ACN Newswire

Master Maneuvering System and T-HR3

Remote, safe, smooth operation of robot enabled through new, advanced Torque Servo Module and Master Maneuvering System

Toyota City, Japan, Nov 21, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation today revealed T-HR3, the company's third generation humanoid robot. Toyota's latest robotics platform, designed and developed by Toyota's Partner Robot Division, will explore new technologies for safely managing physical interactions between robots and their surroundings, as well as a new remote maneuvering system that mirrors user movements to the robot.

T-HR3 reflects Toyota's broad-based exploration of how advanced technologies can help to meet people's unique mobility needs. T-HR3 represents an evolution from previous generation instrument-playing humanoid robots, which were created to test the precise positioning of joints and pre-programmed movements, to a platform with capabilities that can safely assist humans in a variety of settings, such as the home, medical facilities, construction sites, disaster-stricken areas and even outer space.

"The Partner Robot team members are committed to using the technology in T-HR3 to develop friendly and helpful robots that coexist with humans and assist them in their daily lives. Looking ahead, the core technologies developed for this platform will help inform and advance future development of robots to provide ever-better mobility for all," said Akifumi Tamaoki, General Manager, Partner Robot Division.

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Master Maneuvering System and T-HR3

T-HR3 is controlled from a Master Maneuvering System that allows the entire body of the robot to be operated instinctively with wearable controls that map hand, arm and foot movements to the robot, and a head-mounted display that allows the user to see from the robot's perspective. The system's master arms give the operator full range of motion of the robot's corresponding joints and the master foot allows the operator to walk in place in the chair to move the robot forward or laterally. The Self-interference Prevention Technology embedded in T-HR3 operates automatically to ensure the robot and user do not disrupt each other's movements.

Onboard T-HR3 and the Master Maneuvering System, motors, reduction gears and torque sensors (collectively called Torque Servo Modules) are connected to each joint. These modules communicate the operator's movements directly to T-HR3's 29 body parts and the Master Maneuvering System's 16 master control systems for a smooth, synchronized user experience. The Torque Servo Module has been developed in collaboration with Tamagawa Seiki Co., Ltd. and NIDEC COPAL ELECTRONICS CORP. This technology advances Toyota's research into safe robotics by measuring the force exerted by and on T-HR3 as it interacts with its environment and then conveying that information to the operator using force feedback.

The Torque Servo Module enables T-HR3's core capabilities: Flexible Joint Control, to control the force of contact the robot makes with any individuals or objects in its surrounding environment; Whole-body Coordination and Balance Control, to maintain the robot's balance if it collides with objects in its environment; and Real Remote Maneuvering, to give users seamless and intuitive control over the robot. These functions have broad implications for future robotics research and development, especially for robots that operate in environments where they must safely and precisely interact with their surroundings.

Since the 1980s, Toyota has been developing industrial robots to enhance its manufacturing processes. Partner Robot has utilized the insights from that experience and built on Toyota's expertise in automotive technologies to develop new mobility solutions that support doctors, caregivers and patients, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

T-HR3 will be featured at the upcoming International Robot Exhibition 2017 at Tokyo Big Sight from November 29 through December 2.

About Toyota

Supported by people around the world, Toyota Motor Corporation (TSE: 7203; NYSE: TM), has endeavored since its establishment in 1937 to serve society by creating better products. As of the end of December 2016, Toyota conducts its business worldwide with 52 overseas manufacturing companies in 27 countries and regions. Toyota's vehicles are sold in more than 170 countries and regions. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.

Contact:
Public Affairs Division
Global Communications Department
Toyota Motor Corporation
Tel: +81-3-3817-9926

- Delivers round-the-clock, remote, centralized management of A/C systems at multiple sites
- Energy consumption optimized based on annual consumption volume and weather forecast data
- Service to launch January 2018, supporting commercial sites through optimal energy control

TOKYO, Nov 21, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems, Ltd. will launch "M-ACCESS" in January 2018, a new service enabling energy-saving control of air-conditioning (A/C) equipment through internet-based remote monitoring of equipment operating status. By monitoring A/C systems around-the-clock 365 days a year and providing optimal control of energy usage, M-ACCESS will support total management of commercial businesses and office buildings.

M-ACCESS is a remote monitoring system that adopts cloud gateway technology to enable centralized management of A/C equipment at multiple off-site locations using IoT. The status of A/C systems can be easily monitored and adjusted remotely using an internet-connected PC or tablet. M-ACCESS offers versatile connectivity to a variety of A/C systems. Besides multi A/C systems in office buildings, for example, M-ACCESS can be connected to commercial-use package air-conditioners, residential-use air-conditioners, and also heating systems.

M-ACCESS's features include new energy-saving functions, such as temperature setting shift and operation mode change, as well as a signage function(1) aimed at raising energy conservation awareness by displaying showing power consumption volume. An energy consumption optimization function is also included which uses preset annual consumption volume and weather forecast data; this function achieves finely balanced energy management throughout an entire building.

A system is also currently under development to use data analysis to enable advance detection of any irregularities in A/C equipment operation and avert sudden malfunctions. This function will improve performance, extend product service life, and reduce lifecycle costs. In the event of a malfunction, the system will swiftly send notification by email to both the user and MHI Thermal Systems' service base. This will enable a speedy response, leading to shorter recovery time.

Going forward, MHI Thermal Systems will continue to develop air-conditioning products to meet the market's robust needs for outstanding energy savings, easy operation and ambient comfort. All resources will be focused on providing optimal solutions in comfortable air-conditioning.

(1) Signage is a function whereby the power consumption of an air-conditioner is electronically converted and sent as an image, etc.

About Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), headquartered in Tokyo, is one of the world's leading industrial firms with 80,000 group employees and annual consolidated revenues of around 38 billion U.S. dollars. For more than 130 years, the company has channeled big thinking into innovative and integrated solutions that move the world forward. MHI owns a unique business portfolio covering land, sea, sky and even space. MHI delivers innovative and integrated solutions across a wide range of industries from commercial aviation and transportation to power plants and gas turbines, and from machinery and infrastructure to integrated defense and space systems.
For more information, please visit the MHI Group website: http://www.mhi-global.com.
For Technology, Trends and Tangents, visit MHI's new online media SPECTRA: http://spectra.mhi.com.

Contact:
Joseph Hood, PR Manager
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Email: mhi-pr@mhi.co.jp
Tel: +81-(0)3-6716-2168
Fax: +81-(0)3-6716-5860

At the ceremony

Copenhagen and Tokyo, Nov 21, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - The Nets Group and JCB International Co. Ltd. (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co. Ltd, have launched JCB's EMV(R) contactless standard in Denmark for the first time. The solution combines Host Card Emulation (HCE) technology with JCB's latest J/Speedy(TM)* contactless specification enabling Danish cardholders to tap and pay on their Android Phones at supermarkets and retailers across Denmark. Through this partnership, Nets merchants equipped with J/Speedy contactless terminals, will be able to accept payments from JCB cardmembers using their J/Speedy cards and smartphones in Europe.

This is the latest development in last year's strategic partnership announcement between Nets Group and JCB, targeting the expansion of JCB's EMV J/Speedy contactless standard in Europe. JCB's strategy is that all merchants across Europe will be able to accept JCB's J/Speedy contactless payments in the future.

Nets will now be able to support an increasing number of JCB's cardmembers visiting Europe with JCB's J/Speedy contactless functionality on their cards and smartphones.

Thomas Jul, Group Executive Vice President, Nets Group, "We are delighted to be the first in Europe using JCB's advanced EMV contactless technology which will ensure a frictionless and enjoyable payments experience between Nets merchants and consumers initially in Denmark. In addition, we are pleased to expand J/Speedy acceptance across all of Nets core markets to support JCB's growing number of J/Speedy contactless transactions from JCB's cardmembers visiting Europe."

Mr. Kimihisa Imada, President and COO, JCB International Co., Ltd. said, "We are delighted to announce the first launch of J/Speedy mobile contactless technology with Nets in Europe. We are planning to accelerate our contactless cards and mobile programmes with JCB issuers around the world in the future. Our state-of-the-art HCE mobile solution utilizing JCB's trusted J/Speedy contactless standard with Nets will allow both companies to continue to provide high value service to our cardmembers and merchants."

*J/Speedy: JCB brand contactless payment solution that is compliant with NFC and EMV Contactless Communication Protocol Specifications. (EMV(R) is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries and an unregistered trademark elsewhere. The EMV trademark is owned by EMVCo.)

About JCB

JCB is a major global payment brand and a leading payment card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and card member base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to provide responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/ or www.jcbeurope.eu

About Nets Group

Nets Group provides a broad range of services within payment cards, bank account services, and payment solutions for merchants. Connecting banks, businesses, the public sector, merchants and consumers via an international network facilitating digital payments, Nets spans across the Nordic region - mainly Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden, with a strong presence in Estonia and growing in other Baltic countries. Nets offers a wide range of standard and customised end-to-end IT solutions, building on a comprehensive network and commitment to deliver stable and secure operations at all times.

For more than four decades, it has been instrumental in developing a modern payment infrastructure, with the introduction of a number of successful payment products to the Nordic region, including Dankort, Betalingsservice, NemID, BankID, Avtalegiro and BankAxept. For more information, please visit www.nets.eu

Contacts
JCB Co., Ltd.
Kumiko Kida
Corporate Communications
Tel: +81-3-5778-8353
Email: jcb-pr@info.jcb.co.jp

JX Online III Revamped Version to be Launched in December; Cloud Services Gains Robust Revenue Growth of 80% Y.O.Y

HONG KONG, Nov 21, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Kingsoft Corporation Limited ("Kingsoft" or the "Company"; HKEX: 03888), a leading software and Internet service company based in China, has announced its unaudited quarterly results for the three months ended 30 September 2017("the period").

For the third quarter of 2017, the revenue of Kingsoft increased 16% year-over-year and 1% quarter-over-quarter to RMB1,303.0 million. Revenue from the online games, cloud services, office software and services and others represented 57%, 28% and 15%, respectively, of the total revenue. Revenue from the cloud services for the third quarter of 2017 recorded a robust growth of 80% year-over-year and 18% quarter-over-quarter to RMB358.1 million, while the revenue from the office software and services and others for the same period increased 50% year-over-year and increased 13% quarter-over-quarter to RMB198.3 million.

Gross profit of Kingsoft increased 6% year-over-year and decreased 6% quarter-over-quarter to RMB744.3 million. Profit for the period attributable to owners of the parent before share-based compensation costs increased 65% year-over-year to RMB306.7 million.

Mr. Jun LEI, Chairman of Kingsoft, commented, "The third quarter of 2017 has witnessed stable progress in all segments of Kingsoft's business. Flagship PC game JX Online III has achieved another robust growth of 27% year-on-year. Kingsoft Cloud has further advanced in every vertical business segment at a strong pace. In addition, WPS Office PC version achieved a new record that its global MAU has exceeded 100 million in September. In the fourth quarter of 2017, Kingsoft is fully committed to continue its healthy ascent in online games, cloud services, and office software and services businesses."

Mr. Tao ZOU, Chief Executive Officer of Kingsoft, added, "During the third quarter, Kingsoft has achieved a steady growth attaining a total revenue of RMB1,303.0 million at an annual growth rate of 16%. The operating profit before the share-based compensation costs was RMB224.7 million, appearing a year-on-year decrease, which was primarily due to the temporary margin pressure from the online games business. The upcoming roll out of the JX Online III revamped version in this December and a strong mobile games pipeline are envisaged to give a substantial boost in the game's future performance in the coming years."

