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GS1 Hong Kong Highlights the Power of Unity & Innovation at Annual Dinner 2026 – Powering Product Story, Safety & Sustainability

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HONG KONG, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — GS1 Hong Kong’s Annual Dinner 2026 concluded successfully, bringing together around 600 distinguished guests from government, industry, and business communities. Embracing the spirit of the 2026 World Cup, the dinner is themed “One World, One Goal – Powered by One Code” this year. Ms Lillian Cheong Man-lei, JP, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour.

At the opening, Ms Lillian Cheong, JP, said “The 15th Five Year Plan charts a clear roadmap for Hong Kong’s development as an innovation and technology hub. Achieving this ambition requires close collaboration across the Government, industry, and the wider innovation ecosystem. While GS1 Hong Kong has provided simple yet powerful barcode in the past which has become a critical foundation for digital trade, the Government has been proceeding at full speed with the CorpID Platform project which is targeted to officially launch in end-2026. In addition, the Government is taking comprehensive actions to build Hong Kong into a leading AI innovation hub, citing the advancement of Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster and Cyberport AI Supercomputing Centre and the roll out of $3 billion AI Subsidy Scheme and the support of wider adoption of AI in manufacturing, retail, trade and logistics through various funding schemes such as NIAS and NIFS.”

Mr. Roy Ng, Chairman of GS1 Hong Kong, emphasized the organisation’s commitment to supporting companies in harnessing the potential of data in AI era, “AI is only as good as the data it consumes. With global standards such as product identifiers, GS1 standards make data accurate, structured and AI–readable – reducing fragmentation and enabling interoperable, consistent product information. When data is connected and trustworthy, it delivers the ‘Triple S’ of Product: Product Story, Product Safety and Product Sustainability.”

Powering Product Story, Product Safety & Product Sustainability

Product Story: Consumer demand for transparency is reshaping retail. The industry is undergoing the global migration to 2D barcodes (QR codes powered by GS1), and it is already adopted in 48 countries, covering 88% of global GDP. GS1 Hong Kong offers 1QR, a complimentary digital product platform for members, empowering consumers to instantly access trusted product information — from origin and ingredients to promotions with a single scan. This also enables brands to “tell good stories of products” locally & globally.Product Safety: Leveraging Global Standards, GS1 Hong Kong also enables end–to–end product traceability, cross–border visibility and authentication to ensure product safety, which also supports regulatory compliance and consumer confidence. We also advocated the use of QR codes powered by GS1 to digitally display test certificates, traceability, and authenticity information, or even enable warranty service, building trust across the supply chain.Product Sustainability: In parallel, GS1 Hong Kong is helping enterprises respond to ESG disclosures (Scope 3 emissions), as well as emerging regulatory requirements such as the EU Digital Product Passport, which will become mandatory by 2030. Our ESG Supply Chain Community Solution centralises data collection and automates the calculation of Scope 3 carbon emissions data between buyers & suppliers. Listed catering groups and their suppliers have already begun adopting the platform.

A Night Filled with Excitement

The evening showcased a vibrant lineup of programmes, including “GS1 Sing & Shine” performed by industry talents, Musical Runway that integrated music and fashion, and generous lucky–draw prizes sponsored by partners, grand prizes include Business Class round-trip tickets & HK Football Festival 2026: Chelsea vs Juventus Suite tickets. The celebration was further energized by a celebrity performance by the artist Joe Junior, who sang alongside guests on stage.

The night also recognised 78 outstanding enterprises at the award presentation ceremony of 15th Anniversary of Consumer Caring Scheme. (Click here for the Recognised Companies list)

Ms. Anna Lin, Chief Executive of GS1 Hong Kong, thanked all the guests and highlighted how GS1 HK is supporting companies. She said, “My heartfelt gratitude goes to all our esteemed guests and generous sponsors for their invaluable support. We will continue to unite industries worldwide to unlock ‘Go Digital, Go Green’ opportunities, advance sustainability, and strengthen supply chain resilience.”

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About GS1 Hong Kong

GS1 Hong Kong is the local chapter of GS1®, a global, not-for-profit data standards organization headquartered in Brussels, Belgium and represented in over 120 countries. We help businesses identify, capture, and share trusted data across both physical and digital supply chains. Through global standards like GTIN (barcodes), GS1 Hong Kong empowers companies of their digital transformation, improve efficiency, enhance supply chain visibility, and strengthen collaboration.

Building on these standards, we’ve developed platforms such as ezTRADE for B2B data exchange, ezTRACK for real-time traceability, and 1QR, a GS1 Digital Link-powered platform that delivers rich product information—certifications, sustainability data, and more—via 2D barcodes.

Our trusted data infrastructure has now extended to support trade financing and Scope 3 emissions reporting, helping businesses meet ESG requirements.

In today’s AI-driven economy, data quality is essential. GS1 Hong Kong provides a foundation for data that is accurate, visible, linkable, searchable, shareable, and traceable.

GS1 Hong Kong currently supports close to 8,000 corporate members from 20 sectors including retail & consumer packaged goods, food & beverage and food services, healthcare, apparel & footwear, logistics & ICT.

Website: www.gs1hk.org

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SOURCE GS1 Hong Kong

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China Xplained | The China Squeeze, or the China Opportunity?

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GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This is a news report from South: 

Is China’s manufacturing rise squeezing out or creating opportunities for other economies?

Ahead of the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in China this November, journalists and experts from around the world gathered in Guangdong for the Asia-Pacific Media Forum (APMF) 2026.

The forum opened in Shenzhen on September 5, bringing together more than 400 representatives from across the Asia-Pacific region, as well as from international organizations.

Before the opening of the forum, participants travelled across Guangdong to see China’s industries and development first-hand.

