PetroChina solemnly announced in Beijing that it will fully launch the 3.0 era of gas stations. In order to actively adapt to the development of the Internet era and meet the increasingly diverse and personalized needs of customers, PetroChina will use technologies such as big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and connect customers and data to build gas stations into 'people, cars, and life stations' that are 'safe, convenient, green, warm, and intelligent', forming a comprehensive customer service platform for online and offline collaborative operation, Comprehensively build an ecosystem of 'people, vehicles, and life', providing customers with all products, all channels, and all journey services, making the operation of gas stations more intelligent, professional, and customer experience more warm.
State Grid of China will invest 10 billion yuan in the rural power grid renovation project in impoverished areas of Gansu, to solve problems such as insufficient power supply capacity and low voltage in rural areas and assist in poverty alleviation. Zhang Xiangquan, Chief Engineer of State Grid Gansu Electric Power Company, introduced that the focus of the power grid renovation project is on implementing 'one district, one prefecture' (Tibetan region and Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture) and 18 deeply impoverished counties in Gansu. In the next two years, 22700 kilometers of 10kV lines, 39500 kilometers of 0.4kV lines, 36300 distribution transformers with a capacity of 3.817500 kVA, and 43300 electricity meter boxes will be built and renovated.
Apple Inc. is in consultation with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide convenient electronic health records for veterans. This collaboration will simplify the process of patients visiting hospitals, and Apple will also have access to millions of new customers as a result. Apple announced its plan to enter the field of electronic archives in January, providing a feature that allows patients to input and store medical information.
Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest smartphone manufacturer by sales, is planning a major technological upgrade to its flagship smartphone series next year, marking its 10th anniversary, including 5G network speed, larger screens, and more cameras. Unlike two versions in the past few years, Samsung's next flagship Galaxy S10 smartphone is preparing to launch three versions with display sizes ranging from 5.8 to 6.4 inches. These three versions of mobile phones are scheduled to debut in February next year.
Amazon and private equity giant Blackstone are bidding for 22 regional sports networks under Disney, including Yes Network, which focuses on the New York market. Disney is acquiring film and television assets under 21st Century Fox, and has previously stated that it will spin off 22 Fox regional sports networks as part of its agreement with the US Department of Justice.
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Manila Branch officially opened on the 21st. So far, ICBC has set up branches in nine ASEAN countries, further improving its service network in Southeast Asia market and along the 'the Belt and Road'. Philippine Energy Minister Alfonso Cusi stated that the demand for banking services in the Philippines' economic development is also constantly increasing, and he looks forward to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Manila Branch providing better services and support for the Philippines' economic development. With the opening of the Manila branch, the bank has established 426 institutions in 47 countries and regions worldwide, making it one of the most widely covered Chinese financial institutions in the world.
BP has recently completed the acquisition of unconventional assets of Australian mining and oil giant BHP in the United States for $10.5 billion. This landmark transaction will greatly enhance BP's onshore oil and gas asset portfolio in the United States and help drive long-term growth.
BMW has become the first multinational automaker to obtain an online ride hailing license in China. BMW will initially invest 200 BMW 5 Series sedans in Chengdu, including fuel and plug-in hybrid versions. In order to create a luxury ride hailing standard, BMW Group has equipped these 200 cars with exclusive ride hailing drivers. In April of this year, BMW Group registered and established its wholly-owned subsidiary, BMW China Travel Service Co., Ltd. in Chengdu.
At the invitation of Richard Lutz, President of Deutsche Bahn AG, and Tapoas, President of National Railways of Spain, Lu Dongfu, General Manager of China Railway Corporation, led a delegation to Germany and Spain to hold talks with Deutsche Bahn AG, National Railways of Spain, and National Railway Infrastructure Management Company, and signed the 'Cooperation Agreement between China Railway Corporation and Deutsche Bahn AG' Memorandum of Understanding between China Railway Corporation and Spanish National Railways on Railway Cooperation and Memorandum of Understanding between China Railway Corporation and Spanish Railway Infrastructure Management Company on Railway Cooperation. The German and Spanish railways warmly welcomed the visit of the Chinese railway delegation and highly praised the development achievements of Chinese railways, especially high-speed railways. They hope to further deepen cooperation with China in various fields of railways through this visit.