BUSINESS REVIEW

Online Games
For the third quarter of 2017, the revenue from the online game business decreased 6% year-over-year and 7% quarter-over-quarter to RMB746.7 million. The decreases were largely due to the slight natural decline in gross billings from JX Online I mobile game since its launch in May 2016. In order to update its graphics and bring new gaming experience to the gamers, its revamped version, New JX Online I mobile game, has already been launched on 3 November.

Kingsoft's flagship PC game, JX Online III, registered a steady performance in the third quarter, with revenue increased 27% year-on-year. The upcoming launch of its revamped version this December is one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the fourth quarter. In The Game Awards which is honored as the Oscar Awards in the game industry to be held in December 2017, JX Online III revamped version stood out from world-famous game manufacturers and 102 grand games, and was nominated for the Best Chinese Game Award. Kingsoft is fully confident that the superior game quality of the revamped version should facilitate the game's future revenue growth while substantially extending its life cycle.

Kingsoft's licensed mobile game Eudemons Online has been launched on all platforms on 18 October 2017. In just 12 hours after its launch, the number of new users topped 720,000. As of 6 November 2017, its gross billing exceeded the RMB100 million mark in just 19 days. Moreover, Kingsoft's self-developed mobile game XiaoMiQiangZhan has started "public internal testing" on 30 October, which has drawn great attention and gained in high popularity among gamers soon afterwards.

Cloud Services
Revenue from the cloud services for the third quarter of 2017 increased 80% year-over-year and 18% quarter-over-quarter to RMB358.1 million. The strong year-over-year rise was mainly driven by a robust increase in customer usage, reflecting the success of Kingsoft Cloud's efforts in reinforcing its leadership in providing cloud services to the video, mobile game and internet industries. According to IDC's China Semiannual Public Cloud Services Tracker Report 1H2017, in the first half of 2017, Kingsoft Cloud has achieved a market share over 6.5% in the Chinese public cloud IaaS market, which demonstrates an increase of 0.9 percentage points year-over-year, and also ranked top-3 in terms of the revenue generation.

In addition to maintaining the leading position in live streaming and short video markets, Kingsoft Cloud has extended to provide video cloud services for long videos, broadcast and television, and OTT (Over The Top) markets, and was able to secure various licensed customers in the broadcast and television communications industry. Kingsoft Cloud also accessed several platforms like Bilibili and Panda TV, while promoting the download services for smartphone companies and ensuring the smooth running of key events' live streaming. Kingsoft Cloud has strived to establish its game ecosystem and enhanced its customers' loyalty through offering bundled packages with multiple products.

As for the healthcare cloud business, Kingsoft Cloud has continued to provide quality cloud services to leading medical institutions and enterprises in the healthcare industry including PKUCare Rehabilitation Hospital, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University People's Hospital and PKU Healthcare IT Co., Ltd. At the same time, it has also promoted to provide healthcare cloud services in several important provinces and build healthcare cloud infrastructure for small and medium-sized cities. In addition, Kingsoft Cloud has achieved strategic cooperation with HNA Tianhai Group and will continue to expand its customer base across various government committees, offices and departments.

Office Software and Services and Others
Revenue from the office software and services and others for the third quarter of 2017 increased 50% year-over-year and increased 13% quarter-over-quarter to RMB198.3 million. The robust increases were due to strong revenue growth from WPS online marketing services and value-added services of WPS Office personal edition, driven by higher demand from advertisers, increased user engagement and user loyalty.

In September, the global MAU of the WPS Office mobile version reached a new record of 135 million, while the global MAU of WPS Office PC version exceeded 100 million for the first time in history, enabling WPS Office to achieve the distinctive milestone that the global MAU from both PC and mobile versions exceeded the 100 million mark. With the stable development of personal cloud services, the revenue contribution from WPS Office Android users and the number of cloud users logged in through Android devices have improved steadily in the third quarter. WPS Office iOS ranked first in the App Store productivity category in September, and its global MAU exceeded 13 million.

Two other important businesses, WPS mail and iCiba also completed the update of the latest 5.0 and 9.0 editions respectively. At the same time, Kingsoft participated as a core member in the inauguration ceremony of the Software Working Commission of the Copyright Society of China in September 2017. Following the implementation of China's "Belt and Road Initiative", Kingsoft signed a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Thai Government for further cooperation in Thailand's education sector, which has huge potential for development, and marked a major step forward in the internationalization strategy of WPS.

Mr. Jun LEI concluded, "We are pleased to see the results of the third quarter manifesting the impressive execution of our overall strategies. The temporary pressure on operating profit in the third and fourth quarters this year will translate into a brighter outlook, as the proactive investments made in the game segment can boost the overall performance in the future. We continue to strive to secure a larger user base and stronger market competitiveness, through a focus on product innovation, inter-segment synergies and potential cooperation opportunities in order to achieve higher goals. With our dedicated pursuit of excellence, we are fully confident that we can deliver substantial and sustainable business growth, bring solid returns to our shareholders and partners, and keep advancing towards to our next milestone."

About Kingsoft Corporation Limited (HKEX: 03888)
Kingsoft is a leading software and Internet services company based in China listed on the stock exchange of Hong Kong. It has three subsidiaries including Seasun, Kingsoft Cloud and Kingsoft Office. Following the implementation of its "mobile internet transformation" strategy, Kingsoft has completed the comprehensive transformation of its overall business and management models and formed a strategic platform with interactive entertainment and office software as the pillars and cloud computing as the new growth driver and source. The Company has over 5,000 staff around the world. It has set up R&D centers and offices in Beijing, Zhuhai, Chengdu, Dalian, Guangzhou and Hong Kong and enjoys a large market share in various countries and regions both home and abroad. For more information, please visit www.kingsoft.com.

For Press Enquiries:
Kingsoft Corporation Limited
Ms. Francie Lv
Tel: +86 10 6292 7777 ext.5581
Email: ir@kingsoft.com

Strategic Financial Relations (China) Limited
Ms. Karen Li
Tel: +85 2864 4837
Email: sprg-kingsoft@sprg.com.hk

HONG KONG, Nov 21, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Tianyun International Holdings Limited ("Tianyun International" or the "Company", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group") (Stock code: 6836.HK), a leading seller and manufacturer of processed fruits products in China, is pleased to announce that after market close today, Tianyi Holding Hong Kong Limited ("Tianyi"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company entered into a non-legally binding memorandum of understanding ("MOU") with Homemade for Life International, Inc. ("Homemade for Life") in respect of a proposed acquisition (the "Proposed Acquisition") of 51% or more of the issued share capital in Homemade Harvey Operating, LLC ("Homemade Harvey") .Total investment and consideration shall be not more than US$5 million . The consideration will be settled by way of cash and/or issuance of consideration shares of the Company. Cash proceeds will be invested in Homemade Harvey as its working capital for expansion of sales and distribution channels in the US, as well as for product development.

Background of Homemade Harvey
- Homemade Harvey is a US-based food company principally engaged in the sale of processed fruit blends in flexible pouch packaging with re-sealable caps;
- Homemade Harvey's product, currently sold under the brands Homemade Harvey and Homemade Baby, is certified organic (QAI), kosher (OU) and gluten-free, and is sold through-out its sales and distribution networks in the US, predominately in the West Coast region in over 1100 Health Food Market and Supermarket, including four of the top five retailers in the US, namely Kroger, Albertson's/Safeway, Amazon/Whole Foods and Costco;
- Homemade Harvey's flexible formulation and manufacturing capacity captures the life cycle of customers from Baby to Elderly with all-natural and functional product lines that include Protein, Vegetable combinations, Probiotics and trans-fat free fruit snacks;
- Homemade harvey is aligned with the demands of today's consumer as the intersection of three major trends in shopping habits: Clean Label Health; Convenience; and Great Taste.
- With products produced in California, Homemade Harvey achieves the highest processed food quality and safety standards from its co-production facilities, which are audited by retailers, USDA, A.I.B. Silliker, NSF Cook and Thurber and additional third party certified audits, and meet SQF requirements for fruit and vegetable processing.

Products under Homemade Harvey:
- Homemade Harvey currently has conventional and functional pouch products for adults;
- Homemade Baby has researched and developed various baby food products with formulations include ingredients such as fresh fruit, protein, probiotics, oats, ginger and vegetables.

Business Synergies and Benefits:
- Instant expansion of the Group's product lines with broader sales outreach. Homemade Harvey's 4 conventional pouch products, 4 functional pouch products and 3 baby products will be added under the Group's current product offerings, newly added products can be produced and sold immediately under Harvey brand or the Company's own brands in China, US, Japan and Europe;
- Obtain immediate access to Homemade Harvey's existing US distribution channels. Channels that cover 4 out of the top 5 supermarket chains including Whole Foods/Amazon, Kroger, Albertson's/Safeway, and Costco;
- Research collaboration in the areas of agriculture, nutrition, sports medicine and health science between the Group, Homemade Harvey, Universities in China, US reputable Universities on new products development;
- Enrich resources in US and China in terms of marketing, management and product development;
- Significantly broaden source of income by obtaining quick access into US consumer market which is important for the Group's long-term sustainable business development;
- Expand the Group's business into organic food, healthy snack, baby food and food technology areas;
- Raise the Group's branding effect and reputation as an international processed food enterprise.

Mr. Yang Ziyuan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tianyun International, said, "Following a number of discussions and a recent meeting in Chicago between the management team of the two companies, we are excited to have achieved a big milestone in our geographical expansion strategy by entering a MOU with a popular US consumer brand. The Group has been satisfying, delighting and nourishing our customers with safe, healthy and high quality processed food products for many years, and Homemade Harvey is also doing well in offering the best natural and organic foods in the US market. Culturally, Tianyun International and Homemade Harvey share similar values and the commitment to serving only real and healthy food for consumers' well-being. We can leverage Homemade Harvey's new product development capabilities with its managements strong experience, and establish university collaboration in order to continuously develop new, unique and innovative processed food products that can target to consumers with different consumption patterns, stages of life, and market trends towards a healthier diet. This proposed acquisition presents not only an opportunity to extend our mission and bring the highest quality and innovative processed food products to the US, but also at the same time maximize value for our shareholders through accelerating the growth of our own brand business domestically and internationally."

About Tianyun International Holding Limited (Stock Code: 6863.HK)
Tianyun International Holdings Limited (the "Company") and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as the "Group") are principally engaged in (i) the production and sales of processed fruit packaged in metal containers, plastic cups and glass containers and ii) trading of fresh fruit. Processed fruit products are sold both on an OEM basis and under our own brands. On 7 July 2015, the Group was successfully listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited which had further consolidated our leading position in China's processed fruit product industry.

The Group has been consistently committed to provide healthy and safe products to its customers. As one of the food enterprises with the most complete quality certifications, we have always been dedicated to following stringent international production standards and are accredited with BRC (A+), IFS Food (High), FDA, HALAL, SC, KOSHER, BSCI and ISO22000 in respect of our production facilities, quality control and management. The Group has also passed the internal food production standard reviews and audits from some of the UK and US supermarket chains. At the same time, within China, as a "Equal production line; Equal standard; Equal quality" food production and export enterprise, the Group has been supplying products of equivalent quality to domestic and international markets. Since 2016, the Group's own brand processed fruit products have continued to obtain a high degree of market recognition, and have been awarded by a national institution the honour and qualification of "China Canned Product Quality Certification Label", become the first and only fruit processor in China's fruit processing industry to put the "Zero Added Preservative Canned Products" label for its products sold in China.

