A fire damaged a Starlink ground station near Warsaw that helps provide internet connectivity to Ukraine, prompting Polish security agencies to investigate whether the incident was deliberate, Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said on Thursday. The blaze broke out late on Wednesday at the facility in Wola Krobowska, in the Grójec district of the Mazowieckie region. Firefighters extinguished the flames and no injuries […]
Bitcoin traders are bracing for a major derivatives reset on Friday, when about $15.7 billion of options tied to the cryptocurrency are due to expire on Deribit, putting the durability of this week’s rally under scrutiny. The September 25 quarterly expiry is the largest concentration of Bitcoin options on the exchange, with open interest equivalent to roughly 179,000 to 183,000 Bitcoin depending on the market snapshot. Deribit […]
Water shortages and chronic underinvestment are emerging as direct constraints on artificial intelligence, energy systems, food production and urban expansion, sharpening pressure on governments and investors to mobilise far more capital for water infrastructure. The issue moved higher on the global investment agenda this week as about 50 chief executives, investors and philanthropy leaders met at the UAE’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Microsoft plans to invest more than $10 billion across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait by 2030, extending its cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure while placing digital resilience at the centre of its Gulf strategy. The spending programme will cover continued infrastructure development and a broader expansion of Microsoft’s operations across the four countries, Vice Chair and President Brad Smith […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi-listed MAIR Group has agreed to acquire a 70 per cent stake in Eslab, owner of Turkish-origin specialty coffee chain Espressolab, marking the investment group’s first international acquisition since its stock-market listing. The company said it had signed a share purchase agreement for 70 per cent of Eslab’s issued share capital. Eslab’s founders and existing shareholders will retain the remaining 30 per […]
HAIKOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 September 2026 – Six months have passed since the Hainan Free Trade Port officially launched island-wide special customs operations on December 18, 2025. On June 18, Malaysia’s Nanyang Siang Pau, in collaboration with Hainan Daily Press Group, launched the financial video series Nanyang Interview: Exploring Opportunities in China’s Largest Free Trade Port, examining the development potential of the Hainan Free Trade Port and investment opportunities for ASEAN businesses.
A related report published in the digital edition of Malaysia’s Nanyang Siang Pau on June 18, 2026.
Economists interviewed for the series said that, as a key gateway to the world’s second-largest single market, ASEAN businesses cannot afford to overlook the historic opportunity to enter the Chinese market through Hainan. Chen Bo, Senior Research Fellow at the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore, said that with multiple policy incentives taking effect, the next decade represents a golden opportunity for Hainan. Xiao Saizi, a professor at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, noted that in the six months since the launch of special customs operations, the number of foreign trade companies registered in Hainan has grown rapidly. High-end manufacturing and processing industries—including chip packaging and testing, premium food processing, aviation maintenance, green energy, medical devices, and biopharmaceuticals—are among the sectors most likely to benefit.
Located at the southernmost tip of China, Hainan is within a four-hour flight of 21 Asia-Pacific countries. This natural geographic advantage makes it an important springboard for ASEAN businesses seeking to enter the Chinese market. Xiao said that Hainan received 106 million domestic and international tourist visits in 2025, making it an ideal testing ground where foreign investors can test the market at relatively low cost.
Previous surveys have shown that foreign exchange settlement is one of the key concerns for foreign investors. By the end of 2025, 11 banks in Hainan had launched EF accounts, enabling cross-border fund flows with 91 countries and regions, with total transaction volume equivalent to CNY 350.9 billion.
Several economists advised ASEAN businesses to conduct thorough internal assessments before making investment decisions. If they determine that the Chinese market will form part of their future growth strategy, they should consider entering Hainan early while the benefits of the Free Trade Port’s policies continue to unfold.
Hashtag: #FreeTradePort
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
WUHAN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 September 2026 – The Global Mayors Dialogue · Wuhan and the 2026 Wuhan International Friendship Cities Cooperation Conference, held from Sept. 18 to 21, brought together 80 international guests from 24 cities across 22 countries, according to organizers.
The Global Mayors Dialogue and the 2026 Wuhan International Friendship Cities Cooperation Conference kicked off on September 20.(Photo by Chen liang)
At the event, mayors and city representatives from six international sister cities of Wuhan called for closer cooperation in technology, industry, education and culture.
Representatives from Manchester in Britain, Kemi in Finland, Cape Town in South Africa, Yangon in Myanmar, Rzeszów in Poland and Turkistan in Kazakhstan took part in discussions on urban innovation, industrial cooperation and cultural exchange.