Tesla announced that in order to better serve domestic customers in China, Tesla will provide pricing for the Tesla Model 3 to scheduled customers, and will reduce the prices of the Model S and Model X electric vehicles sold in China by 12% -26%. Tesla stated that in order to allow more Chinese consumers to enjoy Tesla products, the company has chosen to bear most of the tariffs to help reduce customer purchase costs.
Alphabet Inc.'s Danish business unit, Google, announced on Tuesday that Google will invest 4.5 billion kroner ($690 million) to establish a new data center in Frederica, Denmark. Google has also decided to seek new green investment opportunities in Denmark and is evaluating some projects in the onshore and offshore wind and solar fields. Denmark has a large-scale wind energy industry, including wind turbine manufacturer Vestas and offshore wind farm developer Osted. According to the plan, after the completion of the new data center in Frederica in 2021, 150 to 200 employees will be hired
The aircraft APU company jointly built by Boeing and Safran Group has been approved by relevant regulatory authorities, and the two companies will begin the design, manufacturing, and maintenance of auxiliary power units (hereinafter referred to as' APUs'). APU is an onboard engine mainly used to start the main engine of an aircraft and provide power to the aircraft system. It operates on the ground and can also be used in flight if necessary. The company also appointed Etienne Boisseau as the CEO of the joint venture company.
Siemens has awarded the 'Inventor of the Year 2018' honor to 12 researchers who have achieved fruitful results. These scientists have produced a total of 590 inventions and 589 individual patents. Among them, two inventors come from Germany, three from Austria, and one each from Norway, France, Poland, Mexico, China, India, and the United States. Their invention achievements include revolutionary improvements in component design through 3D printing, as well as a clever window coating used to significantly enhance cellular communication signals inside trains.
On November 20th, the 'China Children's Nutrition and Health Education Project - Nestle Healthy Children Global Plan' sponsored by the Chinese Nutrition Society and supported by Nestle (China) Co., Ltd. entered Qingdao Jiulian Primary School and spent an unforgettable and enjoyable United Nations International Children's Day with nearly 500 teachers and students. The International Children's Day established by the United Nations aims to promote the development of children's protection, welfare, and education. It calls for more attention to children and has made unremitting efforts to protect their rights and improve their lives.
At the GNTC 2018 Global Network Technology Conference, Huawei shared Intent Driven Network (IDN) solutions and cloud network integration solutions based on IDN. At the same time, Huawei won the 'GNTC Innovation Award' for its structural and scenario based innovation on IDN. This award reflects Huawei's technological innovation and business practices in the network field, which have been fully recognized by the industry.
[Microsoft Decathlon] Decathlon, a world-famous sports product retailer, uses Microsoft's intelligent cloud Azure technology and customized solutions to promote the digital transformation of Decathlon's businesses in China and the global market. In order to achieve intelligent solutions tailored to actual business needs and application scenarios, eight partners in Microsoft's local ecosystem have created six customized technical applications for Decathlon, focusing on projects such as Industry 4.0 smart production, digital marketing smart retail, online and offline inventory smart management, store electronic map interaction, and intelligent treadmill research and development.
Sony Artificial Intelligence Bridged Cloud Infrastructure (ABCI) is a world-class computing infrastructure used for AI processing, built and operated by the Japan Institute of Industry and Technology (AIST). Sony recently announced that it has utilized ABCI and its deep learning development framework 'Core Library: Neural Network Library' to refresh the global speed of deep learning technology.
Renault SA has appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) Thierry Bollore and a senior director to replace Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn. Renault announced on Tuesday after a board meeting that Bollore, who was originally Ghosn's deputy in business work, will serve as the deputy CEO. Independent director Philippe Lagayette will serve as interim chairman. But the Renault board did not dismiss Goen. The Tokyo District Court decided on Wednesday to detain Gohn and representative director Greg Kelly for 10 days. The Japanese government has stated that it is crucial for Nissan, Renault, and Mitsubishi Motors to maintain a stable alliance.
FedEx announced that it will expand its electric fleet using Chinese trucks. The company will add 1000 'dedicated' vehicles, to be provided by Chanje Energy, headquartered in Hangzhou, China. One of the electric cars made in China can carry 6000 pounds of cargo and travel over 150 miles on full charge. FedEx will directly purchase 100 of the cars and lease the remaining 900 through the Ryder system.
