Spain’s data protection authority has disclosed its first notified personal-data breach in which an artificial intelligence agent allegedly carried out several stages of an intrusion, including vulnerability discovery, data modification and access to billing records. The Agencia Española de Protección de Datos said the incident involved an agent using a known large language model and marked a significant shift in the operational use of AI in cyberattacks. […]
Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park has completed the first cohort of its BASE39 Creative Accelerator, showcasing furniture and collectible design projects developed through months of mentoring, prototyping and industry engagement. The programme ended with a gallery showcase held from September 14 to 18 at the park, where participating designers presented products shaped through research, material exploration, fabrication and commercial development. An awards ceremony recognised three projects […]
Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club moved to the front on the opening day of Round 7 of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi on Friday, with Al Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club second and M. O. D UAE third. The first day of the three-day Gi round featured Under-18, Adults and Masters competitors, with results across the divisions contributing to club standings as […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Odisha has signed a memorandum of understanding with Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company and the Adani Group to explore 14 projects carrying an indicative investment of ₹2.105 trillion across minerals, energy, manufacturing, healthcare, tourism and infrastructure. The agreement was concluded during Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s investment outreach in the UAE, with the state describing the portfolio as a major expansion of its […]
Cybersecurity researchers have identified a new Android malware strain that uses generative artificial intelligence to help attackers navigate infected devices and steal banking credentials, payment information and authentication codes. Zimperium’s zLabs team disclosed the malware, named RatHat, on September 16, saying its technical indicators point to threat actors who appear to be operating from China. The researchers stopped short of definitively attributing the campaign, basing the assessment […]
A large-scale study of surgical video intelligence has found that models trained to predict motion and structure from specialist operating footage can outperform broader visual systems across multiple surgical understanding tasks, strengthening the case for domain-specific foundations in future robotic assistance. Researchers behind SurgMotion, a video-native foundation model, trained the system on 3,658 hours of surgical video drawn from 50 sources and spanning 13 anatomical regions. The […]
Dubai is set to gain a mixed-use development where robots are planned to handle reception, security, cleaning, deliveries, coffee service and selected wellness functions, as Fakhruddin Properties advances a Dh700 million project in Dubai Land Residence Complex. The development, called Tréppan Vision, was unveiled at IPS 2026 and is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2029. Fakhruddin Properties says the scheme is designed to extend […]
Dr. Julie Xing, Global Board Chairman and CEO Discusses New Pathways to High-Quality Growth with Global Business Leaders
GUANGZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 September 2026 – Lee Kum Kee Sauce (“Lee Kum Kee”), the century-old sauce brand and the only sauce and condiments brand among this year’s Forum partners, actively participated in the 2026 Fortune Global 500 Forum, held on September 16 in Guangzhou, China. Julie Xing, Ph.D., Global Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lee Kum Kee Sauce, was invited to speak at a panel discussion and to attend the Most Powerful Women (MPW) Breakfast, joining other leading global business leaders to explore the key pathways for enterprises to achieve sustainable growth.
Dr. Julie Xing, Global Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lee Kum Kee Sauce, speaks at the panel discussion of the 2026 Fortune Global 500 Forum, exchanging insights with industry leaders.
Under the theme “The New Growth Equation”, this year’s forum brought Dr. Xing and three other industry leaders, including Pingyi Huang, Senior Vice President of Shandong Weiqiao Pioneering Group Co., Ltd.; Weiming Xiang, Vice President, GE Aerospace and President, GE Aerospace Greater China; and John Qu, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company, for a panel discussion titled “The Invisible Moat: Revaluing Soft Power and Sustainability”. Moderated by Wei Yue, Senior Editor at Fortune China, the discussion explored what truly constitutes long-term advantages that can withstand cycles amid rapid technological iteration and intensifying competition. Topics spanned brand trust and consumer mindshare in consumer goods, data insights and organizational transformation in the AI era, and the pathways and stages of globalization for Chinese enterprises.
During the panel discussion, Dr. Xing points out that a true moat is a 360-degree, multi-dimensional structure built on product quality, consumer experience, emotional value, and innovative scenarios. (Photo credit: Fortune Global 500 Forum)
“In an era where almost everything can be replicated, consumers’ mindshare and trust cannot,” Dr. Xing said during the discussion. “The real moat is not just the product itself — it is a 360-degree, multi-dimensional moat built on product quality, consumer experience, emotional value and innovative scenarios.” She added that AI is bringing disruptive changes from consumer insights to organizational structure, and that future-ready organizations must embrace a flatter structure powered by AI agents, redirecting freed-up resources toward strategic decision-making and long-term value creation.
On the topic of Chinese enterprise globalization, Dr. Xing shared a three-stage pathway from product export to local manufacturing to glocalization, emphasizing that true globalization means deeply understanding local consumers and serving local markets with local insights.
Dr. Julie Xing, named to the 2026 Fortune China MPW list, attends the MPW Breakfast and shares her thoughts on corporate competitiveness in the AI era. (Photo credit: Fortune Global 500 Forum)
During the Forum, Dr. Xing was invited to share her insights at the MPW Breakfast themed “Decision-Making Power in the Age of Efficiency”, where she joined leaders from across industries to discuss opportunities and challenges for businesses in the new era. She highlighted that while AI enhances operational efficiency, human judgment, leadership and long-termism remain more critical competitive advantages.
As a recipient of the 2026 Fortune China’s MPW list, Dr. Xing has earned this recognition for three consecutive years. Launched in 2010, the MPW list is regarded as one of the most representative rankings of women business leaders in China.
The Fortune Global 500 Forum this year brought together representatives from over 350 leading global companies, academic institutions, and business leaders worldwide. Discussions focused on topics including artificial intelligence, global supply chain transformation, sustainable development, and opportunities in emerging markets.
Looking ahead, Lee Kum Kee will continue to uphold its commitment to quality and innovation. Alongside driving business growth, the company will further deepen its sustainability practices, nurture talent, and enhance corporate governance, working with all stakeholders to forge new pathways to high-quality growth. Hashtag: #LeeKumKee #LKK
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Lee Kum Kee Sauce
Lee Kum Kee Sauce is the global gateway to Asian culinary culture, dedicated to promoting Chinese culinary culture worldwide. Since 1888, it has brought people together over joyful reunions, shared traditions and memorable meals. Beloved by consumers and chefs alike, Lee Kum Kee Sauce’s range of more than 300 sauces and condiments sparks creativity in kitchens everywhere, inspiring professional and home chefs to experiment, create and delight. Headquartered in Hong Kong, China and serving over 100 countries and regions, Lee Kum Kee Sauce’s rich heritage, unwavering commitment to quality, sustainable practices and “Constant Entrepreneurship” combine to enable superior experiences through Asian cuisine for people worldwide. For more information, please visit www.LKK.com.
About Fortune
Fortune is the premier global media company for global business leaders, built on a 96-year-old legacy of trusted, award-winning journalism. Independently owned, Fortune tells the story of business, spanning legacy companies to the world’s new generation of innovators. Fortune measures corporate performance through rigorous benchmarks, and holds companies accountable, in regions around the world. Its iconic rankings include Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, Most Powerful Women, and World’s Most Admired Companies. Fortune builds world-class communities by convening industry thought leaders for exclusive summits and conferences, including the Fortune Global Forum, Fortune Brainstorm Tech, and Fortune Most Powerful Women. For more information, visit fortune.com.
