BEIJING, Oct. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A report from China Daily:

A prestigious financial event is to commence on Friday in Beijing, where senior government officials, along with experts, scholars and representatives from global financial institutions, will deliver keynote speeches.

The Annual Conference of Financial Street Forum 2024, running until Sunday, is co-hosted by the Beijing government, the People’s Bank of China, the National Financial Regulatory Administration, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, Xinhua News Agency and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

This year’s event is to attract more than 500 distinguished guests from more than 30 countries and regions around the world.

Over the course of three days, participants will engage in discussions on current economic and financial hot topics, aiming to enhance mutual trust, deepen win-win cooperation and share development opportunities.

The theme of this year’s forum is “Trust and Confidence — Work Together to Promote Financial Openness and Cooperate for Shared Economic Stability and Growth”.

“Trust is the cornerstone of international cooperation and confidence is the support for economic development,” said Liu Dongwei, executive secretary-general of the forum’s organizing committee and head of Beijing’s Xicheng district.

“This theme fully reflects the deep consensus among the forum’s organizers, financial institutions and industry insiders, highlighting the development concepts of co-consultation, co-construction, co-governance and co-sharing.

“It also showcases the inclusiveness, the role of demonstration and leadership of the Financial Street Forum,” he added.

This year’s forum is structured around a main forum plus parallel forums and a fintech conference. It features 25 thematic activities and three investment and financing matchmaking events.

The main forum includes opening and closing ceremonies, as well as six thematic activities focusing on such topics as improving the modern central banking system, deepening capital market reforms, empowering industries through finance to lead high-quality development, and enhancing mutually beneficial international trade and investment cooperation.

The activities will also provide authoritative interpretations of international and domestic economic development trends and financial regulatory policies.

Additionally, the international level of this year’s forum has been enhanced. It has set up three sub-venues in Hong Kong, Luxembourg and Tokyo, inviting local governments and enterprises to participate. And, for the first time, it has invited the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council to host thematic activities in Beijing.

The closing ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Hong Kong sub-venue, inviting representatives from the governments and institutions of Beijing and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to participate in an in-depth discussion on the theme of “green finance”, promoting financial exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese capital and the SAR.

Also, it will continue to host high-level dialogues with former central bank governors from major global economic and financial countries, like China, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

The parallel forums will focus on “strengthening economic and financial cooperation for coordinated development” and “finance supporting sustainable economic development”, setting up a series of professional, cutting-edge and in-depth activities.

The fintech conference, serving as a specific segment of the forum, will run until Tuesday. It will feature 17 events, focusing on artificial intelligence plus financial innovation; data elements plus financial applications; fintech development and achievements; and bridging the digital divide through fintech.

Liu highlighted five major features of this forum, one of which is the richer thematic setting. For instance, the forum has, for the first time, invited the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and centrally-administered and State-owned enterprises to host themed activities. These aim to emphasize the forum’s role as a platform for positive interaction between finance and the real economy.

The forum has also innovated the path of sci-tech transformation by creating a fund-themed forum and holding corporate roadshows and industry-finance matchmaking meetings.

This year, the forum offers a variety of supporting activities, making it not only a professional exchange platform for financial industry practitioners but a grand event for the public.

For example, during the forum, a large-scale cultural performance will be held at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center, covering various art forms such as dance, song, music and opera.

In addition, the forum will conduct a large-scale series of shopping activities. Starting from Oct 1 and lasting nearly a month, these activities are taking place mainly at Beijing’s Seasons Place luxury shopping mall and its surrounding areas.

They include a coffee market, auto shows, electronic product roadshows and outdoor dining experiences. There will also be a global product launch and sale event, offering substantial discounts and consumption vouchers to the public.

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SOURCE China Daily

UMG to Exclusively Distribute all Future Release of the Massive Hit Show’s Signed Contestants and Will host the Top Three contestants on a Global Tour of UMG’s Iconic Music Labels

BEIJING, Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Universal Music Greater China (UMGC), a division of Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, today announced a strategic agreement with iQIYI, China’s leading online entertainment platform, under which UMGC will exclusively distribute new releases from the signed contestants of ‘The Rap of China 2024′ worldwide, while providing them with an integrated support network. Additionally, the top three finalists will be invited to visit UMG’s global music labels and iconic studios, to expand their artistic horizons and foster international collaborations.

