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In 2025, Phancy reported total revenue of RMB7.135 billion, representing a strong year-on-year increase of 35.6%. Adjusted net profit attributable to the parent company reached RMB17.84 million, a milestone reflecting significant advance in operational efficiency, business model strength, and resilience. During the reporting period, the three core business segments — AI Platform, API, and Agentic AI — delivered synergistic growth, with revenues of RMB6.552 billion, RMB79.9 million, and RMB503 million respectively, representing year-on-year increases of 32.0%, 129.2%, and 93.2%. The company has a total of over 1,000 contracted clients with deep penetration across more than 20 high-value industries, including energy, manufacturing, finance, retail, and telecommunications. Order on hand amounted to over RMB8.9 billion, surpassing the Company’s total revenue in 2025.

Dr. Dai Wenyuan, Founder, Chairman of the Board, and Chief Executive Officer of Phancy Group Co., Ltd. said, “2025 was a landmark year for Phancy. We completed a comprehensive strategic upgrade from ‘Fourth Paradigm’ to ‘Phancy Group’, signifying our transformation from an enterprise AI platform to a full-stack AI ecosystem and officially entering the AI 2.0 era. This performance breakthrough validates the development philosophy and strategic vision we have long pursued, demonstrating our forward-looking industry insight and long-term value creation capabilities. As we embrace the next wave of AI, we will continue to focus on ‘AI Agent + World Model’ as our core technology path, strengthen computing power and foundational capabilities, drive deeper value realization of AI, and work with ecosystem partners to build a sustainable intelligent future.”

Performance Highlights:

• Total revenue reached RMB7.135 billion, up 35.6% year-on-year; adjusted net profit amounted to RMB17.84 million, marking the first full-year profitability.
• According to IDC, Phancy ranked first in China’s machine learning platform market for seven consecutive years, with a 34% market share.[i]
• Orders on hand amounted to over RMB8.9 billion, surpassing the Company’s total revenue in 2025.
• AI Platform contributed RMB6.552 billion in revenue, up 32.0% year-on-year, accounting for 91.8% of total revenue and serving as the core growth pillar.
• API business, driven by a token-based model, became the fastest-growing segment with revenue of RMB79.9 million, representing explosive year-on-year growth of 129.2%.
• Agentic AI business, centered on a “Result-as-a-Service” model, achieved revenue of RMB503 million, up 93.2% year-on-year, demonstrating strong momentum and sustainable scalability.

Business Highlights:

In 2025, Phancy’s three core business segments — AI Platform, API, and Agentic AI — established a multi-engine growth model, creating a cycle of synergy and mutual reinforcement.

AI Platform: Sustained Growth Driver

Driven by strong domestic demand for localization and the national “AI+” initiative, the AI Platform remained the Company’s core growth engine. With its full-stack product portfolio and leading market position, the segment delivered deep integration between computing power and platform services, lowering barriers to AI adoption. Supported by a comprehensive technology framework and a strong customer base, the AI Platform effectively boosted performance and contributed to the Company’s profitability breakthrough.

The Company continued to drive technological iteration, with a strategic focus on three core offerings: PhanthyCloud, HAMi vGPU, and ModelHub XC.

1. PhanthyCloud – the backbone of the full-stack AI PaaS cloud service, integrating diverse AI capabilities to provide efficient, cloud-based services. Seamlessly connected to ModelHub XC and HAMi vGPU, PhanthyCloud delivers model adaptation and computing power scheduling, while maintaining broad compatibility with mainstream domestic chips to support digital transformation.
2. HAMi vGPU – a core GPU resource management product that allows GPUs to be flexibly shared and scheduled. Customers can tailor GPU configurations to their business needs, significantly improving utilization rates.
3. ModelHub XC – China’s largest ITAI (information technology application innovation) model community, designed to promote deep adaptation between domestic chips and AI models. The number of adapted and certified models has now surpassed 30,000. The Company had initially planned to scale the number of adapted models to the hundred-thousand level within a year, a milestone it has already achieved ahead of schedule.

API Business: Fastest Growth Engine

With the rapid adoption of AI Agents, token consumption has grown exponentially. Phancy’s API business, built on a flexible pay-as-you-go model and a comprehensive ecosystem, achieved leapfrog growth, and became the Company’s fastest growing segment. Token revenue for the first quarter of 2026 alone has already surpassed the full-year total for 2025.