The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum has named Rania Al-Mashat, Magda Wierzycka and Judy Dlamini as keynote speakers for its 2026 conference in Cape Town, setting the headline line-up for the annual gathering focused on women-led enterprise and economic participation. The two-day Conference, Expo and Awards will take place on November 10 and 11 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, with organisers expecting more than […]
The model supports multimodal inputs including text, images and video, and generates high-fidelity 1080p videos of 5 to 20 seconds with natively synchronized audio
BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 September 2026 – HiDream.ai, an AI company specializing in foundation models and generative AI, announced the launch of HiDream-O1-Video-1.0, or HiDream V1, its native omnimodal video generation model.
Designed around a deeper understanding of creative intent and real-world physics, HiDream V1 supports multimodal inputs including text, images and video. It can generate high-fidelity 1080p videos ranging from 5 to 20 seconds, with enhanced narrative planning, character consistency, physical plausibility and audiovisual synchronization.
In its debut on two independent international benchmarks, HiDream V1 ranked No. 4 globally on the Artificial Analysis Image to Video Leaderboard (With Audio) and No. 8 on the Arena.ai Image-to-Video leaderboard, placing it among the world’s leading video generation models.
A Strong Debut on Two International AI Benchmarks
Artificial Analysis independently evaluates leading AI models through standardized and reproducible benchmark testing. Arena.ai uses anonymous head-to-head comparisons and user voting to assess model outputs. Together, the two platforms provide third-party perspectives on model performance based on both standardized testing and real-world user preferences.
HiDream V1’s results demonstrate its competitiveness across key dimensions including visual quality, prompt adherence, motion quality, narrative coherence and audiovisual coordination.
The global AI video generation market has become increasingly competitive, with models developed by Chinese teams—including Seedance and MiniMax H3—maintaining strong positions on international leaderboards. HiDream V1’s top-tier debut further expands China’s presence among the world’s leading video generation models.
“The next generation of video models will not be defined solely by higher resolution or longer duration,” said Yao Ting, Chief Technology Officer of HiDream.ai. “What matters is whether a model can genuinely understand a creator’s intent and how objects, actions and sounds interact in the real world. HiDream V1 was designed from the outset to represent text, video and audio within a unified framework. Our goal is to move video generation beyond simply looking sharp and moving smoothly toward understanding instructions, sustaining coherent performances and keeping sound aligned with visuals. Its performance on two independent international benchmarks provides encouraging validation of our native omnimodal approach.”
Upgrades in Visual Fidelity, Narrative Coherence and Character Consistency HiDream V1 introduces broad improvements in high-fidelity rendering, narrative continuity and character consistency. Rather than optimizing only for the quality of individual frames, the model is designed to maintain coherence across an entire video sequence.
Once characters, emotions, motivations and physical rules are placed within a continuous sequence, each element can affect the others. HiDream therefore uses a technical framework built around three stages: planning first, followed by joint generation, and then alignment through multimodal reward signals.
Under this approach, the model first plans the narrative and character states at a global level. It then jointly constrains visuals, movement and semantics during generation, before using multimodal reward signals to align visual quality, continuity and physical plausibility.
Native Omnimodal Architecture for Better Intent and Physics Understanding The central challenge in AI video generation is shifting from the quality of individual frames to a broader understanding of complex instructions, continuous motion and the rules governing the physical world.
User prompts often contain multiple layers of information, including characters, actions, settings, camera directions, dialogue and sound. To handle these requirements more effectively, HiDream V1 incorporates multimodal intent understanding and planning. Before generation begins, the model structures the user’s request across elements such as shot duration, setting, character state, movement, facial expression, composition, camera motion, dialogue and ambient sound.
Through this “understand, plan and generate” workflow, HiDream V1 plans narrative development and character states at a global level, while coordinating visuals, motion, semantics and audio during generation. This is designed to improve content completeness, character consistency and continuity between shots.
Physical reasoning is another core capability of HiDream V1. The model incorporates factors such as gravity, inertia, collisions, deformation, materials, lighting and spatial continuity into the generation process. As a result, object movement, character actions and environmental responses can more closely reflect the behavior of the real world.
This approach moves video generation beyond reproducing visual appearances and toward modeling how a dynamic world operates over time.
Content-Adaptive Video Duration Most current video generation models require users to specify a fixed duration in advance, forcing the content to fit within a predetermined time window. This can lead to unnecessary pauses after an action has ended or the use of slow motion to fill the remaining time.
HiDream V1 instead incorporates duration into its narrative planning process. Within a range of 5 to 20 seconds, the model can determine an appropriate video length based on how an event unfolds, how long an action takes to complete and the pacing required by the content.
The capability is not simply a matter of adding or removing frames. It is designed to make duration serve the narrative, producing more natural pacing and more complete sequences. Users can focus on describing the event and intended outcome, while the model plans the corresponding temporal structure.
Joint Modeling of Text, Video and Audio
Conventional AI video generation systems often follow a staged workflow in which visuals are generated first and sound is added afterward. This can lead to mismatches between lip movements, physical actions, ambient sound and sound effects.
HiDream V1 uses a native omnimodal architecture to jointly model text, video and audio signals. The three modalities constrain and inform one another within a single generation process. Visual motion influences sound timing, dialogue and sound effects contribute to the emotional tone of a scene, and text conditions guide the generation process throughout.
This unified approach is designed to improve synchronization across character performance, environmental changes and physical actions.
During post-training, HiDream uses Diffusion Reinforcement Learning and a multimodal reward model aligned with human perception and aesthetic preferences. Generated content is evaluated across multiple dimensions, including visual quality, semantics, motion, physical plausibility and sound, helping improve overall consistency and realism.
Completing HiDream’s Native Omnimodal World Model Portfolio HiDream V1 is not a standalone model. It is a core component of HiDream’s native omnimodal world model strategy.
Built on a unified UiT, or Unified Transformer, foundation, the company’s portfolio now comprises four major model families:
HiDream-O1-Image, for image understanding and generation;
HiDream-O1-Video, for dynamic content generation and temporal storytelling;
HiDream-O1-World, for 3D environment simulation and real-time interaction; and
HiDream-O1-Embodied, for spatial reasoning, action planning and feedback in embodied AI.
Rather than operating as four separate technology stacks, the models are designed to evolve from the same unified architecture. Together, they cover spatial understanding, temporal modeling, 3D interaction and embodied action, creating an integrated system for perceiving, understanding, generating, interacting with and acting upon the physical world.
HiDream’s models have previously achieved leading results on several independent benchmarks. HiDream-O1-Image 1.5, the commercial version of the company’s image model, ranked No. 2 globally and No. 1 among Chinese models on the Artificial Analysis text-to-image leaderboard, while its open-source edition also reached No. 2. HiDream-O1-World ranked No. 1 overall on WBench, a benchmark for interactive world models. HiDream-O1-Embodied achieved first-place results in the disturbance adaptation and spatial reasoning categories of RoboColiseum.
“We are not building four isolated model product lines,” said Dr. Mei Tao, founder and CEO of HiDream.ai. “We are building a native omnimodal system that shares a unified technical foundation and continues to evolve toward a deeper understanding of the real world. Competition among the next generation of foundation models will depend not only on improvements in individual capabilities, but also on whether different modalities can understand, generate and interact within a unified architecture.”
