[Ending poverty in China: Data speak] How can we make rural people’s lives better

BEIJING, Dec. 18, 2020 — A video by China.org.cn: housing, drinking water, transportation are the basic elements of happiness. How did China make rural people’s lives better?

 

Safe housing is an important source of happiness.

From 2013 to 2019, the central government provided US$28 billion to improve housing for rural people, and the average housing subsidy for each rural family was raised from US$1,120 to US$2,090.

7.33 million rural families representing 23 million rural people, equivalent to the population of Australia, have moved to safe and spacious new houses over the last 7 years.

From 1978 to 2018, per capita housing space in rural areas increased nearly fivefold. The average family of four now occupies a 190 sqm apartment compared with a 32 sqm one.

Since 2016, the central government has invested a total of US$4 billion to provide clean and safe drinking water in rural areas improving the lives of more than 17 million impoverished people.

As of 2019, 87% of rural areas had access to a central water supply and the tap water coverage in rural areas had reached 82%.

"Electricity for every household" has been fully realized in poor areas so that every household has access to a reliable and stable electricity supply.

99,000 km of new arterial roads have been built, the equivalent of circling the global two and a half times.

100% of administrative villages have paved roads – the "last mile" problem has been solved.

4G coverage in administrative villages, and internet coverage in rural villages have both topped 98%. Rural villages are connected to the internet, and the outside world is no longer out of reach.

By the first half of 2019, domestic waste was being collected and treated in 84% of administrative villages and almost 30% of farm households had their domestic sewage treated. The proportion of domestic waste and sewage treatment is increasing steadily.

[Ending poverty in China: Data speak] How can we make rural people’s lives better? http://p.china.org.cn/2020-12/17/content_77021995.htm 

 

iQIYI Announces Pricing of its Offering of US$800 Million 4.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 and its Offering of 40,000,000 American Depositary Shares

BEIJING, Dec. 17, 2020 — iQIYI, Inc. (Nasdaq: IQ) ("iQIYI" or the "Company"), an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, today announced the pricing of its public offering of US$800 million in aggregate principal amount of 4.00% convertible senior notes due 2026 (the "Notes"), and the pricing of its public offering of an aggregate of 40,000,000 American Depositary Shares (the "ADSs") at a price to public of US$17.50 per ADS. Each ADS represents seven Class A ordinary shares of the Company. The Company has granted the underwriters in the Notes offering a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional US$100 million aggregate principal amount of the Notes, and it has granted the underwriters in the ADS offering a 30-day option to purchase up to 6,000,000 additional ADSs. 

The Notes will bear interest at a rate of 4.00% per year, payable semiannually in arrears on June 15 and December 15 of each year, beginning on June 15, 2021. The Notes will mature on December 15, 2026, unless repurchased, redeemed or converted in accordance with the terms of the Notes prior to such date.

Prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding June 15, 2026, the Notes will be convertible only if certain conditions are met. On or after June 15, 2026 until the close of business on the business day immediately preceding the maturity date, the Notes will be convertible at any time. Upon conversion, holders will receive cash, ADSs or a combination of cash and ADSs, at the election of the Company. The Notes will initially be convertible at a conversion rate of 44.8179 ADSs per US$1,000 principal amount of Notes, which is equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately US$22.31 per ADS, representing a conversion premium of approximately 27.5% over the price to public per ADSs in the ADS offering described above. The initial conversion rate is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events, but will not be adjusted for any accrued and unpaid interest. On August 1, 2024, the holders of the Notes will have the right to require the Company to repurchase for cash all or part of their Notes at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the repurchase date.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Notes offering and the ADS offering to expand and enhance its content offerings, strengthen its technologies and for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

The Notes offering and the ADS offering are expected to close on or about December 21, 2020, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The Notes offering is not contingent on the closing of the ADS offering, and the ADS offering is not contingent on the Notes offering.

Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C., BofA Securities, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are acting as joint book-running managers for the offerings.

The Notes offering and the ADS offering will be made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form F-3 previously filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The preliminary prospectus supplements related to the Notes offering and the ADS offering and the prospectus that accompanies them have been filed with the SEC and are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. When available, the final prospectus supplements for the two offerings will be filed with the SEC.

The offerings of these securities may be made only by means of the applicable prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Before you invest, you should read the applicable prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and other documents that the Company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Company and the offerings. You may obtain these documents free of charge by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the prospectus supplements and the accompanying prospectus related to the Notes offering and the ADS offering may also be obtained by calling Goldman, Sachs & Co. LLC, an affiliate of Goldman Sach (Asia) L.L.C., toll-free at 1-866-471-2526, BofA Securities, Inc. toll-free at 1-800-294-1322, or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC toll-free at 1-866-803-9204.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities, nor shall there be a sale of the securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

This press release contains information about the pending offerings of the Notes and the ADSs, and there can be no assurance that any of the offerings will be completed.

About iQIYI, Inc.

iQIYI, Inc. is an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China. Its corporate DNA combines creative talent with technology, fostering an environment for continuous innovation and the production of blockbuster content. iQIYI’s platform features highly popular original content, as well as a comprehensive library of other professionally-produced content, professional user generated content and user-generated content. The Company distinguishes itself in the online entertainment industry by its leading technology platform powered by advanced AI, big data analytics and other core proprietary technologies. iQIYI attracts a massive user base with tremendous user engagement, and has developed a diversified monetization model including membership services, online advertising services, content distribution, online games, live broadcasting, IP licensing, talent agency, online literature and e-commerce etc. For more information, please visit http://ir.iqiyi.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Among other things, the description of the proposed offering in this announcement contains forward-looking statements. iQIYI may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about iQIYI’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: iQIYI’s strategies; iQIYI’s future business development, financial condition and results of operations; iQIYI’s ability to retain and increase the number of users, members and advertising customers, and expand its service offerings; competition in the online entertainment industry; changes in iQIYI’s revenues, costs or expenditures; Chinese governmental policies and regulations relating to the online entertainment industry, general economic and business conditions globally and in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of the press release, and iQIYI undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

For more information, please contact:

Investor Relations
iQIYI, Inc.
+ 86 10 8264 6585
ir@qiyi.com

Related Links :

http://www.iqiyi.com

Tech & Tonic Episode 28 – One Last Time for 2020 and Our Top 10 Things To Buy for Christmas

2020 is a year full of surprises and new beginnings. For us, it is the mark of our entry into the world of Podcasts with Tech & tonic. We want to first thank all of you listeners who have stayed with us and listened to our sometimes meaningless rambles about tech.

We want to thank our supporters, new and old, that has been the kindle in our fires and the motivations we needed when we were wondering if podcasting was the right area to pursue. We have learnt plenty too from our first year and season in podcasting. Of course, we have enjoyed it alongside all our guest too. For that, we also want to thank all of our guests that has appeared on our show and has shown continuous support to our show. We are looking forward to 2021 and a bigger year ahead of us with new contents and expansion to new platforms. 

Back to today’s very special and final episode of the year 2020 though. We explored some shopping ideas for Christmas to prepare us for 2021 and even beyond. We pick some things that we could easily buy online right now to gift, and even keep for yourselves this Christmas and New Year. Here are our top 5 list of things that you can buy for yourself or to gift your loved ones for the year ending celebrations of 2021!

Of course, we are not just going to leave the podcast here alone. We are going to help you decide on your Christmas 2020 shopping options. In no particular order, here are the top 10 things we think you can buy for yourself or gift your loved ones in 2020.

Nintendo Switch (~MYR 1,339 onward)

Source: Nintendo

No, it is not new. But it is fun. The Nintendo Switch revolutionised the portable gaming industry with a highly compact, yet powerful hardware that you can bring around without while keeping games like Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild running as smooth as butter. It is also the perfect size for you to carry around in your travel pack should you need to bring gaming with you on your year-end holidays. Either that, or something to keep you busy at home.

The Nintendo Switch go from as low as MYR 1,339 on Shopee. Of course you can get your hands on one from Lazada too. We are looking at local options with proper local support too, so we do not recommend getting one that ships from out of the country. You might be able to get your hands on the Animal Crossing special edition or the Fortnite edition too for a little bit more money. Again, go for reputable dealers.

Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite (MYR 249)

Source: Xiaomi

What better way to keep yourself sane than constant exercises? To be fair, I have more than one answer for that; I do not know what I asked that question in the first place. Keeping yourself busy at home is very important at this time though, exercising is one way to keep yourself busy and healthy.

So there is no better gift than a fitness tracker in that case. No, not a Fitbit. Not even a Samsung Galaxy Watch. It is a Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite that will only set you back MYR 249.

The Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite can last up to 9 days on a single charge, more than most fitness trackers can manage. Its 1.4-inch square display gives you all kinds of fitness information and even allows you to keep track of your smartphone notifications. All of that in a package that is priced less than MYR 250.

Source: Lazada

You can get the Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite at this time for MYR 199 exclusively on Lazada. This is the current pre-order price and would be a perfect gift for not just fitness lovers. We do not know when the promotional price would end.

Logitech C920 HD Pro Webcam (MYR 539)

Source: Logitech

Video conference calls are more important now than ever. The thing is, a video call is still not as natural as meeting someone face-to-face. But better video quality will always help. So you need a better webcam than the one that your notebook PC comes with.

You need a Logitech C920 HD Pro Webcam for all your video calls. That, or start your own streaming channel, because even streamers love this as their main stream camera. it feeds up to 1080p footage up into the streaming platform and even your video calls, why would they not love it.

Of course, any videographer would tell you to get your lighting set up correctly to make stream and video calls look much better. But starting with a good camera does not hurt at all. The Logitech C920 HD Pro is definitely a good option to start with.

The Logitech C920 HD Pro is available on both Shopee and Lazada from Logitech themselves, which is definitely a good news. It is originally priced at MYR 539, which may sound like a lot of money for a small webcam. It is now only going for MYR 398.99 though, at least for the time being. It is still not exactly cheap, but this is a perfect upgrade for you, and even your loved ones.

Razer Seiren Mini (MYR 249)

Source: Razer

Speaking of video calls and conferences, you need a good mic. Sure, the Logitech C920 HD Pro already has a built-in mic. But you can make your set-up even better with a separate dedicated mic. You can go for the Razer Seiren Mini for something that is relatively inexpensive.

Out-of-the-box, this nifty little mic comes with its own plastic base that you can quickly work with and get things going. It is a USB mic too, so its basically plug and play. There are nearly zero set-up required after that, so you can really get going in 10 seconds when you get your stuff.

Besides the added benefit of better audio quality in your conference calls, you can use the mic for streaming purposes, or even for podcasts. I know I use it for podcasting. All this, in a package you can just chuck in your bag and worth MYR 249 on Shopee and Lazada. At this price, it is really hard to find a good mic for all those purposes.

DJI Pocket 2 (MYR 1,549 ~ MYR 2,169)

Source: DJI

They say the best camera is the one that is accessible to you at the time. Most of the time, that is your smartphone. But what if we tell you that there is an alternative that could really change your video creation experience?

That is the DJI Pocket 2, DJI’s latest small form factor OSMO product. It is super cute, and uber cool in our books. Like its name suggests, it is small enough to fit in your pockets when you need a compact and quick set up for videos and even photos. If you get the Creator Pack, it comes with a whole slew of stuff as well that enhances your experience with it and even help with vlogging and other content creation process.

Who says you need a large gimbal set up to take impressive videos for social media and even YouTube? Nobody said that you need to spend MYR 10,000 and above too, for all these purposes. A package that is smaller than your smartphone and a budget of MYR 2,200 is more than enough.

We admit, MYR 1,549 is not exactly cheap. It is not something that you can easily buy and giveaway as well. We think that this is perfect for those expecting too though, so shower them with some love. It is also still cheaper than buying a regular camera, and even most mid-range smartphones. You can get the DJI Pocket 2 from DJI’s Official Store on both Shopee and Lazada.

1MORE Dual Driver ANC Pro Wireless Headphone (MYR 599)

Source: 1More

We recently had a chance to review this piece of kit and was very impressed with the audio quality, build quality, and its overall performance. We do not blame you if you have not heard of the brad before. No, it is not some china product that tries to copy JBL and Jabra products.

The 1MORE brand actually comes from the United States of America (U.S.A.). The 1MORE Dual Drive ANC Pro Wireless Headphones may be built in China, but it exudes the quality expected from an American, or even a European company. Of course those mean nothing if the audio is not great.

To that, we are happy to report that the audio produced from this piece of kit will not disappoint. What might stop you from buying it is probably its price at MYR 599. We promise though though, if you live an active livestyle and do not trust those Truly Wireless type earphones, this is the one for you. You can get yours now exclusively on Lazada.

Source: Lazada

Sony WF-1000XM3 (MYR 999)

Source: Sony

This is our personal favourite when it comes to audio gear. If you ask us to leave every other earphones and headphones at home and only carry one pair of earphones for our travels, we will pick this every single time. No joke, we were so impressed by this device that we actually went out of our way to pre-order these kits.

The Sony WF-1000XM3 is probably the best sounding Truly Wireless Earphones at its price. It is not cheap, to be fair, at MYR 999 retail. It sounds fantastic though. It does a lot of other wireless earphones no justice because the price suddenly looks reasonable when you put on the WF-1000XM3.

Sony also arguable has the best active noise cancelling technology to date. The latest WH-1000XM4 over ear headphones still use the same processing as the WF-1000XM3 as well. That is just a testimony to how good the noise cancelling technology is on the Sony earphones.

We have to say though that this kit is a little on the bulkier side compared to other solutions. Still, we love it, and it is an essential part of our travel kit and gear bag. It can go on and on for 8 hours and the case holds two charges for 24 hours of music playback. Nearly nothing comes close to this pair of earphones.

It is not a new piece of gear though. It is out in the market for over a year already. It is still a highly popular piece of kit for audiophiles even. So if you have any friends claiming to be audiophiles, this is a really good gift for them. At this time too you can get your hands on one from Shopee and Lazada for as low as MYR 749.

LG XBOOM Go PL5 (MYR 649)

Source: LG

Sticking to the theme of audio, we understand that not everyone likes to have something stuffed into their ear. Thanks to the unique equatorial climate and weather behaviour in this region of the world as well, wearing a pair of over-ear headphones might get uncomfortable thanks to sweat. In that case, you want some good speakers.

In that case, we pick the LG XBOOM Go PL5 Bluetooth speaker with Meridian Audio. “What is Meridian?”, I hear you ask. Meridian is a British firm that dedicates their lives in high-end audio and video solutions. They are more established in the audio world as one of the world’s renown High-Fidelty audio system makers. They do not just let anyone use their name on products. That also means that the LG XBOOM Go PL5 is the real deal.

We have it too, thanks to LG, and we were so impressed by it when we first fire it up, it became our speaker of choice when we go for parties and when we need a wireless speaker to work with in parties and social gatherings. This is truly one small package that packs a lot of punch.

It goes on and on for up to 18 hours as well with the light show. You can either plug audio in via the 3.5mm jack, or even connect it via Bluetooth for convenience. It charges via USB Type-C and is even water resistant. That also means you can safely bring your speaker to the pool to enjoy.

The only issue is that all that goodness does not come cheap. This little pill looking speaker will set you back MYR 649 on retail. Thankfully for the holiday seasons, LG has some promotions going on these punchy little things. You can now get them from LG’s offcial store on Shopee and Lazada for as low as MYR 449.

Logitech G304 Lightspeed Wireless Mouse (MYR 245)

Source: Logitech

What is tech without gaming? These days also, every other person can appreciate gaming and the way that small part of the tech world affects the tech world as a whole. Yes, the gaming industry is also a billion dollar industry with growth still predicted to continue. You cannot ignore gaming then.

One of the biggest benefits from the gaming industry is that we can now enjoy products made for gaming and e-sports, but not pay an arm and a leg for it. The improvements made for the gaming industry culminates to the really simple things we take for granted every day on our desks, our mouse.

There are plenty of reasons why you should choose a gaming mouse, especially wireless ones, over regular mouse. For one, latency and stability. Gaming mice like the Logitech G304 Lightspeed gaming mouse you see here are built for not just speed, but accuracy. In eSports and gaming, every second counts, so you want your mouse to respond to your every input as soon as you hit the buttons. Hence, Lightspeed technology from Logitech.

The Logitech G304 Lightspeed wireless gaming mouse made it to our list not just because of its Lightspeed moniker though. It is a rather portable nifty mouse you can even carry around in your work bag. You can take it anywhere and it will not stand out as a gaming mouse too, if you want to be a bit more conspicuous. But it still has the performance to slay your opponents when you need it to.

All these are packed into a package that will set you back MYR 245 on retail. No, that does not sound cheap, because it technically is not. But then again, wireless mice do go for around those prices and even more. Still, you can get it for a steal at MYR 168.99 from Logitech’s official store on Shopee and Lazada this Christmas.

External HDD/SSD (~myr 150 onward)

If you really do not know what to pick still for your loved ones, the best thing, and the most general thing you can buy for them is an external storage drive. Why? This could be the most versatile thing in our arsenal of gears, and it could be the most crucial at times.

