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TCL Electronics is exploring the sale of a stake in its television manufacturing business in India to local buyers, in a move that could help the Chinese consumer electronics group expand more deeply in one of the world’s fastest-growing electronics production bases, according to people familiar with the matter. Bloomberg reported the company is working with an adviser and is seeking to raise at least $200 million from the proposed stake sale.

The deliberations point to a broader shift in strategy for global electronics groups operating in India, where policy support for domestic manufacturing, supply-chain localisation and greater local participation in ownership are increasingly shaping investment decisions. India approved more than $750 million in projects for electronic component manufacturing at the end of March and has set a target of lifting electronics output to $500 billion by fiscal 2031, up from $125 billion in the year to March 2025.

TCL has spent years building out its industrial footprint in the country. The group’s Tirupati manufacturing base, unveiled as its largest such facility outside China, was designed to produce TV and mobile phone screens at scale. Economic Times reported the plant was built with annual capacity for eight million large-sized TV screens and 30 million small-sized mobile screens.

That industrial push has since been reinforced by TCL CSOT India, the company’s display-panel arm, which said it had completed three production lines with monthly capacity of 1.2 million units and was moving towards full bonding, lamination and assembly operations with capacity reaching two million units a month. The company said the India operation was supplying panel modules to customers including Samsung, underscoring that the business is not only about selling finished televisions under the TCL brand but also about embedding itself in the wider supply chain.

A partial stake sale to domestic investors would therefore carry strategic weight beyond capital raising. It could give TCL stronger local alliances, improve regulatory comfort, and help the company navigate a market where manufacturing, sourcing and ownership are increasingly entwined with industrial policy. It may also position the business more favourably in dealings with state governments, suppliers and large retail channels as competition intensifies across the television segment. The company has not publicly announced any transaction, and the talks may not lead to a deal.

For TCL, India matters not just as a sales market but as a production and export platform. The company’s 2024 annual report showed it shipped 29 million televisions worldwide last year, with global market share by shipments rising to 13.9%, placing it among the top two TV brands globally, according to Omdia data cited by the company. The same report said TCL ranked among the top three in retail sales volume in nearly 20 overseas markets and recorded strong growth across emerging markets, including the Middle East and Africa.

Those figures help explain why TCL may be seeking a structure that allows it to preserve momentum in India while adapting to local realities. India is becoming harder to treat as a simple import destination. Policy incentives are encouraging assembly, component manufacturing and deeper supply-chain integration, while geopolitical tensions and tariff shifts are prompting multinational groups to diversify production beyond a single geography. For television makers, that means scale alone is no longer enough; local manufacturing depth and political acceptability also matter.

The move also reflects a wider pattern among Asian electronics manufacturers, many of whom have expanded capacity in India to reduce dependence on imports and align themselves with official manufacturing goals. Reuters reported in late March that New Delhi’s incentive programmes are aimed at cutting import dependence and strengthening local supply chains. That policy environment has created room for both foreign and domestic investors, but it has also made partnership structures more attractive than wholly externally controlled operations in sensitive or high-volume sectors.

The decision marks a further escalation in Japan’s energy contingency response at a time when the Strait of Hormuz remains under severe strain despite a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The waterway is one of the world’s most important oil chokepoints, and its disruption has hit Japan especially hard because the country depends on the Middle East for about 95% of its oil imports. Takaichi’s government has been racing to prevent shortages, stabilise prices and reassure refiners, transport operators and households that fuel will continue to flow.

Tokyo had already moved ahead on March 16 with the release of reserves equivalent to 50 days of consumption, combining privately held stocks with state reserves and supplies jointly held with producing nations. That initial step was announced before a formal coordinated action by the International Energy Agency, underscoring the urgency felt by Japanese officials as tanker traffic through Hormuz became severely constrained. The new plan adds another layer of insurance rather than replacing the earlier programme, signalling that authorities believe the market shock may last longer than first expected.

Officials say Japan still has considerable room to act. As of April 7, the country held reserves covering 228 days, including 143 days in the public stockpile. That buffer gives policymakers flexibility, but it also reflects the scale of the threat they see. Refiners have already been forced to adjust operations as crude availability tightens, and the government is attempting to manage not only total supply but also how fuel is distributed across the country. Concerns have centred on keeping essential sectors supplied first, particularly healthcare, transport, agriculture, fisheries and livestock production.

Japan’s strategy goes beyond drawing down reserves. Takaichi said the government expects that by May more than half of oil imports will be secured through routes that do not involve the Strait of Hormuz. That shift is central to Tokyo’s effort to avoid becoming hostage to a single maritime corridor while conflict risk remains elevated. Officials have not identified every supplier publicly, but the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has indicated that Japan is seeking alternative barrels from a wide range of countries, including Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Nigeria and Angola.

