Centre to focus on practical skills and real-world problem solving

BANGKOK, April 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in China and Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group) in Thailand have today unveiled the XJTLU Syntegrative Education Centre (Thailand). Based in Bangkok, the centre will bring XJTLU’s educational innovation to Thailand through its Syntegrative Education model delivered via flexible, short-cycle micro-credential programmes for talent development. The centre will also undertake research and development projects in close collaboration with CP Group.

The centre brings together the expertise of XJTLU, the largest Sino-foreign cooperative university in China, and CP Group, one of the world’s largest and most diversified business groups.

Students will benefit not only from XJTLU’s innovative educational model, but also from real-world industry practices and challenges drawn from CP Group, creating a dynamic bridge between learning and application.

The inauguration event featured speeches from Professor Xiaojun Zhang, Chief Office of Education at XJTLU, and Dr Teerapon Tanomsakyut, Chief of Sustainability and Strategic Development Officer at CP Group.

In his opening remarks, Professor Zhang spoke on the cooperation that XJTLU and CP Group have fostered for several years. “Now, our students are working on real-world projects from CP Group as part of their module learning, and there are XJTLU graduates on the CP team.”

Dr Tanomsakyut spoke on the boost this collaboration will give to the creation of an education system more responsive to real-world needs through the combination of business and academic expertise.

After the unveiling of the centre and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, Professor Youmin Xi, Executive President of XJTLU, gave a special interview on the exploration of future education.

Professor Xi says: “This initiative reflects our commitment to rethinking education for the future – building open, connected learning and innovative social ecosystems that empower individuals and organisations to navigate complexity, unlock potential, and co-create value in a rapidly changing world.”

The centre will provide short courses and other training using a hybrid teaching model that combines in-person, studio-based learning with online, project-driven experiences.

Aimed at lifelong learners, the centre features flexible delivery, including evening, weekend, and school break sessions, allowing both students and working professionals to learn without disrupting their studies and careers.

SEOUL, South Korea, April 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The 2026 Asia Design Prize ceremony took place recently in Seoul, South Korea. MINISO took home three awards for its original designs, standing out among more than 1,500 submissions from 31 countries and regions. Flip Mirror earned a Gold Winner award, while Lumion Brush and Light Forest received Winner recognition, pointing to MINISO’s growing in-house design and R&D capabilities.

Asia Design Prize is one of Asia’s most influential international design awards. Renowned for its rigorous, impartial jury process and global perspective, the competition spotlights work that reflects where design is heading and helps bring those ideas and practice to a wider audience. It has become a visible platform connecting Asian design talent with the international stage.

These three winning products each address distinct everyday scenarios, combining sharp user-centric insight with structural innovation to make daily routines more intuitive.

Flip Mirror, the Gold Winner, is a hidden-storage compact mirror. With a flip mechanism, it tucks small items behind the mirror, blending storage and use in a way that feels seamless—even on a crowded desk. MINISO Seoul Design Center noted, “We wanted to turn everyday desktop organization into something simple, intuitive, and meaningful. Flip Mirror doesn’t just keep your space tidy—it turns the act of flipping into a small, satisfying ritual.”

Light Forest, an ambient mood light, draws inspiration from the silhouette of a forest. Its soft silicone shade conceals a squeeze sensor—users turn the light on and off with a gentle pinch, replacing traditional controls with a more tactile and playful interaction.

Lumion Brush, a portable scalp massager, focuses on personal care. It combines gentle vibration with ionic care, while its ergonomic, lightweight design makes it easy to use anywhere—at home or on the go—turning daily scalp care into something more efficient and effortless.

In recent years, MINISO has stepped up its focus on creative design as it expands globally. The company was an early advocate of “interest-driven consumption,” and continues to push product innovation through a dual-engine approach— top-tier licensed IP collaborations and proprietary IP development—empowered by its design and technology capabilities. MINISO is advancing the development of four design centers in China, South Korea, Japan, and the United States, helping to build a global design network that continues to strengthen its original R&D capabilities. Winning multiple honor at Asia Design Prize further validates MINISO’s sustained investment in its original design system. Looking ahead, MINISO will keep design at its core, bringing consumers products that are both inventive and genuinely useful.