The API business is anchored by the Phanthy platform, complemented by PhanRouter and PhanClaw, creating a comprehensive token ecosystem in synergy with the Sage Platform:

1. Phanthy – the core platform of the token-based ecosystem. It integrates cloud services with more than 30,000 adapted models and industry-specific vertical models, delivering accessible API capabilities that reach over 100 million of terminal products and support the large-scale deployment of AI capabilities.
2. PhanRouter – a unified API gateway for large models. It enables developers and enterprises to seamlessly connect with dozens of mainstream model providers, it is compatible with the OpenAI standard and major domestic chips, and supports both private deployment and token-based payment, reducing customer costs and easing operational complexity.
3. PhanClaw – an agent platform deeply integrated within PhanthyCloud and serves as an extension of the OpenClaw ecosystem. It is designed to provide users with secure, controllable, and cost-efficient digital assistant services. Working in synergy with Phanthy and PhanRouter, PhanClaw manages the token lifecycle, including risk control, permission management, and log auditing, meeting the stringent security and compliance requirements of industries, such as finance and government affairs.

Agentic AI: Long-Term Sustainable Growth

Agentic AI serves as the Company’s revenue cornerstone and a “value multiplier” for empowering a wide range of industries. Operating under a Result-as-a-service model and aligned with national “AI+” energy development policies, this segment expanded rapidly across high-value industries, achieving economies of scale and strong growth momentum. Working in synergy with the AI Platform and API businesses, Agentic AI provides long-term support for revenue and contributes to the high-quality development of the Company’s operations.

In terms of business expansion, the Company is focusing on core scenarios in spot electricity trading and medium- to long-term electricity trading. It has developed a full-chain AI solution encompassing forecasting, decision-making, risk control, and post-trading review. This solution has already been deployed in multiple pilot provinces and recognized by key customers, effectively improving efficiency and profitability in wind power, photovoltaics, and energy storage. This model is now being rapidly extended to other industries, including manufacturing and finance.

Future Outlook:

Looking ahead to 2026, Phancy will continue to advance its four strategic priorities: deepening its AI 2.0 roadmap, accelerating the deployment of industrial-grade AI Agents, driving international expansion, and further extending into the consumer market.

In terms of the AI 2.0 roadmap, the Company will continue to pursue its core philosophy of “AI for Everyone”, focusing on foundational technology R&D and real-world deployment. By refining its end-to-end technology system, Phancy aims to lower barriers to AI adoption and enable more enterprises and users to benefit from AI. For industrial-grade AI Agents, the Company will accelerate deployment under a Result-as-a-service model, deepening its presence in key sectors such as energy and finance, and developing replicable, scalable industry solutions, to expand business scale and profitability. On international expansion, Phancy will strengthen partnerships with overseas brands and channels, building a robust global operations framework to support worldwide growth. In the consumer market, the Company will focus on core consumer needs by launching high-experience smart terminal products, further expanding its customer base and establishing a dual-driven growth model powered by both technology and market reach.

Hashtag: #PHANCY

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About Phancy Group

Phancy Group (Stock Code: 6682.HK) is a leading artificial general intelligence technology company. Guided by its mission of “AI for Everyone”, the Company is committed to empowering industries across the board through its “AI Agent + World Model” technology approach. Founded in 2014, the Company underwent a comprehensive restructuring in 2025, establishing multiple business divisions including Enterprise Services (Fourth Paradigm), Large Models & AGI (Pantheon), Consumer Electronics (Paradigm Pilot), Smart Energy (PhancyArc), and Smart Sports (Phancy Wonder). To date, the Company has successfully deployed over 10,000 AI applications across sectors such as finance, retail, and healthcare, consistently striving to advance the democratization of AI and help enterprises achieve sustainable growth.

PERSOL Outsourcing will deliver tailored end-to-end solutions for today’s evolving business landscape

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 March 2026 – PERSOL, Asia Pacific’s leading HR solutions provider, today announced the official launch of PERSOL Outsourcing. This strategic rebranding brings together the collective strengths of P-Serv and EVO, creating a unified, future-ready outsourcing brand designed to help Malaysia businesses navigate an increasingly complex and tech-driven market.

The rebranding of P-Serv and EVO as PERSOL Outsourcing marks a significant milestone in PERSOL APAC’s regional growth strategy. By combining three decades of operational stability with digital capabilities, PERSOL Outsourcing is positioned to deliver tailored end-to-end solutions that integrate People, Process, and Technology.

