SHENZHEN, China, Sept 7 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) — The Asia-Pacific Media Forum opened in Shenzhen on Saturday, bringing together more than 400 representatives from over 220 media organizations, think tanks, government bodies, diplomatic missions, UN agencies and international organizations from 42 countries and regions.
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The forum, held under the theme “Building a Path to Shared Prosperity for the Asia-Pacific Community: Media Consensus and Action,” focused on strengthening regional media cooperation ahead of the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, which China is scheduled to host later this year.
Li Shulei, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony. Huang Kunming, secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, also addressed participants.
The event resulted in several new cooperation mechanisms, including the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Media Partnership Organizing Committee, the signing and exchange of media cooperation documents, the launch of the “Gather in Shenzhen, Create a Better Asia-Pacific” Media Cooperation Initiative, and the release of the Shenzhen Consensus.
The Media Cooperation Initiative focuses on three areas: technology sharing, joint content production and professional training.
Under the technology pillar, Shenzhen plans to establish the Asia-Pacific Digital & Smart Media Intelligence Shenzhen Center to promote exchanges in digital media technologies, including artificial intelligence and the OpenHarmony ecosystem.
For content collaboration, the forum launched the “Witness Miracles, Seek Solutions” program, which invites media organizations from across the region to jointly develop and broadcast reporting projects using Shenzhen as one area of focus.
The initiative also includes a Training Base for Asia-Pacific Youth Media Professionals, which is expected to host media professionals, particularly those under 45, for study visits, exchanges and training programs.
The Shenzhen Consensus calls for greater regional cooperation in areas including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, green development, media exchange and multilateral trade, while encouraging greater dialogue and mutual understanding across the Asia-Pacific.
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Contact
Contact: Albert Huang
E-mail: 1713543383@qq.com
Source : Guangdong Province
Tag: economy
SINGAPORE’S TOP 100 BRANDS RISE 7 PCT TO US$84.1 BLN VALUE IN 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) — Singapore’s top 100 brands rose seven per cent year-on-year to a combined value of US$84.1 billion in 2026, driven by growth across the banking, engineering, food and real estate sectors, according to the Brand Finance Singapore 100 2026 report. (US$1 = RM3.95)
DBS Bank retained its position as Singapore’s most valuable brand for the 14th consecutive year, with brand value rising eight per cent to US$18.6 billion, supported by regional expansion and diversification efforts.
Marina Bay Sands ranked second in brand value at US$8 billion, rising 35 per cent, supported by strong revenue performance and ongoing upgrade investments that enhanced its premium positioning in the tourism sector, while OCBC Bank ranked third at US$6.8 billion, reflecting steady performance in wealth management and regional expansion initiatives.
The report highlighted strong performance across sectors, with engineering benefiting from aerospace and defence demand, food and agriculture supported by commodity trends, and real estate remaining stable on steady transaction activity, according to a statement.
Meanwhile, Changi Airport was named Singapore’s strongest brand, with a Brand Strength Index score of 91.2 out of 100 and an AAA+ rating, driven by record passenger traffic, expanded connectivity and continued service investment.
TeleChoice International was the fastest-growing brand in the ranking, with brand value surging 288 per cent to US$52.7 million, driven by strong demand in semiconductor-related segments and product expansion.
Millennium Hotels and Resorts was the top hotel brand, ranking 27th overall, supported by digital transformation initiatives, loyalty programme growth and expansion of its global property portfolio.
Separately, Singapore Airlines led sustainability perceptions among Singaporean respondents, particularly for its decarbonisation strategy, including its net zero emissions target by 2050 and investment in sustainable aviation fuel.
Other brands showing strong sustainability perceptions included Ascott and Banyan Tree for environmental sustainability, CapitaLand, Singapore Land and FairPrice in social sustainability, and DBS in governance, reflecting strong domestic recognition across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) pillars.
