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Tourists having the time of their life in China — What made this possible?

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BEIJING, July 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China.org.cn on traveling in China:

 

Some viral jokes started by foreign tourists in China have popped up on the Chinese social media lately. For example, a video creator redefined “city,” and his part-English-part-Chinese punchline which literally means “city or not” has been imitated by numerous netizens. Another vlogger bluntly said it’s too “dangerous” in China at night, because the gourmet foods at night are such a lure.

At the beginning, many videos about people’s impression of China were posted on non-Chinese video platforms, with the hashtag “China Travel.” They’ve been so popular that some people reposted them back on Chinese social media, with their jokes and punchlines being well received by Chinese netizens.

One important change has made it possible for so many foreign tourists to appear in China — the country again relaxed its visa requirements. Last December, China included altogether 54 countries in its 72/144 visa-free transit list; in less than four months after that, China extended its visa-free policy to 11 European countries including France, Germany and Switzerland. Several days ago, New Zealand, Australia and Poland were added to the visa-free policy list.

Meanwhile, things have become easier for the foreigners who travel in China, both in terms of facilities and services. For example, in the past, many foreign tourists found it difficult to “spend their money” in China, given China’s prevailing norm of cashless payment. Now, for those who choose traditional payment methods, foreign bank cards and cash are more acceptable in more places, as an alternative to mobile payments. For those who prefer to try the new way, the required procedures like ID verification and bank card binding have also been streamlined.

Lower thresholds and a smoother experience have spurred more people to travel in China. Statistics show that in Q1 this year, the number of foreign visitors increased over 3-fold compared to Q1 in 2023, with more than 1.98 million people entering China via the visa-free policy, an increase of 266.1% compared to 2023.

With China’s gate wide open to the world, more international friends have the chance for a first-hand China experience. The “rookie visitors” usually start with metropolises like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, while the experienced ones will choose to explore other popular destinations, like Chengdu and Chongqing in southwestern China. There are also “advanced players” who are confident enough to begin their adventures in farther places like Xinjiang and Qinghai…

To no one’s surprise, many of them fell in love with the kaleidoscope of Chinese gourmet foods. Some of them are amazed by China’s infrastructure, like how clean and tidy the bathrooms are in China’s subway stations, or how fast and comfortable are the high speed trains; a vlogger posted a video of him accidentally joining a group of elderly public square dancers at night; and some went to Xinjiang and tasted the delicious local foods and watched the local performances…

More and more first-person perspectives about the Chinese people and the country are being posted on international social media platforms. And there are something in common: A lot of these content creators and numerous comments are saying, China is not what they expected.

Of course, there’s no perfect destination. In a thousand tourists’ eyes, there are a thousand images of China. But, if one pays a visit to China, he or she will for sure find an answer to questions like is China safe at night, or is life in China dim.

Quoting Mark Twain, travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. Now, China is expanding its “circle of friends” and opening its gate wider. So, book your flight and buckle up, friends — you will be sincerely welcomed.

China Mosaic 
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm 

Tourists having the time of their life in China — What made this possible?
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2024-07/12/content_117304180.htm 

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SOURCE China.org.cn

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Eficode receives Atlassian Partner of the Year 2026 for Software Solutions

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Eficode has been named Atlassian Partner of the Year 2026 for Software Solutions, recognizing performance in new business development, thought leadership, and delivering solutions that complement Atlassian’s offering.

HELSINKI, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Atlassian announced today that Eficode has been awarded the Atlassian Partner of the Year 2026 for Software Solutions in recognition of their exemplary contributions and achievements throughout the calendar year 2025. This accolade acknowledges exceptional performance in new business development, thought leadership, and the delivery of products and services that effectively complement Atlassian’s offerings.

Eficode was among the select group of partners honored at the annual Atlassian Partner of the Year awards, in recognition of their sustained commitment and outstanding customer engagement.

“Our Partner of the Year winners represent the very best of our ecosystem—driving innovation, delivering cutting-edge solutions, and demonstrating an unwavering commitment to customer success. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and recognize the incredible impact they’ve made in helping customers unlock their full potential with Atlassian,” said Bill Hustad, Head of Channel and GTM Ecosystems at Atlassian.

