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Located in Minamisenba, Chuo Ward, the hotel sits in the heart of Osaka’s vibrant Shinsaibashi district—one of the city’s most popular areas for shopping, dining, and nightlife. The hotel is just steps from Shinsaibashi Station, with immediate access from North Exit 3 for seamless connectivity across the city. With more than 300 rooms, the property will be the largest Travelodge hotel in Japan and one of the biggest in the Shinsaibashi area, offering newly renovated, modern accommodation for both leisure and business travelers.

“We are excited to introduce Travelodge Osaka Shinsaibashi to our hotel collection in Japan. It is an important milestone that reflects Travelodge Hotels Asia’s commitment to regional growth, especially in Japan,” said Pinky Lam, Chief Operating Officer of Travelodge Hotels Asia. “Osaka continues to attract travelers from around the world, and we are confident in our ability to continue delivering our signature experience—comfortable stays in strategic locations at great value—in one of the city’s most dynamic districts.”

Comfortable Rooms for Every Traveler

The hotel offers a range of thoughtfully designed rooms to suit different travel needs, from solo travelers to groups.

Room categories include:

• Standard Double – A comfortable option for solo travelers or couples
• Standard Twin – Ideal for friends or travel companions
• Friends & Family Triple – Designed for small groups or families
• Friends & Family Quadruple – Suitable for families or group stays

Prime Location in the Heart of Osaka

Guests will enjoy convenient access to Osaka’s top attractions, including the iconic Dotonbori, just a 10-minute walk away and known for its vibrant neon lights and street food scene.

Other nearby attractions include:

• Amerikamura — a lively hub for youth culture, street fashion, and cafés
• Midōsuji — a major boulevard known for shopping and seasonal illuminations
• Namba Parks — a popular shopping complex with a rooftop garden
• Honmachi — a central business district with offices and commercial centers
• Yodoyabashi — Osaka’s financial hub, home to banks and leading companies

With multiple transport stations within walking distance, guests can also easily access major attractions across the city, including Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan.

Exclusive Pre-Order Sale

To celebrate the upcoming opening, Travelodge Hotels Asia is launching a limited-time Pre-Order Sale, offering 50% off stays at Travelodge Osaka Shinsaibashi.

The promotion is available exclusively for bookings made through www.travelodgehotels.asia, allowing guests to secure exceptional value for upcoming trips—whether for summer holidays, autumn foliage season, winter festivities, or spring travel next year.

Strengthening Travelodge’s Presence in Japan

The opening marks another milestone for Travelodge Hotels Asia as it continues to expand across key destinations in Asia. With its prime location, large room inventory, and accessible pricing, the hotel is expected to become a preferred choice for travelers seeking accommodation near Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori, and Namba.

More details about the hotel and its opening promotions will be announced closer to the launch.

Hashtag: #TravelodgeHotelsAsia #TravelodgeOsakaShinsaibashi

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

About Travelodge Hotels (Asia)

Travelodge Hotels Asia is a fast-growing hotel management and franchise company headquartered in Singapore, with operations across Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Thailand.

With 20 hotels currently in operation and plans to expand to over 50 properties by 2030, the company focuses on delivering value-driven stays in strategic locations. Backed by more than 80 years of global brand heritage, Travelodge offers its signature experience centered on comfort, convenience, and connectivity.

ECOVACS is rolling out limited-time, high-impact deals on Amazon India from 8^th to 13^th May, with discounts of up to 75%, making this the perfect moment for first-time consumers to switch from manual to intelligent cleaning and upgrade their routines with cutting-edge technology. ECOVACS’ entry-level range makes that transition seamless.

From everyday dust to hard-to-reach corners and even windows, ECOVACS Robotics cleaning solutions deliver full-home coverage, blending intelligent technology with powerful performance and seamless automation to take the stress out of summer cleaning.

The DEEBOT N50 Pro OMNI brings this vision to life with a powerful combination of vacuuming and intelligent mopping, effortlessly tackling dust, debris, and pet hair across all floor types. With up to 300 minutes of runtime, anti-hair tangle technology, and intuitive app-enabled controls, users can easily customize schedules, zones, and cleaning modes right from their smartphones or wearable devices—making smart living feel truly effortless.

Enhancing this experience further is the All-in-One OMNI Station, which streamlines maintenance with automated mop washing and drying, auto-refill, and dust emptying—delivering a hygienic, hands-free cleaning routine that keeps your home consistently fresh with minimal effort.

For homes with more compact layouts, the DEEBOT MINI is also part of the lineup. Designed to take up less space while still offering the All-in-One OMNI Station and a hands-free cleaning experience, this is another ideal choice for users seeking efficiency without compromising on performance.

As modern homes face rising levels of dust and pollution, maintaining cleanliness in homes goes beyond just floors. Windows, constantly exposed to outdoor dust and changing weather conditions, require equal attention to keep living spaces truly spotless. ECOVACS’ WINBOT robotic window cleaners address this by effectively removing dust, rain stains, and pollution buildup, leaving windows crystal-clear and helping your home shine from the inside out.