Manchester: a new start after 40 years of friendship
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Wuhan and Manchester.
Shaukat Ali, lord mayor of Manchester, said the city was ready to deepen cooperation with Wuhan in education, culture, youth affairs, innovation and industry.
“Manchester is committed to promoting urban transformation through open cooperation, sharing opportunities, and fostering common development with international sister cities like Wuhan,” he said.
Ali said Manchester had developed from a post-industrial city into an innovation-oriented economy, with a focus on advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, life sciences and green technologies.
He said the two cities could share experience in urban transformation, innovation districts, university-industry cooperation and low-carbon development, while encouraging links among universities, businesses and research institutions.
He also highlighted existing educational and cultural links, including cooperation between Hubei University and Manchester Metropolitan University and exchanges between the Royal Northern College of Music and Wuhan Conservatory of Music.
Kemi: balancing growth with environmental protection
Mikko Koivulehto, chairman of the City Council of Kemi, said the Finnish city sought to balance economic growth with environmental protection.
“We believe that protecting nature and building a prosperous city can go hand in hand,” he said.
Kemi, a port city in Finnish Lapland, has developed industries based on renewable raw materials, clean energy and the bioeconomy. The city is also seeking to expand tourism and improve livability.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the friendly exchange relationship between Wuhan and Kemi. The two cities have cooperated in areas including trade, the circular economy, tourism and youth exchanges.
Cape Town: technology and jobs key to urban transformation
Lungelo Mbandazayo, city manager of Cape Town, said technological innovation, talent development, infrastructure and green renewal were key to Wuhan’s transformation.
Cape Town, a UNESCO City of Design, is seeking to expand its technology and digital sectors while promoting green technology and an inclusive economy.
Mbandazayo said youth unemployment remained a major challenge for Cape Town and that technological development needed to create jobs.
After visiting Wuhan companies and technology facilities, he said Cape Town hoped to deepen exchanges with Wuhan in technology and talent.
Yangon: seeking practical cooperation with Wuhan
Yangon Mayor Myo Myint Aung said the city was looking to Wuhan for experience in smart-city development, digital governance, intelligent transport and urban resilience.
Wuhan and Yangon signed a letter of intent on friendly exchanges and cooperation during the event.
Yangon is developing a long-term plan to accommodate population growth and expand its urban, industrial and transport infrastructure.
During a visit to Wuhan on Sept. 19, Myo toured the Optics Valley “Photon” suspended monorail, HGTECH and a Xiaomi smart home appliance factory.
“We came to Wuhan not just to observe, but to learn and cooperate,” he said, adding that Yangon hoped to develop smart manufacturing and strengthen cooperation in information technology.
Rzeszów: opportunities in aerospace and technology
Rzeszów Mayor Konrad Fijołek said the Polish city hoped to cooperate with Wuhan in aerospace, sensor technology, biodiversity and climate action.
Rzeszów is home to the “Aviation Valley,” a major aerospace cluster in Central Europe.
“Exploring cooperation with Wuhan is the reason I came here,” Fijołek said.
After visiting HGTECH and a Xiaomi smart home appliance factory, he said Wuhan’s automated manufacturing and technologies in sensors and satellite systems had impressed him.
He said cities could help connect universities, businesses and research institutions and promote international cooperation.
Turkistan: five areas for cooperation
Turkestan Mayor Azimbek Pazylbekuly said his city hoped to expand cooperation with Wuhan in tourism and culture, education and science, investment and entrepreneurship, digitalization and innovation, and transport and logistics.
Wuhan and Turkistan signed a memorandum of intent on friendly exchanges and cooperation during the event.
Turkistan, an ancient Silk Road city and a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been developing industries including food processing, textiles, furniture and construction materials.
Pazylbekuly said cooperation between governments, businesses, universities and research institutions could help turn the two cities’ exchanges into concrete projects.
The conference also included friendship-city anniversary celebrations and a signing ceremony for 10 cooperation projects. A digital list of cooperation opportunities and an initiative on international friendship-city cooperation were released.
During their stay, the visiting mayors toured Wuhan’s technology, manufacturing and ecological facilities, including the Optics Valley suspended monorail, a Yangtze finless porpoise conservation center, Xiaomi, HGTECH and Dongfeng Motor facilities.
