Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Yemen’s Houthi movement has seized Perim Island and Dhubab on the Bab al-Mandab, giving the Iran-aligned group control of key positions overlooking one of the world’s most important shipping chokepoints as fighting intensifies along the Red Sea coast. The advance followed the withdrawal of forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government and came a day after the Houthis captured the port city of […]
TechSparks 2026 has expanded its speaker roster for the October summit in Bengaluru, adding technology executives, founders and investors to a three-day programme focused on artificial intelligence, deep technology and digital infrastructure.
The latest additions include Zoho co-founder and chief scientist Sridhar Vembu, Angel One Group chief executive Ambarish Kenghe, Emergent founder and chief executive Mukund Jha and Canva country manager Chandrika Deb. Their participation was announced on September 10, extending a lineup that already includes senior policymakers, fintech founders, researchers, venture investors and enterprise technology executives.
The summit, organised by YourStory, is scheduled for October 13 to 15 at the Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel and Convention Center. Its 2026 theme, “The New Tech Order”, centres on how AI, deep technology and new digital infrastructure are changing access to technology, business formation and the distribution of economic and technological power.
Among the previously announced speakers are Priyank Kharge, Karnataka’s Minister for Home, IT, BT and E-Governance; Krishna Byre Gowda, Minister for Greater Bengaluru Development; PhonePe founder and chief executive Sameer Nigam; and Pramod Varma, co-founder and chief architect of Networks for Humanity. The programme also lists Rahul Chari, founder and chief product and technology officer of PhonePe, and Manish Maheshwari, managing director for India at Stripe.
Organisers say the event is expected to draw more than 10,000 attendees, more than 500 speakers and about 300 investors. The official event website also lists more than 1,000 startups, while another event page refers to more than 200 participating startups, indicating that the figures represent different participation categories or programme groupings.
The first day is set to examine shifts in technological power, including AI as infrastructure, computing capacity, semiconductor supply chains, data ownership and the balance between technological sovereignty and globalisation. Other sessions are expected to address enterprise adoption of AI, startup financing, digital public infrastructure, climate technology, product development and the role of Bengaluru as a centre for technology-led businesses.
The breadth of the programme reflects a shift in concerns facing technology companies. Access to capital remains important, but founders are contending with computing costs, pressure to demonstrate AI products, scrutiny of data use and the need to build businesses capable of expanding without relying indefinitely on external funding. Investors are expected to examine those trade-offs as they assess companies operating across software, fintech, climate technology, mobility, health technology and deeptech.
Bengaluru’s civic and policy challenges are part of the agenda. Byre Gowda’s participation brings urban development into the discussion, while Kharge is expected to address the state’s role in supporting emerging technologies, entrepreneurship and digital infrastructure. Their presence links the startup programme with questions about how a technology centre manages infrastructure, talent, regulation and public services.
The speaker list spans established technology companies and younger ventures. It includes Anjali Bansal of Avaana Capital, Ashutosh Sharma of Prosus, Michael Cronin of Couchbase, Nagendra Nagaraja of QpiAI, Geetha Manjunath of Niramai Health Analytix, Nicolas Sauvage of TDK Ventures and Priyanka Agarwal Chopra of IIMA Ventures. Academic and research participants include Ashok Jhunjhunwala of IIT Madras and Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, chief executive of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation.
TechSparks will also host its Tech30 programme, which identifies 30 technology companies for a showcase at the summit. The 2026 selection process moved into its second stage on September 10, with shortlisted companies required to submit a more detailed application. The final cohort is scheduled to be locked by September 30 and presented during the event.
A separate VibeCode30 programme is aimed at AI-native builders, while ActionLabs and masterclasses are designed around hands-on problem solving and practical technology deployment. The event format also includes startup networking zones, an India-international corridor and a government pavilion.
China exported more passenger cars in the first eight months of 2026 than during all of 2025, underscoring a sharp acceleration in overseas shipments as electric and plug-in hybrid models gain ground abroad.
Passenger-car exports reached more than 6.2 million units between January and August, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, already topping the roughly 6.04 million passenger vehicles exported during 2025. August shipments alone climbed 67.1% from a year earlier to about 890,000 units.
The milestone highlights how overseas demand has become an increasingly important outlet for China’s automotive manufacturing capacity while its home market weakens. Domestic passenger-car sales fell sharply in August, even as manufacturers pushed record volumes into foreign markets.
