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Pinegrove Credit Partners and Temasek Announce Strategic Partnership to Support Innovation Through Venture Debt

SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pinegrove Credit Partners, backed by Brookfield and HRTG Partners, and Temasek announced a strategic partnership focused on venture debt. The partnership will focus on supporting venture debt financing for growth-stage companies in the innovation economy.

The partnership brings together Temasek and Pinegrove to extend flexible, minimally dilutive financing solutions to growth-stage technology and life sciences companies. Pinegrove Credit Partners is the venture debt and private credit business of Pinegrove.

Temasek’s partnership with Pinegrove reflects a joint view that venture debt plays a growing role in funding the next wave of innovation. As capital markets evolve and equity financing becomes increasingly selective, venture debt is playing a more important role in supporting high-quality companies seeking scale while preserving ownership and balance sheet flexibility.

Pinegrove Credit Partners provides secured loans to venture capital-backed companies, with a focus on businesses operating at the forefront of innovation, including AI and compute infrastructure, defense, space, energy, and robotics technologies, as well as enterprise software, healthcare, and life sciences.

Pinegrove maintains a long-standing relationship with Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a division of First Citizens Bank, one of the most established institutions in venture banking. Pinegrove has worked alongside SVB’s venture lending platform since 2012 and in December 2024, the parties formalized a strategic lending relationship.

Across multiple venture and credit cycles, Pinegrove Credit Partners’ funds have deployed over $4.5 billion across approximately 580 loans to more than 450 growth-stage companies since inception in 2012. Since March 2025, existing fund vehicles have closed or signed term sheets on 37 loans totaling approximately $700 million in commitments.

“Pinegrove’s platform is built on deep connectivity across the innovation ecosystem, including long-standing relationships with banking partners, sponsors, and company leadership teams,” said Jim Ellison, Managing Partner and Head of Pinegrove Credit Partners. “This positioning drives differentiated origination and allows us to deploy capital with a high degree of selectivity.”

About Pinegrove Credit Partners
Pinegrove Credit Partners is the venture debt and private credit business of Pinegrove Venture Partners (“Pinegrove”). Backed by Brookfield and HRTG Partners, and with over $12 billion of assets under management, Pinegrove operates as a diversified venture investment platform operating across the innovation economy, that includes: venture debt (Pinegrove Credit Partners), fund primaries and co-investments (Pinegrove Strategic Partners), and venture secondaries (Pinegrove Opportunity Partners). For more information on Pinegrove Credit Partners, please email info@pinegrove.vc

About Temasek
Temasek is a global investment company headquartered in Singapore, with a net portfolio value of S$434 billion (US$324b) as at 31 March 2025. Its Purpose “So Every Generation Prospers” guides it to make a difference for today’s and future generations. Temasek seeks to build a resilient and forward-looking portfolio that will deliver sustainable returns over the long term. It has 13 offices in 9 countries around the world: Beijing, Hanoi, Mumbai, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Singapore in Asia; and Brussels, London, Mexico City, New York, Paris, San Francisco, and Washington, DC outside Asia. For more information on Temasek, please visit www.temasek.com.sg

Tuya Inc. to Hold Annual General Meeting on June 18, 2026

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tuya Inc. (“Tuya” or the “Company”) (NYSE: TUYA; HKEX: 2391), a global leading AI cloud platform service provider, today announced that it will hold an annual general meeting of the Company’s shareholders (the “AGM”) at 2:00 p.m. (Hong Kong time) on Thursday, June 18, 2026 at Huace Center, Building A, 3/F VVIP room, Xihu District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, 310012, China, for the purposes of considering and, if thought fit, passing each of the Proposed Resolutions as defined and set forth in the notice of the AGM (the “AGM Notice”). The AGM Notice and the form of proxy for the AGM are available on the Company’s website at ir.tuya.com. The board of directors of the Company fully supports the Proposed Resolutions and recommends that shareholders and holders of American depositary shares (“ADSs”) vote in favor of the Proposed Resolutions.