Annual honors recognize leading brands, products and innovation achievements across passenger, commercial, EV and specialty tire segments

TIANJIN, China, April 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A report from tirechina.

The ApexTire2025 China Tire Awards were officially released in Tianjin on March 17, 2026, marking a major annual recognition event for China’s tire industry. Organized around categories including Top 10 Tire Brands, corporate distinctions, product awards and technology innovation honors, this year’s program highlighted the sector’s latest progress in brand building, product upgrading, technological innovation, application-based segmentation and green development.

Founded and organized by Tirechina.net, ApexTire has become one of China’s notable annual award programs for the tire sector. Beyond recognizing award-winning brands and products, the 2025 edition also offers a view into how competition in China’s tire market is evolving. Categories spanning new energy vehicle tires, high-performance tires, safety and handling, quiet comfort, off-road applications, fuel efficiency, digital-intelligence innovation and ESG management suggest a broader shift in industry priorities — from isolated performance claims toward a stronger emphasis on application fit, overall user experience, technical capability and long-term value.

According to information released by Tirechina.net, the official Top 10 Tire Brands of ApexTire2025 are Michelin, Continental, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Pirelli, Hankook, Yokohama, Dunlop, Sailun and Linglong. Eagle Tire and Doublestar were also recognized as Leading Domestic Tire Brands, highlighting the continued presence of Chinese brands in the annual awards landscape.

In product-specific categories, ApexTire2025 covered a broad range of key segments across new energy, high performance, comfort, off-road, racing and commercial transportation. Winners included Hankook iON evo High-Performance EV Tire for Annual New Energy Passenger Vehicle Tire, Guizhou Tire Green Motion GL278a for Annual New Energy Commercial Vehicle Tire, Maxxis VICTRA SPORT 6 for Annual Sport Flagship Tire, Continental UltraContact UX7 and Dunlop BLUE RESPONSE TG for Annual Safety and Handling Tire, Mount Everest Tire “Pivot Series” STATICS S1 for Annual Quiet Comfort Tire, Eagle TA01 for Annual Off-Road Tire, Pirelli P ZERO™ Corsa for Annual Racing Tire, and Michelin PRIMACY SUV+ for Annual High-Performance SUV Tire.

In two key high-frequency application segments spanning passenger and commercial vehicles, CST MR-C5 received the award for Annual Best Value Passenger Vehicle Tire, while CST CA186 received the award for Annual Fuel-Efficient Commercial Vehicle Tire. Double Coin Golden Label DC211+ was recognized as Annual Safe and Wear-Resistant Commercial Vehicle Tire.

In technology and corporate categories, Guizhou Tire’s “Kunuo Zhixing” technology platform won the Annual Tire Technology Innovation Gold Award, Linglong received the Tire Industry Digital and Intelligent Innovation Gold Award, and Michelin China and Triangle Tire were named ESG Management Benchmark Enterprises.

Taken together, the 2025 results point to a visible change in how value is being assessed across the tire sector. Market recognition is increasingly shaped not only by single-point performance metrics, but also by how well products match real-world use cases, deliver balanced performance and create sustained value over time. The structure of this year’s awards reflects a broader move toward multi-dimensional competition, as brands continue to refine product portfolios, strengthen technical positioning and respond to more differentiated market demand.

As demand becomes more specialized across passenger vehicles, commercial transport, EV applications and performance-oriented segments, annual award programs such as ApexTire also serve as a reference point for brands, channel partners, end users and market observers seeking to better understand where the sector is heading. From safety and handling to quiet comfort, fuel efficiency, wear resistance and off-road capability, the 2025 award list reflects how China’s tire industry is redefining competitiveness in a new cycle of market development.

Award Highlights

Top 10 Tire Brands
Michelin, Continental, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Pirelli, Hankook, Yokohama, Dunlop, Sailun and Linglong.

Leading Domestic Tire Brands
Eagle Tire, Doublestar.