From understanding and generating the world to simulating and acting within it, the launch of HiDream V1 completes a key part of HiDream’s native omnimodal world model portfolio.
HiDream Completes Series C+ Financing
Alongside the launch of HiDream V1, HiDream announced the completion of a Series C+ financing round backed by New Micro Capital, Jiaozi Capital and ICBC Capital. The proceeds will support native omnimodal model research and development, product iteration, AI computing infrastructure and the expansion of industry applications.
New Micro Capital was jointly established by Shanghai New Micro Technology Group, Shanghai Science and Technology Venture Capital Group and its management team. The firm manages nearly RMB 10 billion in assets.
As the corporate venture capital arm of New Micro Technology Group, New Micro Capital is expanding its investments in artificial intelligence. Drawing on the group’s industrial capabilities in specialty integrated-circuit manufacturing, it seeks to advance collaboration across AI infrastructure, model technologies and end-user applications.
Jiaozi Capital is a wholly owned state-backed equity investment platform under Chengdu Jiaozi Financial Holding Group. The firm focuses on artificial intelligence and other strategic technology sectors, using long-term capital and industrial resources to accelerate technology commercialization and ecosystem development.
With the launch of HiDream V1, HiDream’s native omnimodal world model strategy is moving from a technical roadmap toward an integrated system supported by a unified foundation, a coordinated model portfolio and deployable product capabilities.
Availability
HiDream V1 is currently in internal testing and is expected to become available in the near future. Users can learn more at: https://hiharness.ai/
Hashtag: #HiDreamAI
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About HiDream.ai
HiDream.ai is an artificial intelligence company focused on generative AI and native omnimodal world models. Built on its unified UiT architecture, the company’s model portfolio spans image generation, video generation, interactive world simulation and embodied intelligence. HiDream aims to develop AI systems capable of understanding, generating, simulating and acting upon the real world.
Leaderboard disclaimer: Rankings cited in this release reflect publicly available results at the time of publication and may change as participating models, evaluation data or platform methodologies are updated.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Ajman Real Estate Investment Exhibition 2026 recorded 344 property transactions worth AED226 million on its third day, as visitor numbers reached 6,936 at Emirates Hospitality Hall. The figures were announced as the fourth edition of the exhibition continued in Ajman on Wednesday, with the Ajman Land and Real Estate Regulation Department citing strong participation from investors, developers and property specialists. The event had […]
Huawei Technologies has laid out plans to launch two new artificial intelligence processors in 2027, strengthening its push to supply the computing power China needs as US export controls restrict access to Nvidia’s most advanced chips.
Rotating chairman David Wang said at Huawei Connect 2026 in Shanghai on Thursday that the company plans to release the 960DT in the first quarter of 2027 and the Ascend 960PR in the third quarter. The roadmap places Huawei’s next generation of accelerators at the centre of its effort to build domestic alternatives for training and running increasingly demanding AI models.
Huawei also unveiled the Ascend 960 SuperPoD and an upgraded version of its UnifiedBus interconnect technology, designed to link large numbers of processors so they can function as one computing system. The company said a combination of UnifiedBus and its Hi-ONE optical system could connect as many as 4,000 processors within a SuperPoD, extending high-speed optical links deeper into the machine.
The strategy reflects a broader shift towards system-level performance rather than relying solely on the capability of individual chips. Advanced AI workloads require thousands of processors to exchange data rapidly, making networking bandwidth, memory access and cluster efficiency increasingly important alongside raw chip performance.
Wang said Huawei has developed 11 semiconductors based on UnifiedBus technology for use across its large computing systems. Its biggest planned superclusters will be able to support up to one million AI processors, he said, while the company has already shipped more than 1,000 smaller supernodes to more than 370 customers.
Huawei did not identify those customers or give a detailed breakdown of shipments. It also did not provide independently verified benchmarks directly comparing the new 960-series chips with Nvidia’s leading accelerators, leaving questions over single-chip performance, software compatibility and manufacturing scale.
The company had previously said the Ascend 960 would offer twice the computing power, memory capacity, memory bandwidth and interconnect ports of the Ascend 950 generation. Huawei has also been developing the Atlas 960 SuperPoD and SuperCluster, with the larger system intended to combine more than one million neural processing units when it reaches the market.
Huawei’s current product roadmap also includes the Ascend 950DT, due in the fourth quarter of 2026. The company has said that processor will use its HiZQ 2.0 high-bandwidth memory, providing 144 GB of capacity and 4 terabytes per second of bandwidth. Those specifications are intended to support both model training and the decode stage of inference workloads.
US restrictions have limited China’s access to cutting-edge Nvidia processors and advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment, giving domestic suppliers greater room to expand. Huawei has emerged as the most prominent of those suppliers, but Nvidia retains a major advantage through its CUDA software ecosystem and a broad global developer base.
Chinese AI developers have increasingly turned to domestic accelerators for inference, where trained models generate responses, even as many frontier laboratories continue to depend on Nvidia hardware for the most demanding training jobs. That split has made Huawei’s ability to improve both hardware and software a critical test of whether China can reduce its dependence on foreign computing infrastructure.
Huawei is also contending with shortages of high-bandwidth memory, a key component in AI accelerators. The company has designed memory for some newer Ascend products, but supply constraints across the industry have increased costs and complicated efforts to scale production quickly enough to meet demand.
The group is seeking to offset those limitations through architectural changes, advanced packaging, optical networking and tighter integration between chips, systems and software. Its SuperPoD approach is intended to compensate for weaker performance from individual processors by allowing much larger numbers of chips to work together with lower latency.
Houthi forces in Yemen are experimenting with advanced maritime weapons, including possible “loitering torpedoes”, as evidence points to efforts to expand their arsenal and reduce dependence on imported systems. Conflict Armament Research said investigators had identified navigation modules and propellers that could be used in such torpedoes, technology it has not documented in the possession of any other armed group. The organisation said the components could allow […]
The UAE has highlighted an artificial intelligence system developed by GenBio AI with contributions from Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence researchers that can simulate human cellular responses to drugs and other interventions. The UAE Embassy in Washington drew attention on Wednesday to AIDO Cell, a virtual-cell “world model” designed to represent biological activity across multiple levels, from DNA and RNA through proteins and whole-cell behaviour. […]
BERLIN, GERMANY – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 September 2026 – At IFA 2026, Midea’s Fabric and Floor Care division presented its latest innovations in laundry and floor-cleaning technologies themed at “Zoned Care, Omni Clean”.
With the Omni Trio washing machine and AT8 Ultra wet-and-dry floor cleaner as key highlights, the showcase addressed a wide range of everyday home-care challenges, including separate laundry care, noise and vibration reduction, stubborn stain removal and the cleaning of tangled hair from floors.
During the exhibition, the products drew attention from German technology and smart-home media and also received recognition from industry bodies. The showcase innovations were honoured with the YD Best Design Award, while the Omni Trio received VDE A-10% low-noise certification, highlighting Midea’s continued strengths in both industrial design and product engineering.
Two Products, One Home-Care Direction
The Omni Trio brings a different approach to laundry separation. Its three independently operated drums—a 10 kg main drum and two 0.5 kg smaller drums—allow different loads to be washed separately at the same time. Everyday clothing, baby garments, socks and underwear can be handled without waiting for one cycle to finish before starting another.
