Currency Products Development at HKEX, delivered “Shaping a New Pattern for Hong Kong’s Bond Market”. He said Hong Kong, as a key capital market platform linking the Chinese mainland and the world, is continuing to strengthen its position in the debt capital market. As RMB internationalization advances, HKEX will keep enhancing bond products, market ecosystems and trading infrastructure across both the primary and secondary markets, attract more international issuers and investors, and further raise the global profile of Hong Kong’s bond market.

Ms. Yaman Cheng, Chief Macro Strategy Analyst at China Galaxy International Securities, shared her views on “China’s Resilience Amid Global Risk Resonance”. She said the global financial market is facing multiple overlapping risks, and that Chinese-funded institutions going global should place greater emphasis on risk management, compliance and cross-border asset allocation. She added that Chinese assets remain attractive thanks to industrial advantages, policy stability and diversified allocation value, while Hong Kong will continue to play a key role in RMB internationalization and cross-border financial cooperation.

The roundtable discussion was a highlight of the summit. Hosted by Mr. Jiajie Xu of CSCI Technology, the panel brought together Mr. Hao Zhou, Chief Economist at Guotai Junan International; Mr. Long Wang, Chairman of the Greaterbay Financier Association; Mr. Zhengben Chu , Asia Pacific Business Director at Muzinich & Co.; Ms. Qin Wu , Head of CSPI Credit Ratings; Mr. Zhongda Xin, Head of the Bond and Note Business Department at Finloop; and Mr. Junhao Yang, Chief Executive Officer at CCX Green Finance International. The speakers discussed “The Asia-Pacific Fixed Income Market Under Global Changes: Hong Kong’s Opportunities and the Overseas Expansion of Chinese-funded Institutions”.

Panelists agreed that geopolitical risks, inflation uncertainty and diverging rate cycles are reshaping global capital markets, making the value of fixed-income assets increasingly clear. They said Hong Kong’s role as a bridge between the mainland and global markets, together with its mature offshore RMB market and growing ecosystem in green finance, digital bonds and professional services, will continue to support Chinese-funded institutions in offshore financing, asset allocation and international expansion. With more Chinese-funded enterprises going global, continued growth in the offshore RMB bond market, and wider use of technologies such as AI and blockchain in issuance, trading, risk control and investment research, the Asia-Pacific fixed income market is entering a new phase of structural opportunity.

Empowering the Industry with Technology, Unfolding a New Chapter for Chinese-funded Fixed Income

The first half of the agenda concluded with the “DMI Product Outlook” session. Mr. Zhiyuan Xu, Managing Director of CSCI Technology, delivered a speech titled “DMI: Building an Intelligent Investment Research Platform for the Asian Fixed Income Market”, outlining DMI’s recent progress and future vision as an integrated information platform for the Asian fixed income market. Over the past year, DMI has advanced across multiple product lines: its book-building system now supports automated management of the full primary issuance process; its new-issue commentary feature, combined with AI-based quantitative models, offers pricing range forecasts; and its AI research report function helps investment professionals quickly extract key insights. Looking ahead, DMI will continue to provide one-stop services including real-time structured data, public opinion tracking and credit analysis, while embracing AI, supporting users in building intelligent applications, and expanding collaboration with the HKEX bond market and other partners.

Saluting Industry Benchmarks, Honoring Outstanding Professionals

The second half of the summit featured the award ceremony for the 2025 “DMI China Offshore Bond House Awards”. Mr. Zhongliang Wu, Co-Managing Director of CSCI Technology, delivered opening remarks. The summit then announced the winning institutions and invited their representatives on stage for the presentation ceremony. As one of the summit’s key segments, the awards recognize outstanding institutions in the China offshore bond market and highlight the industry’s strengths in product innovation, professional services and market expansion.

In 2025, CSCI Technology also introduced the 2025 “DMI China Offshore Bond Individual Awards”, which were presented at the summit for the first time. The awards honor professionals who have made sustained contributions to the industry through expertise, innovation and leadership. Following public voting and review by a professional jury, nearly 20 outstanding individuals were selected.

The summit concluded with a networking reception, where attendees continued discussions on the development of the Chinese-funded fixed income market, cross-border cooperation and market innovation.

The summit provided a high-level platform for dialogue and offered useful insights for Chinese-funded institutions navigating a new stage of global expansion. Looking ahead, CSCI Technology will continue to work with partners to deepen its presence in the Asian offshore bond OTC market, advance technology-enabled development and support the continued growth of the Asia-Pacific fixed income market.

New generation of international visitors follows in Edgar Snow’s footsteps

ZHENGZHOU, China, March 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — More than six decades after the United States journalist Edgar Snow returned to China to document a nation in transformation, a new generation of foreign visitors is walking in his footsteps — and reaching the same conclusion he did: understanding China requires seeing it with one’s own eyes.