Korean Firms Urged to Seize Opportunities through Hong Kong

HONG KONG, Nov 22, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Trade and business ties between Hong Kong and the Republic of Korea are set to strengthen with the official launch yesterday (21 November) of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council's (HKTDC) office in Seoul. The HKTDC has been operating a consultant office in the Korean capital since 1990. The upgraded presence will further boost Hong Kong's trade and business promotion in Korea.

With a full-fledged HKTDC office in Seoul, run by staff from both Hong Kong and Korea, the HKTDC will provide more comprehensive services to connect companies from both places and help them capture new opportunities.

- Opportunities through Hong Kong

"Hong Kong and Korea share a long and close partnership," said Margaret Fong, HKTDC Executive Director during a cocktail reception at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul to mark the occasion. "New opportunities have emerged with the Belt and Road Initiative, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Bay Area development plan, and Hong Kong's recently signed Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations] - three more good reasons for Korean companies to expand their business in Hong Kong."

China's Belt and Road Initiative, launched in 2013 and fashioned on the ancient Silk Road trade routes, aims to reinforce infrastructural and financial links from Asia to Europe. Among the key financing bodies for Belt and Road projects is the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, of which Korea is a founding member and the fifth-largest shareholder.

China's Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area development plan covers nine Chinese mainland cities in Guangdong Province, together with Hong Kong and Macau. It aims to combine each city's expertise to create a global innovation hub, tapping the cities' abundance of hi-tech talent and competitive business environment. The plan opens more partnership opportunities for Korean companies, many of which are leaders in the technology sector.

With its extensive international connections and world-class services, Hong Kong is a key link connecting global businesses to opportunities on the Belt and Road and in the Bay Area.

Hong Kong and ASEAN signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and a related investment agreement on 12 November, further strengthening the city's business ties with ASEAN markets. "We welcome more Korean firms to use Hong Kong as a base to unlock the massive business opportunities that the Belt and Road Initiative and the Bay Area bring," said Ms Fong. "With the signing of the Hong Kong-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement earlier this month, Hong Kong can offer an additional platform for Korean companies to tap the ASEAN markets."

- Strengthened cooperation

More than 280 government officials and business leaders from Korea and China attended the reception, including Kim Youngsam, Deputy Minister for Trade and Investment, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Republic of Korea; and Gu Jinsheng, Minister-Counsellor, Economic & Commercial Counsellor's Office, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of Korea.

The Seoul Office is among more than 40 HKTDC offices globally that help promote Hong Kong's role as a platform for doing business with the Chinese mainland, Asia and the world.

Last Wednesday (15 November), the HKTDC and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote economic cooperation and trade between Hong Kong and Korea.

- Strong business ties

Korea is Hong Kong's sixth-largest trading partner and fifth-largest source of imports. In the first nine months of 2017, bilateral trade surged 26 per cent year-on-year to US$28.2 billion, while Hong Kong imports from Korea grew 32.3 per cent to US$22.9 billion. During the same period, the city's total exports to the country rose 4.5 per cent to US$5.3 billion, making Korea Hong Kong's 10th-largest export market. Major imports and exports between the two economies include semiconductors, electronic valves and tubes, as well as telecom equipment and parts.

About 1,700 Korean companies are operating in Hong Kong, according to the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Hong Kong. Korea's cumulative foreign direct investment in Hong Kong amounted to US$3.3 billion at end-2015. Korean companies in Hong Kong are involved in financial services, logistics, transportation and cosmetics, among other sectors.

Hong Kong and Korea signed an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement in 1997, and a Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement in 2014.

In the last financial year ending March 2017, more than 16,000 buyers and over 840 exhibitors from Korea took part in HKTDC product and services fairs.

Photo Download: http://bit.ly/2zWZ8WZ

(Photo:) (From L to R) Yun Wonsok, Vice President, Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency; Lee Jaechool, Senior Executive Managing Director, Korea International Trade Association; Kim Youngsam, Deputy Minister for Trade and Investment, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Republic of Korea; Margaret Fong, Executive Director, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC); Gu Jinsheng, Minister-Counsellor, Economic & Commercial Counsellor's Office, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of Korea; and Benjamin Yau, Director of Korea, HKTDC, raise a toast at the Opening Reception of the HKTDC Office in Seoul, Korea.

About HKTDC

Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.
- Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdc
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdc
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-council

Contact:
HKTDC
Corporate Communication Department
Carrie Lee
Tel: +852 2584 4238
Email: carrie.kl.lee@hktdc.org

Premier Electronics Industry Conference to bolster growing semiconductor industry in the region

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - For the first time, SEMICON Southeast Asia (SEMICON SEA), the region's premier gathering of the industry, connecting people, products, technologies and solutions across the electronics manufacturing supply chain, will be held in Kuala Lumpur. Taking place 8 to 10 May 2018, the conference will debut in the newly constructed Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC).

With more than 85 percent of the exhibition space already sold, SEMICON SEA 2018 will represent companies from Southeast Asia, China, Taiwan, Europe and the U.S. More than 300 companies will exhibit and as many as 8,000 visitors from 15 countries are expected to participate in SEMICON SEA. Organised by SEMI, the SEMICON SEA 2018 theme will be "Think Smart Make Smart."

The Southeast Asia region is a world-class electronics manufacturing hub with end-to-end R&D capabilities, and SEMICON SEA 2018 is the comprehensive platform for the electronics industry in the region. The event will feature three themed pavilions, five country pavilions, keynote presentations, and forums that will address critical trending topics within the semiconductor eco-system. The show will connect decision makers from the industry, demonstrate the most advanced products, and provide the most up-to-date market and technology trends.

Ng Kai Fai, President of SEMI Southeast Asia says, "The growth of SEMICON Southeast Asia is attributed to the rapid expansion and robust growth of the Electrical & Electronics (E&E) sector across Southeast Asia, with companies emerging as world leaders in mobile, automotive, medical and Internet of Things (IoT) supply chains. As one of the high-growth markets in the region, Malaysia contributes 44 percent of the total manufacturing output and 26 percent of the total Gross Domestic Product of the region and is forecasted to generate approximately US$ 382 billion in exports in 2018."

Over the past three years, SEMICON SEA has become the annual gathering of the full regional supply chain. SEMICON SEA 2018 will feature a supplier search programme to encourage cross-border business matching as well as a technology start-up platform which will bring together Southeast Asia technology entrepreneurial resources. In conjunction with SEMICON SEA 2018, this event will also include the SEMICON University Programme which aims to encourage and promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) interest amongst young talent and will also include a job fair.

SEMICON Southeast Asia 2018 sponsors include Carl Zeiss Pte Ltd while partners include Malaysia Investment & Development Authority (MIDA), Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA).

To register for SEMICON Southeast Asia 2018 or to explore exhibiting opportunities, visit http://www.semiconsea.org/ or contact Ms. Shannen Koh at skoh@semi.org.

About SEMI
SEMI connects over 2,000 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. FlexTech and the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) are SEMI Strategic Association Partners, defined communities within SEMI focused on specific technologies.

Since 1970, SEMI has built connections that have helped its members prosper, create new markets, and address common industry challenges together. SEMI maintains offices in Bangalore, Berlin, Brussels, Grenoble, Hsinchu, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley (Milpitas, Calif.), Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.semi.org and follow SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Please contact on behalf of SEMI:
Acendus Communications Sdn Bhd
- Michael Poh at +60 12 395 5202
- Reshvinder Kaur at +60 17 275 7985

Kirobo Mini

Orders for the compact communication partner being accepted from today at Toyota vehicle dealers

Kirobo Mini can do the following:
- Engage in casual conversation, backed by gestures and the ability to respond to user emotions
- Learn and provide tailored companionship by remembering user preferences and past events
- Fit in the palm of your hand with a seated height of only 10 cm and be taken just about anywhere
- Enhance its conversational ability using information from the vehicle and home

Toyota City, Japan, Nov 22, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation launched sales(1) of its compact and cuddlesome Kirobo Mini communication partner today through Toyota vehicle dealers across Japan.

http://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_Toyota112217KiroboMini.JPG
Kirobo Mini

Kirobo Mini is a miniature communication partner developed to provide companionship. It fits in the palm of the hand and is only 10 cm high when seated. It turns its head toward the person speaking and engages in casual conversation(1) while moving its head and hands. Its compact size means it can be taken just about anywhere.

Presales were launched at designated dealers in Tokyo and Aichi Prefecture in May 2017, commencing with customers looking to interact with communication partners such as Kirobo Mini. The presales launch also targeted a wide variety of users including those who have a fondness for adorable products, are passionate about trying new products, and enthusiastic about enjoying Kirobo Mini in different ways.

One feature of Kirobo Mini is the ability for users to share their Kirobo Mini experience with other users on the official communication website "With Kirobo Mini Friend Park." This well-received website allows users to share personal moments with their own Kirobo Mini and exchange information to help others discover the charm of the Kirobo Mini.

"With Kirobo Mini Friend Park" website: https://kirobomini.jp/

Furthermore, in tandem with this nationwide rollout, Kirobo Mini can now communicate based on information acquired from the cars and homes of users.(2) Details are as follows.

Kirobo Mini's new abilities(3)

1) Coordination with cars(4)(5)
As Kirobo Mini grows up, it learns to converse based on information from connected cars.
2) Coordination with homes(6)
As Kirobo Mini grows up, it learns to converse based on TOYOTA HOME smart house information.

(1) Unlike online orders in the presales launch in May 2017, customers can now place orders for Kirobo Mini at Toyota vehicle dealers (including Toyota, Toyopet, Toyota Corolla, and Netz stores).
(2) Using standard Japanese
(3) The same function is available in Kirobo Mini purchased during presales by updating the dedicated app.
(4) When Kirobo Mini grows up to a certain level through communication with its users, it will be able to engage in these kinds of conversations.
(5) An 11.6-inch T-Connect SD navigation system (DCM package) must be mounted on a Prius PHV (from February 2017). DCM contract is also required.
(6) TOYOTA HOME's smart house (HEMS installation and TSC-HEMS service required)

About Toyota

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is the global mobility company that introduced the Prius hybrid-electric car in 1997 and the first mass-produced fuel cell sedan, Mirai, in 2014. Headquartered in Toyota City, Japan, Toyota has been making cars since 1937. Today, Toyota proudly employs 370,000 employees in communities around the world. Together, they build around 10 million vehicles per year in 29 countries, from mainstream cars and premium vehicles to mini-vehicles and commercial trucks, and sell them in more than 170 countries under the brands Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.

Contact:
Public Affairs Division
Global Communications Department
Toyota Motor Corporation
Tel: +81-3-3817-9926

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - CURRENT, powered by GE, is set to pave the way in revolutionising smart lighting in Malaysia, by offering solutions that allows for greater efficiency and productivity. These energy efficient Roadway LED lighting, is available in Malaysia via CURRENT's master distributor, Midwest Green Sdn Bhd (Midwest Green).