Independent water inlets and Auto Dose systems, Foam & Flow DualSpray technology and low-noise performance support the same objective: making categorized laundry care easier to integrate into daily routines.
For floor care, the AT8 Ultra addresses another set of frequent cleaning tasks. Its technologies include Easy Foam cleaning, 60°C hot water on demand, a mechanical arm for improved water pickup, anti-tangle technology, and automated roller cleaning and drying. Each targets a practical issue, whether it is a stubborn stain, residual water or hair wrapped around the roller.
Together, Omni Trio and AT8 Ultra demonstrate how “Zoned Care, Omni Clean” extends beyond individual product features. Different cleaning tasks call for different solutions, and Midea FFC is applying its experience across laundry care and floor cleaning to address these needs with greater precision.
From European Needs to Global Development
IFA 2026 also provided Midea with an opportunity to observe how these innovations respond to expectations in the European market, where quieter operation, efficiency, flexibility and ease of use remain key considerations for home appliances.
These local insights also contribute into Midea FFC’s global product development. Learnings from different markets help shape technologies that can be adapted to diverse homes, daily routines and cleaning habits.
For the home-care category, the next stage of innovation is not simply adding more functions. It is about enabling appliances to better understand and handling specific household tasks, with greater automation and less effort from the user. For Midea FFC, the response at IFA 2026 offers a valuable reference point as the company continues to develop home-care technologies for markets around the world.
Hashtag: #Midea #OmniTrio #AT8Ultra
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
ABOUT MIDEA & MIDEA GROUP
Midea is a global technology company specializing in smart home appliances, climate solutions and floor-care technologies, with a focus on user-centric design, energy efficiency and sustainable innovation.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Emirates NBD has provided Cars24 Arabia with a digital revolving short-term financing facility to support the used-car platform’s expansion across the UAE and speed access to working capital for eligible dealers and business partners. The Dubai-based bank said the facility is built around an application programming interface, or API, that links its automated lending capabilities directly with Cars24 Arabia’s digital platform. Eligible businesses […]
By P. Sreekumaran THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A big salute to the CPI(M)’s lower-level leaders and the party cadres. For, it was their bold, open and trenchant criticism of the leadership which forced the party to go for a change for the better. The party’s central leadership, ably led by general secretary M. A. Baby, also deserves full […]
Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, is pursuing a route to offer US traders perpetual futures linked to Hyperliquid’s HYPE token, but publicly available regulatory and Kraken product information indicates the proposed expansion has not yet been confirmed as a live US offering. The move would broaden Payward’s regulated derivatives business and give eligible American customers exposure to one of the crypto market’s most actively […]
Response by KK Chiu, International Director, Chief Executive, Greater China, Cushman & Wakefield:
Optimising the Housing Ladder and Improving Living Conditions
We welcome the Government’s commitment to increase housing supply, shorten the Composite Waiting Time for public rental housing and further strengthen the housing ladder. The adoption of a long-term housing supply framework comprising 40% public rental housing, 30% subsidised sale housing and 30% private housing, together with the delivery of approximately 196,000 public housing units over the next five years, will provide a clearer housing and homeownership pathway for different income groups.
We believe that increasing the supply of subsidised sale housing and enhancing the housing ladder will help more public housing tenants progress towards homeownership, accelerate housing mobility and enable families with genuine housing needs to gain access to public housing more quickly.
We support the Government’s efforts to increase public housing supply, continue the Light Public Housing programme and implement the Basic Housing Units regime in an orderly manner to phase out substandard subdivided units. This approach is consistent with our long-held view that increasing housing supply is the fundamental solution to improving inadequate housing conditions. With the Government targeting the resolution of substandard subdivided units in domestic buildings by 2030, we expect living conditions for grassroots households to improve progressively.
Urban Renewal Incentives
We support the Government’s more flexible approach to urban renewal, including transferable plot ratio arrangements and measures to unlock redevelopment potential. These initiatives will help enhance market participation, accelerate renewal in areas with pressing redevelopment needs and contribute to overall housing supply growth. We recommend the Government provide clearer guidance on application requirements and further streamline cross-departmental approval procedures to facilitate implementation.
Advancing the Yacht Economy
We welcome the Government’s continued efforts to promote the yacht economy. Beyond increasing marina berth supply and enhancing supporting infrastructure, we believe it is equally important to further facilitate cross-boundary initiatives, allowing greater mobility of yachts within the Greater Bay Area and fostering regional collaboration.
As more superyachts and high-net-worth visitors arrive in Hong Kong, demand is expected to rise across luxury tourism, hospitality, food and beverage, retail, marine services and waterfront commercial facilities, helping unlock the economic potential of Hong Kong’s coastline and island resources. At the same time, Hong Kong has the potential to develop a more comprehensive marine industry ecosystem encompassing yacht repair and maintenance, refitting services and specialised professional services. The development of a holistic marine services value chain will further strengthen Hong Kong’s competitiveness as a regional and international yachting hub.
Response by John Siu, Managing Director, Hong Kong, Cushman & Wakefield:
Planning Ahead for AI and Data Centre Infrastructure
We welcome the Government’s commitment to accelerate the development of the Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster, which is expected to provide computing power equivalent to 36 times Hong Kong’s current capacity by 2032, alongside a HK$1 billion injection into the Artificial Intelligence Subsidy Scheme. These initiatives will provide important support for the development of Hong Kong’s artificial intelligence and data centre sectors, further strengthening the city’s position as a regional digital and innovation hub.
However, with rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, large language models and cloud computing, demand for computing power is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. We believe that, in addition to planning data centre sites, the Government should proactively review long-term requirements for power supply, electricity grid capacity and related infrastructure. As AI adoption becomes more widespread, access to reliable power and supporting infrastructure will be a key factor in maintaining Hong Kong’s competitiveness as a technology and data centre hub.
We support the Government’s stated direction of pursuing “high-efficiency computing power, stable electricity supply and low-carbon transition”. Looking ahead, we recommend that the Government regularly review future demand for land, power supply and supporting infrastructure arising from the growth of artificial intelligence and data centre activities, particularly within the Northern Metropolis and other strategic development areas. A coordinated approach to computing, energy and digital infrastructure planning will help attract more data centre operators and technology companies to Hong Kong, while supporting the city’s long-term development as a regional hub for data and artificial intelligence.
Response to the Budget 2026/2027 by Rosanna Tang,Deputy Managing Director, Head of Research, Hong Kong, Cushman & Wakefield:
Clear Industry Positioning for the University Towns
We welcome the Government’s efforts under Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan to further define the positioning of the three university towns in the Northern Metropolis University Town, and are encouraged by its strategy to promote synergy among the university towns, the San Tin Technopole and surrounding industry parks. As the only city in the world with five universities ranked among the global top 100, Hong Kong possesses a strong foundation in higher education and research. At the same time, the San Tin Technopole is set to become a key innovation and technology hub. The complementary strengths of these two pillars, both geographically and strategically, provide a solid foundation for building a globally competitive innovation ecosystem in Hong Kong.
We are particularly encouraged by the Government’s emphasis on integrated industry-academia-research collaboration. The university towns should not be viewed merely as educational developments, but as strategic platforms for research commercialisation, international talent attraction and the cultivation of emerging industries. Closer collaboration among universities, research institutes, innovation and technology enterprises and industry parks will help establish a complete innovation value chain covering talent development, scientific research, technology transfer and industrial implementation.