When you work outside a lot, you tend to rely on things that are portable and easily accessible from any device. You also want something reliable, something that will not fail when your own device fails. You want a backup external storage unit.

You can choose between the traditional hard disk drive (HDD) format, or the new age solid state drive (SSD) format. Of course, there are speed differences. But there are some reliability benefits to the older, slower HDDs too. Of course, they are also cheaper.

No matter which type you get from them though, they can appreciate the extra storage and backup space you have given them. They can store more movies now, or rather, you can store more movies to enjoy on various mediums now. You can even back up your smartphone data to your external storage if you want.

The benefit of getting an external storage drive for yourself or your loved ones though is the relatively inexpensive options you can find today. You can find a 1TB sized HDD for less than MYR 150 these days. Of course, if you want to go for something like a Western Digital Passport pre-built external HDD, that is going to cost you a little bit.

uCloudlink and ING Bank Bring High-quality Mobile Network Connectivity to the Banking Sector for Fifth Consecutive Year

HONG KONG, Dec. 17, 2020 — UCLOUDLINK GROUP INC. ("uCloudlink") (NASDAQ: UCL), the world’s first and leading mobile data traffic sharing marketplace, and ING Bank N.V. ("ING") are entering their fifth year of cooperation for ING branches worldwide. Over the past half-decade, uCloudlink has remained committed in its efforts to help ING employees and users enjoy high-quality reliable mobile network access at any time and anywhere.

Since the partnership began in 2016, uCloudlink has been providing ING with global mobile data connectivity solutions. The company has supported ING executives and business travelers from branches in the Netherlands, Spain, the Philippines, Singapore, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries to remain connected without limitations during frequent international business trips, while reducing the cost of global roaming.

Those in the banking and finance sector have high requirements for internet connectivity at home and abroad. For enterprises with a large number of employees frequently travelling overseas, a flexible, efficient and reliable mobile connection is important to facilitate increased efficiency and maximum returns from the trip. However, global roaming has historically been expensive and unreliable, leading to wasted time and resources when abroad. uCloudlink provides a better solution by offering a selection of convenient options and diverse plans for reliable international mobile data connectivity.

As a leading banking and financial services company, ING entered an enterprise cooperation agreement with uCloudlink five years ago, in order to provide mobile Wi-Fi terminal products and services for employees and users. Leveraging its core patented CloudSIM technology, uCloudlink dynamically and intelligently selects the most suitable mobile network depending on the user’s location — allowing ING staff and users to enjoy superior mobile connectivity across different regions and various network operators. As the partnership approaches the five-year mark, the strength and endurance of the cooperation is a testament to the quality of uCloudlink’s products and services, which stand the test of time.

In addition to its partnership with ING, uCloudlink’s flexible global data roaming service plans can be tailor-made for a wide range of enterprises to allow better cost savings, resource management and support. At present, uCloudlink has provided services for various global institutions. Furthermore, a number of executives and employees of multinational investment firms personally purchase and use uCloudlink products and services, either from online store or via the APPs such as GlocalMe.

Looking ahead, uCloudlink looks forward to serving more enterprise customers seeking cost-effective and reliable data connectivity with low network latency, to be used locally and internationally. With its core patented technologies, extensive products and services, and significant investment in R&D, uCloudlink will allow business partners and users from just "connected" to "superior connection".

uCloudlink will continue to expand its high-tech solutions to new industries as it seeks to establish its ecosystem globally, and dedicate itself to exploring new business opportunities in domestic and overseas markets.

About UCLOUDLINK GROUP INC.

uCloudlink is the world’s first and leading mobile data traffic sharing marketplace, pioneering the sharing economy business model for the telecommunications industry. The Company’s products and services deliver unique value propositions to mobile data users, handset and smart-hardware companies, mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and mobile network operators (MNOs). Leveraging its innovative CloudSIM technology and architecture, the Company has redefined the mobile data connectivity experience by allowing users to gain access to mobile data traffic allowance shared by network operators on its marketplace, while providing reliable connectivity, high speeds and competitive pricing.

 

Innodisk Lands IoT Devices with Powerful Recovery Technique Portfolio

From out-of-band management, on-site technology to autonomous recovery, Innodisk’s InnoAGE series provides full recovery to IoT edge devices

TAIPEI, Dec. 17, 2020 — Innodisk’s award-winning InnoAGE flash storage devices developed in partnership with Microsoft keeps expanding. The new-patented recovery technology of on-site recovery and 24/7 no-man monitoring feature come together by InnoOSR (On-Site Recovery) and following feature enhancement. Now Innodisk’s exclusive InnoAGE series are able to meet full recovery scenarios.

Innodisk's new patented technology, focuses on IoT edge devices and provides immediate on-site-recovery and firmware-level heartbeat monitoring function.
Innodisk’s new patented technology, focuses on IoT edge devices and provides immediate on-site-recovery and firmware-level heartbeat monitoring function.

 

Full Recovery Abilities for Edge Device

The latest addition to the InnoAGE series is the InnoOSR 3TO7, available in 2.5", M.2 2242 and 2280, as well as mSATA form factors in capacities from 32 GB up to 1 TB. The brand new InnoOSR lineup brings superior recovery that can be triggered by one button touch, easily bringing malfunctioning devices back to life without time-consuming software-level recovery or costlier remote recovery.

The new InnoAGE series lineup also includes InnoOSR feature enhancement, which automates InnoOSR’s instant recovery functionality with the help of a patented firmware-level heartbeat function. The result is an exceptionally cost-efficient recovery solution that reduce 80% cost from technical maintenance. InnoOSR requires no human intervention and 24/7 autonomous monitoring of edge devices, with OSR toolkit, easily integrated into any software/platform.

InnoAGE Innovation for All IoT Applications

Aiming at the blooming market of 500 billion IoT edge devices, InnoAGE series can afford little downtime, especially for data centers, warehouses, and surveillance devices. The InnoOSR series, meanwhile, is perfect for staying operational continuously even without staff available nearby, for example kiosks, unmanned retail applications, and casino gaming machine etc.

Together with InnoOSR, InnoAGE 3TI7 series is designed with firmware technologies and equipped with Microsoft Azure Sphere. InnoAGE enables multifunctional management, timely maintenance, smart data analysis and firmware updates, data security, and remote control through the cloud, while InnoOSR brings cost-efficient no-fuss recovery to uptime-critical applications.

About Innodisk

Innodisk is a service-driven provider of flash memory, DRAM modules, and embedded peripheral products for industrial and enterprise applications. With satisfied customers across a range of demanding industries, we have set ourselves apart with a commitment to exceptional products and service.

For more information about Innodisk, please visit https://www.innodisk.com

Related Links :

https://www.innodisk.com

CNN’s ‘Eco Solutions’ meets the Japanese innovators tackling the problem of food waste

A week of special coverage begins December 21, with a 30-minute program airing December 26-27

HONG KONG, Dec. 17, 2020 — On this month’s ‘Eco Solutions’, CNN international correspondent Selina Wang explores how many people in Japan are now looking to tackle the problem of food waste head on – rethinking how we eat and conserving precious resources. In this 30-minute special, CNN meets the scientists and pioneers racing to find smart ways to make more and waste less. 

CNN’s ‘Eco Solutions’ meets the Japanese innovators tackling the problem of food waste
CNN’s ‘Eco Solutions’ meets the Japanese innovators tackling the problem of food waste

As diners increasingly weigh up the environmental costs associated with consuming livestock, many are looking to unique meat alternatives. In his Tokyo restaurant Antcicada, entrepreneur Yuta Shinohara is looking to promote a sustainable and high-protein alternative to meat: insects. Shinohara is changing perceptions of insect food, serving up everything from gourmet cricket-based ramen to silkworm sausages.

Iconic Japanese company Nissin, famous for the Cup Noodle, is betting on the rise of eco-friendly comfort food. CNN learns about the company’s latest project: a new steak-flavored ramen featuring meat grown in a lab. Nissin is collaborating with Tokyo University professor Shoji Takeuchi to develop this meat, which is grown from animal stem cells. In his lab, Takeuchi explains how this invention could cut emissions and feed a growing population. 

Each year, Japan throws away millions of tons of still edible food. This problem of food waste has led some to find creative ways to champion the spirit of mottainai – a centuries old concept rooted in the philosophy of respecting the value in all things. Uchiyama Masahiro’s new mottainai project restaurant serves up misshapen but perfectly edible dishes made from seafood which would otherwise have been discarded. Meanwhile, Kazuma Kawagoe’s app ‘Tabete’ matches users with eateries offering discounted food before it’s thrown away.

