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Asia Pacific Governments Embrace Sovereign AI as a Strategic National Priority, but Scale Hinges on Trust, Skills, and Infrastructure Readiness

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Story Highlights:

  • New IDC research commissioned by Dell Technologies finds Sovereign AI has surged to the second-highest investment priority for Asia Pacific governments.
  • Almost all (99%) government leaders in Asia Pacific believe agentic AI will accelerate AI adoption with the majority calling for strong governance frameworks to unlock its full potential at scale.
  • Nine in 10 government organizations report critical skills shortages that could determine whether pilots become trusted national platforms.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 May 2026 – New research commissioned by Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) and conducted by International Data Corporation (IDC), reveals that governments across Asia Pacific (APJ) are moving decisively from AI exploration toward structured activation of Sovereign AI.

The study, based on a survey of 360 government IT decision-makers across eight APJ markets, finds that Sovereign AI has risen from the seventh to the second-highest government investment priority in just one year. This signals a fundamental shift in how the region’s public sector leaders view AI, seeing it as critical national digital infrastructure rather than a simple technology upgrade.

APJ governments are shifting from awareness to activation, but investment needs to catch up

The research reveals that Asia Pacific governments have moved well beyond conceptual discussion. Nearly half (46.1%) are actively evaluating Sovereign AI technologies, while more than a third (36.1%) are running initial proofs of concept.

This activation is underpinned by a clear strategic rationale. More than three-quarters (76.9%) of government leaders agree that investing in Sovereign AI enhances their agency’s resilience against geopolitical risks and supply chain disruptions.

Despite this, only 3.1% are investing significantly so far. Meanwhile, only 1.7% of respondents say they have no plans to adopt Sovereign AI.

Across the region, governments are pursuing “selective sovereignty” to maintain strong control over sensitive data, critical systems, and regulated workloads, while continuing to leverage global technology ecosystems for innovation and scale. Hybrid sovereign models that combine on-premises infrastructure and sovereign cloud environments with broader ecosystem access are emerging as the preferred deployment approach.

Agentic AI poised to accelerate government AI adoption across Asia Pacific

Asia Pacific government leaders are signalling near-universal confidence in agentic AI as a catalyst for accelerating AI adoption in the public sector. The research reveals that 99% of leaders see agentic AI as an accelerator, with more than a third (36.9%) believing it will play a major role and a further 62.1% expressing strong confidence in its potential when paired with robust governance and oversight frameworks. Only 1.1% remain uncertain.

This positions Asia Pacific as bullish on agentic AI suggesting the region’s governments are not hesitating on agentic AI, rather, they are actively preparing the governance foundations that will allow them to deploy it with confidence and at scale.

This confidence is driven in part by operational necessity. With nearly nine in 10 APJ government organizations reporting critical digital skills shortages, agentic AI is emerging as a practical workforce multiplier, capable of automating complex administrative and analytical tasks and enabling government teams to deliver more with the talent they have. In a region where technology is outpacing workforce capability faster than the global average, autonomous AI systems offer a path to close the gap between ambition and capacity.

In this context, Sovereign AI is increasingly functioning as the trust layer that unlocks the adoption of next-generation AI capabilities. By ensuring that agentic and generative AI systems operate within national policy, security, and auditability frameworks, governments can move faster precisely because the right controls are in place from the outset.

Skills shortages emerge as the region’s most critical constraint

Despite strong strategic intent, APJ governments face acute workforce bottlenecks that risk constraining the transition from pilot to production. Nearly nine in 10 organizations report digital skills shortages, and more than half say these shortages are having a major impact on digital initiatives, significantly more so than the global average of 66.8%.

The hardest-to-hire roles map directly to Sovereign AI readiness: AI safety and alignment researchers (42.5%), data architecture, management, and analytics professionals (35%), sovereign data governance (30%), sovereign cloud architecture and operations specialists (25.3%), and AI policy and governance specialists (25%).

The research findings recommend a four-layer capability model in which governments retain direct ownership of policy, governance, and data stewardship roles while partnering with trusted ecosystem providers for frontier AI specialization and delivery at scale.

Mission-critical public services drive investment priorities

Governments expect Sovereign AI to deliver the greatest citizen benefit in high-consequence public domains. National security and cyber-resilience top the list at 45.6%, followed by justice and public safety (37.5%), financial and taxation (37.5%), public healthcare (34.4%), social services and welfare (32.2%), education (31.7%), and workforce development (31.1%).

Investment decisions are increasingly policy-led. More than half (53.3%) of government leaders cite alignment with national security and sovereign priorities as the top factor in technology investment decisions, followed by security capabilities and reliability of technology providers (52.5%). Four of the top six decision factors are directly linked to sovereignty considerations.