In addition, the Plan proposes approximately 300 hectares of educational facilities as the core of the university towns, connected with adjacent strategic industry areas, distinctive conservation areas, sports and cultural facilities, and surrounding communities, bringing the overall development footprint to more than 1,000 hectares. Such a large-scale integrated education and industry development model is rare in Hong Kong’s urban planning history and clearly demonstrates the Government’s long-term vision of creating a knowledge-based city cluster and an international education hub in the Northern Metropolis.
Attracting Signature Industry Projects and Anchor Institutions to Enhance the Northern Metropolis’ Global Appeal
We welcome the Government’s efforts to establish differentiated industry positioning through the three university towns, while integrating key development nodes such as the San Tin Technopole, the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park and Ta Kwu Ling. This provides a clearer direction for industrial development in the Northern Metropolis and helps address long-standing market concerns regarding overlapping functions and unclear district positioning.
As highlighted in our previous research, we believe the next critical stage for the Northern Metropolis will be its ability to attract influential anchor institutions and leading enterprises. By bringing together universities, research institutes and industry leaders, Hong Kong can foster the clustering of businesses, talent and capital, gradually forming industry clusters with scale and international competitiveness. Hong Kong should also capitalise on its common law system, international financial centre status, intellectual property protection framework and global talent network by focusing on high value-added segments such as research and testing, intellectual property management, fundraising and listing activities, and international accreditation services. This will help Hong Kong establish an irreplaceable role within the Greater Bay Area industrial value chain.
Beyond strategic industries, we believe the Northern Metropolis could also explore internationally recognised and iconic industry projects to further enhance its global profile and attractiveness. For example, the Government may consider developing initiatives around new energy vehicles, smart mobility and advanced technologies, while exploring the feasibility of internationally recognised racing events, testing facilities or technology R&D platforms, such as those associated with Formula One. By leveraging motorsport-related economic activities and innovation-led development, Hong Kong could attract international automotive manufacturers, mobility technology companies and research institutions to establish regional headquarters, R&D centres or testing facilities in the city. This would in turn support the growth of engineering, intelligent transport, advanced manufacturing, tourism, hospitality, retail and convention and exhibition industries, further enriching the Northern Metropolis industrial ecosystem.
Accelerating Land Supply While Advancing Industries and Infrastructure in Parallel
We note that Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan proposes a significant acceleration in land and housing supply within the Northern Metropolis. Residential completions are expected to increase substantially from approximately 11,000 units during 2021/22 to 2025/26 to around 70,000 units during 2026/27 to 2030/31. Over the same period, the supply of “spade-ready sites” will rise from approximately 120 hectares to around 900 hectares, representing an increase of around 7.5 times. These figures demonstrate that the Northern Metropolis is transitioning from a planning and land formation phase to a new stage characterised by large-scale development, industrial implementation and population intake.
However, we believe the success of the Northern Metropolis should not be measured solely by the volume of land or housing delivered. As substantial residential, innovation and technology, and industrial sites come on stream, the focus should gradually shift from land supply to city-building. The Government should ensure the coordinated delivery of railway and cross-boundary infrastructure networks, industry parks, commercial facilities, public services and community amenities, while accelerating the introduction of leading enterprises and strategic industries to create sufficient, high-quality employment opportunities and achieve a genuine jobs-housing balance.
In particular, we believe the Northern Metropolis should be driven by industry-led development, with the San Tin Technopole, the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, the university towns and major industry parks serving as key growth engines. This would create a virtuous cycle in which industry attracts population, population supports consumption, and consumption drives urban development. Only through the coordinated growth of industry, talent, infrastructure and communities can the Northern Metropolis evolve from a large-scale land development project into a modern metropolitan district integrating industry, education, living and international exchange.
Response by Tom Ko, Executive Director, Head of Capital Markets, Hong Kong of Cushman & Wakefield:
New Opportunities for Student Accommodation Market
We welcome the Government’s initiatives to deepen Hong Kong’s development as an international hub for post-secondary education through the “Hong Kong: Your World-class Campus” campaign, expanded global student recruitment efforts and the extension of the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates pilot arrangement to graduates from Greater Bay Area campuses of Hong Kong universities. These initiatives will further enhance Hong Kong’s attractiveness to overseas students and talent while reinforcing the “Study in Hong Kong” brand.
We are encouraged by the continued progress of the Hostels in the City Scheme. The scheme has already received 41 confirmed applications, providing approximately 10,800 bed spaces and demonstrating strong market confidence in the long-term growth of Hong Kong’s education sector.
The scheme has opened up a new supply channel for converting commercial buildings into student accommodation. At a time when hotel conversion opportunities are becoming more limited as tourism continues to recover, it provides an alternative pathway for investors while helping unlock the value of underutilised commercial assets and meet rising demand for student housing. As the Government prepares to tender the first dedicated student hostel site, we believe purpose-built student accommodation will gradually emerge as a distinct and scalable asset class within Hong Kong’s real estate market.
To further increase supply, we recommend that the Government continue reviewing and refining approval procedures for student hostel conversions. Greater flexibility and streamlined processes, while maintaining appropriate safety and operating standards, would encourage wider market participation and support Hong Kong’s ambition to become a leading international education destination.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Cushman & Wakefield
Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global commercial real estate services firm for occupiers and investors with approximately 53,000 employees in over 350 offices and nearly 60 countries. In Greater China, a network of 23 offices serves local markets across the region. In 2025, the firm reported revenue of $10.3 billion across its core services of Valuation, Consulting, Project & Development Services, Capital Markets, Project & Occupier Services, Industrial & Logistics, Retail, and others. Built around the belief that Better never settles, the firm receives numerous industry and business accolades for its award-winning culture. For additional information, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com.hk or follow us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/cushman-&-wakefield-greater-china).
South Korea will not slow its artificial intelligence drive, Deputy Prime Minister and Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said on Wednesday, arguing that the country must pair rapid development with stronger safeguards rather than curb the technology’s advance.
Bae said South Korea was still trying to close the gap with leading AI powers while creating new markets, making its position different from countries or companies at the technological frontier. “We cannot afford to slow down AI right now,” he wrote on social media, describing the government’s approach as one of “speed responsibility” rather than speed control.
His remarks place Seoul firmly on the acceleration side of a widening debate over whether developers should moderate the pace of capable AI systems. Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has called for a slowdown in frontier model development to allow more time for safety work, while OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and other technology leaders have voiced support for stronger precautions as capabilities advance.
Bae said South Korea should continue expanding research, industrial adoption and home-grown model development while strengthening protections against deepfakes, cyber threats and privacy violations. Faster progress, he said, required safety and trust measures to move at the same pace rather than follow after deployment.
The minister pointed to a broader technology agenda that includes sovereign foundation models, systems capable of processing vision and language, and models able to interact with physical environments. He said the country also needed to prepare for AI becoming deeply embedded across industries and everyday life.
The government has made domestic foundation-model development a central part of its ambition to place South Korea among the world’s top three AI powers. The Ministry of Science and ICT has been running a sovereign AI foundation model programme intended to improve domestic capabilities and reduce dependence on foreign technology.