Food scraps are also revitalizing the Japanese paper tradition. CNN travels to Echizen, birthplace of the craft of making traditional Japanese paper, or washi. Here, artisans still make washi by hand – including Masami Igarashi, who is giving the 1500-year-old craft an eco-friendly update. She uses vegetable peels and other food waste as the basis of her paper products. This year, she even launched a line of biodegradable stationary products made up of her ‘food paper’.

Japan uses billions of disposable wooden chopsticks, or waribashi, every year – but most of these are imported from unmanaged forests, claiming millions of trees annually. CNN hears from Yoshihiro Takeuchi, a craftsman from a new generation of waribashi designers working to produce upcycled chopsticks by only using scraps of trees from sustainably managed forests. CNN also meets Tokyo-based designer Eko Hayashi, who co-created a waribashi-making kit, including tools and upcycled cypress, in the hopes of attracting a new audience to the work of waribashi craftsmen. 

Eco Solutions Japan trailer: https://bit.ly/381YM0c 
Eco Solutions Japan images: https://bit.ly/2LrShwh  
Eco Solutions microsite: https://cnn.it/3gAR7tQ  

Airtimes for 30-minute special:

Saturday, December 26 at 2:00pm HKT
Sunday, December 27 at 11:00am and 7:00pm HKT

About CNN International 

CNN’s portfolio of news and information services is available in seven different languages across all major TV, digital and mobile platforms, reaching more than 475 million households around the globe. CNN International is the number one international TV news channel according to all major media surveys across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific region, and Latin America and has a US presence that includes CNNgo. CNN Digital is a leading network for online news, mobile news and social media. CNN is at the forefront of digital innovation and continues to invest heavily in expanding its digital global footprint, with a suite of award-winning digital properties and a range of strategic content partnerships, commercialised through a strong data-driven understanding of audience behaviours. CNN has won multiple prestigious awards around the world for its journalism. Around 1,000 hours of long-form series, documentaries and specials are produced every year by CNNI’s non-news programming division. CNN has 36 editorial offices and more than 1,100 affiliates worldwide through CNN Newsource. CNN International is a WarnerMedia company.

Coinstreet Partners and ECXX announce strategic partnership in asset tokenization, digitized securities and STO areas

SINGAPORE, Dec. 17, 2020 — Coinstreet Partners (“Coinstreet”), an award-winning AI-powered global decentralized investment banking group, and ECXX, a regulated blockchain-based digital securities exchange in Singapore, have entered into a strategic partnership to bring in end-to-end services to security token offering (“STO”) and secondary trading of digitized securities to institutional and accredited non-individual investors in the Singapore market.

The Coinstreet investment banking group has strategic investments and deep collaborations with licensed broker dealers in international financial centers including USA, United Kingdom, Germany, UAE, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia. They recently launched TADS Awards, the world’s first international award for Tokenized Assets and Digitized Securities sectors (www.TADSawards.org).

ECXX operates a STO exchange (ecxx.co), that is integrated with MyInfo, the one-stop Singapore government identity platform. In addition being admitted as a Recognised Market Operator (RMO) by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to the Fintech Sandbox under the Recognised Market Operator (RMO) regime, ECXX has also applied for a license under the Payment Services Act and once approved, it will be the first exchange in Singapore to offer both digital payment tokens and digital securities under two different platforms.

Samson Lee, CEO and Founder of Coinstreet Partners said:

“Coinstreet has been focusing on structuring and primary market of digital assets in the international market. ECXX’s vision is to be the world’s leading digital asset exchange delivering trustable and secured digital asset trading services. We are very pleased to establish a strategic partnership with ECXX. It can allow us to vertically integrated our primary market services with regulated secondary trading venue in Singapore, which is a very important market for us.”

Branson Lee, CEO of ECXX said :

“We see the digital assets space gaining massive traction and importance over the next few years. Our partnership with Coinstreet will be an important one as this space takes on a more globalised nature.”

Terry Tan, Listing Director of ECXX said :

“Working together with Coinstreet Partners allows ECXX to reach out to more global companies who are keen to tokenize their assets and list their tokens on a regulated digital exchange in Singapore. The strategic collaboration will be a win-win situation for both Coinstreet Partners and ECXX.”

According to a survey from the World Economic Forum, around 10% of global GDP will be tokenized and stored on Blockchain by 2027. Coinstreet serves clients with tokenization needs ranging from stablecoins, real estate, financial services, technology, biotech, healthcare, telecommunications, energy, manufacturing, hotel, hospitality, lifestyle, gaming, media and entertainment sectors. Significant growth in the number of high-quality STO projects and global expansion of investor communities is expected, as the adaptation of this new corporate finance model gains popularity globally.

About Coinstreet Partners (“Coinstreet”)

Founded in 2017, Coinstreet is an award-winning*, AI-powered, global decentralized investment banking group and consultancy firm in the Digital Asset and FinTech sectors, providing a business eco-system for the new era of digital economy. Coinstreet focuses on five key business segments: (1) Digital Asset Investment Banking, (2) Digital Asset Management & Private Banking, (3) Digital Asset Private Equity, (4) Asset Tokenization & Security Digitization Management Solution, and (5) Decentralized Finance & DLT Solution.

Coinstreet is a co-organizer of Global Online Investor Roadshow (www.GOIR.info) – the next generation, institutional scale, online private placement platform for private equity, alternative investments, and digital asset opportunities; and a co-organizer of TADS Awards (www.TADSawards.org) – the world’s first international award for Tokenized Assets and Digitized Securities sector.

For more information, please visit www.coinstreet.partners 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coinstreetpartners

About ECXX

ECXX is a premier Digital Securities Exchange made in Singapore with a global reach, allowing users to buy, sell, and store digital assets. Its platform is dedicated to offer unique experiences regardless whether you are a professional or institutional trader.

It is a Recognised Market Operator (RMO) offering Digital Securities In MAS Fintech Sandbox Express. ECXX is the 1st Exchange to be approved and the only private company to be onboarded for MyInfo Business.

For more information, please visit https://www.ecxx.com/
LinkedIn: ecxx.com | LinkedIn

China Distance Education Holdings Limited Reports Financial Results for Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2020

– Fourth Quarter 2020 Net Revenue was $65.5 Million, Exceeding Guidance –
Fourth Quarter 2020 Gross Profit was $36.7 Million, with Gross Margin of 56.0% –
Fourth Quarter 2020 Operating Income was $12.9 Million, with Operating Margin of 19.7% –
Fourth Quarter 2020 Net Income Attributable to CDEL was $4.9 Million, with Net Income Margin of 7.4% –

BEIJING, Dec. 17, 2020 — China Distance Education Holdings Limited (NYSE: DL) ("CDEL", or the "Company"), a leading provider of online education and value-added services for professionals and corporate clients in China, today announced unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2020 ended September 30, 2020.

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2020 Financial and Operational Highlights

  • Net revenue decreased by 4.6% to $65.5 million from $68.7 million in the prior year period.
  • Total course enrollments were 931,500, a decrease of 17.7% from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019.
  • Cash receipts from online course registration were $38.2 million, a 12.8% decrease from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019.
  • Gross profit decreased by 15.4% to $36.7 million from $43.4 million in the prior year period.
  • Non-GAAP[1] gross profit decreased by 15.3% to $36.8 million from $43.4 million in the prior year period.
  • Gross margin was 56.0%, compared with 63.2% in the prior year period. Non-GAAP[1] gross margin was 56.1%, compared with 63.2% in the prior year period.
  • Operating income decreased by 32.9% to $12.9 million from $19.2 million in the prior year period.
  • Non-GAAP[1] operating income decreased by 36.0% to $13.6 million from $21.2 million in the prior year period.
  • Net income attributable to CDEL was $4.9 million, compared with net income attributable to CDEL of $13.8 million in the prior year period.
  • Non-GAAP[1] net income attributable to CDEL was $6.2 million, compared with non-GAAP[1] net income attributable to CDEL of $18.6 million in the prior year period.
  • Basic and diluted net income per American Depositary Share ("ADS") attributable to CDEL were $0.144 and $0.143, respectively, compared with both basic and diluted net income per ADS attributable to CDEL of $0.411, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019. Each ADS represents four ordinary shares.
  • Basic and diluted non-GAAP[1] net income per ADS attributable to CDEL were $0.185 and $0.184, respectively, compared with basic and diluted non-GAAP[1] net income per ADS attributable to CDEL of $0.558 and $0.554, respectively, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019.
  • Cash outflow from operations was $1.7 million, compared with cash inflow from operations of $20.0 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019.