Hashtag: #wuhan
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Huspy has acquired Italian credit intermediary Integra Finance and committed $86 million to Italy, marking the UAE-founded property technology company’s entry into its fourth market and a stage in its European expansion. The Dubai-based company said the investment, equivalent to about AED315 million, will support plans to build a mortgage finance and real estate business in Italy by combining Integra’s distribution network with […]
VIENNA, AUSTRIA – EQS Newswire – 23 September 2026 – AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS has produced and delivered the first Jaywan payment cards for Wio Bank PJSC, supporting the continued expansion of the UAE’s domestic card scheme and strengthening the country’s payments infrastructure.
Launched by Al Etihad Payments under the Central Bank of the UAE’s National Payment Systems Strategy, Jaywan is the UAE’s domestic card scheme, built to enhance the resilience, efficiency and sovereignty of the country’s payments infrastructure — part of the UAE’s broader vision to advance digital payments and strengthen its national financial ecosystem.
The cards were manufactured at AUSTRIACARD’s Bucharest production facility and combine the company’s secure payment card manufacturing expertise with Wio Bank’s digital-first banking platform, giving Wio customers access to payment products issued under the Jaywan scheme.
The milestone extends AUSTRIACARD’s support for financial institutions participating in the UAE’s national payments ecosystem, reflecting the company’s commitment to secure, high-quality payment solutions and marking a further step in its growth across the Gulf region — and in the shared ambition of AUSTRIACARD and Wio Bank to build a resilient, efficient, locally anchored payments landscape in the UAE.
Burak Bilge, EVP Türkiye, Middle East and Africa, AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS, said:
“National card schemes are becoming a defining feature of payments across the Middle East and Africa and supporting them is a strategic priority for AUSTRIACARD. Adding Jaywan to the portfolio that already spans international and domestic schemes strengthens what we can offer every issuer we serve. We are pleased to take this step with Wio Bank, the UAE’s first platform bank and one of the region’s fastest-growing digital banks, and we look forward to contributing to the growth of Jaywan and the wider UAE card market.”
Prateek Vahie, Chief Commercial Officer at Wio Bank said:
“At Wio Bank, our focus is on giving customers seamless access to the payment infrastructure that matters most to them. Partnering with AUSTRIACARD to bring Jaywan-issued cards to our customers reflects our commitment to the UAE’s national payments strategy, and it’s another step in building the kind of digital-first banking experience our customers expect.”
About Wio Bank PJSC:
Wio Bank PJSC is the UAE’s leading financial platform, reimagining banking for individuals and businesses. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi and fully regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE, Wio is backed by ADQ, Alpha Dhabi Holding, e& and First Abu Dhabi Bank. By combining advanced technology with a human-centric approach, Wio delivers seamless, personalised financial solutions.
For personal banking, Wio offers smart tools and insights to help individuals and families take control of their finances, enabling them to save, spend and grow with ease. For businesses, Wio provides entrepreneurs and SMEs with a comprehensive digital platform designed to streamline operations, unlock growth opportunities and simplify financial management.
Wio is redefining the banking landscape as a market leader in Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) and embedded finance, delivering innovative solutions that empower people, businesses, and communities with the infrastructure they need to access long-term wealth creation.
Wio Bank has been widely recognised through regional and international industry awards and rankings, including Forbes Middle East, Fast Company Middle East and Finance Middle East.
AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG leverages over 130 years of experience in information management, printing, and communications to deliver secure and transparent experiences for its customers. They offer a comprehensive suite of products and services, including payment solutions, identification solutions, smart cards, card personalization, digitization solutions, and secure data management. ACAG employs a global workforce of 2,360 people and is publicly traded on both the Euronext Athens and Vienna Stock Exchanges under the symbol ACAG.