Various Municipal Councils in Malaysia have started to implement the requirement of LED street lighting for new townships, and some councils are now looking to expand this territory-wide. Majlis Perbandaran Johor Bahru Tengah (MPJBT) and the State of Terengganu Councils, through its project partners are now working with Midwest Green in this conversion.

The project is expected to generate savings of more than RM60 million (ranging from 30%-50%) per project, over the period of 11 years. Along with these municipal-wide retrofit conversion projects, Midwest Green is working on five other major projects and 30 other private townships in 2017/2018 alone throughout Malaysia.

According to Jacky Shen, Asia Commercial Leader (Current Powered by GE), "There is a strong wave of transition to LED lighting currently, especially in a nation like Malaysia which is built upon roads and highways that require quality lighting. The addition of sensors and controls technologies enables LED lighting to become an all-sensing network compiling data and analytics required to drive additional productivity and efficiency. While our immediate goal in Malaysia and Southeast Asia is energy efficiency, there are long-term implications that require a holistic approach and only CURRENT possesses the assets required to achieve such high-level energy efficiency and productivity."

In implementing this system in Malaysia, Midwest Green is looking towards working with more local municipal councils in installing IoT (Internet-of-Things) ready street lights, with plans to then equip the system with the sensors needed to generate data to enhance efficiency. According to Datuk Edward Chew, Managing Director (Midwest Green), "Our ultimate goal is to be able to connect the system with other services undertaken by municipal councils such as public transportation, to deliver data intelligence and subsequently, respond accordingly in real time to enhance long-term energy savings."

"City authorities face complex and challenging choices concerning infrastructure, balancing the need to maintain existing services while investing in improvements, managing population growth and enhancing sustainability, all within tight budget constraints. The operation and maintenance of street lighting is a major cost that contributes to these challenges for local authorities. But with the technology offered by CURRENT, we are able to transform the way cities can deliver, operate and maintain public lighting in a way that can generate a wide range of benefits to the local authorities and the communities they serve."

"Currently, we are working with our project delivery partners and clients to bring LED lighting solutions to the council's vicinity. Once implemented, the new lighting system potentially offers savings of up to 45% - 70% and will also improve operational efficiencies as there is less reliance on manpower being mobilised to determine faulty or non-functioning lights. Furthermore, better-quality lighting can also bring other benefits, such as improvements in traffic safety for all road users, city attractiveness and economic strengths."

About CURRENT by GE
A first-of-its-kind startup within the walls of GE, CURRENT blends advanced energy technologies like LED and solar with networked sensors and software to make commercial buildings and industrial facilities more energy efficient and productive. Backed by the power of Predix, GE's platform for the Industrial Internet, and a broad ecosystem of technology partners, CURRENT is helping businesses and cities unlock hidden value and realize the potential of their environments. Learn more at https://www.currentbyge.com/.

About Midwest Green Sdn Bhd
Midwest Green Sdn Bhd (Midwest Green) is CURRENT's regional partner for Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines. A pioneer in LED technology, Midwest Green is recognised as one of the leading providers of high-performance LED products, which include lamps, architectural lighting, retail display lighting, signage lighting, outdoor lighting and transportation lighting, to the commercial, public and utility sectors throughout Malaysia and the region. Midwest Green is committed towards delivering superior value to its customers and is continuing to expand its footprint in the region with offices currently in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Vietnam. Please visit http://mw-green.com/.

Issued on behalf of MidWest Green Sdn Bhd by Acendus Communications Sdn. Bhd.
Please contact Reshvinder Kaur at 017 275 7985 or Michael Poh at 012 395 5202.

Establishing the Second Upscale Pipeline; Entering the Mainland Market under the Brand of "Pine Care Yada"

HONG KONG, Nov 22, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - A leading operator of care and attention homes for the elderly in Hong Kong, Pine Care Group Limited (the "Pine Care Group" or the "Company" ,together with its subsidiaries, the "Group", stock code: 1989), today announced its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 September 2017 (the "period under review").

During the period under review, the Group's overall core business has remained stable and healthy. Overall average occupancy rate for the period under review was 92.4%, compared to 93.6% for the same period last year. Total revenue delivered a drop of approximately HK$3 million to HK$86.6 million for the period under review from HK$89.6 million for the same period last year. The decrease was mainly due to the disposal of Pine Care Centre in July 2017 and also the slight decrease in overall average occupancy rate due to the renovation of several of Group's care and attention homes, and the EA1 upgrade for two of the care and attention homes of the Group. Profit for the period under review was HK$11.0 million, delivered a drop of approximately HK$3.2 million as compared with HK$14.2 million for the same period last year.

The Board of the Company has resolved to declare a second interim dividend of HK0.84 cent per ordinary share.

Mr. YIM Ting Kwok, Chairman and Executive Director of Pine Care Group, said: "the EA1 upgrade for Pine Care (Tak Fung) Elderly Centre has already been completed, while the upgrade for Pinecrest Elderly Centre is expected to be completed within this year. Following the completion of the upgrade, we expect the overall average occupancy rate to pick up during the second half of the financial year. We are also beginning to see the effects of the Government's Pilot Scheme on Residential Care Service Voucher for the Elderly (the "Scheme"), as eligible holders of the voucher are now starting to be admitted into our residential care homes for the elderly. In the long-run, we expect that the Scheme will have a positive impact on our overall average occupancy rate."

The fitting out of the Group's new care and attention home, Pine Care Place, located at Yoho Mall I (Extension) in Yuen Long, is near to completion. The new care and attention home has a floor area of 33,424 square feet and is designed to accommodate 68 residential care places. Pine Care Place is positioned as an upscale care and attention home. In addition to a higher standard of accommodation and a higher labour ratio compared to EA1 standards, Pine Care Place will also offer more individualised services and more lifestyle oriented facilities.

During the period under review, the Group entered into a joint venture with Yada International (HK) Limited ("Yada HK") to develop the elderly care business in Mainland China, under the brand "Pine Care Yada". The Group believes that the collaboration is especially synergetic. On one hand, the collaboration will enable Pine Care Group to apply its established brand in Hong Kong and proven business model to a much larger market, while at the same time, capitalising on Yada HK's experience and resources in the Mainland. The strategic cooperation between the Group and Yada HK provides a valuable opportunity for the Group to expand its footprint to the Mainland, a market the Group believes to hold vast potentials.

The first project of the joint venture is proposed to be the establishment of a residential care home for the elderly which is located inside a large scale healthcare, age-care and leisure community in Wuzhen, Zhejiang. The project is proposed to consist of approximately 83 beds with a total area of approximately 77,400 square feet. It is envisioned that the residential care home for the elderly will commence operation in late 2017 to early 2018. Further details of the formation of joint venture were set out in the Company's announcement dated 18 September 2017.

During the period under review, the Group also entered into a sale and purchase agreement for, among others, the acquisition of the entire issued capital of Lorient Holdings Ltd. which owns the target property comprising portions on ground floor, first to third floors and portions on fourth floor, Maintown Plaza, No. 223-237 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong (the "Property"). The Property has a gross floor area of approximately 43,400 square feet, and is conveniently located within walking distance to the Shek Kip Mei MTR station. Together with its efficient layout and ample windows frontage, the Group believes that the Property is ideally suited for establishing the new upscale care and attention home, Pine Care Point.

It is envisioned that Pine Care Point will become the Group's second foray into the upscale
market segment, following the launch of Pine Care Place. The Group believes that the acquisition represents a remarkable opportunity for the Group to establish its market leadership position in the burgeoning upscale market segment. Targeting with approximately 120 individual rooms, Pine Care Point is expected to offer the same services and similar standard of accommodation as Pine Care Place, including lifestyle oriented facilities such as a hair salon, a cinema and a library.

Mr. YIM Ting Kwok concluded, "There is an increasing demand for elderly care services in the market and we believe our current expansion plan can fully grasp this business opportunity. Exploring the upscale market segment and entering the Mainland China market through Pine Care Yada are both the key growth strategies of the Group. With good prospects for the industry, we are confident to take the Group to greater heights . We will continue to uphold the guiding principle of "respecting the elderly residents like our families" to provide quality service for the elderly; and to enhance returns for our shareholders and investors."

Realizing Growth Strategies With Both Revenue and Net Profit Up;
Declares Interim Dividend of HK0.9 cent per share

HONG KONG, Nov 22, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited ("Jacobson Pharma" or the "Company"; Stock Code: 2633), a leading company engaged in the research, development, production, marketing and sale of generic drugs and proprietary medicines, today announced its unaudited interim results of the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively the "Group") for the six months ended 30 September 2017 (the "Reporting Period").

During the Reporting Period, the Group's revenue increased by 29.1% to HK$743.0 million (1H2016: HK$575.4 million). Gross profit and profit from operations rose by 14.0% to HK$278.9 million (1H2016: HK$244.6 million) and 43.9% to HK$112.7 million (1H2016: HK$78.3 million) respectively. Profit attributable to the shareholders of the Company surged by 40.6% to HK$80.3 million (1H2016: HK$57.1 million). Basic and diluted earnings per share were HK4.42 cents.

The Group maintains a healthy financial position with cash and cash equivalents of HK$326.3 million at the end of the Reporting Period. The Board has declared payment of an interim dividend for the six months ended 30 September of HK0.9 cent per share (1H2016: HK0.8 cent).

Business Review
Generic Drugs
During the Reporting Period, the Group's generic drugs business achieved revenue of HK$542.2 million, up by 7.0% compared with the same period last year. Revenue from the public sector segment grew 7.9% to HK$184.2 million, primarily attributed to the rise in demand for oral anti-diabetic and cardiovascular products along with contributions from newly awarded tenders. Private sector business posted a revenue growth of 6.6% to HK$358.0 million, attributing to organic growth as well as revenue contribution from the business of Medipharma that the Group acquired in November 2016.

The Group is a market leader in a number of therapeutic categories and its research and development ("R&D") team has been progressively enriching the product pipeline to help fuel the Group's growth momentum in those categories. A noteworthy example is the recent launch of losartan which witnessed a robust sales growth of 87.5% during the Reporting Period.

In terms of productivity, the Group's manufacturing operations continued to perform well affording a steady rise in production output. The total output of the three major product dosage forms - solid, semi-solid and liquid - grew respectively by 17.3% to 1,341 million tablets and capsules, 37.0% to 135 tons and 4.9% to 1,373 kilo-liters as compared to corresponding period of 2016.

Proprietary Medicines
Revenue from the Proprietary Medicine segment witnessed a significant 76.2% growth to HK$121.2 million, attributable to the robust sales performance of Ho Chai Kung, a long-standing household brand that the Group acquired in January 2017, which contributed HK$45.2 million to the segmental revenue, plus the strengthening sales of Po Chai Pills and Tong Tai Chung Woodlok Oil.

The Group continues to contemplate geographical expansion into strategic markets in the Asia Pacific, such as Taiwan and certain ASEAN countries. It has put in place a dedicated business development team to pursue market evaluations and to expedite market entry and regulatory clearance.

Wholesale and Retail
In April 2017, the Group completed the acquisition of 70% interest in the retail and wholesale operator Hong Ning Hong Group which has a well-established commercial infra-structure and customer network. The acquisition was a strategic move by the Group to expand sales channels and boost distribution of products of its proprietary medicine brands. The Wholesale and Retail segment contributed revenue of HK$79.6 million, accounting for 11.0% of the Group's total revenue.