Exports of passenger vehicles measured by the China Passenger Car Association rose 77.5% year on year in August to 894,000 units. The association’s figures, compiled on a different basis from those of the broader industry group, also showed particularly rapid growth in exports of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, which rose 154.7% from a year earlier.
China’s wider vehicle export sector has expanded at a pace well above expectations set at the start of the year. Total vehicle exports exceeded one million units in a single month for the first time in June and remained above that level in July. The first half alone produced 5.096 million vehicle exports, up 65.3% from a year earlier.
New-energy vehicles have supplied much of the increase. Exports of such vehicles reached 553,000 units in July, up about 150% year on year, after crossing 500,000 for the first time in June. During the first seven months, China exported 2.909 million new-energy vehicles, more than double the level a year earlier.
Conventional fuel vehicles also continued to contribute. July exports of petrol and diesel vehicles totalled about 490,000 units, up 40% from a year earlier, showing that the overseas expansion is not confined to electric models.
The surge has pushed full-year expectations higher. S&P Global Ratings expects China’s passenger-vehicle exports to grow by roughly 50% to 70% this year. The China Passenger Car Association has projected overall vehicle exports could reach about 12 million units in 2026 if the current pace is sustained.
That trajectory would place exports far above the industry’s own initial forecast. CAAM said in January that it expected total vehicle exports of about 7.4 million units this year, an increase of just 4.3% from 2025, when all vehicle exports exceeded seven million.
Manufacturers are increasingly relying on international markets as sales at home come under pressure from softer consumer demand and intense price competition. BYD and Geely have been among the companies reporting record overseas deliveries, while other producers are accelerating plans to sell or manufacture vehicles outside China.
Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa have become major destinations as companies diversify away from markets where tariffs are high. Chinese-built electric vehicles face additional duties in the European Union, while access to the United States remains constrained by steep tariffs and regulatory barriers.
Automakers have responded by building assembly plants and manufacturing bases abroad, a strategy that can reduce shipping costs, shorten delivery times and, depending on local rules, limit exposure to import duties. Several groups are also expanding dealer networks and adapting models to local safety, software and charging requirements.
Beijing has sought to curb practices it says could damage the industry’s overseas reputation. Authorities and industry bodies have urged manufacturers to avoid destructive price competition and disorderly exports as the scale of shipments rises, while companies have pledged to comply with guidance aimed at maintaining fair competition.
The automotive boom is also visible in China’s broader trade figures. Customs data showed the value and volume of car exports both increased by more than 50% during the first eight months, helping lift total goods exports by 14.6% in yuan terms from a year earlier.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia told OPEC that its crude production fell to 6.238 million barrels a day in August, the kingdom’s lowest monthly level since 1990, as renewed fighting involving the United States and Iran disrupted export routes. The figure, contained in OPEC’s September monthly oil market report, was almost 1.9 million barrels a day below the 8.135 million barrels reported for July. It also […]
JetBlue Airways has lowered its third-quarter capacity growth forecast after severe weather and air traffic control disruptions hit operations across the northeastern United States, adding cost pressure as the carrier pursues its profitability turnaround. The New York-based airline now expects available seat miles, a standard measure of capacity, to rise 1.5% to 3.5% from a year earlier in the quarter ending September 30. Its previous forecast, issued […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has launched Gulf Coast Development Company to build an integrated residential and tourism destination on the Al-Khafji coast in the Eastern Province, extending a new phase of state-backed urban development to the kingdom’s northern Gulf shoreline. The project will cover about 20 square kilometres and include a 10-kilometre waterfront along the Arabian Gulf, with eight residential neighbourhoods, more […]
Advancing low-altitude economy development across the Belt and Road regions
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 September 2026 – HKT (SEHK: 6823) – PCCW Global, the international telecommunications service provider under HKT, and Harmony Tech Innovation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the 11th Belt and Road Summit to jointly promote the low‑altitude economy across the Belt and Road regions, facilitating Chinese enterprises and innovative technologies as they expand overseas.
Frederick Chui, CEO, PCCW Global (left) and Jacqueline Kang, Chairman, Harmony Tech Innovation (right) signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Belt and Road Summit 2026.