Holders of record of the Company’s ordinary shares as of the close of business on May 22, 2026 (Hong Kong time) are entitled to receive notice of, and to attend and vote at, the AGM or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Holders of record of ADSs as of the close of business on May 22, 2026 (New York time) who wish to exercise their voting rights for the ADSs underlying Class A ordinary shares must give voting instructions directly to The Bank of New York Mellon, the depositary of the ADSs, if ADSs are held directly by holders on the books and records of The Bank of New York Mellon or indirectly through a bank, brokerage or other securities intermediary if the ADSs are held by any of them on behalf of holders.

The Company has filed its annual report on Form 20-F, including its audited financial statements, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Company’s annual report on Form 20-F can be accessed on the Company’s website at ir.tuya.com and on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

About Tuya Inc.

Tuya Inc. (NYSE: TUYA; HKEX: 2391) is a global leading AI cloud platform service provider with a mission to build an AI developer ecosystem and enable everything to be smart. Tuya has pioneered a purpose-built AI cloud platform with cloud and generative AI capabilities that delivers a full suite of offerings, including Platform-as-a-Service, or PaaS, AI application & others and Smart home & robot products for developers of smart device, commercial applications, and industries. Through its AI developer platform, Tuya has activated a vibrant global developer community of brands, OEMs, AI agents, system integrators and independent software vendors to collectively strive for smart solutions ecosystem embodying the principles of green and low-carbon, security, high efficiency, agility, and openness.

Investor Relations Contact

Tuya Inc.
Investor Relations
Email: ir@tuya.com

HL Strategy
Haiyan LI-LABBE
Email: hl@hl-strategy.com

Piacente Financial Communications
China Tel: +86-10-6508-0677
U.S. Tel: +1-212-481-2050
Email: tuya@thepiacentegroup.com

MDJM Ltd. (OTC: UOKAF) Enters into Share Purchase Agreement to Acquire Controlling Stake in Japan-Based Mirai Co., Ltd.

LETHAM, Scotland, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MDJM Ltd. (OTC: UOKAF) (the “Company”), an integrated global culture-driven asset management company, today announced that, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, MANSIONS CATERING AND HOTEL LTD, it has entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire a 75% equity interest in Mirai Co., Ltd. (株式会社みらい) (“Mirai”), a Japan-based company.

The closing of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and other conditions set forth in the share purchase agreement. If completed, the acquisition is expected to mark a significant strategic step in the Company’s efforts to build global animation intellectual property commercialization and distribution capabilities.

The transaction is being implemented through a coordinated acquisition structure, with support from Broad Investment Securities LLC, and is structured through a series of agreements, including equity transfer arrangements and post-closing management frameworks.

Strategic Expansion into Global IP Commercialization

If completed, the acquisition is expected to support the Company’s strategic transition from content development toward the establishment of a full-stack IP commercialization capability, aimed at strengthening downstream commercialization and distribution channels.

Expanding Global Market Access Through Japan

Japan remains one of the most mature markets globally for animation, IP merchandising, and cultural product commercialization. By anchoring its commercial capabilities in Japan, the Company expects to enhance its ability to:

  • Integrate into a developed animation and commercial ecosystem;
  • Expand IP-driven product offerings across Asia, Europe, and North America; and
  • Establish long-term relationships with international distribution channels and platforms.

This is expected to enhance the Company’s ability to extend IP value from content creation into sustainable commercial revenue streams.

Financial Consolidation and Revenue Scale Enhancement

Upon completion of the transaction, the Company expects to consolidate Mirai into its financial statements.

Based on historical financial information provided by Mirai, which has not been audited, Mirai has represented an annualized revenue scale of approximately US$30 million, reflecting an established and ongoing operating business.

Such information is derived from historical data currently available to the Company and does not constitute a guarantee or projection of Mirai’s future financial performance, nor should it be interpreted as a forward-looking statement. The relevant financial information will be subject to audit and confirmation in accordance with applicable accounting standards following completion of the transaction.

About Mirai Co., Ltd.