Produced by iQIYI, “The Rap of China” series is the first Chinese reality program to adopt a narrative-driven episodic format, focusing on young Chinese rap talent. Since its debut in 2018, the show has become a cultural phenomenon in China, sparking a nationwide rap craze. As one of China’s most successful youth culture brands in recent years, “The Rap of China” series has successfully launched the careers of numerous outstanding rap artists. The latest season, which aired from early May until late July, featured standout contestants such as A A., A Three, ALAMEI, C2C, DANNY K, ErWan, FuLai, God Øne, HuiZi, JarStick, KITO, LilWine, Oliver Jiang, SHarK, SwuckBrothers, JinJiBeWater_隼, Wuliannanhulu, XinXiu, Double Dirty, ZhaoSan, Jessie. All upcoming songs from these artists will be distributed globally under the UMG banner.

To ensure the success of this groundbreaking partnership, UMGC has assembled a dedicated team to provide all-encompassing support across A&R, artist management, marketing, and merchandise development. The top three finalists from ‘The Rap Of China 2024’ will be invited by UMG to visit leading global record labels. This exclusive tour will include visits to iconic recording studios and meetings with international artists and producers, designed to broaden their artistic perspectives and foster cross-cultural collaborations.

In making the announcement, Timothy Xu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Music Greater China, said, “We are excited to announce our strategic alliance with ‘The Rap of China 2024,’ a brand that has profoundly defines rap music scene in China. This collaboration not only reaffirms our commitment to nurturing Chinese rap talent but also extends their global reach, bridging cultural gaps and enriching the international music landscape with the dynamic culture of Chinese rap. We eagerly anticipate this partnership will facilitate collaborations between Chinese rap artists and top international talents, creating groundbreaking musical works that carry their  unique cultural signatures and expressions.”

Zuo Jin, Chief Director of “The Rap of China 2024,” said, “This season of ‘The Rap of China‘ has showcased a remarkable array of talent and creativity. Our partnership with UMG is a powerful testament to the show’s impact and reach. Embracing an international vision from the start, we set up global auditions that attracted over 500 young artists from around the world. With UMG’s deep local expertise and expansive global infrastructure, I am confident that this collaboration will further enhance our international presence and deliver fruitful outcomes.”

Ming Lu, Vice President of Artist Management and Entertainment Development, Universal Music Greater China, said, “Our strategic approach to artist management guarantees that the unique talents discovered on ‘The Rap of China‘ will receive comprehensive support to advance their careers. We are thrilled to work with over 20 breakthrough rap acts, equipping them with the resources and expertise needed to fully develop their potential and make a significant imprint on the global music scene.”

JinJiBeWater_隼, the top winner of “The Rap of China 2024,” said, “Like a lot of rappers in the show, I started from the ground up, grinding out every step of the way on my own. Winning ‘The Rap of China‘ really threw me onto a bigger stage, giving me the opportunity to work with a world-leading music label like UMG. I look forward to sparking fresh ideas and inspiration with fellow artists, and I hope my journey can open up more possibilities for the Chinese rap.”

Notes to Editors
Click here to download hi-res images.

About iQIYI, Inc.
iQIYI, Inc. is a leading provider of online entertainment video services in China. It combines creative talent with technology to foster an environment for continuous innovation and the production of blockbuster content. It produces, aggregates and distributes a wide variety of professionally produced content, as well as a broad spectrum of other video content in a variety of formats. iQIYI distinguishes itself in the online entertainment industry by its leading technology platform powered by advanced AI, big data analytics and other core proprietary technologies. Over time, iQIYI has built a massive user base and developed a diversified monetization model including membership services, online advertising services, content distribution, online games, IP licensing, talent agency, online literature, etc.

About Universal Music Group
At Universal Music Group (EURONEXT: UMG), we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content. Featuring the most comprehensive catalogue of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. For more information on Universal Music Group N.V. visit www.universalmusic.com.