In this episode of China Xplained, we look at the numbers, supply chains, investment and voices from across the developing world—to ask a bigger question: Is China squeezing out room for other economies?

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/china-xplained–the-china-squeeze-or-the-china-opportunity-302870814.html

SOURCE South

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PUDU D7 Named Honoree in IFA Innovation Awards for Best in IFA Next & Emerging Technologies

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BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pudu Robotics, a global leader in commercial service robotics, today announced that its PUDU D7 Semi-humanoid Intelligent Robot has been named an Honoree in the Best in IFA Next & Emerging Technologies category of the IFA Innovation Awards. The recognition highlights PUDU D7’s ability to combine mobile navigation, dexterous manipulation and intelligent sensing to perform a range of tasks in real-world industrial and commercial environments.

The IFA Innovation Awards recognize outstanding innovations across the global technology landscape. Entries are evaluated by an independent international jury based on criteria including technology and functionality, innovation and originality, and the potential to create tangible value for users and the market. The recognition places PUDU D7 among emerging technologies demonstrating new possibilities for the future of robotics.

From Industrial Operations to Guest Interaction

PUDU D7 is designed for industrial, warehouse, retail and hospitality environments, where it can move through human-oriented spaces and perform tasks that require both mobility and dexterous manipulation.

In industrial and warehouse settings, D7 can handle materials, pick items from shelves, replenish inventory, transport goods between work areas and push carts. With a payload capacity of up to 20 kg (44.1 pounds) and an operating height of up to 2 meters (6.6 feet), it can work with a range of storage systems and materials.

In retail, D7 can support shelf replenishment, item handling and store organization, moving products between storage areas and shelves and helping maintain product displays.

In hotels and hospitality, PUDU D7 can take on the role of an intelligent front-desk host, welcoming guests, preparing and serving coffee, interacting with visitors and providing engaging experiences. Its semi-humanoid form and dual-arm capabilities allow it to combine practical service tasks with natural human-robot interaction, bringing a more personable and engaging presence to the guest experience.

Designed for Adaptable Performance

PUDU D7 combines a dual-arm manipulation system, tactile sensing and a 360-degree perception system to support these applications. Front- and rear-facing LiDAR and other sensors enable navigation around people and obstacles, while tactile sensing provides precise control when handling objects.

The robot also features autonomous battery swapping, allowing it to independently replace its battery and reduce downtime during extended operation.

Together, these capabilities enable D7 to support different tasks across a range of environments without being limited to a single application.

PUDU D7 Makes Its European Debut at IFA

IFA 2026 marks the first time PUDU D7 is being showcased in Europe. At the Pudu Robotics booth, visitors can experience live demonstrations highlighting the robot’s capabilities and its potential for human-robot interaction.

D7 interacts directly with visitors through demonstrations including waving, making heart gestures and picking up objects. These demonstrations showcase the robot’s ability to combine movement, manipulation and interaction in a human-oriented environment.

Advancing the Next Generation of Intelligent Robotics

The IFA Innovation Awards recognition marks another step in Pudu Robotics’ expansion from service delivery, commercial cleaning and industrial delivery into embodied intelligent robotics.

PUDU D7 is part of Pudu Robotics’ broader strategy to develop a portfolio of specialized, semi-humanoid and humanoid robots, building on its capabilities in embodied navigation, manipulation and interaction. This approach enables the company to address a broader range of applications across commercial and industrial environments.

Pudu Robotics will continue working with customers and partners worldwide to explore new applications for embodied intelligence and bring increasingly capable robots into real-world environments.

About Pudu Robotics

Pudu Robotics is a global leader in commercial service robotics and the industry’s first company to offer a full portfolio spanning specialized, semi-humanoid, and humanoid robots. According to Frost & Sullivan’s latest market report, Pudu Robotics ranks No. 1 globally in commercial service robotics by both revenue and shipment volume. Built on its One Brain, Multiple Embodiments architecture, Pudu offers robots for service delivery, commercial cleaning, industrial delivery, and general embodied AI applications across hospitality, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, education, public services, and more. To date, Pudu Robotics has shipped over 130,000 robots to customers across 85+ countries and regions.

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SOURCE Pudu Robotics

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Asia-Pacific Media Forum held in China’s Guangdong

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SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from Xinhuanet: 

The Asia-Pacific Media Forum opened on Saturday in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, with the theme of “Building a Path to Shared Prosperity for the Asia-Pacific Community: Media Consensus and Action.”

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the forum and delivered a keynote speech. Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, attended the forum and delivered a speech.

Participating guests noted that this year marks 2026 APEC “China Year,” during which China will host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. They expressed their belief that with support from all sides, the summit will yield fruitful outcomes and elevate Asia-Pacific cooperation to new heights.

Participating guests emphasized that development and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region depend on the active participation of media. The media are expected to share stories of openness and integration, provide comprehensive coverage of the region’s progress and achievements across various fields, and help foster a favorable public opinion environment for the region’s open development.

Participating guests noted that the media should actively promote outcomes of the series of APEC activities, interpret policies and measures of various economies to support scientific and technological innovation, and build regional consensus for innovative development.

They also called for deepening results-oriented cooperation in joint reporting, technological innovation and personnel training, and leveraging media exchanges to carry forward civilizations, spread culture and convey goodwill, so as to enhance mutual understanding and closer bonds among the peoples of the Asia-Pacific.

The forum was co-hosted by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, Xinhua News Agency and the Guangdong provincial government, and organized by the Shenzhen municipal government.

More than 400 representatives from over 40 countries and regions, as well as UN agencies and international organizations, attended the event. At the opening ceremony, 16 founding organizations from China and abroad jointly formed the Organizing Committee of the Asia-Pacific Media Partnership Program.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/asia-pacific-media-forum-held-in-chinas-guangdong-302870809.html

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