Beyond windows, the WINBOT MINI is also designed to clean a wide range of glass surfaces, including glass panels, balcony glass, and shower screens — ensuring comprehensive coverage across vertical spaces in the home.

Its compact and slim design enables it to access and clean areas that are often difficult to reach, such as narrow windows, spaces behind grills or railings, and other tight or confined surfaces. This makes it a practical solution for urban homes where accessibility can be a challenge.

Explore ECOVACS’ Summer Holiday deals to unlock special, limited-time pricing. Make the switch smarter this summer—to faster, easier, and more effective deep cleaning—at your fingertips. Visit ECOVACS’ official marketplace to grab these can’t-miss deals!

Hashtag: #ECOVACS

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

The Ritz-Carlton Can Gio is located at a prime riverside site in the heart of the Vinhomes Green Paradise coastal mega-urban area and is expected to open in Q4 2027.

The hotel will feature 9 floors and approximately 250 keys, with room sizes ranging from 50 to 500 sqm, including suites and pool villas. Facilities include six restaurants and bars, two swimming pools, a spa integrating hydrotherapy and thermal wellness, meditation spaces, a fitness center, beauty salon, and the Ritz Kids club. The event space will comprise three function rooms totaling approximately 540 sqm, catering to a wide range of meetings and events.

Can Gio Marriott Hotel, located adjacent to the opera house and near the golf course and sports complex within the coastal mega-urban area, is also scheduled to open in Q4 2027.

The hotel will rise 25 floors and offer approximately 450 rooms ranging from 40 to 160 sqm, including premium suites. Amenities include an M Club Lounge, a system of restaurants and bars, a swimming pool, Quan Spa, and a sports club. Additionally, the hotel will provide approximately 1,570 sqm of meeting and event space, including two ballrooms, catering to large-scale events.

Together, The Ritz-Carlton and Marriott Hotel will deliver approximately 700 rooms, featuring a diverse range of accommodations, from standard rooms and suites to villas, supported by a comprehensive ecosystem of premium amenities and world-class five-star infrastructure.

The development and operational collaboration will be managed by Vinpearl, a member of Vingroup. With extensive experience in luxury hospitality, Vinpearl will oversee and directly implement operations to ensure the effective performance of these international hotel brands, contributing to the positioning of luxury service standards commensurate with a global “urban wonder” such as Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio.

Mr. Gautam Bhandari, Chief Development Officer for Asia Pacific (excluding China) at Marriott International, stated:“Marriott International’s long-standing partnership with Vingroup has helped shape Vietnam’s hospitality market over the years. We currently operate 11 hotels with Vinpearl, a member of Vingroup, and have several projects under development. With Vingroup’s visionary approach, commitment to excellence, and strong core values, we are confident that this project will not only deliver high-quality accommodations but also elevate the destination and create sustainable value for the local economy.”

Ms. Ngo Thi Huong, Chief Executive Officer of Vinpearl Joint Stock Company, added:“Our collaboration with Marriott International to bring The Ritz-Carlton, Can Gio and Can Gio Marriott Hotel represents a strategic step toward introducing global luxury service standards to Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio. Beyond developing internationally branded hotels, we aim to build a fully integrated service ecosystem, enhancing customer experience, strengthening operational capabilities, and aligning service quality with global standards, so that residents and visitors can enjoy international-level experiences right here in Vietnam.”

Previously, Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio partnered with IHG Hotels & Resorts to develop four hotels with a total of 1,000 rooms. The presence of international brands such as IHG Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International not only expands accommodation capacity but also significantly enhances the project’s ability to attract global visitors. This forms a critical foundation for the coastal mega-urban area to elevate experiences and move closer to its goal of becoming a world-class residential, tourism, and resort destination.

Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio is a 2,870-hectare coastal mega-urban development located in the southeastern part of Ho Chi Minh City, featuring three sides facing the sea and adjacent to a 75,000-hectare biosphere reserve recognized by UNESCO. The project benefits from major infrastructure connectivity, including the Ben Thanh – Can Gio high-speed railway (reducing travel time to 13 minutes from central Ho Chi Minh City), the Can Gio Bridge, the Rung Sac – Ben Luc – Long Thanh interchange, and the Can Gio – Vung Tau coastal expressway.

A distinctive feature of the project is its integrated Green – Smart – Ecological & Regenerative model aligned with leading global ESG++ standards. Alongside its spectacular natural setting and green living environment, the development offers a synchronized amenity system and unique highlights, including the 122-hectare VinWonders theme park featuring the world’s tallest artificial snow mountain and nearly 200 attractions; the 800-hectare Paradise Lagoon; Landmark Harbour international port; the 5,000-seat Song Xanh Opera House; an international-standard golf course; and a portfolio of five-star accommodation. These elements form the foundation for Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio to emerge as a new “urban wonder”, with the capacity to welcome up to 40 million visitors annually in the future.