Mirai is a Japan-based supply chain company primarily engaged in the supply of consumer electronics and cosmeceutical products to corporate distributors. Mirai operates through established distribution networks and provides capabilities supporting product commercialization and market expansion.

About MDJM LTD

MDJM LTD is a global culture-driven asset management company focused on transforming historical properties into cultural hubs that integrate modern digital technology with rich historical value. The Company has been expanding its operations in the UK, where it is developing projects such as Fernie Castle in Scotland and the Robin Hill Property in England. These properties are being remodeled into multi-functional cultural venues that will feature fine dining, hospitality services, art exhibitions, and cultural exchange events. Fernie Castle is undergoing comprehensive architectural and landscape renovation planning in design collaboration with renowned architectural firm Kengo Kuma and Associates. As part of its broader strategy, MDJM seeks to position itself as a hub for artisan exchanges, art shows, and sales, leveraging its historical properties as platforms for promoting Eastern and Western cultural exchanges. This initiative reflects the Company’s commitment to furthering its global market expansion and enhancing its cultural business footprint. For more information regarding the Company, please visit https://www.ir-uoka.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F and its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investor Contact:

Sherry Zheng
WAVECREST GROUP INC.
Phone: +1 718-213-7386
Email: sherry@wavecrestipo.com

ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc. Announces Share Combination

BEIJING, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: RETO) (“ReTo” or the “Company“) today announced that its board of directors approved a combination of its Class A shares, no par value (the “Class A Shares“), on a four-to-one basis (the “Share Combination“). The Class A Shares will begin trading on a post combination basis on May 18, 2026.

As a result of the Share Combination, each four (4) pre-combination Class A Shares will be automatically combined into one (1) Class A Share without any action on the part of the holders, with the number of issued and outstanding Class A Shares reduced from 13,079,201 to approximately 3,269,801. There will be no change to the par value of the Class A Shares, which will remain no par value following the Share Combination. The Class A Shares will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq“) under the symbol “RETO” under a new CUSIP number – G75271406. The Share Combination is intended to increase the market price per share of the Class A Shares to allow the Company to maintain its Nasdaq listing.

No fractional shares will be issued as a result of the Share Combination. Shareholders who otherwise would be entitled to a fractional share because they hold a number of Class A Shares not evenly divisible by four will automatically be entitled to receive an additional share of the Class A Shares.

The Share Combination will not be submitted to a vote of the Company’s shareholders as shareholder approval is not required under the laws of the British Virgin Islands.

The Company’s transfer agent, VStock Transfer, LLC, will act as the exchange agent. Adjustments made to Class A shares represented by physical stock certificates can be made upon surrender of the certificate to the transfer agent. Please contact VStock Transfer, LLC for further information at (212) 828-8436.

About ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc.

Founded in 1999, ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc., through its operating subsidiaries in China, is primarily engaged in the research and development, and sales of ecological environment protection equipment, intelligent mining equipment and smart craft beer machines. The Company provides consultation, design, implementation and installation of its equipment and related parts, as well as engineering support and technical advice and services. For more information, please visit: http://en.retoeco.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. The Company’s actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and uncertainties. The reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission discuss these and other important factors and risks that may affect the Company’s business, results of operations and financial conditions. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

For more information, please contact:

ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc.
Tel: +86-010-64827328
Email: ir@reit.cc 

MDJM LTD to Host Virtual Investor Meeting on May 15, 2026

LETHAM, Scotland, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MDJM LTD (OTC: UOKAF) (the “Company” or “MDJM”), an integrated global culture-driven asset management company, today announced that it will host a virtual investor meeting via Zoom on Friday, May 15, 2026, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

During the meeting, the Company’s management team is expected to present the Company’s vision for its current business stage and related challenges, recent business developments and milestones, ongoing strategic initiatives, and future development plans, including advancements in international animation intellectual property development and international collaboration initiatives, Scottish cultural project and animation museum development, as well as acquisition and commercialization initiatives.

The virtual investor meeting will be open to investors and interested parties.