“The transition to PERSOL Outsourcing is a natural evolution of our deep-rooted presence in Malaysia and the wider region,” said Brian Sim, Managing Director and Country Head of PERSOL Malaysia. “By unifying the specialised domain expertise of P-Serv and EVO, we are better positioned to help our clients navigate the evolving business and workforce landscape. Our clients will continue to work with the same expert teams they trust, but with the added benefit of unified regional scale and enhanced digital capabilities that drive long-term resilience and efficiency.”

Tailored Solutions for an Increasingly Complex Landscape

PERSOL Outsourcing addresses the rising demand for agile delivery models in a regional Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) market that is expected to reach US$147.06 billion by 2032. In Malaysia, Customer Experience BPO market generated US$1.43 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.5% by 2030. As local and regional enterprises increasingly seek partners who can navigate this rapid growth through specialised domain expertise, PERSOL Outsourcing will focus on delivering solutions across three core pillars:

• Customer Experience: Supporting service delivery across all touchpoints, from customer service management to omnichannel contact centre operations and front-of-house operations.
• Corporate Services: Streamline complex shared service operations through a comprehensive suite of solutions including Human Resource Advisory, Finance, Marketing, and Compliance. Services include the management of intricate administrative, facility, and regulatory requirements based on organisational needs and growth trajectories.
• Technical: Driving digital transformation through engineering and IT infrastructure management. Capabilities span cloud operations, digital support, and platform management, leveraging AI implementation and automation to innovate and improve core business processes.

Effective immediately, P-Serv and EVO will operate under the PERSOL Outsourcing brand. The integration will allow clients to tap into an expanded suite of regional resources and digital innovations designed to drive greater operational efficiency.

For more information, please visit https://www.persoloutsourcing.com/.

Hashtag: #PERSOLOutsourcing

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

About PERSOL Outsourcing

PERSOL Outsourcing is a regional strategic partner delivering comprehensive outsourcing solutions that seamlessly integrates people, process, and technology. As a newly integrated brand following the rebranding of P-Serv and EVO, PERSOL Outsourcing unites three decades of operational excellence with deep domain expertise to drive agility and resilience for enterprises across Asia-Pacific.

About PERSOL APAC

PERSOL is Asia-Pacific’s leading Staffing and HR solutions partner, operating across 13 markets with deep local insight and regional scale. With more than 140 offices and decades of experience, we deliver integrated workforce solutions that are tailored, tech-enabled, and designed for the dynamic world of work.

We combine human expertise with smart technology to help organisations solve workforce challenges, unlock potential, and stay ahead of change. From recruitment and talent management to workforce strategy and advisory, our collaborative approach puts your goals at the centre.

In 2025, we came together under the PERSOL name – reflecting our bold vision for the future of work and our Group’s Vision: ‘Work and Smile’. Whether you’re building teams, growing careers, or transforming how work gets done, we’re here.

By Nantoo Banerjee The central excise duty cut on petrol and diesel oil to help petro-fuel producers and marketeers partly cover their losses on account of the rising crude oil import prices is an internal government matter. It is not meant to have any impact on retail prices which continue to be very high and […]

The article Petrol, Diesel Levies Need Drastic Cuts For Inflation Control, Economic Growth appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

By Dr. Gyan Pathak On the very onset of the Financial Year 2026-27, beginning from April 1, 2026, India faces a multi-layered set of risks, given its position as a major energy importer with strong trade, investment, and remittance linkages with the West Asia region, which has turned into a war zone since the United […]

The article India Faces Multi-Layered Set Of Risks At The Onset Of FY2026-27 appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Funding initiatives under the Forest Conservation Certificate to support sustainable forestry and biodiversity protection

SINGAPORE & MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 March 2026 – Vantage Data Centers, a leading global provider of hyperscale data center campuses, today announced a partnership with the Malaysia Forest Fund (MFF), an agency under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability of Malaysia (NRES), to strengthen the efforts to protect and conserve Malaysia’s forests while delivering tangible benefits to local communities in Selangor. Through this collaboration, Vantage will contribute to the Penjaga Gunung (Mountain Guardian) project, one of the key initiatives under the Forest Conservation Certificate (FCC) protocol managed by the Malaysia Forest Fund.

His Highness Crown Prince of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah Ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj and YB Dato’ Sri Arthur Joseph Kurup, Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, witnessed the conservation agreement exchange between Vantage Data Centers, Malaysia Forest Fund and Your Idea Maker for the implementation of the Penjaga Gunung project in Selangor. The initiative covers approximately 108,000 hectares of the Selangor Royal Heritage Forest area and engages villages from the Orang Asli community.

