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The Timeless Wisdom of Rivers: Collaboration and Shared Vision
The Yangtze River, known as the cradle of Chinese civilization, is the world’s third-longest river and flows through 24 major cities along its course. Nanjing, located in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, is a megacity within China’s Yangtze River Delta economic hub. In 1979, Nanjing and St. Louis, situated along the Mississippi River, became sister cities, marking the first such partnership established between China and the United States after the establishment of diplomatic relations. As inscribed on the brocade banner presented by Nanjing to St. Louis: “May the friendship between the people of Nanjing and St. Louis be as enduring as the Yangtze and Mississippi Rivers.” These two great rivers stand as enduring witnesses to the friendship between two cities and two nations.
Indeed, over the 46 years since establishing sister-city ties, Nanjing and St. Louis have engaged in profound and sustained exchanges across trade, culture, education, and other fields. Back in 1992, St. Louis-based company Purina invested and established operations in Nanjing. In the early 2000s, Emerson established R&D and procurement centers in the city. In 1994, Nanjing built the Margaret Grigg Nanjing Friendship Garden at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. This garden now serves as the venue for the annual “Chinese Culture Day” celebrations. This year, Nanjing musicians reinterpreted the American baseball anthem Take Me Out to the Ballgame using traditional Chinese instruments during the event, resonating deeply with the audience.
Last April, Nanjing brought the art of Chinese characters to the banks of the Hudson River. An exhibition titled “Chinese Characters: A Journey of Creation, Connection and Harmony” opened at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in celebration of the 15th Chinese Language Day. The theme centered on the characters “和” (connection) and “合” (harmony), embodying the ideals of harmony, peace, cooperation, and alignment.
In the works of Mark Twain, the Mississippi River serves not only as the most iconic geographic symbol in American literature, but also as a spiritual vessel carrying profound social critique and exploration of humanity. For Nanjing, a UNESCO “City of Literature”, the Yangtze River is more than just a “golden waterway” in the geographical sense; it is a “river of the soul” in the literary sense. Setting sail from Wumadu in Nanjing, a cruise on the Yangtze River transforms the abstract notion of a “spiritual river” into a tangible, flowing epic. Along the banks, literary landmarks such as Qixia Mountain, Mufu Mountain, and Swallow Rock have inspired poetic masterpieces for over a millennium. On the water, the finless porpoises emerge like elfin presences beside the vessel, while elegant egrets and black-eared kites circle overhead. Thanks to Nanjing’s ecological conservation policies, the once-endangered finless porpoise has seen its population recover to approximately 65 in the Nanjing section of the Yangtze River by 2024. This makes the Nanjing stretch of the Yangtze River the world’s only case of a stable finless porpoise habitat within a densely populated megacity.
To further advance the shared values of humanity and deepen global understanding of the Yangtze River Basin, the forum will also feature a series of online and offline thematic exhibitions and interactive activities. These include the “Rivers * Humanity * Cities” theme exhibition, the “Reading the Yangtze River: A Journey for Global Think Tank Experts and Diplomats” event, and the “Me & River” social media campaign, all designed to promote the sustainable development of river cities through mutual learning among civilizations.
In 2019, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of its sister-city relationship with Nanjing, St. Louis designed a set of baseball-themed sculptures. Among them, the “American Pitcher” sculpture presented to Nanjing now stands in the Nanjing International Friendship Park along the Yangtze River, winding his pitch toward the direction of St. Louis. Meanwhile, its counterpart, the “Nanjing Batter” sculpture, was installed at Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis, awaiting a pitch from across the ocean. This thoughtful interaction illustrates a simple yet profound truth: civilizations flourish through exchange and grow richer through mutual learning.
Hashtag: #YangtzeCultureForum
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Swiss-Belhotel International Unveils Mobile App, Advancing its Integrated Digital Ecosystem
The launch of the Swiss-Belhotel International Mobile App completes a strategic technology upgrade initiated last year, which included the implementation of a new booking engine, the transition to an enhanced website, and the introduction of an advanced Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. With the addition of the mobile app, Swiss-Belhotel International now offers a fully connected digital ecosystem, ensuring a seamless journey from discovery to booking and beyond.
Commenting on the launch, Matthew Faull, Executive Director and Senior Vice President – Information Technology, E-commerce and Distribution, said: “The launch of the Swiss-Belhotel International Mobile App represents the completion of a carefully structured digital transformation programme. By aligning our booking engine, website, CRM and now mobile platform into one connected ecosystem, we are able to deliver a more efficient, responsive and guest-centric experience. This is not simply about technology adoption, but about creating meaningful value through integration.”
Adding to this, Priyanka Kapoor, Group Director – Sales, Marketing, Branding and Communications, said: “At the heart of this launch is our commitment to our loyal guests. The Swiss-Belhotel International Mobile App allows us to offer greater value, more personalised engagement, and exclusive member benefits. It reinforces our focus on direct relationships with our guests, ensuring they receive the best rates, the best privileges, and a seamless brand experience.”