Fiscal Year 2020 Financial and Operational Highlights

  • Net revenue decreased by 1.1% to $209.6 million from $211.8 million in fiscal year 2019.
  • Total course enrollments were 4,255,000, an increase of 12.2% from fiscal year 2019.
  • Cash receipts from online course registration were $179.0 million, a 15.4% decrease from fiscal year 2019.
  • Gross profit increased by 0.8% to $108.0 million from $107.1 million in fiscal year 2019.
  • Non-GAAP[1] gross profit increased by 0.9% to $108.1 million from $107.1 million in fiscal year 2019.
  • Gross margin was 51.5%, compared with 50.6% in fiscal year 2019. Non-GAAP[1] gross margin was 51.6%, compared with 50.6% in fiscal year 2019.
  • Operating income decreased by 17.8% to $18.8 million from $22.8 million in fiscal year 2019.
  • Non-GAAP[1] operating income decreased by 18.8% to $21.4 million from $26.4 million in fiscal year 2019.
  • Net income attributable to CDEL decreased by 50.9% to $10.4 million from $21.3 million in fiscal year 2019.
  • Non-GAAP[1] net income attributable to CDEL decreased by 50.3% to $13.7 million from $27.6 million in fiscal year 2019.
  • Both basic and diluted net income per ADS attributable to CDEL were $0.309, compared with both basic and diluted net income per ADS attributable to CDEL of $0.635 for fiscal year 2019.
  • Basic and diluted non-GAAP[1] net income per ADS attributable to CDEL were $0.410 and $0.406, respectively, compared with basic and diluted non-GAAP[1] net income per ADS attributable to CDEL of $0.830 and $0.823, respectively, for the fiscal year 2019.
  • Cash flow from operations decreased by 51.1% to $40.0 million from $81.8 million in the fiscal year 2019.

Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, Chairman and CEO of CDEL, said, "We concluded fiscal 2020 with fourth-quarter revenue of $65.5 million, exceeding the upper end of our guidance range. This quarter’s revenue outperformance was primarily driven by a less-severe than previously expected impact from the pandemic-related postponement or suspension of certain professional certification examinations. The appreciation of the Renminbi against U.S. dollar also contributed to the fourth quarter revenue performance. However, our cash receipts from online course registration have declined year-over-year for the past three consecutive quarters due to the COVID-19 pandemic."

"We believe in the long-term growth prospects of China’s online education industry and are well prepared to serve a growing student demographic. We remain dedicated to consistently delivering knowledge to an even broader student constituency and extending convenience, flexibility and engagement to their learning experiences. Meanwhile, we will continue to integrate cutting-edge technologies into our educational solutions, and diversify our course offerings to fulfill the needs of students at different stages of their study and career development. With our 20-year track record and an unwavering commitment to education, we have proven to be the premier partner of choice for students in their journey of lifelong learning," Mr. Zhu concluded.

Mr. Mark Marostica, Co-Chief Financial Officer of CDEL, added, "Despite our efforts to control costs amid revenue weakness stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, our fourth quarter non-GAAP operating profit declined year-over-year. With fiscal 2021 well underway, we remain committed to our balanced growth strategy, and deeply focused on improving both revenue growth and profitability."

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2020 Financial Results

Net Revenue. Total net revenue decreased by 4.6% to $65.5 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 from $68.7 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019. Net revenue from online education services, books and reference materials, and other sources contributed 78.4%, 9.6% and 12.0%, respectively, of total net revenues for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020.

Online education services. Net revenue from online education services increased by 3.9% to $51.4 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 from $49.5 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, mainly due to the revenue growth from the accounting vertical.

Books and reference materials. Net revenue from books and reference materials increased by 9.9% to $6.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 from $5.7 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, primarily attributable to the publication of certain Legal Professional Qualification Examination books in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, which were previously expected to be published in the third quarter of fiscal 2020.

Others. Net revenue from other sources decreased by 41.9% to $7.8 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 from $13.5 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, primarily due to the significant decrease in revenue from the sale of college-related learning simulation software, and the significant decrease in the provision of offline training courses due to COVID-19.

Cost of Sales. Cost of sales increased by 14.0% to $28.8 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, from $25.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019. Non-GAAP[1] cost of sales increased by 13.8% to $28.8 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, from $25.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019. The increase in cost of sales was mainly due to the increase in cost of books and reference materials, and salaries. This increase was partially offset by the decrease in rental and related expenses, and lecture fees.

Gross Profit and Gross Margin. Gross profit was $36.7 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, a decrease of 15.4% from $43.4 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP[1] gross profit was $36.8 million, decreasing by 15.3% from $43.4 million in the prior year period. Gross margin was 56.0% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, compared with 63.2% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019. Non-GAAP[1] gross margin was 56.1% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, compared with 63.2% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019.

Operating Expenses. Total operating expenses increased by 5.3% to $26.0 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, from $24.7 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP[1] total operating expenses increased by 11.8% to $25.4 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, from $22.7 million in the prior year period.

Selling expenses. Selling expenses increased by 8.9% to $17.6 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 from $16.1 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP[1] selling expenses increased by 8.8% to $17.6 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, from $16.1 million in the prior year period. The increase was primarily driven by higher advertising and promotional expenses, and the increase in commission to agents. This increase was partially offset by the decrease in rental and related expenses.

General and administrative expenses. General and administrative expenses increased by 19.8% to $8.5 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 from $7.1 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP[1] general and administrative expenses increased by 19.2% to $7.8 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, from $6.6 million in the prior year period. The increase was mainly due to the professional fees associated with the Company’s going private transaction. This increase was partially offset by the significant decrease in provision for doubtful debts, compared with the prior year period. In the prior year period, significant provision for doubtful debts was made mainly associated with the Company’s investee company, Hangzhou Wanting Technology Co., Ltd., and the sale of learning simulation software.

Impairment loss from long-term investments. Impairment loss from long-term investments in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 was $0.9 million, compared with $6.9 million in the prior year period, due to impairment of the value of the investee company, Beijing Xinrui Education Technology Co., Ltd.

Income Tax Expenses. Income tax expense decreased by 30.5% to $4.2 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 from $6.0 million in the prior year period, primarily due to the decrease in taxable income in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020.

Net Income Attributable to CDEL. As a result of the foregoing, net income attributable to CDEL was $4.9 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, compared with net income attributable to CDEL of $13.8 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP[1] net income attributable to CDEL was $6.2 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, compared with non-GAAP[1] net income attributable to CDEL of $18.6 million in the prior year period.

Operating Cash Flow. Net operating cash outflow was $1.7 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, compared with net operating cash inflow of $20.0 million in the prior year period. The operating cash outflow was mainly attributable to the decrease in deferred revenue, and partially due to the decrease in cash receipts from online course registration, lease liability, and the decrease/increase in amount due to/from related parties. The operating cash outflow was partially offset by net income before non-cash items generated in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, the decrease in inventories, and the increase in accrued expenses and other liabilities, and income tax payable.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Term Deposits, Restricted Cash and Short-term Investments. Cash and cash equivalents, term deposits, restricted cash and short-term investments as of September 30, 2020 increased by 0.9% to $134.9 million from $133.7 million as of June 30, 2020, mainly due to the appreciation of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar. The increase was partially offset by (i) the operating cash flow used in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, (ii) the capital expenditure of $1.9 million, (iii) the repayment of an onshore loan of $3.3 million, and (iv) the dividend distribution by an affiliated entity to its noncontrolling interests’ shareholders of $1.7 million.

Fiscal Year 2020 Financial Results

Net Revenue. Total net revenue decreased by 1.1% to $209.6 million in fiscal year 2020 from $211.8 million in fiscal year 2019. Net revenue from online education services, books and reference materials, and other sources contributed 76.0%, 10.6% and 13.4%, respectively, of total net revenues for fiscal year 2020.

Online education services. Net revenue from online education services increased by 9.2% to $159.3 million in fiscal year 2020 from $145.9 million in fiscal year 2019.

Books and reference materials. Net revenue from books and reference materials decreased by 19.4% to $22.1 million in fiscal year 2020 from $27.4 million in fiscal year 2019.

Others. Net revenue from other sources decreased by 26.9% to $28.2 million in fiscal year 2020 from $38.5 million in fiscal year 2019.

Cost of Sales. Cost of sales decreased by 3.0% to $101.6 million in fiscal year 2020 from $104.7 million in fiscal year 2019. Non-GAAP[1] cost of sales decreased by 3.1% to $101.5 million in fiscal year 2020, from $104.7 million in fiscal year 2019.