By Ashok Nilakantan Ayers NEW YORK: After months of courtroom confrontation, political pressure, Hollywood lobbying and increasingly tense negotiations, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery have finally found a settlement with California and 11 other states that removes the biggest obstacle to their proposed $110 billion merger. It is not quite the closing of the […]
Digital-asset companies in South Africa have put at least R2.2 billion of transactions on hold as uncertainty grows over proposed rules that would bring cryptocurrencies more firmly within the country’s exchange-control system. At least three deals have been paused because of the proposed changes, according to people familiar with the transactions. The affected agreements include a large private-equity investment and other deals intended to support small-business capital […]
Google has been fined €403 million by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission after the regulator found breaches of European Union privacy rules in the way the company processed users’ location data. The watchdog said Google Ireland Limited failed to meet requirements under the General Data Protection Regulation covering lawfulness, fairness, transparency, accountability and data retention. The inquiry examined practices linked to Web & App Activity, Location History and […]
Meta has announced Petal, a new transatlantic undersea cable linking the United States and France that is designed to carry 1 petabit of data per second when it enters service in 2029. The roughly 7,000-kilometre system will be the first transoceanic subsea cable built for petabit-class capacity and the first to deploy multi-core fibre technology at scale, according to Meta. The company said the system would carry […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Visa Direct is expanding its Saudi Arabia footprint as digital money transfers accelerate, with card-based transaction volumes in the kingdom rising by more than 50 per cent year on year, according to Visa. The growth reflects stronger demand from consumers and financial institutions for faster domestic and cross-border payments, particularly remittances, as Saudi Arabia’s payments market continues shifting towards digital channels. Visa said […]
Greenlogue/AP Qatar’s greenhouse industry is projected to more than double in value by 2034 as investment in controlled-environment farming accelerates efforts to raise domestic food production and conserve water resources. Market research firm IMARC Group estimates the sector will expand from $226.9 million in 2025 to $600.1 million by 2034, equivalent to about QR2.18 billion at Qatar’s fixed exchange rate. The forecast implies compound annual growth of […]
Microsoft has formally launched its India South Central cloud region in Hyderabad, expanding its domestic cloud footprint to four regions and positioning the new facility for large-scale artificial intelligence and mission-critical workloads.
The Hyderabad region operates across three availability zones and is designed to provide resilience for organisations running critical applications. Microsoft said the architecture is aligned with applicable regulatory and seismic requirements in India, while giving customers additional options for data residency, continuity and governance.
The company said the region is now live with a broad set of Azure services, with more cloud and AI capabilities scheduled to be added over the coming months. It is also intended to support Microsoft Foundry and other advanced AI services as capacity expands.
Puneet Chandok, president of Microsoft India and South Asia, said at the Microsoft AI Infrastructure Summit in New Delhi that the Hyderabad facility was built for advanced AI workloads and would serve as a strategic hub for Asia and the Global South. Microsoft also said its data centre regions across the country are now AI-enabled, combining specialised hardware, cooling systems and the platform infrastructure needed to run advanced models.
India South Central joins Microsoft’s Central India region in Pune, South India region in Chennai and West India region in Mumbai. Microsoft’s Azure region list identifies Hyderabad as India South Central and shows Central India as its paired region for disaster-recovery planning.
The Hyderabad expansion forms part of Microsoft’s $20.5 billion investment commitment to India, comprising a $3 billion investment announced in January 2025 and a further $17.5 billion commitment announced in December 2025. The company has linked that spending to cloud capacity, AI infrastructure and skills development.
The launch comes as data-centre investment accelerates across the country alongside demand for computing capacity needed to train and run AI systems. A Boston Consulting Group study cited by Microsoft estimates that India’s data-centre build-out could generate $140 billion to $200 billion in economic output through 2030. Microsoft said its infrastructure is intended to serve enterprises, start-ups and public-sector organisations.
Microsoft said Adani Group, Bajaj Finserv, HDFC Bank and PB Pay have signed up to use the new region. The company said local capacity would allow eligible cloud and AI workloads to be deployed closer to users and operations while supporting security, compliance and sovereignty requirements.
The region expands Microsoft’s Sovereign Public Cloud foundation in India. The company said its cloud regions provide capabilities aligned with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology guidelines and are designed to help customers address requirements under the Digital Personal Data Protection framework, as well as sector-specific expectations from the Reserve Bank of India and CERT-In. Microsoft stressed that customers remain responsible for determining which rules apply to their workloads.
Capabilities expected to become available as services are rolled out include Azure confidential computing, Customer Lockbox and Azure Key Vault. These are intended to give organisations additional controls over data protection, encryption keys and Microsoft’s operational access, particularly for sensitive workloads.
Microsoft also highlighted the cooling design of the Hyderabad region, saying high-efficiency mechanical systems enable effectively zero water use for cooling. The company has tied the design to its broader 2030 sustainability goals, which include becoming carbon negative, water positive and zero waste.
Alongside the infrastructure launch, Microsoft said its AI-skilling programmes have reached more than 10 million people in India, halfway towards a target of 20 million by 2030. It also operates a 600-hour data centre training programme with Young India Skills University in Telangana aimed at preparing students for infrastructure and operations roles.
Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and Information Technology, said the new region would strengthen the digital infrastructure required to support the IndiaAI Mission and expand the capacity available to developers, enterprises and public institutions.