Product Development
During the Reporting Period, the Group has an addition of 18 newly selected products to supplement the Group's R&D pipeline and successfully registered 8 products during the Reporting Period which are ready for launch and supply in Hong Kong. Furthermore, the Group finished the formulation development process of another 22 products, which are currently undergoing stability program.

The Group also made good progress on collaboration projects with various R&D institutions. Derived from the collaboration with Nano & Advanced Materials Institute Limited (NAMI), a commercialized product being trademarked as "NanoAZDTM" was launched in April 2017. The product was first introduced at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in London in July 2017 and received encouraging feedback as well as recognition for its potential in subsequent clinical application.

Mr. Derek Sum, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Jacobson Pharma, said, "We are delighted that Jacobson Pharma maintained healthy business momentum and executed the necessary growth strategies in line with our original plans and schedule for the first half of FY2018. Underpinning the financial results in the period under review is a continued focus on the key growth drivers, encompassing first-to-opportunity generics, such as losartan and mesalazine and proprietary brands, including Po Chai Pills, Ho Chai Kung and Shiling Oil.

Looking ahead, we will continue to take measured and disciplined approach to R&D investment and capital allocation whilst expecting further progress with its development pipeline, offering potential value through multiple licensing opportunities on both generic drugs as well as biopharmaceuticals. We will continue to pursue expanding our footprint in certain strategic markets in Asia with a view to creating sustainable values for our shareholders."

About Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited (Stock Code: 2633)
Jacobson Pharma is the largest generic drug company in Hong Kong with over 30% share of the total generic drug market for each year since 2012. The Group's proprietary medicines, notably being Po Chai Pills, Tong Tai Chung Woodlok Oil, Ho Chai Kung Tji Thung San, Contractubex Scar Gel Doan's Ointment, Flying Eagle Wood Lok Medicated Oil, Saplingtan, Shiling Oil and Col-gan Tablet have been widely recognized by the market. Jacobson Pharma has been a constituent stock of MSCI Hong Kong Micro Cap Index since 1 June 2017. For more details about Jacobson Pharma, please visit the Group's website: http://www.jacobsonpharma.com

For media enquiries, please contact:
Strategic Financial Relations Limited
Vicky Lee Tel: (852) 2864 4834 Email: vicky.lee@sprg.com.hk
Angela Ng Tel: (852) 2864 4855 Email: angela.ng@sprg.com.hk
Angel Li Tel: (852) 2864 4859 Email: angelok.li@sprg.com.hk

Ascensia Diabetes Care Combats Type 2 Diabetes with Global Innovation Competition

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Ascensia Diabetes Care, a global specialist diabetes care company, recently launched a global innovation competition for innovative digital solutions to support diabetes management and improve the lives of those living with type 2 diabetes.

The competition, named Ascensia Diabetes Challenge, aims to find new ideas to address and manage the global epidemic of type 2 diabetes. Winners of this contest will walk away with a prize fund worth close to RM1 million (EUR 200,000) in total to support the development of their ideas.

Maximilian Lim Swee Leong, Business Manager of Ascensia Diabetes Care Malaysia, said "In today's world, it is an undeniable fact that more and more people are embracing the digital transformation. It has changed the way we look and live our lives. Similarly, in healthcare, there are vast opportunities to leverage on technology and innovate products in a way that was not possible in the past."

"As we all know, diabetes is one of the top five epidemic diseases in Malaysia. The National Health and Morbidity Survey 2015 by the Ministry of Health revealed that approximately 17.5% Malaysians aged 18 and above have diabetes. This marked an increase of 2.3% compared to 15.2% in 2011. Clearly, there is a need to seek for new ways to manage this disease."

"Ascensia is launching this global challenge to find the best solution for diabetes. As the world's leading diabetes care solutions provider, we are committed to continued research, innovation and development of new solutions to help the diabetes community. Through this challenge, we hope to find, support and nurture ideas from budding innovators that have the potential to revolutionize diabetes management. As Malaysians are technologically savvy and creative, we are confident that Malaysian innovators can fare well in this global challenge, if not win it," Lim added.

Ascensia Diabetes Challenge is open to all Malaysians. To participate, one needs to submit their entry at www.ascensiadiabeteschallenge.com.

A judging panel, made up of independent experts from diabetes and digital health from across the world, as well as members of the Ascensia Medical, R&D and Commercial teams, will assess the entries and determine finalists and the winner. Dr. William Polonsky, a clinical psychologist; Dr. Masood Nazir, a general practitioner with special interest in diabetes and digital health; and Robin Swindell, a type 2 diabetes blogger, have been confirmed as the first three judges.

Dr. William Polonsky, President and Co-Founder of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute, San Diego, USA, explained, "Behavioral interventions are the key to enhancing self-management in type 2 diabetes, and digital solutions are desperately needed as a means to engage patients over the long-term and enable sustainable behavior change. Unfortunately, current digital solutions have not yet been able to fully address the needs of patients or effectively support self-management and long-term behaviour change. I am thrilled to be part of the Ascensia Diabetes Challenge to try and find the next innovations to address the burden of type 2 diabetes."

Robin Swindell, a person with type 2 diabetes and active blogger from the UK said, "Like most patients with type 2 diabetes, I only see a healthcare professional for a couple of hours a year at most. For the rest of the time, we rely on self-management. We need to find innovative digital solutions that can better support self-management for us. Solutions need to be able to be personalized and fit into their lives. I am delighted to be involved in this challenge and hope it will unearth an innovation that can make a real impact for me and other patients."

Ascensia has partnered with yet2, an open innovation services company, for this global challenge. yet2 will be managing the submission process and initial review of entries. Leveraging on their experience in innovation challenges, they will review the entries, manage intellectual property screening and support the judging process.

Please visit the Ascensia Diabetes Care website at www.ascensia.com for details.

About Ascensia Diabetes Care

Ascensia Diabetes Care is a global specialist diabetes care company, dedicated to helping people living with diabetes. Our mission is to empower people living with diabetes through innovative solutions that simplify and improve their lives. We use our innovation and specialist expertise in diabetes to develop high-quality solutions and tools that make a positive, daily difference for people with diabetes.

Home to the world-renowned CONTOUR(R) portfolio of blood glucose monitoring systems, our products combine advanced technology with user-friendly functionality that helps people with diabetes to manage their condition. We are committed to continued research, innovation, and development of new products and solutions. As a trusted partner in the diabetes community, we collaborate closely with healthcare professionals and other partners to ensure our products meet the highest standards of accuracy, precision and reliability, and that we conduct our business compliantly and with integrity.

Ascensia Diabetes Care was established in 2016 through the sale of Bayer Diabetes Care to Panasonic Healthcare Holdings Co., Ltd. Ascensia Diabetes Care products are sold in more than 125 countries. Ascensia Diabetes Care has around 1,700 employees and operations in 33 countries. Ascensia and Contour are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Ascensia Diabetes Care. www.ascensia.com.

About yet2

yet2 operates at the hub of the global technology market. Since 1999, we have been an Open Innovation services company working for an international corporate client base. We leverage our global network of affiliates, the 140,000+ users of our online technology marketplace, a proprietary database of several million data points, and our offices in North America, Europe, and Asia to scout cutting-edge companies and technology beyond the reach of most clients.

yet2 provides hands-on technology transfer services in the areas of targeted technology scouting, strategic dealflow, Open Innovation portal management, innovation tours and anonymous deals - bringing our Open Innovation clients hundreds of millions of dollars in value. Contact us at yet2.com to learn more about how we can help you unlock your innovation potential. www.yet2.com.

Issued on behalf of Ascensia Diabetes Care Malaysia.
Please contact I-Mae Liew at +60 (0)12 383 5688 or Michael Poh at 012-392 5202.

(From left) Mr. Paul Kwok, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Steve Leung, Non-executive Director & Chairman and Mr. Tino Kwan, Executive Director & Vice Chairman of 1957 & Co. (Hospitality) Limited

HONG KONG, Nov 23, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - 1957 & Co. (Hospitality) Limited ("1957 & Co." or the "Group"), a restaurant operation and management group and operator of the Hong Kong restaurants An Nam, Mango Tree, Sushi Ta-ke, Gonpachi and Paper Moon, announced today the details of its proposed listing of its shares on the Growth Enterprise Market ("GEM") of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "SEHK") under the stock code 8495.

Highlights
- The Group operates a total of 11 restaurants at prime locations in Hong Kong, under its four self-owned brands and three franchised or sub-licensed brands, in which two restaurants commenced operation in July and September 2017. The restaurants are designed by award-winning interior and lighting designers
- For the five months ended 31 May 2017, the Group?s revenue increased by approximately 13% to HK$98,950,000 when compared with the corresponding period in 2016
- The quality of its restaurants is widely recognised and several restaurants have been awarded "Hong Kong Tatler Best Restaurants - Hong Kong & Macau Edition" and/or 'MICHELIN Guide Recommended Restaurants'
- The Group also offers restaurant management and consultancy services in Hong Kong and the PRC, tapping into fast growing food and beverage opportunities in the PRC

Offering Details
The Group intends to offer an aggregate of 80,000,000 Shares (subject to the Offer Size Adjustment Option), of which 72,000,000 are Placing Shares (subject to re-allocation and the Offer Size Adjustment Option) and the remaining 8,000,000 Shares are for the Public Offer (subject to re-allocation). After deducting underwriting fees and other estimated expenses, assuming an Offer Price of HK$0.75 (being the mid-point of the proposed Offer Price range of HK$0.625 to HK$0.875) and the Offer Size Adjustment Option is not exercised, the net proceeds which the Group will receive from the Share Offer is estimated at approximately HK$36.2 million.

The Public Offer commences on 23 November 2017 (Today) and ends at 12:00 noon on 28 November 2017 (Tuesday). The final offer price and the allotment results are expected to be announced on or before 4 December 2017 (Monday). Trading of shares is expected to commence on the SEHK on 5 December 2017 (Tuesday) under the stock code 8495 and in board lots of 4,000 Shares each.

Halcyon Capital Limited is the Sole Sponsor, while Halcyon Securities Limited and Opus Capital Limited are the Joint Bookrunners.

Corporate Highlights

Strong capability in restaurant development and project management
As at the Latest Practicable Date, 1957 & Co. operated 11 restaurants carrying its four self-owned brands Sushi Ta-ke, An Nam, Modern Shanghai, Hokkaidon and three franchised or sub-licensed brands including Mango Tree, Gonapchi and Paper Moon. The Group's management team, with diverse expertise in food and beverage operations and interior and lighting design, is able to help new restaurants develop efficiently and generate economic returns.

During the Track Record Period, the Group opened five new restaurants with an average turnaround time (the period between the handover date of the leased premises and the opening date of the restaurant) of two to three months, evidencing the Group's strong restaurant development capability. The Group also provides restaurant management and consultancy services in Hong Kong and the PRC, and has signed three pre-opening consultancy agreements with clients to launch five restaurants in the PRC and also two restaurant management consultancy agreements.

Experienced chefs and use only premium quality ingredients
The head chefs of the Group's different restaurants boast extensive experience in their culinary specialty. The executive chefs of Mango Tree (Elements), An Nam, and Sushi Ta-ke are all from overseas, excellent at cooking their native cuisines, and thus are able to give customers an authentic and quality dining experience.