Hashtag: #Vinhomes

https://vinhomes.vn/en

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

About Vinhomes

Vinhomes is Vietnam’s leading real estate developer, pioneering the development of large-scale, well-planned urban areas with integrated amenities, green living environments, and modern lifestyles. In addition to 36 urban developments currently in operation nationwide, Vinhomes continues to focus on building next-generation mega and super urban developments of regional scale and significance, aspiring to create some of the most livable cities in the world while significantly transforming Vietnam’s urban landscape.

For more information, please visit https://vinhomes.vn/vi

About Vinpearl
Vinpearl is Vietnam’s leading tourism, hospitality, and entertainment brand, currently operating 60 properties across 20 provinces and cities, including five-star hotels and resorts, VinWonders theme parks, golf courses, and convention centers. With 22 years of development, Vinpearl owns 35 five-star hotels and resorts with 17,300 rooms, 15 VinWonders parks, six golf courses, three VinPalace centers, and integrated service complexes. With flagship destinations such as Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Da Nang – Nam Hoi An, Ha Long, and Hai Phong, Vinpearl delivers premium travel experiences, contributing to elevating Vietnam’s tourism profile globally.

About Marriott
Marriott International (Nasdaq: MAR), headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, operates a diverse portfolio of brands spanning luxury, premium, select, midscale, extended stay, and all-inclusive segments, with more than 9,800 properties across 145 countries and territories as of December 31, 2025. Marriott operates, franchises, and licenses hotel, residential, timeshare, cruise, outdoor lodging, and other hospitality products globally. The company also offers Marriott Bonvoy®, its award-winning travel platform.

For more information, please visit www.marriott.com and www.marriottnewscenter.com, or connect via Facebook and @MarriottIntl on X and Instagram.

The 19th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, held from April 24 to May 3, brought together nearly 1,000 companies from 26 countries and regions across two venues for the first time. Its 380,000 square metres of exhibition space, spread across 17 halls at the China International Exhibition Center in Shunyi and the Capital International Convention and Exhibition Center, made it the largest edition in the event’s history.

Organisers recorded 1.28 million visitors, including about 65,000 overseas attendees, underlining the show’s growing appeal beyond China’s domestic market. A total of 1,451 vehicles were displayed, including 181 world premieres and 71 concept cars, placing the event among the most active global platforms for new model launches.

The numbers told only part of the story. Auto China 2026 was dominated by a clear shift from conventional vehicle launches to software-defined mobility, artificial intelligence, battery breakthroughs and advanced driver assistance. Carmakers used the show not merely to present new models, but to demonstrate how quickly vehicles are becoming technology platforms.

China’s home-grown manufacturers were at the centre of the exhibition’s momentum. BYD, XPeng, Nio, Geely, Chery, Dongfeng and Huawei-linked brands showcased vehicles and systems aimed at defending their lead in the world’s largest car market while accelerating overseas expansion. Their focus was sharply aligned with consumer demand for longer range, faster charging, smarter cabins and more automated driving functions.

BYD highlighted fast-charging and low-temperature battery performance, including technology designed to charge under conditions as cold as minus 30 degrees Celsius. CATL drew attention with new battery systems promising ultra-fast charging and longer driving ranges, including a version of its Shenxing battery that can charge from 10 per cent to 98 per cent in about six and a half minutes. These advances added further pressure on global rivals still working to close gaps in battery cost, charging speed and supply-chain depth.

Huawei’s presence illustrated the growing power of technology suppliers inside the automotive ecosystem. Its intelligent driving systems, HarmonyOS cockpit technology and vehicle partnerships featured prominently across several brands. The company’s Qiankun advanced driving system was presented as part of a broader push into AI-assisted mobility, with claims of stronger collision avoidance and more natural in-car interaction.

XPeng used the event to promote intelligent driving features that can detect when a driver is unable to control the vehicle, pull over automatically and alert emergency services. Nio displayed its three brands, Nio, Onvo and Firefly, together at the same booth, signalling a wider product strategy covering premium, family and mass-market electric segments.

Foreign automakers also used Beijing to reset their China strategies. Volkswagen introduced China-focused electric models and AI-driven cockpit features developed with local partners, including XPeng and Horizon Robotics. BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota presented products tailored to a market where customers increasingly expect high-end digital functions even in mid-priced vehicles.

The competitive pressure remains intense. China’s passenger car sales fell sharply in the first quarter from a year earlier, reflecting weaker subsidy support, cautious consumers and price competition across the sector. Exports, however, continued to expand strongly as China-made vehicles gained ground in Europe, Southeast Asia, Latin America and other growth markets.

That divergence shaped much of the discussion around the exhibition. Domestic demand is tougher, margins are thinner and consolidation risks are rising, yet China’s automakers and suppliers are moving faster on product cycles than many overseas competitors. More than 80 new models were launched in China in March alone, a pace that underscores the speed of iteration in the market.