Perspectives:

“This research confirms what we’re hearing from government leaders across Asia Pacific: the question is no longer whether Sovereign AI matters, but how to operationalize it at national scale,” said Nicole Jefferson, Vice President, Global Government Affairs, Dell Technologies. “What stands out is the region’s confidence in agentic AI as an accelerator and the understanding that strong governance is an enabler of progression, not a hinderance. The findings show a region that is serious, structured, and pragmatic about building AI capabilities it can trust. Governments want partners who understand that sovereign-ready infrastructure, skills transfer, and governance maturity are inseparable from the technology itself. At Dell Technologies, we’re committed to helping public sector organizations build AI on their own terms – with the security, resilience, and openness that mission-critical national services demand.”

“Agentic AI is moving quickly from concept to practical consideration for government and executive decision-makers,” said Ravikant Sharma, Research Director, IDC. “The study shows strong momentum, with public sector leaders looking to autonomous systems to help close skills gaps, ease workforce pressure and accelerate AI adoption. However, that momentum is conditional. Governments will only move at scale if they have confidence in the security, privacy, sovereignty and infrastructure foundations underpinning these systems.”

About the study

The findings are drawn from IDC’s Asia Pacific Government Survey, conducted in December 2025 on behalf of Dell Technologies. The survey polled 360 government IT decision-makers supplemented by 13 in-depth interviews with senior government officials across eight markets: Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and South Korea. Respondent organizations spanned national civilian government, defense, financial administration, public safety, healthcare, education, critical infrastructure, and other public sector functions. To view the full Asia Pacific research findings, click here: building-a-sovereign-ai-foundation-for-apj-governments.pdf

IDC InfoBrief, sponsored by Dell Technologies, Building a Sovereign AI Foundation for Asia/Pacific Governments, #AP24257IB, May 2026
Hashtag: #Dell

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Dell Technologies

Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) helps organizations and individuals build their digital future and transform how they work, live and play. The company provides customers with the industry’s broadest and most innovative technology and services portfolio for the AI era.

Copyright © 2026 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. Dell Technologies and Dell are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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A Pandastic Summer Birthday Celebration at Ocean Park Chance to win the all-new MAXUS MIFA 7 PLUS Pure Electric 7-Seater MPV

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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 July 2026 – Ocean Park is set to ignite a summer of joy with the Pandastic Summer Birthday Celebration for its entire family of six beloved giant pandas, running from now until 31 August 2026. Join us in celebrating the second birthday of the panda twins, Elder Sister Jia Jia and Little Brother De De, alongside their August-born parents Ying Ying and Le Le, and June birthday stars An An and Ke Ke. Come immerse in the celebration brimming with interactive games, performances and water play.

Even more exciting, visitors could take home fabulous prices, including the newly launched MAXUS MIFA 7 PLUS, the mid-size family pure electric MPV – by entering the Summer Joy Lucky Draw* on every eligible visit during the promotion period of 3 July and 31 August 2026!

Birthday photo spots and Panda Friends encounters

Celebrate the pandas’ special days with pandastic photo opportunities across the Park. Capture snapshots at the main entrance’s gigantic birthday countdown zone. Don’t miss the charming 5-metre-tall Giant Panda Birthday Bun Tower at Waterfront Plaza, adorned with piles of pink birthday buns to celebrate the pandas’ birthdays in true Hong Kong style.

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Explore the Panda Friends Cute & Cuddly zone at Eco-Herbal Trail, featuring over 60 Panda Friends sculptures, each carrying magnifying sunglasses and cameras, ready to discover the wonders of nature.

The precious panda moments

Relive the heartwarming journey of all six giant pandas at the Pandastic Happy Moments exhibit next to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures. This special display showcases precious footage commemorating the rapid growth of twins Jia Jia and De De and other adorable life stages from all the giant panda members. It is a truly unmissable experience for all panda enthusiasts.

Fans can also visit the Giant Panda Fans Zone near the exhibit, created for fans to meet and connect and exchange their own handmade crafts and treasured panda keepsakes until 31 August 2026!

Summer splashing fun with Panda Friends

Dive into body-cooling water fun at the Panda Friends Splashy Birthday Camp outside Applause Pavilion. Experience the thrill of dashing through giant water curtains or facing a massive waterfall-style deluge from the mega water bucket. Unleash your playful instincts with all-time favourite water bomb fights at Panda Friends Water Bomb Fun or get caught in refreshing water gun ambushes from Ocean Park’s special Celebration Squad during their energetic Pandastic Birthday Splash, featuring adorable dance routines inspired by the panda twins.