To ensure high food quality, the Group's head chefs and operation team work together in selecting ingredient suppliers. Only those which can supply stable and high quality ingredients at competitive prices would be chosen. The management and head chefs of the Group would from time to time visit the origins of the food ingredients to gain first-hand understanding of the different farming, fishing and cultivation processes involved. Through careful selection and laying down quality specifications for food ingredients, the Group hopes to offer the best quality dishes to its customers. Moreover, the menus of the Group's restaurants are continually refined to include seasonal dishes to attract customers. The Group also refers to weekly food costs variation reports of its restaurants to help keep its food costs in check.

The quality of the Group's restaurants is widely recognised and several restaurants have been awarded "Hong Kong Tatler Best Restaurants - Hong Kong & Macau Edition" and/or "MICHELIN Guide Recommended Restaurants".

Restaurants are strategically located
The Group's restaurants are located in commercial and tourist-friendly areas (Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui and Kowloon Tong), as well as residential areas (Taikoo Shing and Yuen Long), with high pedestrian flow. Locations include Lee Gardens, Elements, Harbour City, Festival Walk, Cityplaza and YOHO mall. To minimise internal competition and boost potential profitability, the Group places restaurants of the same brand in different areas.

With its restaurants (especially its An Nam and Mango Tree restaurants) gaining popularity, the Group is in a better position to secure better locations for restaurant operations, and that in turn can enhance the business performance of its restaurants.

Professional management team with diverse expertise
The Group's experienced management team possesses expertise in all aspects of restaurant business. Mr. Steve Leung, non-executive Director and Chairman of the Group, is a renowned hotel interior designer in Asia with many international awards to his name. Mr. Tino Kwan, the Group's executive Director and Vice Chairman, is an award-winning lighting designer with profound experience in restaurant and hotel projects and his innovative lighting designs were honoured with various high profile awards in the Asia Pacific region. Bringing to the Group's wealth of knowledge in food and beverage operations is Mr. Kwok Chi Po, the Group's executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, who previously held executive management positions, opened and operated various restaurants in South East Asia and the Middle East. Hence, the Group is capable of providing customers with quality dining experiences in unique environments, filled with artistic flairs, giving itself a competitive edge.

Future Development Plan

According to a Euromonitor report, the full service restaurant industry in Hong Kong is expected to see a moderate recovery between 2017 and 2021 at a CAGR of 3.72%. The sales value of full-service restaurants in Mainland China is expected to maintain a strong but decelerated 6.0% growth in the same period. The Group believes as the food and beverage industry in the PRC continues to grow rapidly, the demand for restaurant consultancy services will follow. Thus, the Group intends to set up an office in Shenzhen to help build its brand presence and to serve as a contact point for customers in the PRC. It expects the office to enhance the quality and efficiency of its restaurant consultancy service in the PRC.

The Group also plans to expand its restaurant network by opening, investing in and managing more restaurants and enriching its brand portfolio. It plans to open or invest in and manage seven new restaurants (three in Hong Kong and four in the PRC) in the year ending 31 December 2018 and open or invest in and manage another four new restaurants (two in Hong Kong and two in the PRC) in the year ending 31 December 2019.

As at the Latest Practicable Date, the Group has secured leases in relation to two new restaurants to be opened in Hong Kong in early 2018. For the Mango Tree restaurant and the Modern Shanghai restaurant it intends to invest in and manage in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, the Group has already identified suitable business partners to form joint venture companies that will hold the relevant restaurants.

In addition, the Group will strive to enhance its brand recognition, source high quality ingredients and present new dishes to customers. The Group will continue to look for suppliers of high-quality and authentic food ingredients in countries such as Japan, Thailand and Vietnam. In addition, the Group intends to cooperate with chefs who are skilled in the cuisines offered by their restaurants to develop new dishes.

Use of Proceeds
Assuming the Offer Price is fixed at HK$0.75 per share (being the mid-point of the Offer Price range), the Group intends to use the net proceeds of approximately HK$36.2 million on the following:

Items / Percentage
- Set up and open in Hong Kong one restaurant under a refined Ta-ke brand: 31.5%
- Set up and open in Hong Kong two restaurants under the Modern Shanghai brand: 28.5%
- Set up and open one Mango Tree restaurant in Hong Kong: 17.9%
- Set up and open one Hokkaidon restaurant in Hong Kong: 9.9%
- Settle part of the setting up cost and opening cost of a Paper Moon Restaurant: 8.3%
- Develop restaurant pre-opening consultancy and management consultancy services in the PRC: 3.9%

Financial Highlights
HK$'000 For the year ended 31 December For the five months ended 31 May
2015 2016 2017
Revenue 161,750 217,793 98,950
Gross profit 115,712 158,948 72,288
Gross profit margin (%) 71.5 73.0 73.1
Adjusted profit (excl. listing expenses) 31 5,246 1,466

About 1957 & Co. (Hospitality) Limited
1957 & Co. (Hospitality) Limited ("1957 & Co." or the "Group") is a Hong Kong-based restaurant operations and management group, with its restaurants designed by award-winning interior and lighting designers. The Group operates a total of eleven restaurants under four self-owned brands, namely "Sushi Ta-ke," "An Nam," "Modern Shanghai" and "Hokkaidon," and three franchised or sub-licensed brands, namely "Mango Tree," "Gonpachi" and "Paper Moon." The Group has more than seven years of experience in the food and beverage industry and the professional and menu quality of its restaurants has been widely recognised including accolades such as the "Hong Kong Tatler Best Restaurants - Hong Kong & Macau Edition" and the "MICHELIN Guide Recommended Restaurants." Leveraging on its professional experience, the Group also provides restaurant management and consultancy services both in Hong Kong and the PRC.

Media Enquiries:
Strategic Financial Relations Limited
Vicky Lee Tel: (852) 2864 4834 Email: vicky.lee@sprg.com.hk
Angela Ng Tel: (852) 2864 4855 Email: angela.ng@sprg.com.hk
Beverly Chiu Tel: (852) 2114 4329 Email: beverly.chiu@sprg.com.hk
Fax: (852) 2527 1196

SEOUL, KOREA, Nov 23, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Suprema, a global leader in biometrics and security solutions, was recognized with the 'Best Product Award' in the ID & Access Control category at the Detektor International Awards 2017, presented at the Stockholmsmassan (Stockholm International Fairs and Conference Centre) in Stockholm, Sweden on November 21.

Detektor Best Product Awards were presented to the top companies of the year in each of four categories; Suprema in ID & Access Control, Axis in Alarm & Detection, Bosch in Video Surveillance and Genetec in IoT Security.

"The world's fastest facial recognition terminal and the first to support Bluetooth - shows Suprema's commitment to maintaining its leadership in the global biometric access control market," said the jury of Detektor International Awards 2017.

"At Suprema, we are honored that our new FaceStation 2 has been acknowledged by the prestigious Detektor International Awards," said Hanchul Kim, Suprema Director of Global Sales.

"Recognizing both technological and practical innovation within a product, Suprema FaceStation 2 was selected by the jury as an innovative biometric security product that carries industry standards to the next level with its proven performance and reliability.

"Introduced earlier this year, FaceStation 2 has already been shipped to over 50 countries worldwide, and is positioned as the ultimate facial recognition access control solution in the market today," Kim added.

"FaceStation 2 opened a new generation in facial recognition technology, defying preconceived limits and delivering innovation exceeding the growing expectation of the markets."

The Detektor International Awards is an independent program which annually recognizes manufacturers displaying the most genuine innovation and greatest originality in the opinion of Detektor's international team of jurors.

About Suprema Inc.

Suprema is a global provider of leading biometrics and security solutions. By combining world renowned biometric algorithms with superior engineering, Suprema continually designs and develops industry leading products and solutions. Suprema's extensive portfolio includes biometric access control systems, time & attendance solutions, fingerprint live scanners, mobile authentication solutions and embedded fingerprint modules. Suprema has a worldwide sales network in over 130 countries and is one of the world's Top 50 security companies in sales (A&S Security 50, 2010-16). For more information, please visit www.supremainc.com.

Contact:
Andy Ahn
Suprema Inc.
Head of Marketing
andyahn@suprema.co.kr

HONG KONG, Nov 23, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - ASM Pacific Technology Ltd. (ASMPT), a world leader in the supply of semiconductor assembly and packaging equipment and materials, as well as surface mount technology applications has been named one of the winners of "Hong Kong Outstanding Enterprise" organized by the Economic Digest.

Since its inception in 2004 and currently in its 14th years, this award aims to honor successful enterprises in Hong Kong that are recognized for their achievements and exemplary contributions to the Hong Kong's economy and progress. Some of the past winners include MTR Corporation Limited, NWS Holdings Limited and China Everbright International Limited.

ASMPT has been listed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since 1989. The Group was subject to a stringent screening by the organizer before being selected as Outstanding Enterprise based on the group's Vision and Mission; Annual Performance; Corporate Governance; Shareholders support; Research and Development and Industry Achievements.

Mr Lee Wai Kwong, CEO of ASMPT said "We are truly honored to be recognized for our efforts and hailed as an example of outstanding enterprises to inspire new generation of business leaders. Since our establishment more than 40 years ago, ASMPT has successfully made strategic transformations in our business models, undergone strategic merger and acquisitions (M&A) and investments, as well as focusing on innovations to create higher values for customers."

Mr Lee continued, "Our efforts have been bearing fruit but we are not resting on our laurels. Besides continuously working to bring our business to new heights, we are also committed in operating our business in an ethical and transparent manner. Concurrently, emphases are placed in active contribution to the communities as we strongly encourage our employees to do their part through volunteering and charity giving. Lastly, on behalf of ASMPT, I would like to thank all our employees for their dedication and would like to express my gratitude to each and every one of them."

About ASM Pacific Technology
ASMPT, founded in 1975, is the only company in the world that can offer high-quality equipment for all major steps in the electronics manufacturing process - from carrier for chip interconnection to chip assembly and packaging to SMT. No other supplier offers a comparable range and depth of process expertise.

ASMPT's Back-end Equipment Business offers a diverse product range from bonding to molding and trim & form to the integration of these activities into complete in-line systems for the microelectronics, semiconductor, photonics, and optoelectronics industries. Its Materials Business provides customers with a variety of leadframes such as etched and stamping as well as advanced packaging materials. ASMPT' SMT Solutions develops and sells best-in-class DEK printers for the SMT, semiconductor and solar markets as well as best-in-class SIPLACE SMT placement solutions.

ASMPT is listed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since 1989.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Hong Kong
Mandy Go
Strategic Financial Relations Limited
Tel: (852) 2864 4812
Email: mandy.go@sprg.com.hk

Singapore
Joey Ng
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
Tel: +65 6750 9567 Mobile: +65 9877 5032
Email: joey.ng@asmpt.com
Website: www.asmpacific.com

The Group achieved double-digit growth rates across most product sales; Its revenue reached HK$749,760,000

HONG KONG, Nov 23, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Lee's Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited ("Lee's Pharm" or the "Group", Stock Code: 950), an integrated research-driven an market-oriented pharmaceutical group in China, today announced its unaudited consolidated quarterly financial results (the "Quarterly Results") for the nine months ended 30 September 2017 .

The Group has sustained its momentum in revenue growth into the third quarter and achieved double-digit growth rates across most product sales. In addition, overall gross margin of the Group has been stablised despite the in-house products have been facing continued rising production cost pressure and the licensed products have been enduring the appreciation in the value of the euro throughout the period. With the improved visibility on the Group's operating performance, the Group continues to stay focus on its research and development ("R&D") efforts with special attention to those near term opportunities in order to speed up the time to market of its new products.