Auto China 2026 also showed that global expansion is entering a new phase. Chinese manufacturers are no longer relying only on exports. Several are building or planning overseas production bases to reduce tariff exposure, ease regulatory concerns and strengthen local market access. Hungary, Turkey, Southeast Asia and Latin America have emerged as important destinations for investment.

The Google Cloud India AI Hub, being developed with AdaniConneX and Nxtra by Airtel, is designed as a gigawatt-scale private cloud and data centre network across three campuses near the port city. The investment is planned over 2026-2030 and marks Google’s biggest infrastructure commitment in the country, combining hyperscale computing, subsea cable connectivity and clean-energy-linked operations.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone for the project on April 28, 2026, alongside Union electronics and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, state IT and HRD minister Nara Lokesh, Google global infrastructure vice-president Bikash Koley and senior representatives of Adani and Bharti Airtel. The project follows Google’s October 2025 announcement that Visakhapatnam would host its first gigawatt-scale AI hub in the country.

The development is expected to occupy about 600 acres across locations including Tarluvada, Rambilli and Adavivaram. State officials have projected the facility’s operational launch around September 2028, though large data centre campuses of this scale typically move through phased commissioning as power, cooling, network and security systems are completed.

Google’s plan goes beyond a conventional cloud facility. The hub is intended to support AI workloads for services such as enterprise cloud computing, consumer applications, advanced model deployment and data-intensive digital platforms. Its location on the east coast gives Visakhapatnam a strategic role in subsea connectivity, with plans for international cable landings that can improve bandwidth, reduce latency and strengthen links between India, Southeast Asia and global cloud regions.

AdaniConneX, the joint venture between Adani Enterprises and EdgeConneX, is expected to lead major elements of data centre construction and power-linked infrastructure. Nxtra by Airtel will support data centre development, fibre connectivity and cable landing infrastructure. Airtel’s existing telecom backbone and Adani’s energy and infrastructure capabilities give the project domestic execution partners at a time when AI infrastructure is becoming capital-intensive and geopolitically sensitive.

The project also fits into a wider policy push to reduce dependence on overseas compute capacity. Demand for AI infrastructure has expanded rapidly as startups, banks, telecom operators, public agencies and manufacturing groups test generative AI, automation and data analytics. Large language models and AI inference services require dependable access to graphics processing units, high-density power systems, liquid cooling, resilient connectivity and local data storage.

Visakhapatnam’s selection reflects Andhra Pradesh’s attempt to position itself as a technology and logistics corridor after years of competition from established hubs such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune and the National Capital Region. The port city already has an industrial base, naval presence, road and rail connectivity and a coastline suited to cable infrastructure. The state government is banking on the Google project to attract hardware suppliers, energy providers, construction contractors, cloud specialists and AI startups.

Employment claims around the project have been ambitious, with state leaders citing the possibility of hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs through construction, operations, supply chains and associated services. The more immediate employment impact is likely to come from civil works, electrical systems, fibre deployment, facility management, security and engineering support. Higher-skilled roles in cloud architecture, AI operations and chip-level systems may depend on how quickly local training pipelines are aligned with industry needs.

Power and water use will be closely watched. Gigawatt-scale data centres require enormous electricity supply and sophisticated cooling systems, making renewable energy procurement, grid stability and water stewardship critical. Google has said the project will be tied to a long-term clean energy strategy and community programmes covering water, skills, maritime trade modernisation and women-led businesses. Delivering on those commitments will be essential for public acceptance, especially as data centres worldwide face scrutiny over their environmental footprint.

• US$8 billion ultra-premium integrated commercial property debuts new lifestyle destination located along Shanghai’s iconic Huangpu River waterfront
• New “Enjoy Life” brand theme highlights premium tenant mix of designer retail and lifestyle brands

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 May 2026 – Hongkong Land Holdings Limited (“Hongkong Land” or the “Company”) marked a key milestone with the opening of Phase Two at Westbund Central, its flagship ultra-premium integrated commercial property in Shanghai’s Xuhui District that is one of the largest mixed-use developments in the world. This stage of the US$8 billion project’s rollout is complemented by its new “Enjoy Life” brand theme, reinforcing the district’s role as a dynamic environment for work, living and leisure.

The Phase Two commercial launch introduces a diverse mix of global first stores, designer labels, and flagship concepts that reinforce Westbund Central’s position as a new downtown in Shanghai. New tenants include international icons such as Issey Miyake, the multi-brand boutique SND, Leica Store & Gallery, artisanal Swiss chocolatier House of Läderach, and design houses HAY and Paulmann.

With a planned total gross floor area of more than 1.7 million square metres, Westbund Central is the Company’s largest-ever single investment and brings together a diversified commercial mix that includes more than 600 international retail and lifestyle brands, 180 food and beverage operators, more than 50,000 square metres dedicated to cultural and art facilities, as well as 650,000 square metres of premium Grade A offices that will house occupiers including globally renowned companies such as adidas and lululemon.