The Penjaga Gunung project aims to foster environmental stewardship among the youth of the Orang Asli, the Indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, while preserving their cultural heritage and creating sustainable livelihoods for the community. Through structured program and certified skills development, participants will be trained to become nature guides and community rangers, enabling them to develop village-based eco-tourism and conservation services that generate long-term income streams. This new generation of forest guardians will be equipped with essential knowledge to enhance protection of Selangor’s forest reserves and biodiversity while supporting habitat restoration to strengthen ecosystem resilience.

“Our support for Penjaga Gunung turns conservation into high-caliber, meaningful career opportunities. We are shaping a future where sustainable livelihoods and professional skills development go hand in hand with protecting the planet, ensuring that environmental sustainability is guided by the wisdom of protecting indigenous cultural heritage”, said Fitri Abdullah, country managing director, Malaysia of Vantage Data Centers. “Vantage is committed to building and operating our hyperscale digital infrastructure responsibly. We will continue to strengthen the community by investing in workforce development programs and aligning our efforts with local priorities and the Malaysian government’s digital vision.”

Vantage has established a strong presence in Malaysia with two hyperscale campuses in Cyberjaya, Selangor, in addition to one of the region’s largest campuses in Johor, all of which support cloud and AI transformation across the Southeast Asia region. For more information on Vantage’s APAC platform, please visit https://vantage-dc.com/data-center-locations/apac/.

Hashtag: #VantageDataCentre #VDC #MalaysiaForestFund #MFF

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About Vantage Data Centers

Vantage Data Centers is a global leader in digital infrastructure serving the world’s most influential AI and cloud providers. With operations spanning North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage delivers capacity at unrivaled speed and scale, driven by a relentless commitment to operational excellence and customer success. Vantage is empowering transformative companies to shape the future.

For more information, visit http://www.vantage-dc.com.

South Korea is weighing whether to extend car-use restrictions beyond the public sector as oil prices climb sharply, a step that would amount to the country’s first nationwide driving curbs since the 1991 Gulf War if it is applied broadly to the public. Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said wider restrictions could come into play if crude prices rise into a $120-$130 a barrel range, up from about $100-$110 now, as Seoul tries to contain fuel demand and cushion the economic shock from turmoil in the Middle East.

The discussion marks an escalation from measures already in force. Public institutions are operating under a five-day vehicle rotation system, while large companies including Samsung Electronics and SK Group have begun urging staff to cut private car use, reduce parking demand and adopt other energy-saving practices. Officials have also left open the possibility of further fuel-tax relief to soften the burden on households and businesses, though no final decision has been announced on compulsory curbs for private motorists.

At the centre of Seoul’s concern is its exposure to imported energy. About 70% of South Korea’s oil imports come from the Middle East, leaving the country highly sensitive to any disruption in supplies or shipping routes. The government raised its crude oil supply disruption alert to Level 2 on March 18 as tensions mounted, signalling a more serious official assessment of the risks facing one of Asia’s largest energy importers.

The external shock has been severe. Reuters reported that Brent crude climbed to nearly $115 a barrel over the weekend and above $116 on Monday, putting it on course for its biggest monthly jump on record, while US crude also surged past $100. The rally has been driven by a widening conflict linked to Iran and growing anxiety over disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil flows. That backdrop has sharpened pressure on Asian economies that rely heavily on imported fuel, with South Korea among the most exposed.

For policymakers in Seoul, the issue is no longer only about fuel bills. Higher oil prices threaten to spill into inflation, transport costs, industrial input prices and consumer sentiment. A Reuters poll published on Monday projected that South Korea’s imports rose 18% in March, the fastest pace since September 2022, largely because of elevated oil prices, even as exports remained buoyant on strong semiconductor demand. That split picture captures the dilemma facing the government: trade performance is being helped by chips and artificial intelligence-linked demand, but the economy’s dependence on imported energy is pushing up costs and widening vulnerability.

President Lee Jae Myung has responded by urging a nationwide energy-saving drive, while Energy Minister Kim Sung-whan has pushed demand management and warned against panic behaviour. The government has promoted 12 power-saving practices, from shorter showers to shifting electricity use away from peak hours, and has also moved to restart several nuclear reactors, loosen coal plant restrictions and expand renewable energy to offset pressure on gas imports. The mix underlines how Seoul is trying to balance short-term crisis management with longer-term energy security, even as those goals can pull in different directions.