Even with the effect of the depreciation of Renminbi of approximately 2.4% during the period, the Group's reported revenue for the third quarter of this year was HK$275,010,000, which represented positive quarter-on-quarter growth of 10.5% and quarter-over-quarter growth of 10.6%. The consecutive double-digit growth of quarterly revenue was driven by across-the-board improvement of product sales. The Group's major products such as Carnitene, Ferplex, Zanidip, Yallaferon and Livaracine in the third quarter (in Hong Kong Dollar) registered increase of 11.9%, 3.7%, 19.8%, 8.9% and 12.7%, respectively. For the nine months ended 30 September 2017, the Group's revenue reached HK$749,760,000 and increased mildly by 7.3%.

Sales of licensed-in products accounted for 54.1% (nine months ended 30 September 2016: 52.6%) of the Group's revenue while sales of proprietary products contributed 45.9% (nine months ended 30 September 2016: 47.4%) of the Group's revenue.

During the third quarter of this year, the Group's gross profit margin was 67.2%, decreased by 0.9 percentage points as compare to 68.1% achieved in the same quarter last year. The combined effects of increase in material purchase costs for the production of in-house products as well as increase in import costs of licensed-in products due to the appreciation of Euro continued to put pressure on the gross profit margin during the period under review.

Selling expenses to revenue ratio during the quarter was 21.4%, slightly increased by 0.3 percentage points as compared to 21.1% achieved in the same quarter last year. The selling expenses to revenue ratio for the nine months ended 30 September 2017 was 20.4%, decreased by 2.9 percentage points as compare to 23.3% attained in the same period last year. The streamlined structure and organisation of sales and marketing enhance efficiency and yield considerable cost savings to the Group, which in turn delivered cost savings to the Group. During the first nine months of the year, the R&D expenses was increased by 19.2% to HK$57,414,000, which represented 7.7% of revenue during the period under review. Reported net profit attributable to the equity shareholders of the Company for the period was HK$186,894,000, slightly decreased by 3.8% as compared to HK$194,229,000 in the same period last year.

Reported net profit attributable to the equity shareholders of the Company for the third quarter was HK$61,824,000, increased by 3.9% as compared to the underlying net profit attributable to the equity shareholders of the Company in the same quarter last year which adjusted principally for significant one-off items such as development upfront income and impairment of intangible assets.

Dr. Benjamin Li, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Group, said, "The Group's solid dose production facility in its Nansha manufacturing site is already in operation. Subsequent to the period end date, three batches of Sodium Phenylbutyrate and Azilsartan respectively have been successfully manufactured in October 2017.

The Group's commitment to R&D persisted in the quarter. Meanwhile, with over 50 projects in the pipeline, the Group must prioritise its resources and focus on the near term opportunities. Saved as Sodium Phenylbutyrate and Azilsartan, the Group also have the following near term projects.

In addition, Phase III clinical trial for advanced liver cancer using its oncolytic immunotherapy called Pexa-Vec (formerly JX-594), the PHOCUS study, has been approved (Approval No. 2017L04441) by the CFDA.

Phase Ib/IIa clinical study of Adapalene and Clindamycin combination hydrochloride gel for acne vulgaris (moderate to severe acne) has been completed and positive results therefrom which meet pre-specified endpoints has been attained. The study demonstrated that patients treated with 0.1% Adapalene + 1% Clindamycin showed the best results in the percent reduction in both lesion and inflamed lesion count. Phase III study is envisaged to initiate later this year. Near term products also included Trazodone which is used for anti-depression, and Apremilast which is used for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis.

In November 2017, the Group has acquired majority of shares in Windtree Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: WINT) at a consideration of US$10 million, in which the major assets included certain products such as aerosolized KL4 surfactant therapies for respiratory diseases with near term potential. The transaction is expected to strengthen the Group's position in critical neonatal care, with the potential to expand also its acute pulmonary care portfolio. The investment marks an important milestone in the Group's development."

Dr. Benjamin Li, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Group, concluded, "The Group will continue to commit in these new drugs development to facilitate sustainable growth in the future. Looking forward, in view of the continual improvements to the rules and regulations of drug development in China, the Group remains cautiously optimistic about the medium and long term future of the industry and its prospect. The new products in the pipeline are assessed as having better market potential than the products currently selling, and thus the Group firmly believes that these potential new products will become the important thrusts for future revenue growth. As always, the Group will continue to commit higher percentage of total revenue to science-based innovation, leverage on its solid foundation of business operations and financial position, and to enhance shareholders' value and to provide the best return for the shareholders. "

(L-R) Tung Chee Chen, Chairman, HKTDC Logistics Services Advisory Committee; Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Minister of Transport of Thailand; Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of the HKSAR; Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC; Frank Chan, Secretary for Transport and Housing of the HKSAR and Dr Victor K Fung, Group Chairman, Fung Group attended the opening ceremony.

One of the highlights of ALMC was today's plenary session "Belt and Road: Growth Engine Driving New Era for Global Trade," featuring speakers (second from L to R) Dr Victor K Fung, Group Chairman, Fung Group; Siddique Khan, CEO, Kerry Globalink Logistics; Li Guanpeng, Executive Director & President, Sinotrans Ltd and; moderator Ben Bland, South China Correspondent, Financial Times (R).

2000+ Industry Elites Explore Opportunities with Heavyweight Speakers

HONG KONG, Nov 23, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - More than 70 leaders from the logistics and maritime industries are scheduled to speak at the seventh Asian Logistics and Maritime Conference (ALMC), which opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The two-day conference is expected to be attended by more than 2,000 industry elites from over 30 countries and regions, making it one of the largest events of its kind in Asia.

Today's opening session was officiated by Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, while Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Minister of Transport of Thailand, delivered a keynote address.

"Logistics is very important to our economy and the economy of our partners," said Margaret Fong, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Executive Director. "Not only is this sector a key contributor to our employment market, trade and logistics make up more than 20 per cent of Hong Kong's economy."

- Plenary session highlights Belt and Road opportunities

Among the highlights on the first day of ALMC was this morning's plenary session "Belt and Road: Growth Engine Driving New Era for Global Trade," which explored industry prospects and challenges from the new Asia-Europe land and sea trade routes, the ASEAN market, and rapid-rail development. Dr Victor K Fung, Group Chairman, Fung Group, delivered the keynote address. The session featured other speakers, including Siddique Khan, CEO, Kerry Globalink Logistics; and Li Guanpeng, Executive Director and President, Sinotrans Ltd; and Ben Bland, South China Correspondent, Financial Times, who moderated the session.

- Hot issue: smart logistics

To offer a comprehensive view on industry opportunities, seven forums were organised on day one, covering important issues involving supply-chain management, logistics, air freight and maritime. Experts in the area of smart logistics gathered at the first session of the Supply-chain Management & Logistics Forum with speakers: Dr Hans Lombardo, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Chain of Things; Henry Ko, Managing Director Asia, Flexport; Jeff Steilen, Vice President, Information Technology, Asia Pacific, UPS; and Dr Ren Changrui, Chief Scientist and Head of Cognitive Logistics Research, IBM Research-China. During the panel on "Digital Transformation and Smart Logistics: Industrial Revolution 'Virtually in the Clouds'," speakers discussed groundbreaking new technologies, including cloud computing, drone delivery, big data and blockchain, to help logistics operators and traders grasp future opportunities.

Other forums included "ICAO New Policy Direction - Implementation and Impacts on Air Cargo Security," "Tanker and Gas Market Outlook: Market Drivers vs. Looming Headwinds," "Temperature-controlled Cargo Handling: Challenges and Best Practices in Handling of Pharmaceutical Products," "Liner Shipping Market Outlook: Light at the End of the Tunnel?", "Dry Bulk Market Outlook: Sustaining Cautious Optimism for Calmer Waters," and "Ports and Shippers: Harbouring Smart Solutions."

- Exploring e-tailing opportunities

Tomorrow's plenary session (23 November) will delve into the topic of "Delivering New World Order for Online Shopping," chaired by Fox Chu, Partner, McKinsey & Company, featuring speakers: James Gagne, President, SEKO Logistics; Katsuhiko Umetsu, Director and Chairman, Yamato Global Logistics Japan Co, Ltd; James Chang, Group Chief Cross Border Officer, Lazada Group; and Cissy Chan, Executive Director, Commercial, Airport Authority Hong Kong. Together, they will explore the significance of cross-border logistics infrastructure for e-commerce growth in ASEAN and other emerging markets.

- Halal logistics and Greater Bay Area development

Other forums scheduled tomorrow will cover such topics as "Digital Supply Chains for F&B Logistics: Increasing Competitive Edge for E-commerce Highway" and "Halal Logistics: Opportunities and Challenges." Meanwhile, regional forums will explore business opportunities in North America (Canada) and Zhuhai, China. Experts will share their insights on the topics "Extend Your Reach: Connect with North American Markets" and "Based on the construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area: The new route of development for modern logistics of Zhuhai."

Heavyweight speakers from the North American transport and logistics industry, including JJ Ruest, Executive Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer, CN (Canadian National Railway); and Robert Armstrong, President, The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transportation - North America Chapter, will discuss how the seamless connection between port and land in Canada strengthens the effectiveness of logistics between Asia and North America. Meanwhile, Lu Xiaofeng, Deputy Mayor of the Zhuhai Municipal People's Government, will join a panel of seven speakers to share the logistical advantages and potential of Zhuhai.

- Exhibition and business matchmaking help expand business connections

An exhibition featuring more than 120 exhibitors has been staged alongside the Conference to showcase professional and comprehensive logistics and maritime services and solutions. In line with the rising trend of creative technologies, a new "E-Commerce Support and Tech Applications" zone has been launched to present technological applications that increase SMEs' operating effectiveness; from foundational support such as document management to other tech applications such as Internet security and real-time tracking systems. More than 150 one-on-one business-matching sessions will be organised to help exhibitors and participants expand business connections.

The ALMC is one of the celebratory events for the Hong Kong SAR's 20th anniversary, garnering support from various sectors and matching the event's theme "Together, Progress, Opportunity." The ALMC is also a flagship event of the Hong Kong Maritime Week, organised by the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board. The ALMC is supported by the Hong Kong Logistics Development Council and the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board.

Fair Website: www.almc.hk
Speakers: www.almc.hk/en/info_speakers.html
Programme: www.almc.hk/en/info_programme.html
Photo download: http://bit.ly/2hYhWyb

About HKTDC

Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.
- Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdc
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdc
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-council

Contact:
HKTDC
Communication and Public Affairs Department
Joshua Cheng
Tel: +852 2584 4395
Email: Joshua.cp.cheng@hktdc.org

Sunny Ng
Tel: +852 2584 4357
Email: sunny.sl.ng@hktdc.org

Suresh Sankaran, Principal Risk Officer, Kamakura Corporation

Togi Benjamin, CEO, Risk Management Guard (RMG) Indonesia

Dr. Clement Ooi, EVP & Managing Director, Kamakura Corporation

Attended by 170 participants from 56 banks in India, Japan, Malaysia, China and Singapore.