While Phase One centred on food and beverage, cafes, and sports and leisure facilities, Phase Two enhances the district’s prestige by focusing on designer lifestyle brands. Looking ahead, Phase Three will introduce a cluster of global luxury maison flagships to further boost the district’s international appeal. Around 12,000 square metres of retail space is already open, with an additional 30,000 square metres opening within this year.

Michael T. Smith, Group Chief Executive of Hongkong Land, said: “Westbund Central is a fresh and dynamic example of our strategic focus to develop ultra-premium, integrated commercial districts in Asia’s leading gateway cities. As Hongkong Land’s largest single investment to date and our flagship China property, Westbund Central is one of the most significant projects in the company’s portfolio and designed to deliver sustained long-term value.”

Stuart Grant, Chief Executive of Westbund Central, said: “Westbund Central is being shaped as Shanghai’s new downtown and we are incredibly proud to build one of the largest mixed-use properties in the world that redefines modern urban living. We are creating a globally renowned ‘city within a city’ where the finest quality office, retail, residential and hospitality components converge in a single vibrant destination where people can truly enjoy life.”

As further phases are delivered, Westbund Central will continue to reinforce its position as one of Shanghai’s most significant integrated commercial districts and a cornerstone of the company’s long-term growth strategy in its portfolio.
Hashtag: #HongkongLand

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

Westbund Central

Hongkong Land’s Westbund Central is the Group’s largest-ever single investment. Scheduled to complete in phases up until 2028, it is an US$8 billion development encompassing approximately more than 1.7 million sq. m. of prime mixed-use property strategically located at Shanghai’s Xuhui Waterfront. It is a flagship development of Hongkong Land’s prime commercial properties’ CENTRAL Series. The ultra-premium integrated commercial property includes 240,000 sq. m of retail space, 650,000 sq. m. of premium Grade A offices, 160,000 sq. m. of high-end waterfront luxury residences, two hotels (55,000 sq. m.) and over 50,000 sq. m. of cultural and art venues.

Hongkong Land

Hongkong Land is a major listed property development, investment and management group. It focuses on developing, owning and managing premium and ultra-premium mixed-use real estate in Asian gateway cities, featuring Grade A office, luxury retail, residential and hospitality products. With over US$50 billion in assets under management, Hongkong Land’s ultra-premium mixed-use real estate footprint spans over 1.97 million sq. m. lettable area in operation and 1.43 million sq. m. lettable area under development, with flagship mixed-use projects in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. Its properties hold industry leading green building certifications and attract the world’s foremost companies and luxury brands. Established in 1889, Hongkong Land takes a long-term view, investing significantly alongside its capital partners and concentrating its portfolio where it can create the most value for tenants, customers and investors. Hongkong Land Holdings Limited has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange, with secondary listings in Singapore and Bermuda. Hongkong Land is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group.

The order, issued by the Ministry of Commerce on 2 May, marks China’s first known use of a formal blocking mechanism against US sanctions on domestic companies. It targets measures against Hengli Petrochemical Refinery Co, Shandong Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical Co, Shandong Jincheng Petrochemical Group Co, Hebei Xinhai Chemical Group Co and Shandong Shengxing Chemical Co. The firms had been placed under US restrictions linked to alleged purchases or processing of Iranian crude, including asset freezes and transaction bans.

The move places banks, insurers, commodity traders and shipping intermediaries in a difficult position. Compliance with Washington’s restrictions may now expose them to legal risk in China, while compliance with Beijing’s order may expose them to penalties under the US sanctions regime. For large Chinese banks with international operations, the dilemma is particularly acute because access to dollar clearing, correspondent banking and global capital markets remains central to their business.

China has long rejected unilateral US sanctions as illegitimate, especially when they apply beyond American territory. Until now, however, Beijing had often allowed major financial institutions and state-linked enterprises to quietly reduce exposure to sanctioned entities to avoid jeopardising access to the US financial system. The latest order changes that balance by instructing domestic parties not to recognise, enforce or comply with the penalties.

The legal basis lies in China’s blocking rules against what Beijing describes as unjustified extraterritorial application of foreign laws. Those rules, introduced in 2021 and strengthened by additional countermeasure regulations, allow authorities to prohibit compliance with foreign restrictions that impair normal business with third countries. The 2 May order says the US measures against the refiners improperly restrict lawful trade and harm the rights of Chinese entities.

The immediate trigger is Washington’s renewed pressure on Iranian oil revenues. Hengli’s Dalian refinery, with capacity of about 400,000 barrels per day, is among the most prominent privately owned refining assets to be targeted. US authorities have accused it of buying large volumes of Iranian crude. Hengli’s parent has denied trading with Iran and said operations remain normal.

Other sanctioned firms are part of China’s independent refining sector, often described as “teapot” refiners, clustered mainly in Shandong and surrounding provinces. These companies have become central to China’s discounted crude imports, including oil from Iran and Russia, as state refiners have generally been more cautious in handling cargoes exposed to sanctions risk.

