Latest news with #Shao
Straits Times
23-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Aoxin Q&M Dental CEO resigns after whistleblower report is lodged
Find out what's new on ST website and app. SINGAPORE - Catalist-listed Aoxin Q&M Dental announced the resignation of its executive director and chief executive officer Shao Yongxin in a bourse filing on July 22. This comes after the company's audit committee (AC) received a whistleblower report against Dr Shao on July 21. The committee has launched an investigation into the matter, it said. 'The board, on the recommendation of the AC, will update shareholders as soon as (the) investigation is complete,' said Aoxin. Aoxin cited 'differences in views and opinions' with its parent, mainboard-listed Q&M Dental, regarding the strategic direction of the dental business as the reason for Dr Shao's resignation. Aoxin's general manager Dr Bai Yi and deputy general manager Huang Zhenxing will subsume the role and scope of the CEO. Dr Shao has held his positions since 2017, and will now work together with his successors to hand over his duties. The Chinese spin-off of Singapore's Q&M Dental Group had requested a trading halt on the morning of July 22, pending the release of an announcement. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore's digital banks finding their niche in areas like SMEs as they narrow losses in 2024 World Trump says US will charge 19% tariff on goods from Philippines, down from 20% Singapore Two found dead after fire in Toa Payoh flat Singapore 2 foreigners arrested for shop theft at Changi Airport Opinion Most companies onboard wrong – here's how to get it right Life Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath's bat-biting frontman turned reality TV star, dies aged 76 Singapore Singaporeans continue to hold world's most powerful passport in latest ranking Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving Aoxin operates dental hospitals and polyclinics in four different cities in Liaoning province in Northern China. It also distributes dental equipment and supplies. Q&M Dental had issued a letter of demand to Dr Shao in April for about 72.3 million yuan (S$12.9 million). It had cited an October 2016 circular, where it said Dr Shao 'had provided certain profit guarantees' in relation to an acquisition made by its subsidiary. This followed Shanghai Q&M Investment Management & Consulting's acquisition of Shenyang Xinao Hospital Management from Dr Shao. In May, Q&M Dental made a mandatory unconditional cash offer for all the shares in Aoxin Q&M it did not already own.
Business Times
22-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Aoxin Q&M Dental CEO resigns as whistle-blower report lodged
[SINGAPORE] Catalist-listed Aoxin Q&M Dental announced the resignation of its executive director and CEO Shao Yongxin in a bourse filing on Tuesday (Jul 22). This comes after the company's audit committee (AC) received a whistle-blower report against Dr Shao on Monday (21 Jul). The committee has launched an investigation into the matter, it said. 'The board, on the recommendation of the AC, will update shareholders as soon as (the) investigation is complete,' said Aoxin. Aoxin cited 'differences in views and opinions' with its parent, mainboard-listed Q&M Dental, regarding the strategic direction of the dental business as the reason for Dr Shao's resignation. Aoxin's general manager Dr Bai Yi and deputy general manager Huang Zhenxing will subsume the role and scope of the CEO. Dr Shao held his positions since 2017, and will now work together with his successors to hand over his duties. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The Chinese spin-off of Singapore's Q&M Dental Group had requested a trading halt on Tuesday morning, pending the release of an announcement. Aoxin operates dental hospitals and polyclinics in four different cities in Liaoning province in Northern China. It also distributes dental equipment and supplies. Q&M Dental had issued a letter of demand to Dr Shao in April for about 72.3 million yuan (S$12.9 million). It had cited an October 2016 circular, where it said Dr Shao 'had provided certain profit guarantees' in relation to an acquisition made by its subsidiary. This followed Shanghai Q&M Investment Management & Consulting's acquisition of Shenyang Xinao Hospital Management from Dr Shao. In May, Q&M Dental had made a mandatory unconditional cash offer for all the shares in Aoxin Q&M it did not already own. Shares of Aoxin Q&M Dental were 8 per cent or S$0.004 lower at S$0.046 on Monday, before it called for a trading halt in the morning. The company requested to lift the trading halt in the afternoon, following Dr Shao's resignation.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AI may diminish demand for high-wage skills like data analysis, research finds
This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: As artificial intelligence and automation redefine work, today's high-wage skills — including data analysis and process monitoring where AI has demonstrated strong capabilities — may diminish in demand and dip in salary, according to research by the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI and the Digital Economy Lab. In contrast, skills requiring human interaction and coordination — such as prioritizing and organizing work and training, teaching and effective communication — will grow in importance and command higher pay, the research, publicized July 7, found. Researchers also identified a mismatch between AI's capabilities and what workers want, which may hinder AI's successful integration into the workplace, according to the report. What workers want, the study found, is to work collaboratively with AI. Dive Insight: For the study, researchers surveyed 1,500 workers about what they wanted from AI and compared this to insight from 52 AI experts about what AI is capable of doing. The findings identified significant mismatches, revealing tasks that warranted reconsideration for automation, a media release explained. For example, in 41% of tasks, including writing creative content and preparing meeting agendas, AI implementation was either unwanted or technically not possible, the researchers said. Other tasks, such as monitoring budgets and creating production schedules, fell into an opportunity zone — highly desired but not yet technically possible, the study found. 