The United States is set to play a larger role in that reshaping of supply. A ministry document cited by Reuters said oil imports from the US in May would be four times higher than a year earlier. Japan imported about 189,000 barrels a day from the US in May last year, equal to roughly 8% of total crude purchases for that month. Tokyo is also drawing on Middle East supplies that can bypass Hormuz, including shipments from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea outlet at Yanbu and from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. Those routes do not eliminate vulnerability, but they reduce reliance on the narrow strait at the centre of the crisis.

Domestic politics and inflation pressures are also shaping the response. Takaichi has paired the reserve releases with fuel price measures meant to keep retail gasoline around a nationwide average of ¥170 a litre, even if crude prices remain elevated. Officials have warned that a prolonged supply shock could otherwise push pump prices much higher and strain households as well as businesses already dealing with cost pressures. Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama has also flagged the fiscal burden of existing subsidy measures, suggesting that energy security is becoming not only a supply issue but a budgetary one.

Beijing has pushed its reusable space programme a step further with the launch of an experimental spacecraft that state media described as a technology-verification mission, underlining how the country is trying to cut launch costs, raise flight tempo and broaden the range of missions it can carry out in orbit. The spacecraft was launched on 7 February aboard a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, in what was the fourth publicly disclosed mission of this type since 2020.

Chinese authorities released only a brief account of the flight, saying the spacecraft would verify reusable-spacecraft technologies and support the peaceful use of space. No official duration was given, and no details were provided on the systems being tested, the orbit reached or the vehicle’s configuration. That secrecy has become a hallmark of the programme and makes it difficult to judge exactly how far the technology has advanced, but the pattern of repeated flights suggests a sustained effort rather than a one-off demonstration.

Chronology matters here. China’s first disclosed flight in September 2020 lasted about two days. A second spacecraft launched in August 2022 stayed in orbit for 276 days before landing in May 2023. A third mission, launched in late 2023, returned in September 2024 after 268 days in orbit. Those longer flights point to growing confidence in long-duration autonomous operations, recovery procedures and mission endurance. Outside observers have often compared the craft with the United States’ X-37B-style approach to reusable uncrewed orbital vehicles, though Beijing has not publicly confirmed such comparisons.

This mission also fits into a much wider acceleration in Chinese space activity. On 7 April, China used a Long March-8 rocket from the Hainan commercial launch site to place 18 internet satellites into orbit for the Qianfan constellation. On 11 April, it carried out a sea launch using a Smart Dragon-3 rocket from waters off Guangdong, sending up a test satellite aimed at supporting satellite internet technology. Taken together, those launches show a programme expanding on several fronts at once: reusable vehicles, commercial launch infrastructure and large low-Earth-orbit communications networks.

Beyond low-Earth orbit, China is tying these advances to a broader national space agenda. Beijing is aiming for a crewed lunar landing by 2030 and is developing the Long March-10 rocket, the Mengzhou spacecraft and the Lanyue lunar lander for that effort. At the same time, the Chang’e-7 lunar probe is scheduled for launch in the second half of 2026. That means the reusable-spacecraft programme should be viewed less as an isolated experiment than as one part of an expanding architecture that spans launch systems, spacecraft design, lunar exploration and space-based connectivity.

Money and industrial policy are also shaping the picture. Reuters has reported that Beijing is funnelling more support towards private launch companies as it tries to build capacity for large satellite constellations and reduce reliance on state-owned providers alone. CAS Space has targeted fresh capital for reusable rocket research, while LandSpace and other firms are also turning to capital markets. Separate policy changes have given reusable-rocket developers a faster route to listing, provided they meet technical milestones, showing how closely commercial launch activity is now aligned with national strategic goals.

Yet the programme’s momentum should not be mistaken for mastery. China is advancing, but it is still chasing a lead established by SpaceX in frequent booster recovery and reflight. On 3 April, Space Pioneer said the maiden flight of its Tianlong-3 reusable rocket had failed, and Reuters reported that no Chinese firm had yet demonstrated the ability to recover and reuse a rocket’s main stage. LandSpace plans another recovery test for its Zhuque-3 rocket this year, while the Long March-12B reusable rocket completed a static firing test in January ahead of later flight missions. Progress is visible, but so are the engineering gaps.

The Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines, together with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the British Council and the ASEAN Secretariat, convened over 270 leaders, policymakers, creatives, and investors from ASEAN and the United Kingdom in Manila for the ASEAN–UK Creative Economy Symposium 2026, reinforcing the region’s push to harness the creative economy as a key driver of growth, innovation, and cultural identity.

Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), Satvinder Singh, said:
“ASEAN is well-positioned to harness the full potential of the creative economy. Six out of eleven ASEAN Member States now rank among the top 70 globally in the WIPO Global Innovation Index’s creative outputs dimension. ASEAN recognises that intangible assets, such as intellectual property, brands, and design as the currencies of modern creative economy. The ideas, expressions, and innovations our creators produce must be protected, valued, and commercialised.”