That tension is visible in the broader regional response. Across Asia, governments are looking again at emergency stock releases, fuel-saving directives and, in some cases, greater coal use to bridge supply gaps. Analysts say such measures may shield economies from the immediate shock, but they also expose how quickly climate and transition goals can be tested when energy security comes under strain. In South Korea’s case, the administration’s public emphasis on renewables sits alongside plans to lean harder on nuclear and coal generation if needed.

The market fallout has already been visible in financial assets. South Korean equities were hit as investors fled Asian markets on fears of a prolonged oil shock, though some analysts argue the sell-off has reflected panic rather than a collapse in fundamentals. Technology and industrial names remain central to the country’s earnings outlook, but energy-intensive sectors face a tougher operating environment if high crude prices persist or if physical shortages emerge.

Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Shatin), St. Paul’s College, Tai Po Old Market Public School Crowned Champions with St. Paul’s Convent School Named Most Active Participant

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 March 2026 – Samsung ‘Solve for Tomorrow,’ a global inter-school technology competition operating in 68 countries, has been held in Hong Kong since 2013, empowering youth to address social and global challenges through innovation. This year, two core themes guided participants: Topic 1: Environmental Sustainability via Technology — Create sustainable solutions to protect our planet via AI, and Topic 2: Social Change through Sport & Tech: For Better Futures — Harness the power of AI technology and sports to open new opportunities. Both themes rigorously challenged students to innovate beyond traditional boundaries, leveraging AI and cutting-edge technologies to develop creative, practical solutions to complex societal issues and actively shape a better future.

Running from September 2025 to March 2026, the competition, co-organized by AiTLE and fully backed by the HKSAR Education Bureau’s ‘Business-School Partnership Programme’ and Hong Kong Education City, attracted over 250 teams from 100 tertiary, secondary and primary schools. Each team demonstrated unique technological approaches to tackle pressing social issues.

Yiyin Zhao, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics H.K. Company, Limited, stated: ‘Samsung has always believed technology is not merely a tool for changing lives, but a vital force driving social progress. ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ empowers young people to leverage creative thinking and technology to address real-world needs and challenges. It’s more than a competition; it’s a journey of innovative exploration that nurtures and empowers the younger generation. The widespread adoption of AI, in particular, presents unprecedented opportunities for innovation. This year, we were delighted to see students actively using AI and diverse technological solutions across the community, environment, sports, and sustainability, submitting outstanding, inspiring, and practical work. This truly demonstrates the remarkable creativity, keen observation, and effective problem-solving skills of Hong Kong’s youth.”

Samsung Nurtures Tomorrow’s Tech & Innovation Leaders
She also hopes the competition will encourage more students to step out of their comfort zones: “Beyond stimulating creativity and developing innovative solutions, we aim to cultivate critical skills: problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork, and communication. This equips students to navigate the challenges of our rapidly evolving intelligent era confidently. We believe this competition will discover and cultivate the next generation of innovation and technology talent, contributing significantly to both Hong Kong’s and global innovation.

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow extends beyond monetary rewards, actively aligning with the Education Bureau’s ‘Business-School Partnership Programme’ to provide invaluable hands-on experience. Tertiary champions secure corporate internships, while secondary champions and first runners-up gain critical work experience, preparing them for future careers. The competition ignites students’ passion for technology and STEM, building a robust foundation for their innovation journeys and continually inspiring alumni to pursue pioneering solutions.

Final Awards Reveal Extraordinary Creativity
After the initial judging round, 95 outstanding projects advanced. They then refined their innovative solutions in Design Thinking workshops and through expert guidance. The judging panel then selected the nine finalists—the top three teams from each category, who will present their detailed project concepts and results, vying for the ultimate recognition.

Tertiary Category Champion “AquaPulse” – Developed by the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Shatin), AquaPulse is an AI coastal protection system powered by continuous 24/7 tidal and solar energy with integrated storage. It reliably detects abnormalities such as falling into the sea, even at night or in adverse weather, using millimeter-wave radar and AI vision. Upon detection, it instantly notifies rescue teams via lamppost positioning, significantly shortening response times. AquaPulse also monitors environmental data, aiming to create safer, more sustainable waterfronts for Hong Kong.

Secondary Category Champion “Plastine” – Developed by St. Paul’s College, Plastine is a solar-powered microplastic removal system for freshwater environments. It utilizes advanced electrocoagulation with aluminum electrodes to aggregate microplastics for efficient filtration and collection. Combining IoT sensors and AI algorithms, Plastine intelligently identifies optimal deployment locations. Focused on Hong Kong’s microplastic-rich rivers, it purifies water, safeguards public health, and restores aquatic ecosystems.