The financial implications extend beyond the refiners themselves. Banks processing payments, lenders providing working capital, insurers covering cargoes, shipowners transporting crude and brokers arranging trades could all face competing legal obligations. International banks are likely to adopt a more conservative stance, while smaller domestic institutions may come under pressure to maintain services to companies protected by Beijing’s order.

Hengli has already moved to limit operational disruption. Its Singapore trading unit was restructured after the US designation, with a majority stake transferred to a company linked to a local government entity in Dalian. The shift has not fully reassured counterparties, as brokers and financial institutions remain wary of dealing with entities connected to sanctioned operations.

The confrontation comes as energy markets are adjusting to tighter enforcement against Iranian crude flows. China remains Iran’s largest oil customer, with independent refiners attracted by discounted barrels at a time when domestic margins are under pressure. Traders have reported that cargoes are often routed through complex shipping arrangements, with documentation obscuring origin and payments settled through non-dollar channels.

For Beijing, the order is also a political signal. It asserts that China will not automatically absorb the costs of US secondary sanctions when strategic commodities, energy security and private industrial champions are involved. It also offers reassurance to domestic firms that the government is prepared to use legal instruments rather than limit itself to diplomatic protest.

For Washington, the step complicates enforcement. Sanctions work most effectively when banks and intermediaries avoid designated firms without needing direct prosecution. If China compels non-compliance at home, US authorities may have to decide whether to escalate against financial institutions that continue servicing the refiners, a move that could widen the dispute from energy trade into the banking system.

The Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Railways and Information and Broadcasting made the remarks at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Google Cloud India AI Hub in Visakhapatnam, a project carrying an estimated investment of $15 billion. The facility, planned with Adani ConneX and Airtel Nxtra, will include a 1GW hyperscale AI data centre, with about 600 acres allocated across Turluvada, Rambilli and Adavivaram in Andhra Pradesh.

Vaishnaw’s comments reflect a broader policy effort to shift India’s role from assembly-led electronics manufacturing to deeper participation in global technology supply chains. The government is seeking to build domestic capability across finished devices, modules, sub-modules, components, raw materials, tools and manufacturing machinery, a progression seen as essential for reducing import dependence and gaining a larger share of global production.

Mobile phones remain the strongest evidence of that transition. Electronics production has risen from about ₹1.9 lakh crore in 2014-15 to about ₹11.3 lakh crore in 2024-25, while electronics exports climbed from about ₹38,000 crore to about ₹3.3 lakh crore over the same period. Mobile phone production expanded from about ₹18,000 crore to roughly ₹5.5 lakh crore, and mobile phone exports rose from about ₹1,500 crore to nearly ₹2 lakh crore, making the category one of the country’s most visible export successes.

Smartphones have become a leading export product, with Apple, Samsung, Tata Electronics, Foxconn, Dixon Technologies and other manufacturers playing prominent roles in the production ecosystem. The shift has been supported by the Production Linked Incentive scheme for large-scale electronics manufacturing, which helped attract global brands and contract manufacturers to expand capacity. The sector’s next phase, however, will depend less on assembly incentives and more on the availability of components, precision engineering, skilled labour, predictable taxation and faster logistics.

The Google Cloud project adds a digital infrastructure dimension to this manufacturing agenda. Vaishnaw urged global technology companies, including Google, to consider manufacturing servers, GPUs and chips in the country, arguing that the domestic data centre boom could create demand for high-value electronics and advanced computing hardware. Visakhapatnam is being positioned as an artificial intelligence hub, with subsea cable links expected to improve global connectivity through routes connecting Australia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the United States.

Semiconductors are the most strategic part of the plan. The India Semiconductor Mission has already helped draw investment into assembly, testing, marking and packaging facilities, chip design centres and fabrication proposals. Approved projects across several states include packaging units, display driver chip capacity and compound semiconductor facilities. The sector remains capital-intensive and technologically demanding, and India is entering a field dominated by Taiwan, South Korea, the United States, Japan, the Netherlands and China. Timelines, execution quality and ecosystem depth will determine whether the country can move beyond packaging and design services into higher-value production.

The government’s target of building a $500 billion domestic electronics ecosystem by 2030-31 is ambitious. It requires not only export-led growth but also a domestic supplier base for printed circuit boards, camera modules, batteries, displays, sensors, connectors, power electronics and semiconductor materials. Without local component depth, headline export gains can mask high import content, limiting value addition and leaving manufacturers exposed to currency swings and global supply disruptions.

Industry executives have generally welcomed the policy focus but continue to point to operational challenges. High logistics costs, customs procedures, dependence on imported inputs, limited component clusters, power quality, land acquisition delays and uneven state-level implementation remain constraints. Global companies also compare India with Vietnam, Mexico, Malaysia and Thailand when allocating production, making policy certainty and execution speed critical.

Labour availability is one of India’s advantages. Electronics manufacturing has generated large-scale employment, including substantial hiring of young women in assembly lines and component facilities. This has helped states such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat compete for investment. Yet sustained growth will require improvements in industrial training, factory housing, transport, safety standards and career progression, particularly as production moves from assembly to precision manufacturing.