JD. com founder and CEO Liu Qiangdong has stated that he will shift his focus away from the core business of the e-commerce giant. Liu Qiangdong stated that he will transfer some of the responsibilities of the CEO to other members of the company's executive team and focus more on new business. Liu Qiangdong founded JD.com in 1998 and has been firmly controlling the company for 20 years. He controls a majority of the voting shares, and the group board of directors cannot vote formally in his absence.
Sanofi, a leading global pharmaceutical and health enterprise, announced that it has officially signed a memorandum of understanding on investment and comprehensive strategic cooperation with the Suzhou Industrial Park Management Committee, establishing Sanofi's first global research institute in China. The research institute will focus on cutting-edge biological research in major diseases such as tumors, immune diseases, and metabolic diseases, becoming another powerful engine for Sanofi's scientific and innovative efforts in China, accelerating the transformation of innovative research results into drugs that effectively improve patient health.
Multinational Corporation Dynamics [2018, 11.30]
On November 23rd, State Grid Corporation of China announced to the world that the Tibet China Power Interconnection Project had been completed and put into operation. Multiple world records and world records have been broken by this project - the average operating altitude along the project exceeds 4000 meters, making it the highest ultra-high voltage power grid project in the world; The highest tower position, Dongdashan 8L196 Iron Tower, is 5295 meters above sea level, making it the world's highest 500 kV transmission tower; The 500 kV Mangkang substation has an altitude of 4295 meters, making it the highest 500 kV substation in the world; The elevation of the engineering line ranges from 2200 meters to 5300 meters, with an elevation difference of 3100 meters between the highest and lowest tower positions, making it the world's largest power grid project with the largest elevation span; The total investment of the project reached 16.2 billion yuan, accounting for 50% of the total fixed assets of the Tibet power grid. It is the largest investment scale power project in the Tibet Autonomous Region and also the longest transmission line power grid project in Tibet; After the line is put into operation, the voltage level of the Tibet power grid will rise from 220 kV to 500 kV, entering the era of 500 kV in one fell swoop.
[Wal Mart] Wal Mart released its third quarter financial report (as of October 31). Its revenue reached US $124.9 billion, up 1.4% year on year. Excluding the impact of exchange rate, its revenue was US $126.1 billion, up 2.4%. In the Chinese market, Wal Mart's total sales in the third quarter increased by 4.3%, and the comparable sales increased by 2.2%. Fresh food still maintains a strong momentum, promoting sales growth, and comparable customer flow and unit price continue to steadily increase. The enthusiasm of Sam's Club for member consumption continues to rise. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Sam's Club achieved a comparable sales increase of 12%.
On November 27th, PetroChina officially released the Exploration and Development Dream Cloud Platform. This is the first main business intelligent sharing platform built by PetroChina, aiming to achieve upstream business data interconnection, technology exchange, research collaboration, and promote intelligent exploration and development. This platform is an important component of building a 'shared China Petroleum' platform, marking the group company's entry into a new era of informatization, and has milestone significance in the intelligent transformation of the domestic oil and gas industry and China's informatization construction.
Apple Inc.'s exclusive platform for selling iPhone applications faced a challenge in the US Supreme Court on Monday, with justices considering whether consumers should be allowed to advance lawsuits accusing the company of illegal monopoly and pushing up prices. A group of consumers filed a class action lawsuit claiming that due to Apple's requirement that all iPhone software must be purchased and sold through its App Store, the prices of these software are higher than in competitive market conditions. But Apple stated that consumers cannot sue the company because it does not directly price the application, but rather the application developer.
Minerva Alibaba: Brazilian food company Minerva SA has signed a memorandum of understanding with Alibaba China and five other customers to supply frozen beef to China for a period of five years. The beef supply agreement signed between Alibaba and Minerva is worth approximately $100 million per year, with the other five customers having similar agreements. Minerva claims to be a leading beef exporter in South America. According to the company's data, its beef exports account for 21% of South American beef exports.
CVS Health completed a $69 billion acquisition of Aetna, creating a new healthcare giant. The merger combines CVS pharmacies with Aetna's insurance business in the hope of reducing costs. The two companies announced the transaction in December 2017. In order to obtain approval, CVS agreed to a series of conditions, including not increasing premiums due to acquisition costs and keeping premium growth to a minimum level. CVS expects to save over $750 million within two years after the transaction is completed. The merged company will