Selected Product Awards
Hankook iON evo High-Performance EV Tire — Annual New Energy Passenger Vehicle Tire
Guizhou Tire Green Motion GL278a — Annual New Energy Commercial Vehicle Tire
Maxxis VICTRA SPORT 6 — Annual Sport Flagship Tire
Continental UltraContact UX7; Dunlop BLUE RESPONSE TG — Annual Safety and Handling Tire
Mount Everest Tire “Pivot Series” STATICS S1 — Annual Quiet Comfort Tire
Eagle TA01 — Annual Off-Road Tire
Pirelli P ZERO™ Corsa — Annual Racing Tire
Michelin PRIMACY SUV+ — Annual High-Performance SUV Tire
CST MR-C5 — Annual Best Value Passenger Vehicle Tire
CST CA186 — Annual Fuel-Efficient Commercial Vehicle Tire
Double Coin Golden Label DC211+ — Annual Safe and Wear-Resistant Commercial Vehicle Tire

Technology and ESG Awards
Guizhou Tire “Kunuo Zhixing” Technology Platform — Annual Tire Technology Innovation Gold Award
Linglong — Tire Industry Digital and Intelligent Innovation Gold Award
Michelin China; Triangle Tire — ESG Management Benchmark Enterprises

About ApexTire

Initiated and organized by Tirechina.net in 2020, the ApexTire China Tire Awards are an annual industry awards program focused on recognizing representative achievements in brand development, product innovation, technological advancement and market performance across China’s tire sector. Guided by the mission of setting industry benchmarks and inspiring future development, the program evaluates Chinese and international tire brands across five key dimensions: innovation-driven growth, industrial collaboration, user experience, value leadership and green development. The evaluation process combines expert judging, user voting, market research and media observation. Today, ApexTire serves not only as an annual industry honor, but also as a reference point for observing market trends, assessing overall brand strength and informing consumer choice in China’s tire industry.

BEIJING, April 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On March 30, 2026, iQIYI, China’s leading online entertainment platform, launched Nadou Pro — the country’s first AI agent built specifically for professional film and TV production. Now in pre-commercial release, the agent marks iQIYI’s latest move to integrate AI across the entertainment production pipeline.

Nadou Pro combines leading foundation models with iQIYI’s production expertise, supporting end-to-end workflows from script development and storyboarding to final output. One of its standout features is “blockbuster prompts”, which translate abstract creative concepts into production-ready cinematic direction.

Wenfeng LIU, senior vice president of iQIYI, said: “Nadou Pro is built specifically for AI creators and filmmakers, integrating creation, production, and distribution into one seamless, intelligent workflow. Our goal is simple: to make AI the most powerful creative engine in professional filmmaking—where imagination is the only limit.”

Solving Long-Form AI Content’s Quality Gap
While AI can readily produce short-form videos within 30 seconds, creating long-form narratives at professional drama and film quality remains an industry challenge. Nadou Pro addresses this by combining vast content assets with proprietary algorithms that embed professional cinematic production methods into every workflow stage. Creators use natural language to access extensive resources for character design, shot composition, and narrative development, producing AI-generated stories that approach live-action quality.

Nadou Pro also streamlines production by integrating multiple AI models into one platform. Combining iQIYI’s proprietary QiZhi multimodal large models with third-party AI models -including SeeDance, Kling, Vidu, Hailuo, and WAN – it supports text, image, video, and audio generation without switching between platforms. Specialized agents for screenwriting, art direction, storyboarding, and visual effects reflect the structured workflows of traditional content production.

Early Validation from Filmmakers
Since internal testing began in late 2025, Nadou Pro has supported iQIYI’s teams and partners across film, drama, and animation projects. For example, “Peter Pau × iQIYI AI Theater,” an initiative co-launched with Academy Award-winning cinematographer Mr. Peter Pau, gave directors early access to the platform. All 16 upcoming works were created using Nadou Pro, spanning science fiction, fantasy, historical drama, and contemporary genres.

Filmmakers have validated the platform’s commercial production capabilities. Fangzhao ZHUANG, director of “Celestial Quest,” which premiered on iQIYI’s Chinese mainland platform and iQIYI International on March 31, credited Nadou Pro’s character design, scene creation, and storyboard tools for achieving the film’s apocalyptic mecha aesthetic.

iQIYI continues developing its AI-generated content ecosystem through initiatives including the 2025 Global Short Film Creation Competition, “Peter Pau × iQIYI AI Theater,” and the “Nadou AIGC Venture Conference.” The launch of Nadou Pro reinforces iQIYI’s position in AI-driven content production as the entertainment industry undergoes technological transformation.