Greenlogue/AP Beam Middle East and Masdar City Free Zone have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the deployment of smart-energy and clean-mobility technologies across the Masdar City ecosystem in Abu Dhabi. The agreement will allow Beam Middle East to introduce and supply advanced energy systems for potential use within the sustainable urban district, including off-grid electric-vehicle charging infrastructure, solar-integrated e-bike systems and other clean-energy mobility technologies. […]
Abu Dhabi’s International Holding Company has identified Fount Trust as its ultimate parent above Royal Group Holding LLC, formalising the ownership structure that followed an earlier restructuring. IHC said on Monday that the change affects the legal ownership chain but does not alter its ultimate beneficial ownership, operations, strategy or business activities. Royal Group continues to exist and operate within the structure, while IHC remains governed by […]
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 September 2026 – Phancy Group Co., Ltd. (“Phancy” or “the Group”, stock code: 6682.HK), a leading full-stack enterprise-AI cloud services platform, ranked first overall in the latest 2026 China AI Computing Resource Management Platform Technology Capability Assessment, published by International Data Corporation (“IDC”), a global technology intelligence firm.
The assessment evaluated multiple leading AI computing resource management platform providers in China and noted Phancy’s industry-leading technological maturity across heterogeneous accelerator compatibility and adaptation, large-scale cluster operations, and delivery in hybrid cloud environments. Drawing on its accumulated capabilities in heterogeneous computing resource management, fine-grained GPU virtualization and agent-oriented computing services, Phancy received full scores and outperformed the industry benchmark in four out of six evaluated dimensions[1].
According to the IDC report, as AI moves into large-scale deployment, the growing adoption of AI agents is reshaping cloud infrastructure. In the meantime, AI infrastructure is evolving beyond basic computing capacity to become a core part of the enterprise technology stack, supporting digital and intelligent transformation.
Dr. Dai Wenyuan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Phancy, said: “The AI industry is moving beyond the ‘model race’ and entering a new phase of large-scale deployment. For enterprises, the real challenge is no longer whether they can access large language models, but about how to translate agentic AI capabilities into sustained productivity while keeping costs under control and operations stable. IDC’s assessment reflects the growing importance of unified management, flexible scheduling and fine-grained operations for heterogeneous computing resources. Phancy will continue to advance its capabilities in heterogeneous computing resource scheduling and agent infrastructure, helping more enterprises unlock the value of AI with greater efficiency, cost-effectiveness and reliability.”
Five Core Capabilities Behind Phancy’s Vendor-Neutral Unified Management Platform
At the core of Phancy’s offering is vendor-neutral unified management software that supports large-scale training and high-concurrency inference for mainstream models across chips from over ten leading vendors[2]. Its core technological capabilities include:
Code-compatible multi-chip virtualization: Phancy supports the partitioning of a single AI accelerator across multiple workloads, enabling mainstream frameworks and inference engines, including PyTorch, TensorFlow, vLLM and SGLang, to run without changes to application code. Resource quotas help maintain stability when multiple workloads run concurrently.
Three-tier resource pools and intelligent workload scheduling: Phancy’s platform provides three types of resource pools: dedicated, shared and overcommitted pool. Resources can be intelligently scheduled based on four dimensions (workload priority, hardware topology, real-time load and resource requirements), enabling large-scale training and high-concurrency inference workloads to run on the same infrastructure.
AI gateway and dual-track metering: The AI gateway provides unified management of model routing, API calls and audit activities. Usage is measured through both accelerator hours and token consumption, helping enterprises track costs and resource utilization from the perspectives of both resource consumption and model usage.
Agent-oriented computing services: Phancy’s platform turns heterogeneous computing resources into standardized services that AI agents can call on demand. These services support partitioning, reuse and elastic scaling. Combined with intelligent routing through the AI gateway, this accommodates the frequent calls and fluctuating workloads associated with AI agents, while token quotas and circuit-breaking mechanisms also help enterprises manage usage risks and costs when predefined limits are exceeded.
Operations and maintenance for heterogeneous computing resources: Phancy’s platform provides end-to-end observability spanning nodes, accelerators, workloads and model services. It supports fault isolation, workload rescheduling and private deployment in environments without public internet access, helping enterprises improve operational efficiency across complex heterogeneous computing environments.
The report highlighted a use case in which a Chinese policy bank significant improved resource utilization by using Phancy’s three-tier resource pool architecture to manage computing resources across three data centers in two locations, while also enabling a smooth business migration.
Looking ahead, Phancy will continue to advance its AI computing resource management platform as AI infrastructure shifts from traditional “cloud + AI” architectures toward greater cloud-native, agent-oriented integration. The Group will continue to help enterprises manage computing resources more efficiently, deploy AI across a wider range of production environments, and turn AI into sustainable business productivity at scale.