“This recognition reflects the trust our customers place in us and the dedication of our teams every day. We focus on helping organizations use AI in the software development lifecycle and build effective software tooling that supports real business outcomes. It’s rewarding to see the impact this has on our clients’ success, and we’re excited to keep building on that with Atlassian,” said Henri Hämäläinen, Chief Product Officer and Co-CEO of Eficode.

Eficode brings deep experience in AI-driven software development and building effective SDLC tooling that helps teams work smarter. They have supported organizations such as Air France–KLM, Supercell, and The Very Group in saving costs, future-proofing their environment for innovation, and building more efficient software processes and better customer experiences. Learn more about Eficode’s work with Atlassian solutions.

Media contacts
Henri Hämäläinen, CPO, Co-CEO at Eficode, henri.hamalainen@eficode.com, +358 50 487 3291
Simon Wood, CRO, Co-CEO at Eficode, simon.wood@eficode.com, +44 7920 002769

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com.

https://news.cision.com/eficode-oy/r/eficode-receives-atlassian-partner-of-the-year-2026-for-software-solutions,c4343859

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Bizcap launches Line of Credit in Europe to meet growing SME demand

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MUNICH, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe can now access up to €500,000 in funding thanks to a flexible, fast-turnaround line of credit offered by Bizcap.

The Line of Credit is designed to help businesses manage cash flow, respond to seasonal pressures, and act on growth opportunities. The new facility offers set-up within two to three days, followed by ongoing access to funds as needed.

Bizcap’s Business Line of Credit gives SMEs a more adaptable funding solution than many traditional lending products, with flexible drawdowns and repayments aligned to business cash flow. Businesses only pay for the funds they use, and once the facility is in place, they can access capital as needed without having to reapply each time.

The launch comes as Bizcap builds on a strong start in Europe, following its launch into Luxembourg in July 2025, then expanding lending into Germany in October 2025, where it facilitated more than €4 million in funding in its first month of lending. Bizcap has described Germany as its most successful international expansion to date, underlining strong product-market fit and the effectiveness of its partnerships-led strategy in Europe.

“Europe has responded favourably to Bizcap’s fast, flexible and transparent approach to funding, and that’s exactly why this Line of Credit launch matters,” said Laura Schlag, Managing Partner for Bizcap Europe.

“Our early traction in Luxembourg and Germany showed us there is clear demand from SMEs for funding that moves at the speed of business. With our Line of Credit, businesses can access capital when they need it, use only what they need, and stay in control of their cash flow.

“For many SMEs, funding needs don’t arrive in one neat moment. They ebb and flow with stock purchases, supplier payments, payroll, tax obligations, and growth opportunities. This product is designed to meet that reality with flexibility, speed and clarity.”

Bizcap’s Line of Credit has already proven itself in other international markets, where the product has seen strong uptake from SMEs seeking reliable working capital and repeat access to funding. Its expansion into Europe reflects Bizcap’s broader strategy to bring practical, flexible business finance to underserved SME markets.

Albert Gahfi, Bizcap’s Global Co-CEO, said the launch of Line of Credit in Europe reflects both market demand and Bizcap’s confidence in the region’s long-term potential.

“We’ve seen in Luxembourg and Germany just how strongly SMEs and partners respond when funding is fast, transparent and built around real business needs,” he said.

“Launching our Line of Credit in Europe is a natural next step. It gives businesses an ongoing source of capital they can draw on as opportunities arise, without the friction of starting from scratch each time.

“Our model is built to move quickly, but it’s also built to understand businesses properly. We look beyond rigid scorecards and assess overall financial health, which means we can support a broader range of SMEs with practical, responsible funding solutions.”

This broader underwriting approach and Bizcap’s focus on overall business health are themes the company has highlighted in its European rollout.

Bizcap works closely with advisers, brokers and partners across its markets to help deliver funding solutions to a broader range of business clients. In Europe, that partnership-led approach has already played a major role in its early growth, where Bizcap says trust, credibility and strong broker relationships were key to its first-month results.