— BERNAMA
Record water tariff increases finally end, but Europe emerges a new leader
OXFORD, England, Sept 29 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global Water Intelligence (GWI)’s annual Tariff Survey, published on 24th September, found that average global water tariff growth from 2024 to 2025 was 6.2%, putting an end to the record increases seen in the high-inflation post-pandemic years.
Where tariffs are increasing however, the decision is more frequently driven by the needs for long-term investments rather than operational cost recovery, which was driving early post-pandemic increases.
Unusually, Europe is at the forefront of this year’s tariff increase, with new legislation and investments in climate change resilience driving higher-than-usual increases. Two countries join Europe at the top of the increase table, Turkey and Kazakhstan, with both countries taking seven of the ten spots for top increases in 2025.
In Kazakhstan, the authorities took the plunge with a shift to volumetric tariffs to meet investment needs in ageing infrastructure and resilience. Despite the large increase, tariffs remain low in absolute terms however.
Elsewhere in Asia, where GWI has surveyed 172 cities from 40 countries and territories, growth is sluggish. A few notable increases in India are far from enough to lift the country’s standing in the tariff ranking: South Asia remains by far the cheapest region in the world.
In Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, after sustained growth over the past few years, growth is relatively subdued this year, with notable exceptions such as South Africa and Argentina. As for North America, tariff growth is stable, underpinned in many cities by increases in stormwater charges to cope with more extreme weather events.
Become a GWI Member today to access the full dataset, including detailed tariff profiles for 641 cities in 200 countries, in-depth articles, plus all previous tariff survey data dating back to 2011: http://www.globalwaterintel.com.
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Global Water Intelligence is the leading market intelligence and events company serving the international water industry. Over the last 25 years we have built our business around being a trusted interface between our clients and their markets, providing our customers with high-level intelligence that enables them to make the most informed strategic decisions for their business. We cover municipal markets and every industrial vertical as well as technology, finance and economics.
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SOURCE: Global Water Intelligence
The 25th China International Fair for Investment & Trade will be held in Xiamen, Fujian, on September 8-11
Xiamen, Fujian Province — the host city of the CIFIT — is a modern and international city with both high quality and striking visual appeal.
XIAMEN, China, Sept. 2, 2025 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–
The 25th China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CIFIT), themed “Join Hands with China, Invest in the Future,” will be held in Xiamen, Fujian, from September 8 to 11.
This year’s CIFIT focuses on three major sectors — “Invest in China,” “Chinese Investment,” and “International Investment.” It will feature an exhibition area of about 120,000 m 2 and host over 70 specialized investment activities and more than 100 specialized roadshows.
The “Invest in China” section comprises various events. Nearly 100 executives from the headquarters and regional branches of multinational companies in the fields of energy, chemicals, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and intelligent manufacturing, as well as representatives from sovereign wealth funds and international investment institutions, have confirmed their attendance. Additionally, over 100 “hidden champion” enterprises from Europe and Asia will participate.
The “China Investment” section is divided into three areas: China Outbound Investment, Overseas Comprehensive Services, and Silk Road Maritime. These zones will showcase the cooperation achievements and signature projects of Chinese enterprises worldwide. The Ministry of Commerce will organize multiple chambers of commerce to release China’s Outbound Investment Activity Index for the first time. This year’s CIFIT will also host an economic and trade exchange conference between Chinese provinces and U.S. states.
To date, delegations from more than 110 countries, regions, and international organizations have registered to attend CIFIT, and 51 countries and regions will set up exhibition booths. As the guest of honor, the United Kingdom plans to send a delegation of nearly 200 representatives from governments, businesses, and associations.
As the only major national-level investment exhibition in China, CIFIT is committed to building three platforms: two-way investment promotion, authoritative information release, and investment trend discussion. Since its inception, it has facilitated the signing of more than 30,000 projects, emerging as one of the world’s most influential international investment events.
Source: The Organizing Committee of CIFIT