Virtual Investor Meeting Details

Date: Friday, May 15, 2026, 9:30 a.m. ET

Zoom Meeting Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87101151746?pwd=UO71grewBaO7g9FpiOB8IEhqjSTuM7.1

Meeting ID: 871 0115 1746

Passcode: 319270

About MDJM LTD

MDJM LTD is a global culture-driven asset management company focused on transforming historical properties into cultural hubs that integrate modern digital technology with rich historical value. The Company has been expanding its operations in the UK, where it is developing projects such as Fernie Castle in Scotland and the Robin Hill Property in England. These properties are being remodeled into multi-functional cultural venues that will feature fine dining, hospitality services, art exhibitions, and cultural exchange events. Fernie Castle is undergoing comprehensive architectural and landscape renovation planning in design collaboration with renowned architectural firm Kengo Kuma and Associates. As part of its broader strategy, MDJM seeks to position itself as a hub for artisan exchanges, art shows, and sales, leveraging its historical properties as platforms for promoting Eastern and Western cultural exchanges. This initiative reflects the Company’s commitment to furthering its global market expansion and enhancing its cultural business footprint. For more information regarding the Company, please visit https://www.ir-uoka.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F and its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investor Contact:

Sherry Zheng

WAVECREST GROUP INC.

Phone: +1 718-213-7386

Email: sherry@wavecrestipo.com

Corti steps up its support for the next wave of healthcare startups as OpenAI pushes into the space and others retreat from Europe

As compliance pressure mounts in every major healthcare AI market, Corti launches its Startup Acceleration Program to help founders clear a €600,000 regulatory barrier and build on the vertical model that outscored OpenAI on its new healthcare benchmark

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Corti, the frontier lab for clinical-grade AI, today announced that Symphony, its flagship clinical-grade model, has outscored OpenAI on HealthBench Professional, the company’s new healthcare benchmark.

To bridge the gap between benchmark performance and real-world deployment, Corti launched the Startup Acceleration Program, a no-equity initiative providing healthcare AI builders worldwide with access to the same clinical-grade models that power AI for highly regulated systems across Europe and the U.S. The grant-funded program aims to help founders ship and scale at a moment when the regulatory bar for healthcare AI has never been higher.

The launch comes at a structural inflection point for the sector. Healthcare AI builders now face tightening regulation in every major market – from the FDA’s expanded AI/ML guidance in the U.S. to new lifecycle accountability requirements in Canada and the UK. But Europe is the most acute case. In the past four weeks, OpenAI rolled out free clinical AI to every verified American physician. One week later, OpenEvidence – a clinical AI platform used daily by 40% of US physicians and valued at $12 billion – withdrew from the UK and European markets, citing regulatory uncertainty around the EU AI Act. The high-risk system requirements that drove that decision will come into force for medical AI on August 2, 2026.

Europe has emerged as the toughest proving ground for clinical-grade AI – and the asymmetry is sharpening. EU MDR certification alone now costs founders between €200,000 and €600,000 per device and takes 12 to 18 months. Capital is concentrating in larger, later-stage rounds, with investors increasingly favouring companies with proven clinical evidence and workflow integration. The structural difficulty is real enough to deter horizontal players – and the vertical products built on them – from competing in Europe, implying a narrower path for the next wave of healthcare AI builders to succeed there at exactly the moment they are needed most. But the reality is that the conditions making Europe hard for horizontal players are the same conditions that Corti was built for:

“The future of healthcare AI won’t be built by one company. It will be built by thousands of teams, each with deep knowledge of a specific care setting, workflow, or patient population,” said Andreas Cleve, co-founder and CEO of Corti. “Our job is to give those builders a head start: the leading clinical AI model, the evidence base behind it, and a path to production we’ve already navigated for regulated health systems. So they can focus on what only they can do – the workflow, the patient population, the problem they actually understand.”

Among the hundreds of development teams already building on Corti is Aisel Health, a European startup building AI for psychiatry:

“Psychiatrists are a scarce and highly specialized resource. They should be focused on one thing only: making clinical decisions – everything else needs to go. Yet today, the majority of a psychiatrist’s time is spent not on clinical decision-making, but on the administrative and repetitive workflows surrounding it. By using Corti, we at Aisel can focus on delivering specialized psychiatric workflows that help clinicians regain capacity, rather than rebuilding the clinical-grade foundation underneath,” said Augusta Klingsten Peytz, co-founder and CEO of Aisel Health.