Primary Category Champion “Yoga 24 Go!” Wellness Exercise App – Developed by Tai Po Old Market Public School, “Yoga 24 Go!” is an innovative wellness application. It intelligently integrates the health wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s 24 solar terms with the body’s 12 meridians. Guiding users through specific yoga poses for each solar term, the app promotes “seasonal wellness” by targeting health goals such as nourishing the liver in spring, the heart in summer, the lungs in autumn, and the kidneys in winter

Award List (for details, please refer to the appendix):

Hashtag: #Samsung #SolveforTomorrow

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About Samsung Solve for Tomorrow

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is an annual competition that brings together the creativity and passion for new technologies of young people around the world to solve social problems in local communities. In 2013, Samsung introduced this meaningful event to Hong Kong, inspiring tens of thousands of students to develop innovative solutions to address social issues in the City. Samsung is promoting the new educational philosophy of STEM. Besides encouraging Hong Kong students to deepen their knowledge of STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – Samsung hopes that they can develop empathy and a sense of responsibility and apply their STEM knowledge to contribute to society. Through the competition, Samsung hopes to cultivate tomorrow’s thought leaders, equipping them with both technological knowledge and a sense of responsibility as global citizens. To learn more about Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, please visit: https://hkclubs.samsung.com/hk/offer/solvefortomorrow2025/

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, home appliances, network systems, memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions, consistently elevating their performance and innovation to new heights. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com/.

Opening in stages with a planned ramp-up, following the phased launch of its office towers since late 2025, Westlake 66 marks a major milestone in the Hang Lung’s Mainland portfolio and represents the latest embodiment of its “Pulse of the City” positioning. It will set a new benchmark for regional mixed-use development and redefine sophisticated lifestyle experiences in a top-tier Chinese city, leading the experiential retail trend and establishing a curated destination where culture, commerce, and community converge.

Situated in the Wulin CBD of Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province — one of China’s wealthiest provinces by GDP and purchasing power — Westlake 66 spans a gross floor area of approximately 390,200 square meters, bringing together a world-class shopping mall, five Grade A office towers, and the 194-key Mandarin Oriental Hangzhou — the first Mandarin Oriental in Zhejiang — to serve the discerning tastes of Hangzhou’s affluent and growing population.
Hashtag: #HangLungProperties

http://www.hanglung.com/

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

About Hang Lung Properties

For more information, please visit www.hanglung.com.

The survey found that 53 per cent of Taiwanese small businesses grew in 2025, slightly below the 57 per cent recorded in the previous survey. Looking ahead, business sentiment strengthened notably. In 2026, 63 per cent of respondents expect their business to grow, while confidence in the local economy also improved, with 61 per cent anticipating economic growth, the highest level recorded since Taiwan was first included in the survey in 2018.

Taiwan’s small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) continue to play a vital role in creating new jobs. In 2025, 31 per cent of SMEs increasing staff numbers, while 44 per cent plan to hire additional employees in 2026.

With rising costs identified as the biggest challenge facing Taiwan’s SME in 2025, many businesses identified cost control as the most positive contributor to business performance last year.

Mr Elic Lam FCPA (Aust.), Honorary Taiwan Advisor at CPA Australia, said Taiwan’s economic fundamentals continue to support small business resilience, “Rising global demand for semiconductors and AI related chips continues to create opportunities for exporters and suppliers across Taiwan’s value chain,” Mr Lam said. “While geopolitical tensions and intensifying competition are adding uncertainty, government support measures for SMEs, including targeted subsidies and tax incentives, together with Taiwan’s resilient domestic demand, are helping to lift business confidence.”

Technology adoption, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), is becoming increasingly widespread among Taiwanese small businesses. The survey found that 33 per cent of small businesses identified AI as the technology they invested in most heavily invested in 2025, up from 29 per cent in the previous year.

Cyber risk among Taiwanese small businesses fell markedly. The share of small businesses reporting losses of time or money due to cyber incidents declined sharply from 59 per cent in 2024 to 27 per cent in 2025, reflecting stronger awareness and the uptake of basic protective measures across the sector.

However, the survey also indicates there is room to strengthen the returns from digital investment. Only 40 per cent of respondents reported that their technology investment in 2025 improved profitability, compared with the survey average of 56 per cent.

Mr Lam noted that Taiwan’s SME sector is undergoing a generational transition that is influencing technology adoption patterns, “Many SMEs in Taiwan are moving from first generation ownership to second or third generation leadership, and technology adoption remains cautious and practical,” he said. “The increase in AI investment reflects both external drivers, such as changing customer expectations and government policy support for digital transformation, as well as internal factors, including younger owners’ familiarity with AI tools and rising operating and staffing costs.”