That consensus ran through Saturday’s thematic forum titled “Telling Story Well: From Empathetic Communication to Cultural Identity”, held in Zhengzhou, Henan province, as part of the 2026 China Internet Media Forum. The forum is hosted by the Bureau of Cyber Communications, the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, and organized by China Daily Website.

More than 200 participants from home and abroad — content creators, scholars, business figures, and descendants of Snow himself — gathered to share stories of personal immersion in Chinese culture, each echoing the belief that authentic connection cannot be achieved through headlines or abstract narratives alone.

Snow, whose 1937 book Red Star Over China introduced generations of Western readers to the Chinese revolution, later traveled to Henan province in 1960, capturing a “newly born” People’s Republic of China in his writings.

His journey formed the historical anchor for this week’s gathering, which featured a field tour retracing his path through Zhengzhou and Luoyang.

“From the Snow’s era to today, this conviction has never changed: when more people see with their own eyes, understanding happens,” Adam Foster, grandnephew of Helen Foster Snow — Edgar’s wife and a celebrated journalist in her own right — and founding chairman of the Helen Foster Snow Foundation, said.

Foster, who participated in the Henan tour, described his experience as “almost a personal journey”.

“I want to understand the journey that he went on to understand the Chinese people,” he said, adding that he was struck by the region’s “earth-shaking” changes since Snow’s time.

That theme of firsthand discovery echoed across five thematic sessions — “China Bound”, “Shopping in China”, “Study in China”, “Becoming Chinese”, and “Opportunity China” — where speakers from a mix of countries shared their individual paths of immersion.

Anayat Ali, a doctoral candidate at Tongji University from India and a travel blogger, contrasted his early struggles navigating China with his current appreciation for its infrastructure and everyday life. “The best way to understand China is not through the headlines or textbooks, but with your own eyes, your own feet and an open heart,” he told the audience.

The “Shopping in China” session highlighted the commercial dimension of cultural exchange.

He Lihong, president of the Yiwu Brands Association, traced her path from a street vendor in Yiwu, Zhejiang province – dubbed the world’s capital of small commodities – to leading a collective push for Chinese products to gain global recognition. “The city cannot forever be a silent world factory,” she said. “We must become a globally recognized brand.”

In the “Study in China” session, Joel Mikael Walker, a German practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine who has spent a decade in Henan, reflected on how language and culture became inseparable.

“When we understand each other’s lives, the differences become smaller,” he said, speaking in the Henan dialect. “Health is a common pursuit for all humanity — that makes TCM an international language.”

The “Becoming Chinese” session tapped into a broader cultural wave: over recent months, the #BecomingChinese has surged across social media, with international users documenting their immersion in everything from traditional medicine to daily routines.

For Lucas Deckers, a Belgian influencer, the movement is not about losing one’s origins but finding resonance.

He traced his connection with China to his grandfather’s visit in 1981, 17 years before he was born. His grandfather, who traveled to China at a time when the country looked very different, returned with stories that planted a seed of curiosity. That seed eventually drew Deckers to China, where he now lives in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, documenting his journey from learning Mandarin to embracing the country’s diverse ethnic cultures.

“For me, becoming Chinese is not about crossing cultural differences — it is about finding psychological resonance, a sense of belonging,” he said.

A panel discussion, “Opportunity China,” brought together global affairs expert David Gosset, Deputy Director of the Center for China and Globalization Victor Gao, and Special Representative on China of the Prime Minister of Pakistan Zafar Uddin Mahmood.

Mahmood, who first came to China in 1976, urged content creators to look beyond viral appeal and convey the deeper story of China’s development. “Historical sites, food, shopping — all are important,” he said. “But in today’s complex international environment, we must also introduce the new China. Where do these opportunities come from? Today, in my country, 30 percent of people use solar panels — because China produces vast quantities at affordable prices. The same is true for electric vehicles. I hope influencers will not focus solely on traffic, but also share these key aspects of China with the world.”

“Becoming Chinese is not only a fashion — it is a trend, it is a megatrend,” Gao said, noting that after years of what he described as vilification of China abroad, “it is time for the world to know China as it is.”

Gosset, a French sinologist, cautioned against reducing cross-cultural exchange to surface-level trends, calling on youth to strive to become citizens of the world and appreciate “the differences while finding common ground”.

The forum closed with the launch of several projects aimed at enhancing the experience of international visitors and residents in China, part of broader efforts to facilitate cultural exchange.

CELEBRITY STYLIST AND CULTURAL TASTEMAKER SCOT LOUIE CURATES TREND COLLECTION FOR SHEIN

A Curated Edit for Spring/Summer ’26 Explores Seven Style-Defining Trends

LOS ANGELES, March 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SHEIN, the global online fashion and lifestyle retailer, is teaming up with cultural tastemaker and celebrity stylist Scot Louie to bring the season’s most exciting spring trends: Mermaidcore, Quiet Luxe, Elevated Athleisure, Boho Chic, Y3K, Preppy Rebel and Poetcore. Known for shaping how the modern generation approaches personal style across fashion, beauty, and digital culture, Louie brings a distinct, perspective-driven approach to the collaboration.