Three teams led by Upstage, SK Telecom and LG AI Research advanced after the programme’s second-stage evaluation this year. The ministry has said models developed under the initiative were built with comparatively limited resources but were released as open source as part of an effort to expand the domestic AI ecosystem.
Bae indicated that further details on the next phase of the foundation-model programme would be announced after ongoing reviews. His comments also referenced government work on security-focused AI models and frontier systems, alongside an “AI for All” initiative intended to spread adoption across the economy.
The policy push is being developed alongside South Korea’s AI Basic Act, which establishes rules covering both the development of artificial intelligence and the creation of a framework for trust. The law’s stated purpose includes protecting rights and human dignity while supporting quality of life and national competitiveness.
That legal structure gives Seoul a basis for pursuing faster adoption without presenting safety as a separate objective. Bae said competitiveness and sustainability were linked, arguing that development speed and safeguards should advance together.
The global dispute has intensified as leading executives and policymakers weigh the economic benefits of faster AI deployment against concerns over misuse and loss of control. Amodei has proposed independent safety evaluators, coordination among major laboratories and greater international cooperation, while Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has argued against slowing technological progress and favours advancing safety alongside innovation.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday backed calls for greater caution and said frontier AI laboratories would be invited for talks on managing risks. Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, by contrast, said AI companies already had strong incentives to build systems safely and did not require an industry-wide slowdown.
Bae’s intervention highlights the competitive pressures facing countries outside the United States and China, where most frontier AI investment and model development remains concentrated. South Korea has strong semiconductor and technology industries, but its government has acknowledged the need to strengthen domestic models, computing capacity and commercial adoption to narrow the gap.
DeRAMA Singapore’s Joint Postnatal Recovery Seminar explored how Singapore can strengthen postpartum support by combining professional care with established family and confinement traditions.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 September 2026 – As more women enter motherhood later in life, postnatal care should be shaped around the individual and grounded in clinical evidence, medical experts said at DeRAMA Singapore’s Joint Postnatal Recovery Seminar. Held at The Singapore EDITION on 17 August 2026, the session brought together Dr Park Jeong-mi, Founder and Medical Director of Garden of Her Women’s Clinic in Korea, and Singapore based obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Ho Ping Ling of Ascensus Health @ Mount Alvernia. Together they examined how postpartum practices have evolved in both countries, and how professional support can sit alongside traditional confinement customs.
Dr Park Jeong-mi and Dr Ho Ping Ling discussing the evolving postpartum recovery needs of modern mothers at DeRAMA Singapore’s Joint Postnatal Recovery Seminar, held at The Singapore EDITION on 17 August 2026.
Supporting the Changing Needs of Modern Mothers
Singapore women are increasingly entering motherhood at a later age.
Dr Ho noted that mothers aged 35 and above may face a higher likelihood of pre-existing medical conditions, pregnancy complications and Caesarean delivery, each of which can affect how a woman recovers after childbirth. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach. All women deserve individualised care, regardless of whether they are younger or older mothers,” said Dr Ho.
Every mother’s needs, she added, should be assessed against her health, pregnancy journey, mode of delivery, family support and personal preferences. While the postpartum period is medically recognised as roughly six weeks, a full return to health may take longer from one woman to the next.
From Family-Based Care to a Professional Recovery System
Guests and members of the media at DeRAMA Singapore’s Joint Postnatal Recovery Seminar, which explored the Korean and Singapore approaches to postnatal care.
Dr Park shared that postpartum care in Korea, like Singapore, was traditionally provided at home by mothers, mothers-in-law and extended family members. However, the rise of nuclear families, greater workforce participation among women and reduced availability of family caregivers created a need for a more structured alternative.
This contributed to the development of the sanhujoriwon, or postpartum recovery centre, where mothers receive coordinated support for physical recovery, nutrition, breastfeeding and newborn care.
According to Dr Park, 85.5%1 of mothers in Korea now use a postpartum recovery centre after childbirth. While centres range from basic to premium facilities, they are generally regarded as an established part of the country’s postpartum journey rather than an occasional luxury service. Staff trained in maternal and newborn care are on hand around the clock.
Dr Park also shared that postpartum care in Korea has expanded beyond rest and nutrition. Modern recovery programmes may consider pain, swelling, musculoskeletal changes, sleep, breastfeeding and emotional wellbeing, with support adapted to the mother’s health and mode of delivery.
Singapore, by contrast, remains largely home-based in its approach, often drawing on relatives and confinement nannies. This offers valuable emotional and practical help, though the panel raised concerns about inconsistent training, uneven standards and the medical basis of certain confinement practices. Dr Ho observed that many long-held confinement rules stem from practices passed down over decades rather than medical evidence, pointing to the belief that mothers should avoid washing their hair or showering for long stretches, which she said runs counter to sound hygiene and infection control.
Making Structured Care More Accessible
A recurring theme was affordability, and how families might be better supported to access structured postnatal care. Dr Park noted that in Korea some centres are run with local government support at comparatively low cost, with maternal and newborn health vouchers helping to defray expenses. That model drew interest as a possible reference point for Singapore, where recovery centres began gaining acceptance only in recent years and remain out of reach for many families.
Dr Ho suggested there was room for local healthcare providers, public institutions and insurers to widen access, adding that stronger support for mothers could, in time, help lift Singapore’s birth rate. Both doctors also observed that families increasingly blend the two models, beginning at a centre before continuing recovery at home with trained or family support.
Looking Beyond the Delivery Room
The doctors concluded that postpartum care should not be viewed solely as a period of rest or a premium hospitality service. It is a critical stage of maternal and newborn health that can affect the wellbeing of the mother, child and wider family.
The seminar pointed to an opportunity for Singapore to weave professional, evidence-informed services into the family involvement and confinement traditions that mothers here already value, complementing them rather than pushing them aside.
By setting Korean and Singapore perspectives side by side, DeRAMA Singapore hopes to spark a broader national conversation, one that treats postnatal recovery not as an afterthought once a baby arrives, but as a stage where traditional practices, family involvement and professional care work together to support modern mothers.Hashtag: #DeRama
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About DeRAMA Singapore
DeRAMA Singapore is the first international expansion of Her Garden DeRAMA, South Korea’s leading ultra-luxury postpartum care brand established in 2008, brought to the market and managed by Sserenity. Located inside Artyzen Hotel on Orchard Road, DeRAMA Singapore offers expert-led, bespoke postpartum recovery programmes for high-net-worth mothers seeking the highest standard of postnatal care. With 20 years of clinical protocol development and a Seoul clientele that includes globally recognised K-celebrity families, Sserenity brings an uncompromising standard of care to Singapore’s most discerning mothers.
SOCAR plans to take a final investment decision by the end of 2026 on a petrochemical expansion in Türkiye valued at up to $7 billion, placing higher-value manufacturing at the centre of Azerbaijan’s effort to broaden its energy economy beyond crude oil and gas sales. The State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan is assessing new production units and upgrades to existing facilities at Petkim, its […]
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 September 2026 – VX Logistics Development Group Co., Ltd. (“VX Logistics” or the “Company”), Asia’s leading cold chain logistics network operator, transforms the supply chain operation of fresh fruit and vegetables industry through applying AI technology and sophisticated automation and leveraging the world-first robot for metro delivery self-developed by the Company.