PCCW Global plans to leverage its global communications networks and international market resources, together with Harmony Tech Innovation’s low-altitude airspace traffic management technology, to explore and promote low‑altitude airspace traffic management solutions and related smart city solutions in Belt and Road markets. The collaboration will also explore applications in areas such as transportation, logistics, and emergency rescue, to support the development of smart cities and the low-altitude economy in local markets.
Frederick Chui, CEO of PCCW Global, said: “The low-altitude economy is a strategically important emerging industry for the nation, and also a key direction for developing new quality productive forces. As countries along the Belt and Road accelerate urban development, demand for low-altitude airspace management and communications technologies continues to grow. PCCW Global is ready to further extend our network capabilities into the low‑altitude economy, providing efficient and reliable communications support for low‑altitude airspace traffic management. In collaboration with Harmony Tech Innovation, we will help bring Chinese innovative technologies to the global market, and support the advancement of smart cities and the digital economy along the Belt and Road.”
Jacqueline Kang, Chairman, Harmony Tech Innovation said: “Communications networks and management systems are critical foundations for the low-altitude economy. We are delighted to collaborate with PCCW Global, combining our digital management capabilities with PCCW Global’s extensive communications networks to provide robust support for low-altitude operations. Looking ahead, we look forward to continuing our collaboration, driving the practical application of low-altitude technologies, and seizing opportunities in overseas markets.”
Harmony Tech Innovation is a global leading provider of low-altitude airspace traffic management and unmanned aerial vehicle ecosystem, focusing on low‑altitude economy and 3D low‑altitude traffic management platform. Its “Low Altitude Airspace Coordination and Service System”, launched in Zhuhai in 2024, is interconnected with China’s Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Management Platform and offers capabilities including regional remote low‑altitude surveillance, centimetre‑level satellite positioning, providing data support for smart city management and laying the foundation for the development of the low-altitude economy in the Greater Bay Area.
PCCW Global’s network infrastructure spans five continents and is backed by extensive international operational experience, enabling it to actively help drive the overseas expansion of China’s advanced technologies. PCCW Global delivers customised network solutions for low‑altitude economy scenarios, supporting real‑time data transmission and the management of low‑altitude aircraft.
Hashtag: #HKT #PCCWGlobal
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About PCCW Global
PCCW Global is a leading digital infrastructure provider, empowering businesses with agile, scalable and secure connectivity solutions. By combining a best-in-class network with our award-winning on-demand platform Console Connect, we help businesses navigate the network complexities of the digital world with ease. With extensive reach across international markets, we make it simple to connect and move data between clouds, apps, data centres and devices. At the core of our business is a belief that automated, high-performance network infrastructure has the power to elevate business and society. For more information, visit www.pccwglobal.com.
By R. Suryamurthy India’s trade with BRICS has expanded dramatically, but the numbers reveal an uncomfortable imbalance beneath the rhetoric about a multipolar world and alternative financial architecture. Between FY2021 and FY2026, India’s total merchandise trade with the 11-member grouping more than doubled, from $203.1 billion to $417.5 billion. Yet the expansion was overwhelmingly […]
New report, authored by GSMA Intelligence in partnership with Huawei, released at UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week
Digital literacy – not coverage – is the main barrier keeping 3.1 billion people offline.
AI could potentially widen the digital literacy gap.
Bridging the usage gap could boost global GDP by $3.5 trillion from 2023 to 2030.
Citing Huawei’s Skills on Wheels initiative, the report urges policymakers, telcos, and tech vendors to treat AI literacy as critical infrastructure.
PARIS, FRANCE – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 September 2026 – More than one in three (38%) people remains offline despite being covered by mobile broadband – and a lack of digital literacy skills is often to blame, according to new research published today.
The new report, “Bridging the Divide: Enhancing Digital Literacy in the AI Era,” authored by GSMA Intelligence and produced in collaboration with Huawei, identifies a digital divide impacting 3.1 billion people caused by a shortage of digital skills, user trust and AI literacy.
AI raises both access and risk
Existing industry projections suggest closing the capability gap could add around $3.5 trillion to global GDP by 2030, with more than 90% of those gains flowing to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Physical mobile broadband coverage currently reaches 96% of people worldwide.