“To improve profitability, SMEs should focus on applying digital solutions in areas with the greatest impact. For example, as rising costs were identified as the most negative factor affecting performance in 2025, investing in ready-to-use and AI enabled accounting or financial management tools can help reduce operating expenses and lift productivity.”

Access to finance is another notable finding. Financing conditions in Taiwan improved significantly in 2025, even as borrowing softened. Two-thirds of businesses (66 per cent) I said it was easy to access external finance, placing Taiwan among the top three surveyed markets and representing a sharp increase from 28 per cent in 2024. Looking ahead, financing conditions are expected to remain supportive, with 63 per cent anticipating easy access to finance in 2026.

Despite the marked improvement in financing conditions, demand for finance was more subdued. In 2025, 54 per cent of SMEs sought external finance, down from 72 per cent in 2024.

“The Taiwan government has expanded inclusive and guaranteed financing mechanisms to support SMEs, including higher guarantee ratios under the SME Credit Guarantee Fund and preferential loans offered through state affiliated banks,” Mr Lam said. “These measures have made bank financing more accessible for small businesses.”

“Even so, many SMEs remain cautious about taking on new debt. In a stable domestic environment, businesses can maintain steady growth, but external uncertainties drive them to take a prudent approach to borrowing. This aligns well with the government’s policy focus on gradual and resilient SME transformation rather than rapid, high risk expansion.”

Lam concluded, “To navigate international uncertainty and intensifying market competition, Taiwan’s small businesses should make better use of government policy support to upskill their workforce through AI adoption, foster innovation, and diversify export markets by strengthening online sales channels.”

The Asia Pacific Small Business Survey 2025–26 gathered views from 4,166 small businesses across 11 markets in the region, including Singapore, Chinese Mainland and Australia. The Taiwan survey sample comprised 311 small businesses.

Hashtag: #CPAAustralia

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About CPA Australia

CPA Australia is Australia’s leading professional accounting body and one of the largest in the world. We have more than 176,000 members in over 100 countries and regions, including more than 22,500 members in Greater China. Our core services include education, training, technical support and advocacy. CPA Australia provides thought leadership on local, national and international issues affecting the accounting profession and public interest. We engage with governments, regulators and industries to advocate policies that stimulate sustainable economic growth and have positive business and public outcomes. A CPA is a Certified Practising Accountant. More at cpaaustralia.com.au

A China-Singapore youth dialogue in Singapore has closed with artificial intelligence, innovation and cross-border cooperation at the centre of discussions, as both countries seek to deepen people-to-people links alongside a broader push into advanced technology and digital governance. The two-day event was held on 24 and 25 March and brought together 12 young representatives from the two countries under the theme “Building Tomorrow: Youth Voices United”.

The gathering was co-organised by People’s Daily and Lianhe Zaobao, giving it a media-diplomacy character as well as a youth engagement role. Participants discussed how their generation is navigating technological change, cultural renewal and sustainable development, with one panel focused specifically on how young professionals in robotics, flying cars and data verification see the opportunities and risks of the AI era.

That emphasis matters beyond the symbolism of a youth exchange. Singapore has been working to position itself as a regional hub for trusted AI deployment, regulation and commercialisation, while China continues to expand its technological reach across sectors from advanced manufacturing to data-driven consumer platforms. Against that backdrop, a dialogue framed around youth voices and innovation also functions as a signal that bilateral engagement is moving beyond trade and official diplomacy into talent, technology and narrative influence.

Organisers said the technology segment featured participants working in frontier and emerging fields, including robotics, air mobility and digital verification. Those subjects reflect a wider regional agenda in which governments, universities and companies are trying to balance investment enthusiasm with concerns over safety, labour disruption, misinformation and the standards needed for responsible AI adoption. The inclusion of data verification in the discussion is especially notable at a time when synthetic media, manipulated content and trust in online information have become strategic concerns across Asia.

The event also extended beyond technology. Another strand of the dialogue focused on culture and identity, with participants in wood sculpture, paper arts, jewellery design and cultural reporting arguing that heritage does not have to be sidelined by digital change. That framing aligns with a broader trend in both China and Singapore, where policymakers and institutions increasingly present innovation and cultural continuity not as competing ideas but as parallel pillars of national development and soft power.