Gross Profit and Gross Margin. Gross profit was $108.0 million in fiscal year 2020, up 0.8% from $107.1 million in fiscal year 2019. Non-GAAP[1] gross profit was $108.1 million, increasing by 0.9% from $107.1 million in fiscal year 2019. Gross margin was 51.5% in fiscal year 2020, compared with 50.6% in fiscal year 2019. Non-GAAP[1] gross margin was 51.6% in fiscal year 2020, compared with 50.6% in fiscal year 2019.

Operating Expenses. Total operating expenses increased by 8.5% to $95.3 million in fiscal year 2020, from $87.9 million in fiscal year 2019. Non-GAAP[1] total operating expenses increased by 10.0% to $92.8 million in fiscal year 2020, from $84.4 million in fiscal year 2019.

Selling expenses. Selling expenses increased by 13.6% to $69.8 million in fiscal year 2020 from $61.5 million in fiscal year 2019. Non-GAAP[1] selling expenses increased by 13.6% to $69.8 million in fiscal year 2020, from $61.5 million in fiscal year 2019.

General and administrative expenses. General and administrative expenses increased by 2.2% to $25.5 million in fiscal year 2020 from $24.9 million in fiscal year 2019. Non-GAAP[1] general and administrative expenses increased by 0.5% to $23.1 million in fiscal year 2020, from $22.9 million in fiscal year 2019.

Impairment loss from long-term investments. Impairment loss from long-term investments in fiscal 2020 was $0.9 million, compared with $6.9 million in fiscal year 2019, due to impairment of the value of the investee company, Beijing Xinrui Education Technology Co., Ltd.

Income Tax Expenses. Income tax expense was $5.5 million in fiscal year 2020, compared with income tax expense of $8.1 million in fiscal year 2019.

Net Income Attributable to CDEL. As a result of the foregoing, net income attributable to CDEL was $10.4 million in fiscal year 2020, compared with net income attributable to CDEL of $21.3 million in fiscal year 2019. Non-GAAP[1] net income attributable to CDEL was $13.7 million in fiscal year 2020, compared with non-GAAP[1] net income attributable to CDEL of $27.6 million in fiscal year 2019.

Operating Cash Flow. Net operating cash inflow decreased by 51.1% to $40.0 million in fiscal year 2020 from $81.8 million in fiscal year 2019.

China Distance Education Holdings Limited Enters into Definitive Merger Agreement for Going Private Transaction

On December 1, 2020, the Company announced that it had entered into a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with Champion Distance Education Investments Limited ("Parent") and China Distance Learning Investments Limited ("Merger Sub"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Parent, pursuant to which, subject to the terms and conditions thereof, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving entity and becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (the "Merger"), in a transaction in which the Company will be acquired by a group of certain of the Company’s existing shareholders (including Mr. Zhu, Ms. Baohong Yin, co-founder of the Company, deputy chairman of the Board and the spouse of Mr. Zhu, and their affiliated entity) and certain other existing shareholders of the Company and equity investors. Upon the effectiveness of the Merger, all outstanding ordinary shares of the Company (each, an "Ordinary Share"), including Ordinary Shares represented by American depositary shares, each representing four Ordinary Shares ("ADSs"), other than Excluded Shares (as defined in the Merger Agreement) and ADSs representing Excluded Shares, will be cancelled in exchange for the right of the holders thereof to receive $2.45 in cash per Ordinary Share, or $9.80 in cash per ADS.

The Company cautions its shareholders and others considering trading in its securities that there remain risks and uncertainties with respect to the Merger, including the possibility that the Merger will not occur as planned if events arise that result in the termination of the Merger Agreement, or if one or more of the various closing conditions to the Merger are not satisfied or waived or if requisite shareholder approval is not obtained, and other risks and uncertainties regarding the Merger Agreement and the Merger.

[1] For more information about the non-GAAP financial measures contained in this press release, please see "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below.

About China Distance Education Holdings Limited

China Distance Education Holdings Limited is a leading provider of online education and value-added services for professionals and corporate clients in China. The courses offered by the Company through its websites are designed to help professionals seeking to obtain and maintain professional licenses and to enhance their job skills through our professional development courses in China in the areas of accounting, healthcare, engineering & construction, legal and other industries. The Company also offers online test preparation courses for self-taught learners pursuing higher education diplomas or degrees, and practical accounting training courses for college students and working professionals. In addition, the Company provides business services to corporate clients, including but not limited to tax advisory and accounting outsourcing services. For further information, please visit http://ir.cdeledu.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expect," "predict," "anticipate," "future," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "estimate" and similar statements. Among other things, quotations from management in this announcement, the Company’s strategic and operational plans (in particular, the impact of COVID-19 on our businesses including the postponement or suspension of certain professional certification examinations; balancing growth and profitability; the growth prospects of online professional education in China; as well as the anticipated benefits of our strategic growth initiatives, including the promotion of the Company’s life-long learning ecosystem) as well as the risks and uncertainties of the Merger, contain forward-looking statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic and annual reports to the SEC, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the impact of COVID-19, together with the postponement or suspension of certain professional certification examinations; the results and impact of the Merger; our goals and growth strategies; future prospects and market acceptance of our courses and other products and services; our future business development and results of operations; projected revenues, profits, earnings and other estimated financial information; projected enrollment numbers; our plans to expand and enhance our courses and other products and services; anticipated benefits of acquisition or disposal of businesses, competition in the education and test preparation markets; and Chinese laws, regulations and policies, including those applicable to the Internet, Internet content providers, the education and telecommunications industries, mergers and acquisitions, taxation and foreign exchange.

Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed or furnished with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

Statement Regarding Unaudited Financial Information

The unaudited financial information set forth in this press release is preliminary and subject to adjustments. Adjustments to the financial statements may be identified when audit work is performed for the year-end audit, which could result in significant differences from this preliminary unaudited financial information.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement the Company’s consolidated financial results presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, the Company uses the following measures defined as non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP net income attributable to CDEL, operating income, gross profit, cost of sales, selling expenses, general and administrative expenses, net income margin attributable to CDEL, operating margin, gross profit margin, and basic and diluted earnings per ADS and per share attributable to CDEL. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to comparable GAAP measures" set forth at the end of this release.

The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding its performance by excluding share-based compensation expenses, impairment loss from long-term investments net of noncontrolling interests and taxes calculated using specific tax treatments applicable to the adjustments based on their respective jurisdictions, and impairment of goodwill. However, non-GAAP financial measures may not be indicative of the Company’s operating performance from a cash perspective. The Company believes that both management and investors benefit from these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing its performance and when planning and forecasting future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management’s internal comparisons to the Company’s historical performance and liquidity. The Company computes its non-GAAP financial measures using the same consistent method from quarter to quarter. The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors in allowing for greater transparency with respect to supplemental information used by management in its financial and operational decision making. A limitation of excluding share-based compensation expenses, impairment loss from long-term investments net of noncontrolling interests and taxes calculated using specific tax treatments applicable to the adjustments based on their respective jurisdictions, and impairment of goodwill from the above-mentioned line items and presenting these non-GAAP measures is that such items may continue to be for the foreseeable future a significant recurring expense in our business. Management compensates for this limitation by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from each non-GAAP measure. The accompanying table at the end of this release provides more detail on the reconciliations between GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to non-GAAP financial measures.