The report, unveiled at UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week, suggests artificial intelligence could act as both a bridge and a barrier for underserved communities. AI-powered voice assistants and applications that work with images, audio and video can all help low-literacy users bypass the need to input text. At the same time, they raise the security and critical-thinking standards required to participate safely. However, the study warns that users must now be able to understand data privacy and identify risks such as fraud and deepfakes.
The research cites World Bank statistics that GenAI literacy represents the highest-value skill category, with wage premiums up to 36%, far exceeding returns for both digital and traditional AI skills.
Without targeted interventions in basic digital training, the authors warn, rapid AI adoption risks entrenching existing inequalities even in areas with full network coverage.
Mobile classrooms build skills in remote areas
Digital inclusion initiatives typically target those most at risk of digital exclusion, including rural and remote communities, children and teachers in rural schools, older people, and women and girls.
The report emphasizes the need for community-based delivery models, citing Huawei’s Skills on Wheels initiative as a field-tested example — particularly its solar-powered DigiTruck mobile classrooms, which bring hardware, rural connectivity and hands-on training, including AI literacy, to off-grid regions.
Since 2019, training courses delivered by Skills on Wheels projects have reached more than 130,000 people across 21 countries, with more people benefiting indirectly. DigiTruck trainers encourage trainees to share their new skills, which is shown to occur in practice. A report on DigiTruck by Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communications and Digital Economy shows that 79% of DigiTruck trainees surveyed had passed on their newly acquired digital skills to family members and peers.
Policymakers urged to treat AI literacy as core infrastructure
To bridge the usage gap, the report urges policymakers, telecom operators and technology vendors to work together and focus on four priorities：
Treating practical AI awareness, online safety and information verification as a baseline national qualification.
Adopting multilingual voice and conversational interfaces across public services to minimise user-side technical hurdles.
Scaling up mobile learning units through cross-sector partnerships that combine operator connectivity, vendor technology and local NGO networks.
Measuring performance by independent task completion and fraud resilience rather than trainee numbers.
“Digital literacy can no longer be defined by static thresholds,” said Tim Hatt, head of research and consultancy at GSMA Intelligence. “Connectivity alone is insufficient — capabilities, system design and trust must evolve together. To capture this multi-trillion-dollar opportunity, stakeholders must integrate layered AI literacy directly into daily livelihoods through trusted community channels.”
“Mobile classrooms have demonstrated immense value in helping underserved populations break through physical and psychological barriers to technology,” said Gavin Allen, Executive Editor-in-Chief at Huawei. “We will continue working alongside local governments and industry partners to drive digital literacy, ensuring that no one is left behind as we transition into the AI economy.”
A new DigiTruck program will launch in France this autumn, covering several cities in the Île-de-France region and targeting low-income and underserved communities with digital skills training.
Q1: What is the main purpose of this report? A: The report analyzes the critical importance of enhancing digital skills in the AI era, highlighting digital literacy as a layered and evolving capability. It calls on all stakeholders to collaborate in accelerating global digital inclusion and skill development.
Q2: What does it mean for policymakers to treat “AI literacy as core infrastructure”? A: It means shifting policy focus from just building physical base stations to funding human capabilities. The report urges governments to integrate baseline AI awareness, online security, and media verification into national qualification frameworks, treating digital skills as an essential public utility alongside electricity and broadband.