Built around the principle of ‘One App, Many Benefits,’ the Swiss-Belhotel International Mobile App enables guests to book directly at the best available rates while unlocking exclusive member privileges. Users can easily sign up or log in to access personalised offers, ensuring that loyal guests are consistently recognised and rewarded.
More than a booking tool, the app is designed to simplify the entire travel journey, offering a streamlined, intuitive interface that enhances both convenience and engagement. By integrating its core digital platforms into a single environment, Swiss-Belhotel International strengthens its ability to deliver a consistent and elevated guest experience across all touchpoints.
As digital expectations continue to evolve, Swiss-Belhotel International remains focused on investing in technologies that enhance accessibility, strengthen guest relationships, and support long-term growth. The Swiss-Belhotel International Mobile App stands as a key step in this direction – bringing together innovation, efficiency, and guest-centricity within a single, unified platform.
Hashtag: #SwissBelhotelInternational #HospitalityTechnology #Hospitality
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Swiss-Belhotel International
Swiss-Belhotel International operates in 20 countries, managing 165+* hotels, resorts, and projects across New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, with regional offices in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, China, Indonesia, UAE, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand. Committed to delivering world-class hospitality, the group also offers the Swiss-Belexecutive Card (SBEC), a loyalty program providing many benefits, discounts from 10% to 35% on rooms, dining, and other services, plus priority check-in, complimentary upgrades, and late check-out. No collecting points, no waiting for redemption, with the free-to-join Green Global tier, members can enjoy instant discounts from their first stay! Book stays and access special offers tailored for SBI guests and SBEC members through the Swiss-Belhotel International App – available in App Store and Google Play Store. Stay connected with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and exclusive benefits. Visit swiss-belhotel.com for more information.
*Numbers may fluctuate
From September 2025 to April 2026, the program combined consistent distributions with practical assistance. During this time, more than 1,700 food boxes were delivered, helping ensure access to essential nutrition for elderly residents.
The initiative also included healthcare support. Around 300 people received vision checks, with 152 of them receiving eyeglasses based on the results. In addition, approximately 300 people received medicines each month, supporting the management of common health conditions.
Additional assistance included the distribution of first aid kits, hygiene kits, and prepared meals, helping cover both daily needs and immediate care.
Members of the Olymptrade community also took part in the initiative, joining two distribution days to help with the process and spend time with elderly residents.
The eight-month program marks an important milestone in the partnership, but not its conclusion. Olymptrade plans to continue supporting local communities through similar initiatives, guided by a simple principle: Care that counts.
Hashtag: #Olymptrade
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Media OutReach
Paymentology and Change Financial join forces to fast-track next-generation payments in Australia
The collaboration combines Paymentology’s cloud-first processing platform with Change Financial’s local BIN sponsorship, regulatory expertise and in-market presence – enabling fintechs, digital banks and programme managers to launch and scale debit, credit and prepaid programmes more efficiently in the Australian market.
Change Financial is a Mastercard Principal Issuer in Australia, providing local scheme connectivity and compliance support. Together with Paymentology’s real-time, multi-cloud processing infrastructure, the partnership creates a streamlined pathway for fintechs looking to enter or expand in the country.
Australia represents one of the world’s most advanced digital payments markets. The national payments market was valued at USD 849.1 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 1.35 trillion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 5.09% between 2026 and 2034. Cards and mobile wallets now sit at the centre of everyday transactions, as digital adoption continues to accelerate. Australians made approximately AUD 160 billion in mobile wallet payments in the past year alone, with billions of transactions recorded annually, highlighting strong demand for digital-first, contactless and mobile-enabled payment experiences.
Minh Ha Truong, Head of Growth Asia Pacific at Paymentology commented: “Australia is one of the most sophisticated payments ecosystems globally, with strong consumer adoption of digital, contactless and mobile-first experiences. By partnering with Change Financial, we’re combining next-generation issuing infrastructure with trusted local BIN sponsorship and expertise, unlocking faster payment method adoption for fintechs and helping them scale confidently in the Australian market.”
Change Financial brings deep experience supporting fintechs and financial institutions through local sponsorship, scheme relationships and programme enablement.
Jennifer Mateer, Chief Commercial Officer at Change Financial added: “We collaborate closely with fintechs and programme managers every day to launch innovative payment solutions with speed and confidence. Our partnership with Paymentology combines our local market expertise with global-scale issuing infrastructure, enabling innovators to accelerate time to market and deliver compelling card payment experiences to Australian consumers and businesses.”
Hashtag: #Paymentology #Fintech
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Paymentology
Paymentology is the leading next-generation issuer processor, empowering fintechs, digital banks and retail banks to effortlessly launch and manage innovative payment solutions on a global scale. The company drives greater customer choice and value through easy-to-use, integrated platforms and services that help clients to disrupt the status quo, accelerate time to market, and achieve growth.
With a superior multi-cloud platform offering a vast global footprint, and enhanced real-time data, Paymentology distinguishes itself as a leader in the payments industry. Its team of payments experts, with deep local market knowledge, operates across 50 countries and 14 time zones, providing 24/7 support. Paymentology is deeply committed to expanding financial inclusion globally, changing lives and positively impacting the communities in which it operates.
For more information, visit https://www.Paymentology.com.
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