The Startup Acceleration Program includes:

  • Up to $5,000 in credits across the full Symphony stack – Agents, Medical Coding, Speech-to-Text, and Text Generation – built on over 1.5 million hours of clinical audio
  • Support from Corti’s clinical and regulatory team to navigate EU AI Act, MDR, and data residency requirements
  • Dedicated time with Corti’s AI experts to scope product roadmaps and architect the right system before code is written
  • Founder-led webinars on industry developments and Corti’s own roadmap
  • Invitations to Corti events in New York, Copenhagen, London, and Berlin

Applications open today, reviewed on a rolling basis with a one-week turnaround. No pitching, no committee, no equity. Open to worldwide pre-seed through Series B companies building in healthcare, clinical workflows, or adjacent life sciences.

To apply, visit http://www.corti.ai/corti-for-startups.

About Corti

Corti is healthcare’s frontier lab for clinical-grade AI. Symphony, its flagship clinical-grade AI model, powers clinical and administrative applications for EHR vendors, virtual care platforms, practice management systems, and life sciences organizations worldwide. Corti serves over 100 million patients annually across health systems including the NHS. The company is headquartered in Copenhagen with offices in New York and London. For more information, visit corti.ai.

Media Contact:
press@corti.ai
corti.ai/newsroom

 

Elabscience® Launches Self-Developed PolyHRP-Streptavidin Conjugate for Low-Abundance Biomarker Detection in ELISA

HOUSTON, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Elabscience® Bionovation Inc. (“Elabscience®” or “the Company”) today announced the launch of its self-developed PolyHRP-Streptavidin conjugate, a signal amplification reagent designed to improve enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) sensitivity for low-abundance biomarker detection. Using proprietary covalent polymerization technology, the reagent creates a one-to-many amplification structure that strengthens detection signals while maintaining low background interference.

Elabscience® developed its PolyHRP-Streptavidin conjugate to address a common ELISA challenge in which very low biomarker concentrations can make it difficult to increase signal output without also raising background noise. The product is built on a proprietary covalent coupling technique designed to create a more efficient amplification structure than traditional Streptavidin-HRP conjugates. In this process, a large number of highly active HRP enzymes are first polymerized to form a PolyHRP backbone, which is then conjugated to streptavidin. This one-to-many architecture increases the enzyme-to-protein ratio and enables cascade signal amplification which helps to improve assay sensitivity in low-abundance biomarker detection.

Dr. Yang Fei, General Manager of Elabscience®, commented: “Sensitivity and stability are critical requirements in ELISA reagent development, especially when researchers are working with low-abundance targets. With our self-developed PolyHRP-Streptavidin conjugate, we aim to provide researchers and assay developers with a reliable signal amplification tool that supports stronger detection performance, lower background interference and long-term reagent stability.”

Validation data showed strong performance across several key measures. SEC-HPLC analysis of three independent batches demonstrated an approximately 90% product recovery rate, with a peak area coefficient of variation of 2.9%, indicating high batch-to-batch consistency. Nanoparticle tracking analysis also showed a narrow particle size distribution centered at about 155 nm which supports the uniformity of the PolyHRP-Streptavidin polymer structure.

In internal performance testing, Elabscience® PolyHRP-Streptavidin delivered strong signal intensity while maintaining low background signal. Accelerated stability testing at 37°C showed over 90% remaining activity after 11 days, demonstrating strong reagent stability under accelerated conditions. The product is also designed for broad compatibility across standard ELISA, high-sensitivity ELISA and competitive ELISA workflows.