Contacts:

In China:

China Distance Education Holdings Limited
Jiao Jiao
Tel: +86-10-8231-9999 ext. 1826
Email: IR@cdeledu.com

The Piacente Group, Inc. 
Jenny Cai 
Tel: +86-10-6508-0677
E-mail: dl@tpg-ir.com

In the United States: 

The Piacente Group, Inc.
Brandi Piacente
Tel: +1 212-481-2050
Email: dl@tpg-ir.com

 

 

(Financial Tables on Following Pages)

 

 

China Distance Education Holdings Limited

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands of US Dollars, except number of shares and per share data)

September 30, 2019

September 30, 2020

(Derived from Audited)

(Unaudited)

Assets:

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

67,977

80,056

Term deposits

13,440

Restricted cash

38,358

4,212

Short term investments

22,118

20,343

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of US$1,864 and
US$1,282 as of September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively

7,330

6,154

Inventories

4,232

4,863

Prepayment and other current assets

26,732

31,316

Amounts due from related parties

515

3,580

Deferred costs

1,427

1,657

Total current assets

168,689

165,621

Non-current assets:

Restricted cash

16,849

Property, plant and equipment, net

37,935

42,331

Operating lease right of use asset

30,029

Goodwill, net

74,829

78,966

Long term investments

25,379

26,324

Other intangible assets, net

30,113

23,161

Deposit for purchase of non-current assets

4,448

2,186

Deferred tax assets

3,865

5,690

Other non-current assets

10,092

7,490

Total non-current assets

186,661

233,026

Total assets

355,350

398,647

Liabilities and equity:

Current liabilities:

Bank borrowings

38,502

4,012

Accrued expenses and other liabilities (including accrued expenses and other
liabilities of the consolidated VIE without recourse to China Distance Education
Holdings Limited of US$49,232 and US$35,491 as of September 30, 2020 and 2019,
respectively)

38,267

55,454

Amount due to related parties

600

1,309

Income tax payable (including income tax payable of the consolidated VIE without
recourse to China Distance Education Holdings Limited of US$14,451 and
US$8,188 as of September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively)

10,899

17,378

Deferred revenue – current portion (including deferred revenue of the consolidated
VIE without recourse to China Distance Education Holdings Limited of US$104,929
and US$93,364 as of September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively)

94,202

105,953

Refundable fees – current portion (including refundable fees of the consolidated VIE
without recourse to China Distance Education Holdings Limited of US$1,729 and
US$435 as of September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively)

435

1,729

Operating lease liability – current portion (including operating lease liability of the
consolidated VIE without recourse to China Distance Education Holdings Limited
of US$3,835 and nil as of September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively)

4,160

Total current liabilities

182,905

189,995

Non-current liabilities:

Deferred revenue – non-current portion (including deferred revenue of the
consolidated VIE without recourse to China Distance Education Holdings Limited
of US$33,928 and US$33,564 as of September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively)

33,564

33,928

Refundable fees – non-current portion (including refundable fees of the consolidated
VIE without recourse to China Distance Education Holdings Limited of US$2,602
and US$2,440 as of September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively)

2,440

2,602

Deferred tax liabilities

12,695

6,088

Long-term bank borrowing

16,000

Operating lease liability – non-current portion (including operating lease liability of
the consolidated VIE without recourse to China Distance Education Holdings
Limited of US$22,749 and nil as of September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively)

23,089

Total non-current liabilities

48,699

81,707

Total liabilities

231,604

271,702

 

Equity:

Ordinary shares (par value of US$0.0001 per share; 500,000,000 shares authorized;
135,320,433 and 134,210,745 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2020
and 2019, respectively)

13

14

Additional paid-in capital

24,507

27,318

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(12,357)

(833)

Retained Earnings

60,668

51,477

Total China Distance Education Holdings Limited shareholder’s equity

72,831

77,976

Noncontrolling interests

50,915

48,969

Total equity

123,746

126,945

Total liabilities and equity

355,350

398,647

 

 

China Distance Education Holdings Limited

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Operations

 (in thousands of US dollars, except number of shares, per share and per ADS data)

Three Months Ended September 30,

2019

2020

Sales, net of value-added tax and related surcharges:

Online education services

49,467

51,399

Books and reference materials

5,740

6,310

Others

13,484

7,837

–  Sale of learning simulation software

3,366

2,225

–  Business start-up training services

483

331

–  Others

9,635

5,281

Total net revenues

68,691

65,546

Cost of sales

Cost of services and others

(22,791)

(24,080)

Cost of tangible goods sold

(2,492)

(4,740)

Total cost of sales

(25,283)

(28,820)

Gross profit

43,408

36,726

Operating expenses

Selling expenses

(16,133)

(17,574)

General and administrative expenses

(7,064)

(8,462)

Impairment of goodwill

(1,517)

Total operating expenses

(24,714)

(26,036)

Other operating income

535

2,222

Operating income 

19,229

12,912

Impairment loss from long-term investments

(6,920)

(910)

Interest income

493

603

Interest expense

(525)

(120)

Exchange gain (loss)

3,399

(4,107)

Income before income taxes

15,676

8,378

Income tax expense

(6,044)

(4,201)

(Loss) gain from equity method investments

(465)

292

Net income

9,167

4,469

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

(4,602)

(396)

Net income attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

13,769

4,865

 

Net income per share attributable to China Distance Education Holdings
Limited:

Net income attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited 
shareholders

Basic

0.103

0.036

Diluted

0.103

0.036

 

Net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education Holdings
Limited:

Net income attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited 
shareholders

Basic

0.411

0.144

Diluted

0.411

0.143

Weighted average shares used in calculating net income per share
attributable to
China Distance Education Holdings Limited:

Basic

133,399,392

134,510,192

Diluted

134,333,486

135,537,758

 

 

China Distance Education Holdings Limited

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Operations

 (in thousands of US dollars, except number of shares, per share and per ADS data)

Year Ended September 30,

2019

2020

Sales, net of value-added tax and related surcharges:

Online education services

145,917

159,338

Books and reference materials

27,372

22,061

Others

38,533

28,159

–  Sale of learning simulation software

12,996

9,520

–  Business start-up training services

2,741

2,158

–  Others

22,796

16,481

Total net revenues

211,822

209,558

Cost of sales

Cost of services and others

(85,252)

(81,976)

Cost of tangible goods sold

(19,489)

(19,622)

Total cost of sales

(104,741)

(101,598)

Gross profit

107,081

107,960

Operating expenses

Selling expenses

(61,460)

(69,848)

General and administrative expenses

(24,919)

(25,478)

Impairment of goodwill

(1,517)

Total operating expenses

(87,896)

(95,326)

Change in fair value in connection with business combination

695

Other operating income

2,968

6,155

Operating income 

22,848

18,789

Impairment loss from long-term investments

(6,920)

(910)

Interest income

2,207

2,555

Interest expense

(2,819)

(1,021)

Gain from disposal of an investment

318

Gain from deconsolidation of a subsidiary

6,869

Exchange gain (loss)

3,296

(5,261)

Income before income taxes

25,799

14,152

Income tax expense

(8,121)

(5,460)

Loss from equity method investments

(1,484)

(555)

Net income

16,194

8,137

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

(5,060)

(2,293)

Net income attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

21,254

10,430

 

Net income per share attributable to China Distance Education Holdings
Limited:

Net income attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited 
shareholders

Basic

0.159

0.077

Diluted

0.159

0.077

 

Net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education Holdings
Limited:

Net income attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited 
shareholders

Basic

0.635

0.309

Diluted

0.635

0.309

Weighted average shares used in calculating net income per share 
attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited:

Basic

133,060,900

133,984,929

Diluted

134,138,117

135,232,224

 

 

China Distance Education Holdings Limited

Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to comparable GAAP measures

(In thousands of US Dollars, except number of shares, per share and per ADS data)

Three Months Ended September 30,

2019

2020

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

Cost of sales

25,283

28,820

Share-based compensation expense in cost of sales

45

Non-GAAP cost of sales

25,283

28,775

Selling expenses

16,133

17,574

Share-based compensation expense in selling expenses

18

Non-GAAP selling expenses

16,133

17,556

General and administrative expenses

7,064

8,462

Share-based compensation expense in general and administrative expenses

490

626

Non-GAAP general and administrative expenses

6,574

7,836

Gross profit

43,408

36,726

Share-based compensation expenses

45

Non-GAAP gross profit

43,408

36,771

Gross profit margin

63.2%

56.0%

Non-GAAP gross profit margin

63.2%

56.1%

Operating income

19,229

12,912

Share-based compensation expenses

490

689

Impairment of goodwill

1,517

Non-GAAP operating income

21,236

13,601

Operating margin

28.0%

19.7%

Non-GAAP operating margin

30.9%

20.8%

Net income attributable to CDEL

13,769

4,865

Share-based compensation expenses

490

689

Impairment loss from long-term investments, net of tax effect of US$228 and nil
     for the year ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively

6,920

682

Impairment of goodwill

1,517

Noncontrolling interests impact on adjustments

(4,094)

Non-GAAP net income attributable to CDEL

18,602

6,237

Net income margin attributable to CDEL

20.0%

7.4%

Non-GAAP net income margin attributable to CDEL

27.1%

9.5%

Net income per share attributable to CDEL—basic

0.103

0.036

Net income per share attributable to CDEL—diluted

0.103

0.036

Non-GAAP net income per share attributable to CDEL—basic

0.139

0.046

Non-GAAP net income per share attributable to CDEL—diluted

0.138

0.046

Net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited
     shareholders—basic (note 1)

0.411

0.144

Net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited
     shareholders—diluted (note 1)

0.411

0.143

Non-GAAP net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education
     Holdings Limited shareholders—basic (note 1)

0.558

0.185

Non-GAAP net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education
    Holdings Limited shareholders—diluted (note 1)

0.554

0.184

Weighted average shares used in calculating basic net income per share
     attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

133,399,392

134,510,192

Weighted average shares used in calculating diluted net income per share
    attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

134,333,486

135,537,758

Weighted average shares used in calculating basic non-GAAP net income per
    share attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

133,399,392

134,510,192

Weighted average shares used in calculating diluted non-GAAP net income per
    share attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

134,333,486

135,537,758

Note 1: Each ADS represents four ordinary shares.