'As AI systems become increasingly capable, decisions about how to deploy them in the workplace are often driven by what is technically feasible — workers are the ones most affected by these changes and the ones the economy ultimately relies on,' Yijia Shao, project leader and a Ph.D. student at Stanford Computer Science Department, stated in the release. Bringing employee perspectives to the table is critical to building systems they will embrace, Shao said. It also helps reveal overlooked opportunities for AI and guides 'more human-centered innovation, which in turn benefits technological development.' Organizations that ignore human-centric factors could end up implementing AI and generative AI tools without being completely clear on strategy or business goals, AI leaders at Deloitte Consulting cautioned in an April op-ed for HR Dive. Instead of rushing to beat out competitors, organizations should first understand generative AI's best use case for their business, the consultants advised. This gives HR leaders a better idea of what the company's talent and staffing needs may be, they said. Ultimately, the result of a company's AI investment will depend on human capabilities like cognizance, curiosity and collaboration, the consultants emphasized. Employers are recognizing this, according to a June report from talent assessment firm TestGorilla. Among more than 1,000 U.S. and U.K. hiring decisionmakers surveyed, 3 in 5 told TestGorilla that soft skills are more important today than five years ago. More than 70% said evaluating candidates on both hard and soft skills leads to better results, the survey found. Employers want people who can think critically, adapt and collaborate, TestGorilla's CEO noted. Recommended Reading How companies are planning for AI disruption Sign in to access your portfolio
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Business Standard
China's 600 kmph Maglev train turns 5.5-hour trip into 2.5-hour ride
In a bold leap toward the future of high-speed travel, China has unveiled its fastest ground transport vehicle yet — a sleek maglev train capable of hitting speeds up to 600 kmph, South China Morning Post reported. Revealed at a major rail exhibition in Beijing, the futuristic train reflects China's growing ambition to lead the global high-speed rail revolution and dramatically cut travel times between major cities. A high-speed maglev train developed by the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) was officially presented to the public at the 17th Modern Railways exhibition in Beijing. With a top speed of 600 kmph (373 mph), this is China's most advanced ground transport project yet. Designed to transform city-to-city travel According to Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper, the train is meant to function as a 'point-to-point transport tool' connecting major cities. At 600 kmph, a trip from Beijing to Shanghai — a distance of about 1,200 km — could be reduced from 5.5 hours by current high-speed rail to just 2.5 hours. Shao Nan, a senior engineer at CRRC, said the aim is to bridge 'the speed gap between high-speed rail and aviation within 2,000 km'. The news report quoted him as saying that the new train would combine the punctuality and safety of rail travel with the speed advantages of flying. Clean, quiet, and energy efficient The maglev train uses superconducting electric magnetic levitation technology, which offers an environmentally friendly solution with no emissions, low operating noise, and reduced friction due to its non-contact design. At speeds above 150 kmph, the train levitates above the track using electromagnetic induction. Below that speed, it moves on rubber wheels. Shao also highlighted the train's fully automated driving system, which integrates 5G communication, AI video analysis, acoustic sensors, and various monitoring tools along the route to ensure safe and efficient operation, the news report said. A long journey of maglev development China first launched a maglev train in 2003, with a German-built link between Shanghai Pudong International Airport and the city. In 2016, the country introduced its first domestically built maglev in Changsha, followed by another line in Beijing in 2017. However, these earlier versions were low-speed, with maximum speeds around 120 kmph. CRRC's high-speed maglev is just one of many ambitious transport projects in China. In 2023, China conducted a successful test run of a maglev hyperloop, aiming for speeds of up to 1,000 kmph using low-pressure vacuum tubes and magnetic propulsion. In another major breakthrough this May, researchers from the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation said they developed an AI-guided suspension system to reduce the vibrations passengers might experience at extremely high speeds. Challenges ahead for next-gen rail travel Despite the exciting progress, experts warn of significant challenges ahead. The construction of high-speed maglev and hyperloop systems demands huge investments and advanced infrastructure. Specialised superconducting magnets, dedicated tracks, and engineering expertise are essential — making large-scale deployment a complex task, the news report said. China's growing high-speed rail network, already the world's largest with 48,000 km of track and plans to cross 50,000 km in 2025, signals its commitment to shaping the future of global transport.