Compared with competitor products, Elabscience® PolyHRP-Streptavidin Conjugate demonstrates higher sensitivity and improved stability
Compared with competitor products, Elabscience® PolyHRP-Streptavidin Conjugate demonstrates higher sensitivity and improved stability

The launch introduces Elabscience® PolyHRP-Streptavidin conjugate, Catalog No. E-ELIR-020, as a specialized ELISA accessory reagent within the Company’s signal amplification portfolio. It is available in a 50 μL trial size, a 250 μL catalog format, and custom volumes above 1 mL. The product is stored at -20°C and has a shelf life of two years. Elabscience® also plans to introduce a ready-to-use PolyHRP-Streptavidin detection reagent to further support routine and high-throughput ELISA applications.

About Elabscience® Bionovation Inc.      

Elabscience® Bionovation Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on the design, development, manufacturing, and sale of research reagents and services for cell detection and life sciences applications. Its portfolio includes products for protein detection, immunoassays, metabolism analysis, and cell function research. Founded in 2011, Elabscience® serves customers in more than 150 countries and regions. For more information, please visit www.elabscience.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

Contact Information:
Elabscience® Bionovation Inc
info@elabscience.com 
1-888-852-8623  

CGTN: How China helps advance girls’ and women’s education worldwide

CGTN published an article examining how China contributes to the global progress of girls’ and women’s education. The article highlights China’s efforts in improving education access at home and expanding cooperation abroad, showing how it supports equal opportunities for women and girls worldwide.

BEIJING, May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Since China and UNESCO jointly established the Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education in 2015, a total of 20 projects from 19 countries have received the award, bringing better education opportunities to more than 6 million girls.

As the first UNESCO prize dedicated to girls’ and women’s education, the award reflects China’s long-term commitment to advancing education for women and girls globally. Funded by the Chinese government, the Prize is conferred annually to two laureates and consists of an award of $50,000 each to further their work in this field.

China’s commitment was highlighted again on Tuesday, when Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, met with Khaled El-Enany, director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Beijing.

Peng, a UNESCO special envoy for the advancement of girls’ and women’s education, said she is willing to continue fulfilling her duties as special envoy, strengthen cooperation with UNESCO and promote the continuous progress of girls’ and women’s education globally.

Building progress at home

In 1989, under the leadership of the All-China Women’s Federation, the China Children and Teenagers’ Foundation launched the Spring Bud Project to improve education opportunities for girls from impoverished families.

Since serving as the special envoy for the project in 2014, Peng has continued to promote its development. In 2019, she announced the Dream of the Future Action of the Spring Bud Project, an upgraded program aimed at helping more girls complete their education and pursue their dreams.

By the end of 2023, the project had raised 3.2 billion yuan ($451 million), supported 4.22 million girls across all 31 provincial-level regions and 56 ethnic groups, provided skills training for 527,000 girls, and offered one-to-one companionship and mental health services to 190,000 girls.

Its impact was recognized globally when it won the UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education in 2023.

The Spring Bud Project is also part of China’s broader progress in ensuring equal access to education.

Since 2018, the net enrollment rate of school-age children has remained close to 100%, with almost no gender gap between boys and girls. In 2024, women accounted for 50.76% of students in higher education, while female postgraduate students made up 50.01%.

These figures show how education has become a strong foundation for women’s development in China.

Sharing opportunities with the world

China is also helping more women and girls around the world gain access to education and training.

Through South-South cooperation, scholarships and technical exchanges, China has trained more than 200,000 female professionals from over 180 countries and regions. Since 2018, it has launched more than 100 training programs focused on women and children in developing countries.

Fajer Rabia Pasha, executive director of the Pakistan Alliance for Girls’ Education, whose organization won the UNESCO Prize in 2023, said China has helped women and girls in developing countries gain access to education, training and leadership opportunities.

She said China has proved through action that its development benefits not only Chinese women, but also women around the world.

At the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women held in Beijing last year, China announced it would donate another $10 million to UN Women over the next five years and invite 50,000 women to China for exchange and training programs.

El-Enany Tuesday said UNESCO is grateful for China’s valuable support and is ready to deepen cooperation with China to promote further development of girls’ and women’s education worldwide.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-05-13/How-China-helps-advance-girls-and-women-s-education-worldwide-1N7kfm0cvg4/p.html