[1] The assessment evaluated platforms across six dimensions: computing resource management, computing service management, compute operations, Technical architecture, business scenario support, and delivery services. According to the IDC report, the findings are intended to help enterprises evaluate and select the platforms best suited to their needs.
[2] Phancy’s platform now supports accelerators from more than ten vendors, including Ascend, Hygon DCU, Cambricon, Iluvatar CoreX, MetaX, Moore Threads, Kunlunxin, Enflame, T-Head and Biren Technology.
Hashtag: #Phancy
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Phancy Group
Phancy Group (6682.HK) is a leading full-stack AI cloud services platform, providing comprehensive solutions for the AI 2.0 era. Our offerings include SageAIOS, HAMi vGPU and ModelHub XC, delivering efficient and scalable AI infrastructure with end-to-end capabilities. We provide a complete solution from heterogeneous compute resource management and optimization to the deployment of intelligent agent models. These solutions empower digital transformation across a wide range of industries, supporting our vision of building a large-scale and efficient “Token Factory.”
Guided by the mission of “AI for Everyone” and positioned as the “Navigator of AI,” Phancy Group is committed to becoming a global leader in Artificial General Intelligence.
NANNING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 September 2026 – On September 16, as an international science and technology exchange platform included in the list of cooperation initiatives for the series of leaders’ meetings on East Asia cooperation, the Fourth Forum on China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Cooperation was successfully held in Nanning, Guangxi. With the theme of “AI for Industries, Digitalization for Shared Future”, this forum was co-hosted by the China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Center, the China-ASEAN Innovation Cooperation Center for Artificial Intelligence, the Department of Science and Technology of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and the Guangxi Institute of Industrial Technology. More than 700 government representatives, research scholars, tech entrepreneurs, and venture capital representatives from China and ASEAN countries gathered on site, focusing on three major directions, namely embodied intelligence, AI finance, and data circulation, discussing collaborative technological innovation, jointly pursuing industrial digital transformation, and comprehensively deepening pragmatic cooperation between China and ASEAN in the field of artificial intelligence.
Fourth Forum on China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Successfully Held in Nanning, Drawing Over 700 Delegates
Coinciding with the historic milestone of the Pinglu Canal being completed and navigable, a canal opens up a physical trade corridor between China and ASEAN, opening a new chapter of digital economy collaboration. “Goods Flow Across Rivers and Seas, Digital Intelligence Connects ASEAN” has become the most distinctive symbol of the era at this forum. The forum closely follows the differentiated development path of “R&D in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou + Integration in Guangxi + Application in ASEAN”, solving problems through technological breakthroughs, gathering momentum through industry-finance linkage, and promoting effectiveness through scenario implementation, to deepen and solidify China-ASEAN AI cooperation.
Technology empowers the opening, creating a new paradigm of human-machine collaboration
The forum kicked off with Guangxi’s classic ethnic song “Folk Songs like the Spring River”, where human dancers, dancing robots, accompaniment robots, and a digital crowd performing the folk song collaborated across disciplines to perform group collaborations. Relying on millisecond-level cluster scheduling technology, ethnic culture and embodied intelligence were deeply integrated to create an immersive technological audiovisual feast. This forum innovatively adopted a three-party collaborative hosting model of “human host + digital human avatar + intelligent robot”. Yang Yanqing, Professor of ShanghaiTech University, coordinated with her digital human avatar and AGIBOT Lingxi X2 to jointly host the forum, empowering the forum scene through technology, which became a major highlight of the event.
Dr. Padapxay SAYAKHOT, Director-General, Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Ministry of Technology and Communications, Lao PDR, Sun Ruijun, Director-General, China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Center, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director-General, Department of Science and Technology of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Secretary of the Party Committee, Guangxi Institute of Industrial Technology, delivered speeches in succession. Both sides stated that they will use this forum as a link to deepen the connection of scientific research and innovation, the implementation of industrial scenarios, and the coordination of policies and mechanisms, gather synergy for digital and intelligent development, and serve the building of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.
Industry authorities gather, anchoring regional AI development directions
The speakers at the forum combined international breadth and professional depth, bringing together industry experts, academic and cutting-edge research forces, industrial technology, and cross-border implementation capabilities from ASEAN countries, forming a core high ground for intellectual exchange and gathering top intellectuals for China-ASEAN AI innovation and development.