UK Ambassador to ASEAN, Helen Fazey, said:
“The UK and ASEAN are advancing together through trust, cooperation, and shared priorities. This partnership reflects a strong and growing relationship built on mutual respect and a shared ambition to support sustainable economic growth, innovation, and opportunity across the region. Through initiatives like the ASEAN–UK Advancing Creative Economy programme, we are deepening collaboration, strengthening people-to-people links, and supporting the development of vibrant and resilient creative sectors.”

ASEAN-focused research highlights pathways for growth in the creative economy
New research under the ASEAN–UK Advancing Creative Economy initiative is providing critical insights into the evolution and economic potential of cultural industries across the region.

Arts and Technologies in ASEAN: Interconnected Parts, commissioned by the British Council, examines the fast-growing creative technology landscape across ASEAN. Drawing on more than 60 interviews and case studies, the report explores how artists are using digital tools—from AI to immersive media—while also analysing the regulatory environments shaping innovation. It highlights both the dynamism of the sector and the need for stronger support systems to sustain growth.

Complementing this, the Regional Perception Poll on the ASEAN Creative Economy offers a comprehensive view of how the sector is understood across the region. Based on insights from over 4,000 respondents, including both producers and audiences, the study highlights the interconnected nature of creative ecosystems and the relationships between artists, industries, policymakers, and communities. Its findings underscore the need for tailored, context-specific strategies and stronger regional collaboration to unlock further growth.

Together, these research outputs provide valuable evidence to inform policy, guide investment, and strengthen UK–ASEAN partnerships.Building on this work, a new ASEAN festival research and mapping initiative is underway, expanding earlier studies to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the region’s diverse festival landscape and identify opportunities for future collaboration.

Country Director Indonesia and Director South East Asia, Summer Xia, said:
“Through the ASEAN–UK Advancing Creative Economy initiative, we are investing in the research, skills, and partnerships needed to support long-term growth in the creative sector. The symposium in Manila was an important opportunity to share these resources and ensure they are shaped by and for the region. By working closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the ASEAN Secretariat, we are helping to build a stronger, more connected creative economy across ASEAN countries.”

Underscoring the broader vision of the initiative, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) San Lwin has reaffirmed, in separate engagements, that the ASEAN-UK Advancing Creative Economy programme maximises the region’s creative potential to fuel socio-economic growth and cultural exchange. He reiterated the shared commitment to leveraging innovation and creativity as key connectors to drive prosperity, deepen cultural unity, advance social equity, and promote sustainable, inclusive development in order to forge an “ASEAN Community of Opportunities for All.”

Learn more at: ASEAN Creative Economy Initiative
Hashtag: #BritishCouncil

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

About the British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international culture and education organisation. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories. In 2024–25, we reached 600 million people.
www.britishcouncil.org

Vertical villa-style condominium positioned to capture surging investor demand

PHUKET, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 April 2026 – Phuket, a world-class tourist destination, is emerging as one of Southeast Asia’s hottest residential and real estate investment hubs. In 2025, over 10 million international tourists visited Phuket, generating nearly 546 billion baht in tourism revenue.

The condominium market has seen significant growth. Colliers Thailand reports that in 2025, 23 new condominium projects launched in Phuket, totaling over 8,372 units worth more than 47.349 billion baht. A key driver keeping Phuket’s rental market buoyant is the attractive yield of 7–11% per year in prime locations.

Botanica Luxury Villas, a leader in Phuket’s luxury property market with over two decades of experience, has grown its portfolio to meet shifting demand, entering the condominium market for the first time with HYTHE by Botanica. Drawing on its pool villa expertise, Botanica has developed the project under the Vertical Villa concept—combining the privacy and generous space of a villa with the convenience of condo living. Prices start at 10.8 million baht*. The project occupies a prime position in the heart of Laguna Phuket, one of the most sought-after areas among investors, just 6 minutes from Layan Beach and 20 minutes from Phuket International Airport.

Mr. Attasit Intarachooti, Chief Executive Officer of Botanica Luxury Phuket Co., Ltd., said: “HYTHE by Botanica is built to meet the growing demand in Phuket as a global destination for long-term living and investment. The Vertical Villa concept delivers a living and investment experience unlike anything currently on the market. We project rental yield of 5–7%* per year in a location with consistent capital appreciation.”

HYTHE by Botanica comprises four six-story residential buildings with 276 units in total, plus a clubhouse, set across over 21 rai of lush greenery. Units start from 57 sq.m., with options ranging from one to three bedrooms, duplexes with pool access, and penthouses. HYTHE by Botanica is part of Botanica Grand Avenue, a mega project offering a full suite of on-site amenities.

For investors, the project comes with comprehensive after-sales support, including Botanica’s service and maintenance programs. Show units are now open for viewing at the sales gallery, Botanica Grand Avenue, Phuket. For more information, visit botanicaluxuryvilla.com, Facebook: BOTANICA Luxury Villa, or call +66 81 324 2999 and +66 94 636 2836.

Hashtag: #BotanicaLuxuryVillas

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