Hashtag: #Huawei
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
At least five people were killed and 86 remained unaccounted for on Thursday after a passenger-and-cargo ferry caught fire off Palawan in the western Philippines, triggering a large search operation involving coast guard, military and civilian vessels. The Philippine Coast Guard said 43 people had been rescued from the MV June Aster, which was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members on a voyage from Manila to […]
Mubadala Investment Company has agreed to acquire a significant minority interest in Luckin Coffee alongside controlling shareholder Centurium Capital in a transaction valued at about $1 billion, extending the Abu Dhabi sovereign investor’s exposure to China’s consumer sector. The transaction is structured through Success Cup Limited and is expected to give a Mubadala affiliate the right to nominate a director to Luckin Coffee’s board while it maintains […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai DP World has priced a dual-tranche international bond offering comprising €750 million of six-year green notes and $750 million of 10-year conventional notes, extending the Dubai-based ports and logistics group’s access to both sustainable and conventional debt markets. The transaction follows a global investor roadshow arranged under DP World’s $10 billion Global Medium Term Note Programme. The euro-denominated tranche is structured as green […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai The Boring Company has secured $3 billion in a Series D funding round led by the United Arab Emirates and affiliated investment entities, lifting the Elon Musk-founded tunnelling startup’s valuation to $23 billion. The financing will support an expanded partnership to develop more than 150 kilometres of underground infrastructure across the UAE, building on the company’s Dubai Loop project, as well as hiring […]
Uber has invested $100 million in Atoms, the industrial artificial intelligence company founded by its former chief executive Travis Kalanick, as the start-up develops autonomous-driving technology that could eventually be used on Uber’s ride-hailing network. The investment forms part of Atoms’ $1.7 billion equity financing announced in July and led by Andreessen Horowitz, with Ben Horowitz joining the company’s board. Uber’s participation reconnects the ride-hailing group with […]
Higher blood concentrations of tyrosine, an amino acid commonly sold in supplements marketed for focus and mental performance, have been associated with a shorter lifespan in men in a large UK Biobank analysis, although the study does not show that taking tyrosine supplements shortens life. Researchers examining 272,475 participants found that elevated circulating tyrosine was associated with increased all-cause mortality among men and, in genetic analyses designed […]
Canada has used its lead-nation role at Poland’s MSPO arms fair to push its defence industry more forcefully into European markets, pairing a large trade mission with a renewed defence agreement with Warsaw. Defence Minister David McGuinty and International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu led Ottawa’s presence at the International Defence Industry Exhibition in Kielce, where Canada was designated the 2026 lead nation. The government said its mission […]
Artificial intelligence is widening the investment divide between the United States and Europe, with American companies absorbing the overwhelming majority of global AI venture capital while European firms continue to face shortages of large, late-stage funding. OECD data show US-based AI companies attracted about $194 billion in venture capital in 2025, roughly 75% of worldwide AI deal value. Companies across the EU27 drew $15.8 billion, or 6%, […]
The Philippines has finalised a $34.4 billion artificial intelligence infrastructure masterplan targeting a thirtyfold increase in AI-ready data centre capacity to 1.5 gigawatts by 2033, while two US-headquartered hyperscalers assess potential sites in Luzon.
The Philippines AI+ Infrastructure Masterplan 2026-2033, launched by the Department of Information and Communications Technology on September 8, sets an initial goal of deploying about 400 megawatts by 2030 from a baseline of roughly 50 MW. The programme is designed to combine public infrastructure spending with substantially larger private investment in computing capacity, power, connectivity, water systems and workforce development.
Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda said two unnamed US hyperscale cloud companies are conducting due diligence on locations within the Bataan-Clark and Batangas-Aurora corridors. Each is considering about 200 MW of capacity over five years, but officials have stressed that the figures represent projects under evaluation rather than committed investments.
Aguda said the corridor approach is intended to shorten a site-selection process that can take hyperscalers six to nine months by mapping available land, electricity, connectivity and other requirements before investors make final choices. He said the companies have so far focused on Luzon, and no timetable has been disclosed for investment decisions.
The masterplan estimates that $13.5 billion, or 39 per cent of total funding, would come from public sources and about $21 billion, or 61 per cent, from private capital. Government officials said roughly $18.2 billion is already linked to existing national programmes, mainly in connectivity and energy, leaving an additional requirement of about $16.3 billion. AI compute and data centres account for the largest component, estimated at about $14.6 billion. No project auction has started, and Aguda said the masterplan itself is not funded under the 2027 national budget, though enabling power and water infrastructure may already be covered by broader government programmes serving the grid.
Gemma Baysic, officer-in-charge director of the National ICT Planning, Policy and Standards Bureau, said the strategy is intended to enable the country to build, host, power and support a larger AI ecosystem rather than remain principally a consumer of the technology.
Energy supply is a central constraint. Department of Energy Undersecretary Maria Francesca Del Rosario said planners estimate the infrastructure could support about 152,000 graphics processing units. The department expects natural gas to meet immediate additional electricity needs while aiming for renewable sources, including solar and geothermal power, to provide 40 per cent of the energy used by AI infrastructure by 2033.
Officials said additional generation must be developed without diverting electricity from households. The government is also examining nuclear energy as a longer-term option under the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act, although no nuclear capacity has been committed specifically to the data centre programme.