JAKARTA, Nov 24, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Kamakura Corporation, with partner Risk Management Guard Indonesia, successfully conducted a workshop on international financial reporting standards (IFRS) on November 16. The event, attended by more than 170 participants from over 56 banks from Indonesia and overseas, provided a hands-on approach for seamlessly upgrading from IAS39 to IFRS 9.

Implementation challenges, including a detailed approach to computing loan impairment, a comparison between calculating expected credit losses under Basel III and IFRS 9, and practical demonstrations of the Kamakura Risk Manager (KRM) integrated risk product, with special emphasis on IFRS 9, were covered in detail.

A thought-provoking panel discussion on the need for multiple regulations for expected loss, the importance of credit models, the different modelling approaches for various asset classes, and the importance of data in generating default probabilities, also featured.

The event was conducted under the auspices of Bank Indonesia; OJK, the financial services authority of Indonesia; BSMR Indonesia; and LSPP Indonesia. Attendees from India, Japan, Malaysia, China and Singapore as well as Indonesia appreciated the hands-on help, and shared best practices and IFRS insights from around the world. They also benefitted from a demonstration of the Kamakura IFRS 9 module, a part of the KRM Solutions suite.

Suresh Sankaran, Principal Risk Officer of Kamakura Corporation, said, "Complex Standards like IFRS 9 need to be parachuted into developing economies using comprehensive training applications. Only then will concepts like effective interest rates and loan impairment enter management discussions. The seminar was an eye-opener not only to Asset Liability Committee (ALCO) participants, but also to senior functionaries of financial institutions. It clarified the approach banks need to consider for early adoption of the standard.

"The attendee list speaks for itself, and highlights the importance of a practical approach to implementing advanced regulations. The workshop also showcased Kamakura's ability to serve not just as software providers, but providers of subject-matter expertise. Kamakura plans to leverage the momentum generated by this event to conduct similar conferences and workshops focussed on regulatory best practices."

Togi Benjamin, Chief Executive Officer, RMG Indonesia said, "We decided to partner with Kamakura Corporation after a careful evaluation of many other software vendors. We are very impressed with Kamakura's suite of solutions, which are truly unique. Most vendors use spreadsheet-based solutions that are not robust and do not stand the test of time. The Kamakura solutions provide an integrated view of risk and regulation. That means an organisation loads and reconciles the data only once, as opposed to using fragmented solutions. Kamakura's solution cuts down on implementation time and provides a more nuanced approach for day-to-day decision-making, as well as for regulatory compliance.

"This event also showcased RMG's credentials as a system integrator and our appreciation of the needs of the marketplace. We plan to offer many more such workshops to enable a better understanding of regulation and to address the need for localised, scalable solutions. RMG is uniquely positioned to serve the needs of regional banks, offering local language support and local regulatory interpretation to make implementation less challenging."

Dr. Clement Ooi, EVP & Managing Director, Kamakura Corporation, and former Managing Director of Asia Pacific Operations for Fiserv Risk & Compliance, stated, "Kamakura's IFRS 9 solution is fully compliant with every aspect of the standard and can be used for computing fair valuation, amortised costs, effective interest rates, loan impairment, and hedge effectiveness. It also helps banks generate edge accounting journal entries and provides a portal for customising the metrics.

"Our IFRS 9 solution gives users the ability to bucket probabilities of default into any user-defined time frame. It allows users to select their own methodology for current and forecasted creditworthiness computations.Unlike other products, it provides transparent calculations and an easily auditable set of results that is accepted by many regulatory regimes around the world.

"As part Kamakura's integrated risk management framework, the IFRS 9 solution enables incisive insight into transaction-level risk. Profit and value management can then be evaluated independently to optimise returns. Kamakura?s solution also offers the unique ability to incorporate user-defined algorithms for loan impairment, providing a much-needed degree of consistency for organisational tools to measure creditworthiness and calculate loss metrics."

The event was conducted under the auspices of Bank Indonesia (http://www.bi.go.id/id/Default.aspx ); OJK, the financial services authority of Indonesia (http://www.ojk.go.id/en/default.aspx); BSMR Indonesia (http://www.bsmr.org/); and LSPP Indonesia (http://lspp.or.id/).

About Risk Management Guard (RMG) Indonesia

Risk Management Guard is a Jakarta-based consultancy which helps Indonesian financial institutions use best practices and implement programs in compliance with central bank (Bank Indonesia) and Financial Services Authority regulations. Established in 2011, RMG has worked with more than 80 firms, including banks, multi-finance companies, and insurance companies. Current services include help with IFRS 9, Business Continuity Management, Reporting (LBU, SID, and SLIK), risk-based audit, and IRRRB. Please visit http://rmguard.co.id.

About Kamakura Corporation

Founded in 1990, Honolulu-based Kamakura Corporation is a leading provider of risk management information, processing and software. Kamakura was named to World Finance magazine's World Finance 100 by in 2012 and 2017. The company also won Credit magazine's innovation award for three straight years, including 2010, when it became the only vendor to win two awards.

Kamakura Risk Manager software was first sold commercially in 1993 and is now in version 8.1. It is the first enterprise risk management system that deals with credit risk, asset-liability management, market risk, stress testing, liquidity risk, IFRS/IAS compliance, counterparty credit risk, and capital allocation using a single software solution. The KRIS public firm default service was launched in 2002. The KRIS sovereign default service, the world's first, was launched in 2008, and the KRIS non-public firm default service was offered starting in 2011.

Kamakura has served more than 330 clients with assets ranging from $1.5 billion to $1.6 trillion. Its risk management products are currently used in 47 countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, China, Korea, India, and many other countries in Asia. Please see www.kamakuraco.com.

To follow risk commentary by Kamakura on a daily basis, please follow Kamakura CEO Dr Donald van Deventer (www.twitter.com/dvandeventer), Kamakura President Martin Zorn (www.twitter.com/riskmgrhi), Kamakura Principal Risk Officer Suresh Sankaran (www.twitter.com/sureshkamakura) and Kamakura's official twitter account (www.twitter.com/KamakuraCo).

Please contact:
Martin Zorn,
President and COO
1-808-791-9888, ext.8700
www.kris-online.com
www.kamakuraco.com
pressroom@kamakuraco.com

Figure 1: Tsunami simulation for a major earthquake in the Nankai Trough(3)

Figure 2: Regionally customized tsunami predictions

Figure 3: Regionally customized preemptive measures for tsunamis

TOKYO, Nov 24, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - The Earthquake Research Institute at the University of Tokyo, the International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS) at Tohoku University, the City of Kawasaki, and Fujitsu Limited have today signed a memorandum determining that they will collaborate on a project that advances the utilization of disaster prevention technologies and ICT, including artificial intelligence (AI) and supercomputers. The organizations will investigate technologies to predict tsunamis and take preemptive measures aimed at mitigating tsunami disaster risk in the Kawasaki coastal zone.

The City of Kawasaki and Fujitsu signed a framework agreement aimed at promoting a sustainable community(1) in fiscal 2014, and this technology study is a part of those efforts, in collaboration with the Earthquake Research Institute and IRIDeS. In the future, the four organizations will also extend the results of this study from the coastal areas near Kawasaki to other regions, such as areas bordering the Nankai Trough, with the goal of contributing to the creation of sustainable communities that stand up well to disasters.

Details of the tsunami disaster mitigation technology study will be introduced at the inaugural World Bosai Forum International Disaster and Risk Conference 2017(2), which will be held in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture on November 25-28, 2017.

Background

Since the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, Japan has rolled out infrastructure for offshore tsunami observations, and this infrastructure is being put to use to advance the development of a broad range of tsunami prediction methods. In Japan, with its diverse topographical features, there are significant differences among each region with regard to the degree of tsunami risk and level of urgency for evacuations in the case of a tsunami, and moreover, with the degree of difficulty in predicting tsunamis. For example, with a major earthquake in the Nankai Trough (figure 1), it is anticipated that there will be regions where a tsunami would hit within minutes following an earthquake, while it may take over an hour to reach Kawasaki or other parts inside Tokyo Bay. In order to more effectively implement measures to reduce disaster risk from a major tsunami that could occur in the future, a system needs to not only utilize tsunami predictions that look at the whole country, but also require regionally customized tsunami predictions that take into account the characteristics of each region.

With this in mind, these organizations have agreed to work toward the investigation of practical and effective tsunami disaster mitigation measures tailored to the characteristics and needs of each region by taking full advantage of the latest ICT, such as with AI and supercomputers, in a collaborative framework of industry, government and academia.

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Figure 1: Tsunami simulation for a major earthquake in the Nankai Trough(3)

Details of the Initiative

With the Kawasaki coastal zone as an area of focus, the organizations, including the Emergency Management Office of the City of Kawasaki, are exchanging views and conducting a study of technology that will be effective where disasters occur. In light of an earthquake and tsunami threat as envisaged by the Earthquake Research Institute, the companies will utilize fast and accurate tsunami flooding simulation technology(4) jointly developed by IRIDeS and Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd., and the tsunami evacuation simulation technology that models evacuation behavior, which is advanced by IRIDeS and the Fujitsu Research Institute. The organizations plan to primarily consider the following four areas.

a. Increasing the accuracy of predictions of wave profile at the coast
The organizations will study methods for accurately predicting the profile of a tsunami hitting the Kawasaki coastal zone, including wave height and arrival time, using progressively obtained observational data from distant offshore tsunami observation stations, studying their effectiveness in light of a variety of hypothetical earthquakes (figure 2).

b. Real-time flooding analysis
The organizations will build a simulation model to analyze tsunami flooding for the Kawasaki coastal zone at high resolution in real time, based on offshore observational data (figure 2).

c. Ways of utilizing regional prediction information
The organizations will evaluate the effect of disaster mitigation gained by using the regional tsunami prediction information described in a. and b. based on a simulation that models human behavior, investigating effective methods for how to utilize this information in advance (figure 3).

d. Understanding the characteristics of coastal tsunami behavior
The organizations will work to gain a preemptive understanding of the complex behavior of a tsunami in the Kawasaki coastal zone, which has multiple man-made waterways, using simulations of a variety of possible tsunamis (figure 3).

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Figure 2: Regionally customized tsunami predictions

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Figure 3: Regionally customized preemptive measures for tsunamis

Future Plans

After conducting this technology study, the four organizations plan to consider issues including the uncertainty of predictions and consistency with tsunami early warning information from other organizations, with an eye towards the practical application of these technologies. Furthermore, they will contribute to the creation of effective regional disaster mitigation measures for possible future earthquakes and tsunamis by applying the results of this technology study of the Kawasaki coastal zone to other regions in the future, such as the Nankai Trough coastal region.

(1) Framework agreement aimed at promoting a sustainable community
Kawasaki City and Fujitsu Sign Framework Agreement (press release, February 19, 2014) http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2014/0219-01.html
(2) World Bosai Forum International Disaster and Risk Conference 2017
http://www.worldbosaiforum.com/english/
(3) Tsunami simulation for a major earthquake in the Nankai Trough
Data from the Cabinet Office Investigative Commission on Modeling a Major Earthquake in the Nankai Trough was used for the simulation.
(4) Tsunami flooding simulation technology
Tohoku University and Fujitsu Succeed in Real-Time Flood Analysis Using Supercomputer-Based High-Resolution Tsunami Modeling (press release, February 27, 2015) http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2015/0227-02.html

About Fujitsu Ltd

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 155,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.5 trillion yen (US$40 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.

* Please see this press release, with images, at:
http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/

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