Delightful entertainment and limited-edition performances

The highly-anticipated Pandastic Summer Birthday Spectacular features giant inflatable Panda Friends roaming the Park, accompanied by various performance groups delivering vibrant songs and dances at the Pawsome Summer Party on 8, 15 and 16 August 2026. Ocean 6N1 dress up with their special birthday outfits and showcase incredible singing and dancing in All Star Jam talent show. Whiskers & Friends will also give a birthday edition special performance at Ocean Park Star Match. Ocean Park’s lively roving band will also keep the festive atmosphere high.

Summer Birthday KV

Exclusive collectibles

Commemorate the twins’ second birthday with exclusive, limited-edition Giant Panda Birthday stamps. Collect all the stamps from designated Park locations to complete your very own beautiful birthday card. Test your skills and reflexes at interactive game booths to win special prizes. The talented coloured-chalk artists painting adorable giant panda figures in the Park.

Adorable merchandise and food and beverage

Check out our adorable Panda Friends Summer Collection, vibrant with colourful and summery designs. Highlights include the Giant Panda Plush Keychain Blind Box, featuring all the Panda Friends in their cutest summer outfits. Jia Jia and De De have transformed into the “Lemon Twins”, starring in a new range of summer essentials to keep everyone cool and refreshed throughout the season. Equally unmissable is the Panda Friends Hong Kong Food Collection, which charmingly captures iconic Hong Kong food elements.

Beyond these, the all-new Ocean Park x Maltese Crossover Series and the Panda Friends Hong Kong Food Collection prize items will be making their way to game booths across the Park, starting from mid-July. On top of that, fans can also look forward to Panda Friends photo frame, claw machines and press penny machines to bring in another level of excitement.

To celebrate the giant pandas’ birthdays, Ocean Park has prepared a tempting lineup of panda-themed treats, including the Panda Twins Mini Burgers and Panda Snack Platter. No birthday celebration is complete without desserts and cakes. The Park has also launched a delightful selection of treats, as well as refreshing snow cones and frozen fruits for visitors to beat the summer heat. What’s more, other restaurants across the Park will be introducing a summer menu featuring fruit-inspired recipes, so you can savour the flavours of summer with surprises in every bite.

Summer Joy Lucky Draw

Adding a final layer of excitement, the Summer Joy Lucky Draw* offers fantastic surprises. From 3 July to 31 August 2026, upon Park admission, visitors can register to participate for a chance to win from over 1,000 prizes with a total value of more than HK$815,000, including the grand prize, a brand-new MAXUS MIFA 7 PLUS Pure Electric 7-Seater MPV worth HK$369,102, sponsored by Inchcape Hong Kong. Every visit offers another chance to win!

Pair up and dive into summer fun with Summer Duo Pass

Pair up with a friend or family for an unforgettable summer adventure and enjoy up to 30% off with the Summer Duo Pass# available from now until 31 August 2026. Weekday tickets for two adults or two kids start at HK$753 and HK$377 respectively, while any-day tickets for two adults or two kids start at HK$861 and HK$430 respectively.

New Get Closer to the Animals experiences

Beyond the panda birthday festivities, Ocean Park is launching two new Get Closer to the Animals programmes. You can enjoy snorkelling in the Park’s world-class aquarium and visit behind the scenes to interact with the mysterious yet adorable sharks and rays for the very first time in the newly launched Fish Friends Face-Off X Shark & Ray Discovery! There is also a new Meerkat Feeding experience for visitors to learn more about these adorable ambassadors!

Elevating the digital visitor experience

To coincide with the launch of Ocean Park’s summer celebrations, Ocean Park is also enhancing its digital experience with a redesigned official website, which features enhanced mobile compatibility and a more intuitive browsing experience across all devices. This new website supersedes the previous mobile application and enables viewers to access the latest park information anytime, anywhere on one platform.

Ocean Park Named “Muslim-friendly Attraction of The Year”

Ocean Park has been named Muslim-friendly Attraction of The Year at the prestigious Halal in Travel Awards 2026 organised by CrescentRating, the world’s leading consultant on Muslim-friendly tourism. This recognition highlights the Park’s dedication to welcoming diverse guests through comprehensive facilities, including dedicated prayer rooms and an expanded portfolio of Halal-certified dining options like the recently certified Bayview Restaurant. With this milestone, Ocean Park looks forward to welcoming even more international visitors to experience its unique blend of conservation, entertainment, and exceptional cultural hospitality.