Industry experts from ASEAN countries: Dr. Wasan Pattara-atikom, Vice President, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Thailand; Li Haizhou, Fellow of the Academy of Engineering, Singapore (SAEng), Dean of the School of Artificial Intelligence, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen; YAP Hwa Jen, Professor of Universiti Malaya, Managing Director of the UPUM Sdn. Bhd.;
Academic and cutting-edge research forces: Yang Chao, Professor of Peking University, Founder and Chief Scientist of Beijing 1011 Technology Co., Ltd.; Cui Peng, Professor of Tsinghua University and Chief Scientist of Stable AI (Xiong’an) Technology Co., Ltd.; Wang Shisong, Professor of Guangzhou University, Co-founder of Abelian (a quantum-resistant blockchain infrastructure);
Industry technology and cross-border implementation forces: Li Nan, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Maimai Technology Group; Yao Yuan, Vice President of the Middle East Asia-Pacific Region Division, AGIBOT Innovation (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd.; Lyu Jun, Chief Scientist of Shanghai Noematrix Technology Co., Ltd.; Liu Liqi, General Manager of Data Strategy Department, X Square Robot Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
The guests focused on three major directions, namely embodied intelligence, AI finance, and data circulation, exploring feasible paths for technological breakthroughs, ecosystem co-construction, and joint innovation. They covered the key stages of artificial intelligence from source research and development and technology transfer to industrial implementation and cross-border cooperation, achieving a two-way dialogue between cutting-edge academic theories and practical industry needs, and providing diverse perspectives and action ideas to bridge the regional digital divide and unlock the inclusive value of AI.
Five achievements released, strengthening the solid foundation for digital intelligence cooperation
At the forum, five scientific and technological innovation achievements were released together, constructing an AI innovation supply system oriented toward ASEAN from multiple dimensions including technology products, platform carriers, talent systems, and decision-making support.
1. The China-ASEAN Cross-Border Industrial Large Language Model: It covers multilingual capabilities and industry knowledge graph for ASEAN, integrates six major agents to collaboratively analyze business scenarios, and serves as a professional intelligent partner for Chinese enterprises to expand into the ASEAN market.
2. Achievements in AI Talent Development for ASEAN: Relying on the Guangxi Academy of Artificial Intelligence, a talent training model of “a dual-mentor system, dual-integrated teaching, dual training tracks, and an integrated master-doctoral program” has been created, achieving an international education pattern of enrolling at one university, earning credits from multiple universities, gaining practical experience in multiple countries, and strengthening talent support for cross-border AI cooperation.
3. “Guikerong” Sci-Tech Finance Digital-Intelligent Foundation Platform: Developed under the guidance of the Department of Science and Technology of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, it uses data-driven technology credit evaluation to open the value transformation chain of “technology, industry, and finance”, supporting the innovative development of technology-based enterprises.
4. Lao-Language Large Language Model (LLM) for the Energy and Power Sector: China’s first AI overseas project in the power industry, implemented on Electricite du Laos, exploring a new model of “Retaining Computing Power in Guangxi, Exporting Services Globally” for compliant token going global, providing a practical example for cross-border services in the energy sector.
5. “2026 China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Industry Development Study Report”: A panoramic overview of regional industrial policy environment, market scale, and application patterns, analyzing core industry development trends, and providing decision-making references for China-ASEAN AI industry cooperation.
Exhibition and negotiation are working together to build a pragmatic platform for exchange and cooperation
The forum adheres to the principles of “promoting research through exhibitions, cooperation through meetings, and implementation through business matchmaking”, simultaneously hosting the Special Session on AI: Bank-Enterprise Matchmaking and the Industry Supply-Demand Matchmaking and Technology Achievement Exhibition, achieving precise coordination between exhibition displays and business negotiations, and building a cross-border cooperation ecosystem deeply integrating industry, academia, research, and application.
The Technology Achievement Exhibition showcased high-tech products such as the General Embodied Intelligent Robot, Fingertip 3D Force Sensors, Integrated Land-Sea-Air Inspection Equipment, Smart Wall-Climbing Industrial Robot, and AI + Embodied Intelligence Teaching and Experiment Platform, covering key tracks like humanoid robots, industrial intelligent equipment, and education and training, demonstrating the innovative strength of domestic AI technology adaptation to ASEAN scenarios.
The venue also set up an immersive AI experience zone, where interactive projects such as coffee-making robots, agile robotic arms, AI customized cultural products, and unmanned retail attracted attendees to stop and experience the vivid effects of AI empowering people’s services up close, highlighting the development philosophy of technology for good and digital intelligence benefiting the people.