Geopolitics has created an opening. Companies are diversifying supply chains because of trade tensions, tariff risks, pandemic-era disruptions and concerns over concentration in China. India’s democratic institutions, large market, engineering talent and improving infrastructure make it a credible candidate for “China plus one” strategies. The challenge is to convert interest into anchored manufacturing networks that include suppliers, tooling companies, testing labs, logistics providers and research partnerships.

• Building upon its expertise in Europe, Rhenus is expanding its road freight solutions in Asia Pacific
• The strategic move will see dedicated expertise and resources to better support the region’s demand for fast and reliable freight transportation options
  

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 May 2026 – With demand for road freight services across Asia Pacific rising, leading global logistics provider Rhenus Group has announced plans to further expand its road freight operations in the region. As part of its broader regional growth strategy, the company is strengthening cross-border trucking across Southeast Asia and key corridors between Greater China and Southeast Asia. Building on this, it is continuously integrating road with air and ocean freight, while scaling local distribution, sourcing and leveraging existing free trade zone warehousing capabilities.

As part of this expansion, Rhenus is investing in local capabilities to support individual market needs including the recent establishment of its Bukit Kayu Hitam Border Office in Malaysia, with full customs capabilities to support smoother cross-border movements.

Prem Anand Anandaverl, Regional Director of Cross Border Trucking Asia, Rhenus Logistics notes, “Our goal is to provide a seamless connectivity to the global network by reinforcing a comprehensive road freight service and continue to help businesses to move their goods across Asia efficiently and compliantly. Road Freight is playing an increasingly important role in building a resilient supply chain especially in this region.”

Asia Pacific to see high demand for road freight services

The global freight trucking market size ^[1] is projected to be valued at US$2.74 Tn in 2025 and is set to reach US$3.70 Tn by 2032, growing at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 3.9%. Asia Pacific remains a key growth driver, supported by expanding industrial output, a large consumer base, and rapidly developing logistics infrastructure enabling both domestic and cross-border trade.

Achieving Sustainable Growth through Road Freight: Consistency, Scalability and Increasing Customer Value

With more than 150 owned and partner road freight locations in Europe, Rhenus currently operates in over 15 countries through a well-established network. The expansion of road freight services in Asia Pacific will enable the company to further integrate its’ end-to-end supply chain solutions, combining road freight solutions with air and ocean services to deliver more flexible and customized logistics solutions globally.

Ongoing investments in multilingual local teams, dedicated border infrastructure, and best practice transport management systems will support seamless cross-border operations, stronger customs and regulatory expertise across markets.

Leveraging its rail connections between Greater China and Europe, alongside a robust multimodal network spanning sea, land, and rail, the company aims to provide customers with greater flexibility and scalability in response to evolving supply chain demands. The company is also working with partners to improve CO₂ tracking and explore alternative fuel options, supporting more sustainable road freight operations.

Hashtag: #Rhenus

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About Rhenus

The Rhenus Group is one of the leading logistics specialists with global business operations and annual turnover amounting to EUR 8.2 billion. 39,000 employees work at 1,300 business sites in more than 70 countries and develop innovative solutions along the complete supply chain. Whether providing transport, warehousing, customs clearance or value-added services, the family-owned business pools its operations in various business units where the needs of customers are the major focus at all times.

Asian equities advanced sharply on Monday as artificial intelligence-linked chipmakers in South Korea and Taiwan drove regional benchmarks back towards record territory, erasing the losses triggered by the Iran war and restoring investor appetite for technology-heavy markets.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose as much as 2.3 per cent on May 4, its strongest intraday gain since April 8, while the MSCI Asia Pacific excluding Japan Index climbed as much as 2.9 per cent. Benchmarks in South Korea and Taiwan, both heavily exposed to the semiconductor supply chain, gained more than 4 per cent each as investors moved back into companies seen as central to the global AI build-out.

The rally was led by the region’s dominant AI hardware suppliers, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. These companies sit at crucial points of the AI infrastructure chain, from advanced foundry production to high-bandwidth memory chips used in data centres and graphics processors. Strong earnings from US technology groups have reinforced expectations that capital spending on AI servers, accelerators and cloud infrastructure will remain elevated through 2026.

TSMC has become the clearest symbol of that shift. The world’s largest contract chipmaker posted a 58 per cent jump in first-quarter net profit to a record level, supported by demand for AI processors, and guided second-quarter revenue to $39 billion to $40.2 billion. Its first-quarter revenue rose 35 per cent from a year earlier to about $35.7 billion, underlining the scale of orders tied to advanced computing.

Samsung’s semiconductor division also delivered a major earnings rebound, reporting 53.7 trillion won in operating profit for the first quarter on 81.7 trillion won in revenue. The group said memory sales were lifted by AI-related demand and tight supply, even as its mobile and display businesses faced margin pressure from higher component costs.