AllAfrica
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- AllAfrica
China accelerates its maglev train to catch up with Japan
China previewed its new magnetic levitation (maglev) train, boasting a maximum speed of 600 kilometers per hour (373 miles per hour), in a recent event after completing the first phase of its engineering design. If successfully built and operated, this bullet train can catch up with Japan's fastest maglev train: the L0 Series, which achieved a record speed of 603 km per hour (375 mph) during a test run in April 2015. The L0 Series trains run at a maximum speed of 500 km per hour (311 mph) in commercial service, offering a journey time of 1 hour 7 minutes between Tokyo and Osaka. China's new maglev train, developed by China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), was displayed at the 17th Modern Railways exhibition in Beijing from July 8 to 10. China State Railway Group and the International Union of Railways (UIC) also co-hosted the 12th World Congress on High-Speed Rail at the same venue. The vehicle can travel between Beijing and Shanghai in 2.5 to three hours, compared with the four-hour journey achieved by the current high-speed train. In China, the Shanghai Maglev is currently the fastest train in commercial operation, reaching 430 km per hour (267 mph) between Shanghai Pudong Airport and Longyang Road station. It used technology developed by Transrapid International, a joint venture between Siemens and Thyssenkrupp in Germany. 'The new superconducting maglev train will be used to supplement the existing network to implement point-to-point transportation,' said Shao Nan, a senior engineer at CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles. 'It can fill the speed gap between high-speed rail and aviation within 2,000 km per hour (1,243 mph).' She said the vehicle will move on rubber wheels when its speed is below 150 km per hour and will be lifted by magnetic fields when moving faster than that. Footage from the state-owned China Central Television showed an animation about how the rubber wheels are retracted before the train enters a maglev mode. Shao added that the first phase of the train's engineering was completed in July last year. She said the company will carry out more route and safety tests and engineering viability assessments for the train before deploying the train for commercial use. CRRC Changchun did not announce any roadmap for the train's commercial operation. It also did not disclose any information about how the train was designed and built, or whether any foreign partners were involved. This train likely came from the same project as the CRRC 600, which was developed by CRRC Qingdao Sifang (CRRC Changchun's sister company) using Transrapid technology under license from the German firm Thyssenkrupp. Back in 2016, CRRC announced that it would develop a maglev train with a designed top speed of 600 km per hour. In July 2018, CRRC and Thyssenkrupp signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on technology cooperation, targeting applications in the fields of smart mobility, magnetic technology, environmental protection, and renewable energy. In July 2021, Xinhua reported that CRRC Qingdao Sifang, a fully-owned unit of CRRC, 'self-developed' the CRRC 600. The company allowed visitors to experience for themselves inside the train's cabin. In September 2023, it displayed the same train at the 2023 World Manufacturing Convention in Hefei, Anhui province. An academic paper published by a group of Chinese and German mechanical engineers in March 2023 showed a close partnership between CRRC Qingdao Sifang and Thyssenkrupp. In February 2024, the European Commission launched an anti-subsidy probe into CRRC Qingdao Sifang over its bid for a €610 million (US$712 million) Bulgarian public procurement contract to provide electric trains, along with maintenance and staff training. The EC stopped the investigation after CRRC Qingdao Sifang withdrew its bid. Now, the CRRC Changchun has become the project manager of CRRC's new maglev train. An article published by China Youth Net, a unit of the Communist Youth League of China, said that, from the perspective of commercial value or future applications, high-speed maglev lines are more suitable for use between some large urban clusters with high-end passenger traffic. It added that, from the energy consumption perspective, the longer the distance the more obvious the comprehensive benefits and advantages. 'If high-speed maglev lines only serve Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, the passenger flow will be far from enough,' the article said. 'Besides, ticket prices for these maglev trains will have to be higher than those of the existing high-speed railways in the future.' Citing industry experts, the article said it will take a long time before CRRC's new maglev train can begin commercial operations. Some analysts have pointed out that weak market demand, rather than maglev technology, is the main obstacle for China to accelerate its high-speed train. In February this year, a group of Chinese commentators said a report by the National Audit Office (NAO) had found that China's high-speed railway saw an 'about 100 billion yuan of total loss' in the nine months ending December 31, 2024. A article also said China's high-speed railway network was 45,000 kilometers at the end of 2023, but only 2,300 kilometers, or 6% of the total, could make a profit. Read: China's fast-growing high-speed railway network faces reality