Emma Wu (Wu Beiwen) Chairperson, VX Logistics Emma Wu currently serves as the chairperson of VX Logistics. As an active practitioner of China’s supply chain globalisation, she focuses on cold chain, fresh produce supply chain, logistics infrastructure, and industrial synergy. Under her leadership, VX Logistics has become an industry-leading integrated multi-temperature logistics service provider, with its cold chain capacity firmly leading in Asia and among the top tier globally.
The world-first robot designed for deliveries to metro-station retailers is self-developed by VX Logistics. The robot functions as an actual “on-duty” employee in VX Logistics’ day-to-day operations. It has been rolled out at 61 Shenzhen metro stations, handling replenishment and delivery tasks for on-site retailers.
Within VX Logistics’ business operations, these intelligent devices are working in tandem with the Company’s proprietary OTWB end-to-end management system and digital platforms such as IoT-based cold-chain temperature control. VX Logistics’ smart operation offers an efficient solution to every link of the supply chain.
“Each of these technologies is powerful on its own, but their true value emerges when they work together — data flows from the point of origin to end customer, and quality becomes predictable and controllable,” said Emma Wu (Wu Beiwen), chairperson of VX Logistics, adding that this is not merely an enhancement at any single stage of logistics services, but it represents a transformation in the very way the industry functions.
The value of technology goes beyond efficiency. Emma Wu noticed that a large number of overseas fresh fruit brands are stepping up their presence in China, while many domestic brands are showing a strong desire to go global. Emma Wu remarked: “A growing number of international brands are now registering Chinese brand names, setting up dedicated consumer brand teams, and increasing their investment at the retail end. The essence of branding lies in brand owners extending their quality commitment to the end consumer. This, in turn, requires them to maintain effective control of product condition at every link of the domestic supply chain. The same applies to Chinese brands going global.”
In the past, once imported fruit arrived at port, quality essentially entered a “black box” — brand owners had no visibility over key metrics like arrival temperature, handling status, or outbound records across the supply chain.
Emma Wu added that AI is transforming the fresh fruit and vegetables industry from one that “runs on experience” to one that “makes decisions with data.” In sorting and quality inspection, AI vision technology can assess coloration, size, and defects within a second — with greater accuracy and consistency than the human eye. In warehousing, automated equipment is taking over repetitive tasks such as material handling and palletizing. In transportation, IoT sensors track the temperature and location of every load in real time, and could raise the alarm before any issue arises.
Built around the unique characteristics of berry products, VX Logistics has customized a comprehensive end-to-end solution encompassing precision temperature and humidity management as well as rapid in-warehouse throughput — supporting the annual market launch of close to 200 million boxes of berries for Driscoll’s.
Zespri has been a partner of VX Logistics for over a decade. VX Logistics has built a full end-to-end system for Zespri in China – covering warehousing, quality inspection, ripening, automated sorting, and packaging.
“Cold-chain logistics is not a cost center — it is a value center.” She further pointed out that cold-chain logistics today is no longer merely a cost item for warehousing and transportation. It is a provider of supply chain solutions for brand clients. Both expanding overseas and deepening presence in China demand stable temperature and humidity control and quality assurance. The technological nature and professional reliability of cold-chain operations make cold-chain logistics an “added value” that safeguards product quality and reduces loss.
After 13 years of dedicated development, VX Logistics’ cold-chain scale now ranks first in Asia and stands firmly among the global top tier. As the supply chain service provider behind renowned fruit brands such as Zespri, Driscoll’s, Envy Apples, and Rockit, VX Logistics’ core competitive edge lies in its technology-driven supply chain services. Hashtag: #VXLogistics
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
As the Macau Grand Prix weekend revs up, on 20 and 21 November, Galaxy Macau gathers a standout line-up of 15 of Asia’s most awarded chefs and mixologists for the anticipated return of its eponymous dining festival – early bird tickets on sale now
MACAU SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 September 2026 – On 20 & 21 November, Galaxy Macau elevates its gastronomic offering with the standout eponymous edition of Galaxy Stars of Gastronomy 2026. The fourth presentation of Galaxy Macau’s large-scale immersive outdoor culinary event will showcase an elite line-up of 12 of the region’s most sought-after culinary masters, deliveringa cumulative 24 Michelin stars. In addition, featuring three prominent mixologists, including this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Bar’s champions. GalaxyStars of Gastronomy cements its place as Asia’s leading dining destination, and home to some of the region’s most awarded restaurants, chefs and culinary experiences, all under one roof., under one roof.
Galaxy Stars of Gastronomy 2026, the next chapter of Macau’s and Galaxy Macau’s immersive elite dining festival, will be held from 20 to 21 November for three consecutive sessions, celebrating the best in culinary artistry presented by a constellation of award-winning Michelin-starred chefs and mixologists.
The city’s most elevated sensory gastronomy festival takes place across three sittings from Friday 20 November, to Saturday 21 November, spanning two dazzling nights and one thrilling day-time session. Following the standout success of the festival’s first three years at Galaxy Macau, this cornerstone event during Macau Grand Prix weekend has cemented the city’s undisputed status as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy and the home of Formula 3 racing on the global stage.
Galaxy Stars of Gastronomy celebrates the elemental exchange of cultures, craftsmanship and creativity through a series of extraordinary dining experiences curated exclusively for Galaxy Macau. Tickets from MOP1,988 per person (min. 2 persons) are now on sale at www.galaxymacau.com with an incredible 20% early bird discount offer which includes a complimentary free-flow wine package, on or before 4 October, while tickets last.
Drawing inspiration from the nourishing philosophy of the Five Elements, Galaxy Stars of Gastronomy 2026 invites Asia’s top chefs to interpret Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth through their own creative culinary lens. Set against a vibrant al fresco backdrop of live performances at the Cabana, guests will be immersed in a celebration of flavour, creativity and craftsmanship led by Asia’s foremost culinary masters.
An All-Star Line-up of Culinary Visionaries
Working in small groups, 12 talented masters will showcase their distinct culinary philosophies through diverse ingredients and techniques, transforming nature’s bounty into dishes inspired by the Five Elements. Guests will enjoy an up-close and personal opportunity to engage with Asia’s leading celebrity chefs, as each dish is meticulously prepared in front of them.
Asia’s most sought-after Michelin-starred chefs united at Galaxy Stars of Gastronomy 2026 include (from left): *Chef Eom Taejin *Chef Hiroyasu Kawate *Chef Jimmy Lim *Chef Vianney Massot *Chef Julien Royer *Chef Darren Teoh
Gathered at Galaxy Macau will be a standout, award-winning team of Asia’s elite culinary talents, representing the pinnacle of excellence region-wide:
Chef Julien Royer: Three-Michelin-Starred Odette, Singapore
Chef Jimmy Lim: Three-Michelin-Starred JL Studio, Taichung
Chef Darren Teoh: Two-Michelin-Starred Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur
Chef Hiroyasu Kawate: Two-Michelin-Starred Florilège, Tokyo
Chef Vianney Massot: Two-Michelin-Starred BLACKSWAN, Beijing
Chef Eom Taejun: One-Michelin-Starred Solbam, Seoul
Galaxy Macau and StarWorld Hotel’s elite team of highly-acclaimed chefs include (from left): *Chef Umberto Bombana *Chef Chan Chek Keong *Chef Vicky ChengChef Masaaki Miyakawa *Chef Xu Jingye *Chef Yam Lok Hin
Galaxy Macau and StarWorld Hotel’s elite culinary team is set to include:
Chef Masaaki Miyakawa, Three-Michelin-Starred Sushi Miyakawa & One-Michelin-Starred Sushi Kissho by Miyakawa
Chef Umberto Bombana: Three-Michelin-Starred 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANAHong Kong& One-Michelin-Starred 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA Macau
Chef Xu Jingye: Two-Michelin-Starred 102 House, Shanghai & House of Origin at Galaxy Macau
Chef Vicky Cheng: One-Michelin-Starred VEA Hong Kong, and Estuary by Vicky Cheng
Chef Chan Chek Keong: Two-Michelin-Starred Feng Wei Ju at StarWorld Hotel
Chef Yam Lok Hin, Assistant Vice President and Chef Creator – Pastry and Bakery, Galaxy Macau, StarWorld Hotel and Broadway Macau
Exceptional Pairings Beyond the Plate
Building on Galaxy Macau’s reputation as a bars innovator, the event brings together some of Asia’s most respected names in cutting-edge mixology.