Contact: iQIYI Press, press@qiyi.com

NEW YORK, March 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In observance of Earth Hour 2026, VARON, a leading innovator in oxygen therapy solutions, reaffirms its commitment to advancing both respiratory health and environmental sustainability. As millions around the globe switch off their lights for one hour to raise awareness of climate change and nature loss, VARON highlights how everyday healthcare choices—such as using an oxygen concentrator machine—can contribute to a greener planet.

Organized annually by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Earth Hour has evolved into a global movement that goes beyond the symbolic lights-off moment. It inspires individuals, businesses, and communities to take meaningful, long-term action for the environment. In 2026, the initiative continues to emphasize collective responsibility in addressing the climate crisis and protecting natural ecosystems.

“Earth Hour is more than a moment—it’s a movement,” said VARON CEO. “At VARON, we believe that supporting respiratory health and protecting the environment should go hand in hand. Our mission is to provide sustainable oxygen solutions that benefit both people and the planet.”

Sustainable Innovation in Oxygen Therapy

Traditional oxygen delivery systems, such as bulky oxygen tanks, require continuous refilling and transportation—resulting in significant carbon emissions. In contrast, VARON’s oxygen concentrator machine technology generates purified oxygen directly from ambient air, eliminating the need for refills and reducing environmental impact.

From the Stationary Oxygen Concentrator designed for home use to the portable oxygen concentrator built for mobility, VARON’s product lineup reflects a commitment to eco-conscious innovation. These devices not only enhance patient independence but also align with global sustainability goals.

Energy Efficiency at the Core

VARON integrates energy-saving features across its product range. The VP Series portable oxygen concentrator models, especially the latest VP-8G, utilize advanced pulse oxygen delivery systems that adapt to a user’s breathing pattern. This smart functionality can reduce power consumption by up to 30% compared to traditional continuous-flow systems.

Similarly, VARON’s Stationary Oxygen Concentrator units, such as the VH-3, include intelligent display technology that dims or turns off during operation, conserving energy and minimizing light pollution—an often-overlooked environmental concern.

Built to Last, Designed to Reduce Waste

Durability is a cornerstone of VARON’s sustainability strategy. Each oxygen concentrator machine is engineered with high-quality materials to ensure longevity, reducing the frequency of repairs and replacements. This approach helps minimize electronic waste and lowers the overall environmental footprint associated with device disposal.

Reducing Waste Through Recertification

As part of its sustainability efforts, VARON has introduced a comprehensive recertification program designed to extend the lifecycle of its oxygen concentrators. Each unit undergoes rigorous inspection, testing, and quality assurance to ensure reliable performance, helping reduce electronic waste while promoting more efficient use of resources.

A Greener Supply Chain

VARON’s environmental responsibility extends beyond product design. The company implements eco-friendly practices throughout its supply chain, including recyclable packaging, energy-efficient manufacturing processes, and optimized global logistics. By integrating sustainability at every stage, VARON ensures that each Stationary Oxygen Concentrator and portable oxygen concentrator supports a cleaner, healthier future.

A Message from Leadership

“Our responsibility goes beyond our customers’ lungs—it’s about the air we all breathe,” said the CEO of VARON. “We are proud to lead the way in sustainable respiratory care, especially during global initiatives like Earth Hour that remind us of our shared duty to protect the planet.

Turning One Hour into Lasting Impact

Earth Hour serves as a powerful reminder that small actions can lead to significant change. VARON encourages individuals and organizations to go beyond the hour by adopting sustainable practices in daily life—including choosing energy-efficient healthcare solutions like an oxygen concentrator machine.

By aligning innovation with environmental stewardship, VARON continues to empower users with reliable, eco-friendly oxygen therapy options—proving that better health and a healthier Earth can go hand in hand.

About VARON

VARON is a trusted provider of advanced oxygen therapy solutions, specializing in the development of Stationary Oxygen Concentrator and portable oxygen concentrator systems. Guided by core values of innovation, quality, affordability, and environmental responsibility, VARON is dedicated to improving lives through sustainable healthcare technology.

Media Contact:
VARON Oxygen Concentrator
Email: support@varoninc.com
Website:  https://varoninc.com/