*The Summer Joy Lucky Draw (Trade Promotion Competition Licence Number: 61599) will be held from 3 July to 31 August 2026. Terms and conditions apply. For eligibility, registration procedures and promotion details, please visit https://www.oceanpark.com.hk/en/a-day-at-the-park/events/summer-joy-lucky-draw

# Terms and conditions apply. For information of the Summer Duo Pass, please visit: https://www.oceanpark.com.hk/en/ticket-offer/admission-ticket-special-offers

Hashtag: #OceanPark

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Nanyang Optical Co. Pte Ltd (In Liquidation) Announces Tender Sale of Optical Inventory Located in Shenzhen, China

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SHENZHEN, CHINA – Wechat: RobertKhanCo

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Robert Khan & Co Pte Ltd

We are a team of International Business Assets Consultants focused on the marketing & valuation of unique & interesting projects. We believe that “Valuation is more Art than Science”. Every asset, machine or even a piece of jewellery is unique and imbued with their own story. With over 20 years of experience uncovering unique stories across an exhaustive range of asset classes, we offer our clients our experienced eye, keen ears and interested heart to curate projects and realise their project objectives. Our services include valuation, marketing & sale of various asset classes locally and internationally.

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Hong Kong Disneyland Continues to Enhance Guest Experience Through Flexible Weather Adaptation Measures

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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 July 2026 – As Hong Kong’s summer weather becomes increasingly unpredictable, with periods of extreme heat, high humidity, and occasional rain showers and thunderstorms, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (HKDL) continues to enhance its facilities and operations to better support guests and cast members throughout the season.

From cooling facilities and shaded rest areas to flexible operational arrangements, the initiatives are designed to provide more choices and added ease for both guests and cast members during the summer months.

Additionally, HKDL has introduced an exclusive “Summer Chill” 4PM Ticket Offer for Hong Kong residents. Guests can enjoy the park from 4:00pm onwards, helping them avoid the hottest hours or periods of heavy rain, with prices starting at just HK$480.

Guests are also encouraged to stay hydrated and explore the resort’s wide selection of indoor attractions and entertainment offerings during the hottest hours of the day.

Weather-Conscious Design for a Better Guest Experience

The guest experience is supported by the resort’s planning and operations through a combination of environmental design and infrastructure enhancements. Disney Imagineers use detailed studies of sunlight, temperature, humidity and wind, supported by advanced computer simulations, to assess conditions across different areas of the park and guide design decisions.

For instance, Wayfinders’ Table in Adventureland was designed with sun exposure and ventilation needs in mind. Through the use of hard roof materials and thoughtful airflow planning, the design helps reduce heat buildup while providing shelter from rain.

Canopies, trees and fans are also used for the outdoor stage show “Moana: A Homecoming Celebration” to provide shade and added relief. The park also preserves and plants trees more extensively to provide additional natural shade.

Enhancing Infrastructure to Adapt to Changing Weather Conditions

HKDL has strengthened its guest-focused infrastructure to help improve airflow and provide added cooling support in various summer weather conditions. Energy-efficient ceiling fans operate at entrances and ticketing areas, while upgraded axial fans enhance airflow in queuing zones.

The park now features approximately 860 fans, with mobile units deployed flexibly to provide cooling support where they are needed most, particularly in high-traffic areas. Portable air-conditioning units have also been added in select outdoor zones to further support ventilation.

Mist cooling systems are also available at multiple outdoor locations, while additional shade structures have been added to queuing and dining areas.

Over 40 free water dispensers are provided across the resort, with nearly half already upgraded to dispense water 50% faster, helping guests rehydrate more conveniently throughout their visit.

Supporting Cast Members Through Changing Weather Conditions

With cast member safety as a top priority, HKDL continuously reviews operational measures to support frontline teams working outdoors in varying weather conditions. Cast members are dressed in outdoor costumes made with breathable, moisture-wicking fabrics, while additional rest breaks, hydration support and access to cooling facilities are provided during periods of extreme heat and humidity.

The resort closely monitors weather conditions and proactively adjusts outdoor show schedules whenever Heat Stress at Work Warnings are issued.

Disney Ambassadors also distribute electrolyte drink powder and chilled water bottles to frontline cast members working in outdoor areas.

Cooling Fun with Pixar Summer Fest

HKDL integrates cooling moments into storytelling. Guests can conveniently transition between a wide variety of indoor attractions, dining venues and entertainment offerings located throughout the resort, helping the magic continue in changing weather conditions.

The newly launched “Pixar Summer Fest” invites guests to beat the heat with immersive entertainment. The “Pixar Water Play Street Party!” welcomes guests to join beloved Pixar characters in a lively water parade, offering refreshing fun as part of the festive atmosphere.

Guests can also chill out with refreshing Pixar-themed treats, including Lime Dole Whip with Pineapple Slush Float at Jessie’s Snack Roundup, Monsters, Inc.-inspired Mike Wazowski Ice Cream Bar, Toy Story Alien Ice Cream Bar, and Sulley-inspired Mint Chocolate Flavored Soft Serve. These playful creations offer visual delight and refreshing summer treats for guests.

Exclusively for Hong Kong residents, the “Summer Chill” 4PM Ticket offers later entry to the park for just HK$480, allowing guests to enjoy an afternoon-to-evening “Pixar Summer Fest” experience.

Hashtag: #HongKongDisneyland

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