Asia’s leading mixology innovators (from left): *Nokoy Mak *Andrew Ho *Shelley Tai
Leading the line-up is Andrew Ho of Guangzhou’s Hope & Sesame, recognised as “Asia’s Best Bar” this year by Asia’s 50 Best Bars; alongside Shelley Tai, founder-mixologist of Hong Kong’s celebrated Mius, ranked No. 36 on this year’s list and recipient of the “Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award” at Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026. Representing Galaxy Macau is award-winning mixology innovator Nokoy Mak, Bar Manager at Long Bar, Raffles at Galaxy Macau and “Tatler Best 20 Bars 2026” in Macau.
Together, they will present an innovative collection of cocktails and non-alcoholic creations designed to complement the event’s culinary offerings with thrilling pairings.
A Culinary Journey Inspired by the Five Elements
With the elite assembly of 15 of Asia-Pacific’s most celebrated culinary and mixology masters, Galaxy Stars of Gastronomy 2026 presents a unique exchange of knowledge and skills. Guided by the Five Elements, each chef curates with their own distinctive approach, creating an immersive dining experience that reflects the diversity and dynamism of the region’s gastronomic landscape.
Each element embodies a distinctive flavour expression: Wood celebrates freshness and vitality; Metal highlights precision and purity; Water explores depth, texture and umami; Fire showcases transformation through grilling, roasting and seasoning; while Earth brings richness and grounding through nutty, root-driven and comforting flavours.
From 20-21 November, 2026, Galaxy Macau cements its place one of Asia’s most compelling dining destinations, offering a wide array of pristine dining options from Michelin-starred restaurants and celebrated chefs to acclaimed local delicacies. Galaxy Stars of Gastronomy 2026 further reinforces this constellation of inspirational dining, offering guests a thrilling one-stop experience of Asia’s most acclaimed culinary artists – all within one destination, for one weekend only.
At Galaxy Stars of Gastronomy 2026, guests will be sampling refined culinary creations by a line-up of star-studded chefs and award-winning mixologists, elevated by an immersive al-fresco atmosphere.
For more information about Galaxy Macau and Galaxy Stars of Gastronomy 2026, please visit www.galaxymacau.com.
Tickets purchased on or before 4 October enjoy 20% off and complimentary wine package
Credit Card Privilege:
Tickets purchased with designated HSBC HK Credit Cards on or before 4 October enjoy 20% off and complimentary wine package
Tickets purchased with ICBC Visa Cards (issued in Macau) on or before 19 November enjoy 20% off, complimentary wine package, and exclusive dining gift certificates up to MOP1,800
Table Experience for 2 pax – MOP3,976 (Early Bird: MOP3,181)
Table Experience for 4 pax – MOP7,952 (Early Bird: MOP6,362)
Table Experience for 6 pax – MOP11,928 (Early Bird: MOP9,542)
Inclusive of:
Admission and seating on the pool deck*
Elemental signature delicacies prepared by acclaimed award-winning chefs
Choice of 3 welcome cocktails or mocktails per person, prepared by award-winning mixologists
Inclusive of a 10% service charge
*Seating will be assigned on site
Cabana VIP Experience for 8
8 pax – MOP18,888 (Early Bird: MOP 15,110)
Inclusive of:
Exclusive use of a private Cabana on the pool deck
Elemental signature delicacies prepared by acclaimed award-winning chefs
Choice of 3 welcome cocktails or mocktails per person, prepared by award-winning mixologists
*Bulk ticketing offers are exempt from the Early-bird Discount
Hashtag: #GalaxyMacau
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
GALAXY MACAU INTEGRATED RESORT
Galaxy Macau, world-class luxury integrated resort, delivers the “Most Spectacular Entertainment and Leisure Destination in the World”. Developed at an investment of HK$43 billion, the property covers 1.1 million-square-meter of unique entertainment and leisure attractions that are unlike anything else in Macau. Nine award-winning world-class luxury hotels provide close to 5,000 rooms, suites and villas. They include Banyan Tree Macau, Galaxy Hotel™, Hotel Okura Macau, JW Marriott Hotel Macau, The Ritz-Carlton, Macau, Broadway Hotel, Raffles at Galaxy Macau, Andaz Macau, and Capella at Galaxy Macau. Unique to Galaxy Macau, the 75,000-square-meter Grand Resort Deck features the world’s longest Skytop Adventure Rapids at 575 metres, the largest Skytop Wave Pool with waves up to 1.5-metre high and 150-metre pristine white sand beach. Two five-star spas from Banyan Tree Spa Macau and The Ritz- Carlton Spa, Macau help guests relax and rejuvenate.
As the dining destination in Asia, Galaxy Macau offers a wide variety of gastronomic delights, exquisite experiences and ingredients of the finest quality with over 120 dining options from Michelin dining to authentic delicacies; Galaxy Promenade is the hottest shopping destination featuring the latest in fashion and curated experiences in Macau. Spanning over 100,000-square-meter, luxury flagship stores, lifestyle boutiques and our selection of labels are among the more than 200 world-renowned brands for a world-class shopping journey; Galaxy Cinemas, immersive thrills and luxurious comfort go hand in hand at Galaxy Cinemas. All 10 theatres are equipped with the latest audio-visual technology; CHINA ROUGE, one-of-a-kind deluxe lounge that evokes the glitz and glamor of Shanghai’s golden era with entertainment in luxury and style; and Foot Hub presents the traditional art of reflexology to make you feel more relaxed and revitalized. For Authentic Macau Flavours & Vibrant Asian Experiences, Broadway Macau – just a 90-second walk via a bridge from Galaxy Macau, has over 35 Authentic Macau & Asian Flavours at its Broadway Food Street. The 2,500-seat Broadway Theatre plays host to world-class entertainers and a diverse array of cultural events. Meeting, incentive and banquet groups are also well looked after with a portfolio of unique venues in Galaxy Macau and a professional service staff.
Galaxy International Convention Center (GICC) is the latest addition to the Group’s ever-expanding integrated resort precinct and will usher in a new era for the MICE industry in Macau. GICC is a world- class event venue featuring 40,000-square-meter of total flexible MICE, and a 16,000-seat Galaxy Arena – the largest indoor arena in Macau.