The roadmap identifies Clark-Bataan as the primary anchor for large-scale AI infrastructure, with Batangas-Aurora serving as a strategic international gateway. Subic and Calabarzon are designated supporting hubs, while Cebu, Iloilo, Davao and Cagayan de Oro are listed as future regional nodes as capacity expands beyond Luzon.
The plan also links infrastructure investment to labour-market objectives. It calls for reskilling 1.3 million workers in the information technology and business process management sector for AI-enabled services. Government projections envisage more than 500,000 AI-related jobs and a further 175,000 positions associated with AI infrastructure projects by 2033.
Those employment and economic estimates remain targets rather than assured outcomes. The masterplan projects that AI-linked productivity gains and new digital services could increase gross domestic product by 10 to 12 per cent by 2033, dependent on investment, infrastructure delivery, workforce adaptation and wider adoption.
The Asian Development Bank supported preparation of the masterplan. Winfried Wicklein, an ADB director general, described AI infrastructure as a national competitiveness and productivity priority, while emphasising that the launch marks the start of implementation rather than completion of the programme.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai Municipality has signed a cooperation agreement with Singapore’s BCA International after a high-level visit focused on modern building methods, green construction, digital technologies and regulatory practices that could support Dubai’s expanding built environment. The delegation, led by Director-General Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, concluded the official visit after meetings with government bodies, construction specialists and technology companies, alongside site inspections examining how Singapore […]
Iraq plans to lift pipeline oil exports through Syria and Türkiye’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan to more than one million barrels a day, as Baghdad accelerates efforts to diversify crude shipments away from vulnerable Gulf routes. Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair said Iraq was exporting about three million barrels per day in September and remained within its OPEC production ceiling, with current production capacity not exceeding 4.2 […]
DP World and GulfCap Africa have formalised their joint venture to develop the 222-hectare Mombasa Industrial Park, advancing a major special economic zone project intended to expand manufacturing and logistics capacity on Kenya’s coast. The companies signed a Shareholders Agreement at State House in Nairobi in the presence of President William Ruto, building on a partnership announced in August. The agreement establishes the ownership framework behind the […]
China’s oil demand is expected to fall by 600,000 barrels a day, or 8.9%, in 2026, marking a third consecutive annual decline as high crude prices and faster electric-vehicle adoption curb fuel consumption, according to Sinopec Group’s research arm.
The Sinopec Economics & Development Research Institute said petrol and diesel would account for most of the reduction, with petrol demand projected to drop 8.7% from a year earlier to 149 million tonnes and diesel consumption to fall 11.4% to 164 million tonnes. Jet fuel demand, by contrast, is forecast to rise 1.3% to 41.55 million tonnes.
The forecast underscores a sharper structural shift in the world’s biggest crude importer, where transport electrification is steadily reducing dependence on petroleum fuels while the US-Iran war has pushed up energy prices and disrupted supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. The institute said the combination of high prices and changing transport patterns was weakening consumption across key refined products.
China’s oil demand has now declined for three straight years, according to the institute, strengthening evidence that growth in transport fuel use has peaked. The International Energy Agency has separately estimated that electric vehicles displaced about one million barrels a day of oil demand in China during 2025, roughly 15% of the road-transport demand that would otherwise have been required if the fleet had remained dominated by internal-combustion vehicles.
The IEA expects the displacement effect to deepen as the electric fleet expands, with electric vehicles in China projected to displace about 2.7 million barrels a day by 2030 under current policy settings. China already has the world’s largest stock of electric vehicles, and electrification is spreading beyond passenger cars into buses and heavy trucks, where diesel use has historically been substantial.
The IEA has said China’s transport oil consumption has flattened despite economic growth, as electric vehicles, gas-powered trucks and high-speed rail increasingly replace petroleum-based travel and freight.
The Sinopec research unit also lowered its outlook for crude processing, putting China’s 2026 refinery throughput at 697 million tonnes. Sinopec itself, the world’s largest refiner by capacity, has set a second-half oil throughput target of 113 million tonnes, broadly unchanged from the first half, according to its interim results.
Refining capacity is nevertheless expected to reach 952 million tonnes a year, equivalent to about 19.04 million barrels a day, in 2026. The research institute said tighter policy requirements and falling domestic demand would speed the closure of inefficient plants, particularly smaller and medium-sized refineries with limited product ranges.