Bizcap is offering select advisers access to bring this solution to their clients. Interested advisers can email partners@bizcap.eu or become a partner via their website.

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Frost & Sullivan Recognizes Picus Security as the 2026 Global Company of the Year for Advancing Automated Security Validation

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Recognition highlights Picus for pioneering a unified, AI-driven approach that is reshaping the security validation market and delivering meaningful customer impact

SAN ANTONIO, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Frost & Sullivan today announced that it has awarded Picus Security the 2026 Global Company of the Year recognition in the automated security validation industry. This recognition highlights Picus Security’s consistent leadership in delivering measurable security outcomes, advancing innovation, and driving customer impact in a rapidly evolving threat landscape.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents the Company of the Year recognition to an organization that demonstrates outstanding strategy development and implementation. The firm evaluates companies based on a rigorous benchmarking process across two core dimensions: strategy effectiveness and strategy execution. Picus Security excelled in both, aligning its long-term vision with enterprise security needs while executing efficiently at scale. The company’s strategic agility and sustained investment in autonomous exposure validation have enabled it to scale effectively across North America, Asia-Pacific, and other global markets, serving large enterprises across sectors such as BFSI, healthcare, government, and technology.

“Picus Security’s rapid growth, diversified revenue streams, expanding global presence, and strong partner ecosystem reflect a company entering a new phase of accelerated scale. Its platform breadth, enterprise adoption, and continued investments across integrations, alliances, marketplaces, and service providers position it to play a pivotal role in advancing the automated security validation market,” said Ying Ting Neoh, an industry analyst at Frost & Sullivan.

Picus Security continues to differentiate through a unified, AI-driven security validation platform that integrates breach and attack simulation, automated pentesting, and autonomous exposure validation to measure real exploitability, correlate siloed findings, and reveal the small fraction of exposures that truly matter. With evidence-based reporting, compensating control guidance, and always-up-to-date attack content, Picus Security transforms enterprise security validation into a continuous, automated, and intelligence-driven practice.

“We’ve entered the Post-Mythos and GPT-Cyber era. Frontier AI models can now write exploits and launch autonomous attacks against thousands of targets in parallel, yet most enterprises are still validating their defenses at human speed,” said Volkan Ertürk, co-founder and CTO of Picus Security. “That gap is no longer survivable with periodic pentesting or manual red teaming. It demands autonomous validation: continuous, AI-driven proof that your controls hold and your real exploitable paths are closed. Frost & Sullivan’s recognition affirms that Picus is leading this shift, and that the market is ready for it.”

Frost & Sullivan commends Picus Security for setting a high standard in competitive strategy, execution, and market responsiveness. The company’s vision, innovation pipeline, and customer-first approach are shaping the future of the automated security validation industry and enabling enterprises to manage cyber risk in dynamic environments proactively.

Learn more about Picus Security’s innovation at https://www.picussecurity.com/resource/blog/why-frost-sullivan-named-picus-2026-global-company-of-the-year

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Recognition
Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Recognitions honor companies across regional and global markets that exhibit exceptional achievement and consistent excellence in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer experience, and strategic product development. Each recognition is the result of a rigorous analytical process in which Frost & Sullivan industry experts benchmark performance through comprehensive interviews, deep-dive analysis, and extensive secondary research. The goal is to identify true best-in-class organizations that are driving transformative growth and setting new industry standards.

Contact us: Start the discussion.

About Picus Security
Picus Security, the leading security validation company, gives organizations a clear picture of their cyber risk based on business context. Picus transforms security practices by correlating, prioritizing and validating exposures across siloed findings so teams can focus on critical gaps and high-impact fixes. With Picus, security teams can quickly take action with one-click mitigations to stop more threats with less effort. Offering Adversarial Exposure Validation with Breach and Attack Simulation and Automated Penetration Testing, working together for greater outcomes, Picus delivers award-winning, threat-centric technology that allows teams to pinpoint fixes worth pursuing.

Follow Picus Security on X and LinkedIn.

Frost & Sullivan Media Contact:
Tarini Singh
E: Tarini.Singh@frost.com

Media Contact
Jennifer Tanner
Look Left Marketing
picus@lookleftmarketing.com

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SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

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