Focusing on collaborative win-win cooperation to jointly build a new pattern of regional development
As an international platform for scientific and technological exchange aimed at ASEAN, the Forum on China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Cooperation has been held consecutively for four sessions, bringing together more than 4,300 guests from China, foreign government, industry, academia, and research, facilitating the connection of over a hundred industrial projects, and becoming an important platform for the exchange of ideas, interconnection of technologies, and mutual industrial support between China and ASEAN in the field of artificial intelligence.
Looking to the future, China and ASEAN will continue to deepen cross-border joint innovation, promote the orderly flow of AI innovation elements, cultivate a vibrant and inclusive regional digital innovation ecosystem, facilitate digital intelligence benefiting regional industrial upgrading and livelihood development, and jointly build a new mutually beneficial and win-win pattern of China-ASEAN digital economy.
This forum was supported by the Ministry of Technology and Communications of Laos and the ASEAN Secretariat, and co-hosted by Guangzhou University, Guangxi Beibu Gulf Bank, Guangxi Academy of Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Academy of Guangxi.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Hong Kong has laid out a five-year programme to strengthen its established economic pillars while building new growth engines, with a gold-led commodity trading ecosystem among the centrepieces of its strategy through 2030.
Chief Executive John Lee’s 2026 Policy Address and the city’s first Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development set out measures covering finance, trade, shipping, aviation, innovation and technology, alongside efforts to attract capital, companies and skilled workers. The government said the programme is designed to reinforce Hong Kong’s international competitiveness and support longer-term economic development.
Gold will serve as the entry point for a broader commodity trading ecosystem. Hong Kong plans to formally launch its central clearing and settlement system for gold in the first quarter of 2027, following trial operations that began in July. The system is intended to support trading that meets international standards and strengthen links among clearing, settlement, storage and physical delivery.
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing will announce details this year of new renminbi-denominated, physically settled gold futures contracts. The government also plans to explore tax concessions for qualifying activities across the gold and commodity trading chain, with proposals expected to be put to the Legislative Council for consultation next year.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority is studying whether the Exchange Fund should moderately increase its gold holdings and participate in local spot and futures markets. Existing physical gold inventories could gradually be transferred to designated vaults appointed by the Hong Kong Precious Metals Central Clearing Company.
Authorities also plan to expand storage and related infrastructure. Since the London Metal Exchange added Hong Kong to its global warehousing network in 2025, approved storage space has exceeded 60,000 square metres and inventories have risen above 20,000 tonnes of metal. More LME-approved warehouses are planned for the Northern Metropolis.
A half-rate tax concession for physical commodity trading is also being pursued to encourage traders to establish or enlarge operations in the city. A joint working group led by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury will examine market opportunities and possible collaboration between exchanges.
The wider financial strategy seeks to strengthen Hong Kong’s role as an offshore renminbi business hub and an international centre for asset management and risk management. The government plans to deepen green and digital finance, widen financing channels for technology companies and strengthen trade finance, supply-chain finance, clearing, settlement and risk-management services.
A proposed Innovation and Technology Industry-Oriented Fund will receive HK$10 billion in government funding and is expected to reach at least HK$40 billion when market capital is included. Priority areas include life and health technology, artificial intelligence and robotics, semiconductors and smart devices, digitalisation, and sustainable development.
The five-year plan also calls for greater emphasis on high-value maritime services rather than relying mainly on traditional port logistics. Measures include reforms to ship registration, support for ship financing and marine insurance, and further development of maritime arbitration and other professional services.
Hong Kong also intends to build a broader aviation industry ecosystem. Plans include developing aircraft-parts processing and trading, participating in research and certification connected with domestically developed aircraft, and expanding sustainable aviation fuel supply chains across the Greater Bay Area. Authorities aim for sustainable aviation fuel to account for 1% to 3% of fuel used by departing flights at Hong Kong International Airport in 2030.
Trade policy will focus on digitalisation, diversification and higher-value supply-chain services. The government wants more companies to use Hong Kong for international orders, foreign-exchange transactions, treasury operations, trade finance and supply-chain management, while attracting regional and international headquarters.
The plan places innovation alongside the traditional pillars, with support directed towards artificial intelligence, robotics, life sciences, microelectronics and advanced manufacturing. It also identifies aerospace technology, marine technology, quantum technology and embodied intelligence as fields for longer-term development.
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 […]
Lemon is expanding its regulated financial infrastructure across Latin America as the crypto-fintech platform adds payment, investment and digital-asset services to a user base now measured in the millions. Peru’s banking and insurance regulator authorised the organisation of Lima del Sol EEDE, a new electronic-money issuer linked to Lemon Group, in July, giving the company a route towards operating more of its local payments infrastructure through a […]