The result is a versatile edit that merges SHEIN’s on-trend accessibility with Scot Louie’s ability to decode emerging movements and translate them into expressive, wearable style. The collection edit spans seven key style trends:

Mermaidcore: Shimmer season has arrived. Iridescent fabrics, fluid draping, and pearlescent finishes bring an ethereal glow to spring dressing. 

Quiet Luxe: Understated never looked so good. Tailored shapes, neutral palettes, and polished essentials that let impeccable style do the talking.

Elevated Athleisure: Comfort, but make it fashion. Sleek sets and versatile pieces that move effortlessly from off-duty mornings to on-the-go afternoons. 

Boho Chic: Free-spirited with a modern twist. Flowing silhouettes and intricate details channel wanderlust energy that never goes out of style.

Y3K: The future is now, and it’s dressed to impress. Metallic finishes, sculpted silhouettes, and statement-making details push fashion into a new millennium.

Preppy Rebel: Classic goes bold. Structured blazers, crisp shirts, and unexpected proportions flip collegiate style on its head.

Poetcore: Romance, reimagined. Billowing sleeves, delicate ruffles, and vintage-inspired silhouettes embrace an era of deep expression.

“For me, style is about how you express who you are without saying a word,” says Scot Louie. “My SHEIN collection is rooted in that idea. Whether you lean romantic, minimal, or bold, I wanted to create a range that lets people explore different sides of themselves. Spring is always a reset moment, and this is about giving people the tools to show up how they want to be seen.”

Extending beyond the collection, Louie brings his perspective directly to his audience through an exclusive virtual styling series with SHEIN where he breaks down the inspiration behind each trend, shares his approach to building a look, and offers insight into how personal style evolves in real time. Fans of Scot Louie can find his styling series across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

The SHEIN x Scot Louie collection is available now at SHEIN.com. Search “LOUIE20” on SHEIN.com to shop your favorite from the collection. Fans are invited to share their favorite styled looks on social media by tagging @shein_us and using the hashtag #SHEINxScotLouie.

About SHEIN
SHEIN is a global online fashion and lifestyle retailer offering SHEIN-branded apparel and products from a global network of vendors, all at affordable prices. Headquartered in Singapore, SHEIN is committed to making the beauty of fashion accessible to all, promoting its industry-leading, on-demand production methodology for a smarter, future-ready industry. To learn more about SHEIN, visit www.sheingroup.com.

The “Artificial Intelligence + Industry” Forum 2026: AI Facilitates Industrial Transformation

BEIJING, March 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The “Artificial Intelligence + Industry” Forum, a parallel session of the 2026 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference, was held in Beijing on March 27, focusing on large-scale commercial application of AI, fostering new business models and formats native to AI, deepening the development and utilization of data resources, and improving AI governance.

The forum was hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology, and organized by Science and Technology Daily (S&T Daily) and the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China.

Wu Jing, president of S&T Daily, said the forum was a concrete measure to carry out the national strategic deployment to accelerate the development of next-generation AI.

Experts and entrepreneurs shared their thoughts on how AI is shaping the industrial development.

It is widely acknowledged in the sector that AI will empower the automated system of manufacturing in an all-round way, said Yu Haibin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a researcher at the Institute of AI for Industries, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in his keynote speech.

Yu said in complex, uncertain and dynamically changing environments, the new generation systems can autonomously perceive, make decisions and execute without human intervention. With the integration of large models and embodied AI, cyber-physical systems will possess an exceptional ability to adapt to specific objectives, heralding the advent of “super-automated factories.”

Such reshaping of productive forces is not only demonstrated in the underlying logic of technologies, but also in the upgrade of industrial application paradigms.

Yin Dawei, vice president of Baidu AI Cloud, said, China’s AI industry is entering a new stage of large-scale development, with the shift from large models to intelligent agents emerging as the most prominent technological trend.

Baidu AI Cloud leverages its full-stack capabilities—spanning chips, cloud, models and agents—to support the evolution of intelligent agents from conversational bots to professional assistants with complex reasoning capabilities.

Yin said the maturation of this “intelligent agent infrastructure” will enable developers to rapidly build multimodal applications in scenarios such as transportation and industry, closing the loop from model services to enterprise-level services.

Liu Xin, director of Transport Planning and Research Institute, Ministry of Transport, said embodied AI is driving the evolution of transportation vehicles into autonomous agents. In the construction of smart roads and waterways, it is transforming systems from passive response into active prevention.

A platform for matching application scenarios and technology supply nationwide developed by S&T Daily was launched at the forum. It will serve as a bridge connecting scenario providers—such as governments, enterprises and industrial parks—with technology suppliers, including tech companies and research institutions.

It will reduce the costs associated with matching scenario demand and supply, enhance the efficiency of scenario development, and accelerate the practical application of technological achievements.

The platform will also provide specialized services for matching application scenarios in the “AI+Industry” sector.