For Singapore, the dialogue fits neatly into its longer-standing strategy of maintaining practical, multi-layered ties with China while preserving its distinct regulatory and economic model. Youth exchanges, especially those tied to technology and entrepreneurship, can help widen those ties at a time when regional competition for skilled workers, capital and research partnerships is intensifying. Singapore’s universities and public institutions have also hosted multiple youth-oriented dialogues on China-related themes this year, pointing to a sustained effort to cultivate a new generation conversant in both policy and commercial realities.

For China, the event offered another platform to project openness and collaborative intent through younger voices rather than official communiqués. That matters at a moment when Beijing is trying to reassure partners in Southeast Asia that technological cooperation can advance without crowding out local priorities. Using youth representatives, entrepreneurs and cultural figures helps soften what might otherwise appear as a purely state-led message, while also reinforcing the idea that future bilateral ties will be shaped as much by personal networks and innovation ecosystems as by government ministries.

Still, such forums come with limits. Dialogues can build familiarity and create useful connections, but they do not by themselves resolve harder policy questions around data governance, platform regulation, research openness or strategic competition. Singapore has been careful to develop AI frameworks that stress accountability and trust, while China’s model is backed by a far larger domestic market and a different regulatory environment. That means cooperation may expand fastest in applied innovation, education, mobility and selected commercial fields rather than in fully harmonised digital rules.

India has cut special excise duties on petrol and diesel after a sharp rise in global crude prices, seeking to shield consumers from a broader inflation shock as the Iran war and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz continue to unsettle energy markets. A government order issued late on Thursday reduced the special excise duty on petrol to Rs 3 a litre from Rs 13, while the levy on diesel was removed entirely from Rs 10 a litre. At the same time, New Delhi imposed fresh windfall taxes on diesel and aviation turbine fuel exports to recover part of the revenue loss and manage the fiscal hit.

The move underlines the pressure facing policymakers as oil prices remain volatile and the rupee weakens, raising the cost of imports for one of the world’s biggest crude buyers. Brent crude climbed above $112 a barrel on Friday, extending a rally driven by doubts over any near-term ceasefire and persistent fears that supply disruptions in the Gulf could deepen. Traders and analysts have said the risk premium now reflects not only lost barrels but also the strategic importance of Hormuz, through which a large share of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows.

For India, the tax cut is as much about inflation management as political optics. Retail prices at state-run fuel retailers have been largely held steady even as global crude costs have climbed, forcing public-sector oil marketing companies to absorb losses on every litre sold. Reuters reported that those losses were running at about Rs 24 a litre on petrol and Rs 30 on diesel at the time of the duty cut, a burden that had begun to raise concerns about the financial strain on the country’s dominant fuel retailers. By lowering excise duties, the government creates room for those companies to keep pump prices stable without taking the full blow on their balance sheets.

That relief, however, comes with a cost. The excise reduction is expected to trim government revenue by roughly Rs 70 billion every fortnight, with the net impact estimated at about Rs 55 billion after accounting for the new export levies on diesel and jet fuel. Those numbers matter because New Delhi is already balancing slower growth risks, higher import costs and sensitivity in bond markets. India’s 10-year government bond yield rose as investors weighed the inflationary impact of oil and the possibility that fiscal targets may come under pressure if energy turbulence persists.

Currency markets have been sending a similar warning. The rupee slipped beyond 94 to the US dollar, marking a record low and capping its weakest fiscal-year performance in more than a decade. Higher oil prices have compounded external pressures by widening import costs and fuelling worries over inflation, while signs of reduced support from the Reserve Bank of India have added to volatility in both the currency and government debt markets. The combination of a softer rupee and expensive crude intensifies the urgency for measures that can prevent fuel inflation from feeding into transport, food and manufacturing costs.

The government has paired the tax changes with broader supply assurances. Officials have said retail fuel prices will remain stable and that supplies of fuel, fertiliser and coal are adequate. India has also increased the availability of liquefied petroleum gas for industrial use, an indication that authorities are trying to prevent energy stress from spilling into factories and power demand. That broader messaging is aimed at containing panic in a market already on edge over whether the Middle East conflict could trigger a more prolonged energy shock.

The burden of holding down prices has not been distributed evenly across the sector. State-run retailers, which control more than 90 per cent of the country’s fuel stations, have largely refrained from raising pump prices, while private players have begun adjusting. Nayara Energy, for example, increased gasoline and gasoil prices this week, citing the combined impact of a weaker rupee and surging global crude prices. The divergence highlights the structural challenge for the government: keeping inflation contained without unduly damaging the finances of state-backed refiners and marketers.