SK Hynix has benefited from its strong position in high-bandwidth memory, a category that has become central to AI accelerator performance. Demand from data centre operators and chip designers has pushed memory makers into long-term supply arrangements, with shortages expected to extend into 2027 as customers reserve capacity years ahead.

Taiwan’s broader market has also gained from the AI trade. The island’s economy expanded 13.69 per cent in the first quarter, its fastest annual pace in nearly four decades, supported by a surge in exports tied to AI hardware. Taiwan has overtaken Canada to become the world’s sixth-largest stock market by value, helped by TSMC’s rise and investor demand for companies embedded in advanced chip manufacturing.

Investor confidence has been strengthened by Nvidia’s expanding Asian supply chain. Its partners now span foundries, memory suppliers, electronics assemblers and companies linked to robotics and so-called physical AI. The shift has widened the rally beyond a handful of chip names, lifting component makers and specialist suppliers that provide substrates, packaging, power management and memory-related technologies.

The rebound also reflects a broader reassessment of geopolitical risk. The Iran war initially prompted investors to cut exposure to export-oriented and energy-importing markets, particularly those vulnerable to shipping disruptions and higher fuel costs. Yet the scale of AI-related earnings growth has helped offset those concerns, with funds favouring economies that are directly tied to semiconductor demand and less dependent on domestic consumption.

South Korea’s Kospi has been one of the year’s standout performers, supported by Samsung, SK Hynix and other technology exporters. Taiwan’s Taiex has also outperformed as investors price in continued demand for advanced nodes, AI servers and high-performance computing. The concentration of gains, however, has increased concerns that regional indices are becoming more dependent on a narrow set of semiconductor companies.

Valuations remain a key risk. Share prices in several AI-linked companies have risen faster than earnings forecasts, leaving markets exposed to any slowdown in capital expenditure by US cloud providers or delays in chip production. Memory supply shortages may support pricing in the near term, but they could also raise costs for downstream electronics makers and intensify competition among suppliers expanding capacity.

Currency movements have added another layer to the market response. A weaker won has supported earnings translation for South Korean exporters, while Taiwan’s market has drawn stronger foreign inflows on expectations that AI-linked exports will keep growth elevated. Japan’s yen strengthened during Monday’s regional trading, reflecting a mix of safe-haven demand and shifting expectations around monetary policy.

Laying the Foundation for Long‑Term Growth in Japan Through Seamless Customer Experiences and Trusted Local Expertise

TOKYO, JAPAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 May 2026 – Arrow Electronics (NYSE: ARW), a global technology solutions provider, today announced the integration of Chip One Stop’s e‑commerce capabilities into arrow.com, strengthening its omnichannel customer engagement in Japan. By bringing together Arrow’s global resources, supplier network, and digital tools with Chip One Stop’s trusted local expertise, the integration delivers a more seamless and consistent customer experience while laying a strong foundation for long‑term growth.

Through the integration on arrow.com, customers in Japan gain access to a single, scalable destination that continues to offer Japanese‑language support and local services, while expanding their access to Arrow’s broader ecosystem. Arrow’s Yokohama warehouse will continue to operate as an important logistics facility in Japan, supporting stable and efficient fulfilment. Eligible orders can typically be delivered within 24 hours in Japan and in many South Asian markets, with delivery timelines in other Asia‑Pacific countries varying by destination.

Electronic components and technology solutions are foundational to Japan’s manufacturing, innovation, and technology ecosystems. On arrow.com, customers can access an integrated interface that supports discovery, evaluation, transaction, and related services.

Arrow’s omnichannel engagement approach enables customers to seamlessly manage design, engineering, supply chain services, and fulfillment—helping speed time‑to‑market. Customers benefit from access to engineering expertise, reference designs, bill of materials (BOM) optimization, lifecycle management, and integration support to move from concept to production more efficiently. At the same time, real‑time pricing, inventory visibility, cost‑optimization tools, and advanced analytics enable smarter supply‑chain decisions, risk mitigation, and compliance for critical applications. A more agile digital foundation also supports faster response to urgent needs and evolving market conditions.

“This transition builds on the trusted relationships our customers value in Japan while expanding how we support them,” said Aiden Mitchell, Arrow’s chief growth officer, global semiconductor. “By combining strong local execution with Arrow’s global platform, we are well positioned as a trusted solution provider—supporting customers and suppliers from product inception through supply chain and go‑to‑market execution.”

As part of the integration, chip1stop.com has been retired, with e‑commerce operations now available on arrow.com as of May 4, 2026. Chip One Stop’s operations and services will be integrated into Arrow, with existing services continuing without interruption.

For more information, visit www.arrow.com.
Hashtag: #ArrowElectronics

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

About Arrow Electronics

Arrow Electronics (NYSE:ARW) sources and engineers technology solutions for thousands of leading manufacturers and service providers. With 2025 sales of $31 billion, Arrow’s portfolio enables technology across major industries and markets. Learn more at arrow.com.