 

 

China Distance Education Holdings Limited

Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to comparable GAAP measures

(In thousands of US Dollars, except number of shares, per share and per ADS data)

Year Ended September 30,

2019

2020

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

Cost of sales

104,741

101,598

Share-based compensation expense in cost of sales

23

139

Non-GAAP cost of sales

104,718

101,459

Selling expenses

61,460

69,848

Share-based compensation expense in selling expenses

10

58

Non-GAAP selling expenses

61,450

69,790

General and administrative expenses

24,919

25,478

Share-based compensation expense in general and administrative expenses

1,972

2,421

Non-GAAP general and administrative expenses

22,947

23,057

Gross profit

107,081

107,960

Share-based compensation expenses

23

139

Non-GAAP gross profit

107,104

108,099

Gross profit margin

50.6%

51.5%

Non-GAAP gross profit margin

50.6%

51.6%

Operating income

22,848

18,789

Share-based compensation expenses

2,005

2,618

Impairment of goodwill

1,517

Non-GAAP operating income

26,370

21,407

Operating margin

10.8%

9.0%

Non-GAAP operating margin

12.4%

10.2%

Net income attributable to CDEL

21,254

10,430

Share-based compensation expenses

2,005

2,618

Impairment loss from long-term investments, net of tax effect of US$228 and
     nil for the year ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively

6,920

682

Impairment of goodwill

1,517

Noncontrolling interests impact on adjustments

(4,094)

Non-GAAP net income attributable to CDEL

27,602

13,730

Net income margin attributable to CDEL

10.0%

5.0%

Non-GAAP net income margin attributable to CDEL

13.0%

6.6%

Net income per share attributable to CDEL—basic

0.159

0.077

Net income per share attributable to CDEL—diluted

0.159

0.077

Non-GAAP net income per share attributable to CDEL—basic

0.207

0.102

Non-GAAP net income per share attributable to CDEL—diluted

0.206

0.102

Net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education Holdings
     Limited shareholders—basic (note 1)

0.635

0.309

Net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education Holdings
     Limited shareholders—diluted (note 1)

0.635

0.309

Non-GAAP net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education
     Holdings Limited shareholders—basic (note 1)

0.830

0.410

Non-GAAP net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education
     Holdings Limited shareholders—diluted (note 1)

0.823

0.406

Weighted average shares used in calculating basic net income per share
     attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

133,060,900

133,984,929

Weighted average shares used in calculating diluted net income per share
     attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

134,138,117

135,232,224

Weighted average shares used in calculating basic non-GAAP net income per
     share attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

133,060,900

133,984,929

Weighted average shares used in calculating diluted non-GAAP net income per
     share attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

134,138,117

135,232,224

Note 1: Each ADS represents four ordinary shares

 

 

Blue Hat Announces New Gaming Products Under Development with Planned Global Launches Throughout 2021

XIAMEN, China, Dec. 16, 2020 Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology ("Blue Hat" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: BHAT), a leading producer, developer and operator of augmented reality ("AR") interactive entertainment games, toys and educational materials in China, today announced that Fuzhou Csfctech Co., Ltd. ("Csfctech") is actively exploring overseas markets and is currently testing five new gaming products for overseas distribution. The Company recently announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire 51% of Csfctech and two subsidiaries (Link to Previous Release).

The acquisition of Csfctech is an important step in the development of Blue Hat’s mobile games unit, which along with AR gaming and interactive education make up the three pillars of the Company’s strategy.

Development of Five New Games

The five new gaming products under development are:

  • Qule King of Fishing War, a competitive fish catching game with multiple players to win prizes
  • Qule Battle The Landlord, a music selection puzzle game
  • MOMO Remove, a brain teaser game
  • MOMO Link, a game of casual puzzle elimination
  • MOMO Hexagon, a block matching game

The Company’s development program also includes Fish King War and Fun Two Dozen One, which are two popular chess-themed games that have been tested online on the Google Play platform.

At present, the Qule King of Fishing War has been licensed by more than 200 countries on Google Play, and will be ready to launch outside of China with an initial focus on Asian markets via the App Store.  After launching, the Company also plans to release regional updates for games such as Qule Battle The Landlord. These two games are expected to enter a stable operation phase in 2021 with the average monthly revenue of USD 0.3 million.

In the future, Csfctech’s will launch a series of casual games in the markets outside of China, with constant improvements and new updates to the platformer, hack and slash and other RPG (role-playing game) games once released to improve the market share of each game.

Mr. Jinlin Zhan, founder of Csfctech said, "We have a robust gaming pipeline for 2021. Csfctech has astrong industry competitiveness in terms of research and development, operational experience, channel resources and IP reserves. With the combination of Blue Hat, we can focus on gaining a global footprint for our games as part of a unified strategy going forward. Csfctech has accumulated a wealth of promotional resources in Southeast Asian countries and regions, as well as North America, leveraging the power of such online platforms as Facebook, Admob, Twitter and other platforms."

Mr. Xiaodong Chen, CEO of Blue Hat, stated, "We are confident that we can drive the rapid growth of the gaming business segment. Looking at the moment, the boom in the gaming market is evident, even after the industry shock in the first half of 2020. We saw a rapid increase in the timing of individuals entering the gaming space, which we intend to capitalize on in the coming months.  With the continuous upgrading of the game business and the launch of new products, Csfctech will provide more adequate promotional resources and new gaming content for players. For the already launched online games, we will also invest more energy and capital to provide regular updates that will be both regional and seasonal in nature, and ultimately drive user growth. We believe the totality of all of our efforts will help drive revenue growth, margin expansion, and net profits in our mobile game development segment."

About Blue Hat

Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology is a producer, developer and operator of AR interactive entertainment games and toys in China, including interactive educational materials, mobile games, and toys with mobile game features. The Company’s interactive entertainment platform creates unique user experiences by connecting physical items to mobile devices, which creates a rich visual and interactive environment for users through the integration of real objects and virtual scenery. Distinguished by its own proprietary technology, Blue Hat aims to create an engaging, interactive and immersive community for its users. For more information, please visit the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.bluehatgroup.com. The Company routinely provides important information on its website.

Forward-Looking Statements 

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the Company’s SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology

Phone: +86 (592) 228-0010

Email: ir@bluehatgroup.net

Investor Relations:

The Equity Group Inc. 

In China

Adam Prior, Senior Vice President  

Lucy Ma, Associate

(212) 836-9606  

+86 10 5661 7012

aprior@equityny.com      

 lma@equityny.com

 

Related Links :

http://www.bluehatgroup.net

[Ending poverty in China: Data speak] How to solve the problem of poverty caused by ill-health

BEIJING, Dec. 16, 2020 — A video by China.org.cn: China’s poverty reduction work about health care. How did China solve the problem of poverty caused by ill-health.

 

In the past 70 years, life expectancy in China has improved from 35 to 77.3 years, higher than global average life expectancy of 72 years.

In 2019, the input of medical treatment aid funding from central government was US$35 million. 77.82 million people were helped to join basic medical insurance, and 61.8 million people received direct assistance.

A complete system of national healthcare insurance is almost in place covering 99.9% of rural population nationwide. The triple guarantee system covers almost every individual.

25 diseases are now listed for critical illness assistance. The treatment of critical illness, and the classified treatment scheme has been steadily improved.

98.7% of patients suffering from critical and chronic diseases have received treatment. Great efforts are being made to assist patients with critical and chronic diseases.

A medical system is almost complete in which every county has one or two public hospitals, every township has public medical centers, and every village has clinics.

Since 2015, 14,000 more general practitioner have started working in rural areas, and 60,000 village doctors have received training.

Universal access to health examinations, including cervical and breast cancer screenings and pre-pregnancy checkups for rural women contribute to a low national maternal mortality ratio, which is well within the SDG 3 target.

As of the end of 2018, nutrition improvement projects for children in rural areas had already covered 715 counties classified as impoverished at national level and benefited 7.22 million children.

[Ending poverty in China: Data speak] How to solve the problem of poverty caused by ill-health

http://p.china.org.cn/2020-12/16/content_77018284.htm

 

Related Links :

http://china.org.cn/