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SOURCE Universal Music Greater China

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Musim Mas Group, the Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming (L3F), SNV Indonesia, and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) are collaborating to improve the knowledge and capacity of independent oil palm smallholders through the Biodiverse & Inclusive Palm Oil Supply Chain (BIPOSC) project.

The project began in 2021 and takes a long-term approach to sustain a deforestation-free supply chain, regenerate degraded land, restore local biodiversity, and improve the livelihoods of independent smallholder farmers in Labuhanbatu, North Sumatra. BIPOSC will achieve this through implementing regenerative agriculture, locally adapted agroforestry models, capacity-building for sustainable businesses, and others.

The independent palm smallholders taking part previously received complementary training from Musim Mas. Following the training, these smallholders formed a smallholder’s association, Labuhanbatu Independent Oil Palm Smallholders Association (APSKS LB), North Sumatra. Musim Mas encourages smallholders to form associations to get better access to resources and obtain certification by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO).

“Musim Mas has long saw that smallholders are key to achieving palm oil sustainability, and that’s why we lead Indonesia’s most extensive smallholder program. We believe that the way forward is to collaborate with more partners to achieve a wider impact. With our BIPOSC partners, we hope to advance the skills and knowledge of smallholders through regenerative agriculture and related techniques. Regenerative agriculture and agroforestry have the potential to help smallholders be part of a sustainable palm oil supply chain. It could help them develop alternative sources of income, especially during the replanting period where their palm oil crops are unproductive, typically for three years,” said Rob Nicholls, General Manager, Projects & Programs, Musim Mas Group.

In the face of climate change and threatened biodiversity, regenerative agriculture can play a role for small farms because it maintains soil health, prevents erosion and water runoff, and can potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen leakage.

“As a global development partner organization, SNV aims to support Indonesia in achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To achieve this, we need to implement effective and impactful programs to transform agricultural and food systems, energy, and water. In the BIPOSC program, we promote a comprehensive regenerative agriculture and agroforestry model to maintain soil fertility and biodiversity, providing maximum benefits for farmers’ livelihoods and economy,” said Rizki Pandu Permana, Country Director of SNV Indonesia.

The key regenerative agriculture techniques taught include the application of bio-input, mulching to protect topsoil, planting cover crops, integrated pest management that reduces the need for chemical pesticides, and application of compost that reduces the amount of chemical fertilizers needed. To date, 1,032 independent smallholders received training and implement these techniques on their farms, representing a total land with a total area of 1,063.68 hectares. The project trained 25 village facilitators to provide hands-on assistance to smallholders, and seven demo plots established as pilot areas and learning facilities for regenerative agriculture.

“When I visited palm oil smallholders a few years ago in the area, their biggest concern was access to more fertilizers. While fertilizers play a key role in boosting yields, there was a noticeable gap in understanding how to protect the soil from long-term degradation. Smallholders needed more knowledge about maintaining soil health, preserving soil structure, and other critical factors. This is exactly what the BIPOSC project aimed to address, and we’re pleased to see that the farmers involved are now reporting not only higher yields but also healthier soils on their plots,” said Bernard Giraud, President & Co-Founder, Livelihoods.

The projectalso looks into capacity-building. In addition to home composting, the project enabled the local farmer association, APSKS LB, to develop and manage a composting unit with a capacity of 100-150 tons/month. Producing compost at scale with inputs from nearby mills and farmer plots, the unit offers compost to member farmers at half of typical market prices. In 2023, its first year of operation, the unit produced 588 tons of compost, and generated a profit of IDR 421 million. The project partners believe it is a model that can be replicated elsewhere.

“One of the most impactful outcomes of this project for smallholders is the Composting Unit as the business model around it. It enables smallholders to obtain compost affordably, and the profits are shared among member farmers. This is a practical solution to promote the adoption of composting, and all ASPKS-LB smallholders are now using compost in their plots,” said Syahrianto, Chairman of the Labuanbatu Independent Oil Palm Smallholders Association.

As of 2023, independent smallholders manage about 41% of oil palm planted areas in Indonesia, representing 6.94 million hectares. This figure is expected to increase to 60% by 2030, making projects like BIPOSC critical in shaping the future of sustainable palm oil production.

Devane Sharma
media@musimmas.com 

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SOURCE Musim Mas Holdings