It estimated that facilities representing 80 million to 100 million tonnes of annual refining capacity could leave the market. That would reduce national refining capacity to between 900 million and 910 million tonnes a year by the end of 2030, a contraction of as much as 5.5% from the 2026 level.
Weakness is also evident in petrochemicals. Although profits in China’s chemical industry rose by more than 50% year on year during the first seven months of 2026, the institute said apparent demand remained subdued. It forecast full-year ethylene-equivalent consumption to decline 8% because of high costs and inventory pressures.
The demand outlook has wider implications for global oil markets because China’s purchases have long been a major source of incremental consumption. Lower demand has helped restrain crude imports and limit price gains even as the conflict involving the United States and Iran has disrupted Gulf supply routes and tightened physical markets.
Brent crude climbed above $100 a barrel on Wednesday as renewed attacks raised fears of further supply losses. Yet weaker consumption in China remains an important counterweight to the supply shock, with traders weighing the effects of reduced imports against disruption across the Middle East.
Dubai’s Al Marmoom Oasis is offering visitors a four-hour Emirati cooking and Bedouin dining experience that combines hands-on food preparation with cultural activities in a desert setting. The programme, operated at Al Marmoom Desert Resort, allows participants to prepare traditional Emirati dishes under the guidance of a chef before eating the meal in a Bedouin-style lounge. Booking platforms list chicken, lamb and vegetarian options, giving visitors a […]
HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 September 2026 – In 2024, East West Barbershop (Dong Tay Barbershop) opened its first branch in Hungary, marking a milestone in its journey to take a Vietnamese barbering brand global. For Chairman Nguyen Hoai Thanh, Europe represents a demanding test of the company’s operational capabilities, technical expertise and adaptability.
East West Barbershop initially accepted losses to establish its foothold in Europe
Europe: A demanding test for a Vietnamese barbering brand
Founded in Vietnam in 2018, East West Barbershop has grown from a local men’s barbershop into a global men’s grooming brand.
In less than a decade, the chain has expanded across Vietnam and into international markets, becoming one of Asia’s prominent men’s grooming brands.
While expansion in Vietnam has been driven by growing demand for men’s grooming, operating in Europe presents a more complex challenge.
Tax regulations, business requirements, labor laws and working-hour rules are strictly regulated, while costs for premises, personnel and operations are significantly higher.
“Europe is a demanding market, with high service expectations and stringent regulations. To integrate into the market, we did not simply replicate our Vietnamese model in Europe.
I have traveled to Europe several times to study the market, adjust our operating procedures and enhance the customer experience,” said Nguyen Hoai Thanh, Chairman of East West Barbershop Vietnam Joint Stock Company.
These efforts are beginning to yield results. Its Hungary branch has built a base of returning customers, demonstrating that a Vietnamese brand can earn trust in a demanding market by respecting local standards while leveraging its own strengths.
East West Barbershop brings Vietnamese and European barbers together to exchange expertise, share experiences and learn from one another, turning its international expansion into a two-way journey of professional growth.
This reflects the spirit behind the name “East West”: Connecting professionals from different cultures to grow together.
From a haircut to an East-West cultural exchange
Vietnamese and European barbers differ in their professional cultures. In Vietnam, barbers often build close relationships with customers through everyday conversations, personalized advice and an ability to remember individual preferences.
East West Barbershop preserves these values internationally while adapting to European expectations of professionalism, precision, personalization and service consistency.
East West Barbershop brings Vietnamese craftsmanship and identity to Europe
From popular styles such as fades, undercuts and hair tattoos to services including shampooing, facial shaving, ear cleaning and massage, the brand aims to create a personalized grooming experience.
Its stores also feature greenery, bookshelves and relaxation areas, turning a haircut into a genuine moment of leisure.
Today, East West Barbershop operates more than 130 branches globally, with over 1,000 employees.
Behind these figures remains a simple ambition: To take Vietnamese barbering further through the skill and dedication of its barbers.
East West Barbershop’s European journey is more than opening another store. It demonstrates that a Vietnamese brand can enter international markets through craftsmanship, professionalism and a distinctive identity. Hashtag: #EastWestBarbershop
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
www.pccwglobal.com
