Ministry expects US drone deal finalized by MarchONGOING: An LOA for 40 M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzers is still under discussion due to disagreements on price and specifications, the defense ministry saidBy Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNAA letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for US-made Sky Guardian uncrewed drones is expected in March next year, while talks with Washington on a deal for Paladin self-propelled howitzers is ongoing, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) made the comments at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee. The ministry had not received LOAs for at least four of the arms deals, Chiang said, adding that delivery could be set back by 10 or more months. Lee Shih-Chiang (李世強), head of the Ministry of National Defense’s Department of Strategic Planning, said that the ministry had been able to estimate when it would receive the Sky Guardian LOA because the legislature had approved the drone budget for next year. The ministry received the LOA for the field information communications systems and would move forward with that deal, Lee added.

Lithuania makes debut at Taipei food show‘NEW FRIEND’: Taiwanese would be eager to buy products from Lithuania, which has been very friendly and supportive of Taiwan, a trade official saidStaff writer, with CNAThe annual international food show Food Taipei opened yesterday, with the first-ever Lithuanian pavilion drawing a lot of attention. People visit the Lithuanian pavilion on the first day of the Food Taipei trade show at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center’s Hall 2 yesterday. It is a very friendly nation that supports Taiwan wholeheartedly and TAITRA reciprocated by inviting some of the Lithuanian pavilion participants,” Huang said. “Taiwanese also like to try new things and they support Lithuania, so for sure they will want to taste the country’s food products,” she added. Food Taipei, which runs until Saturday, is showcasing products from 28 countries and 478 businesses, spread out over 1,120 booths at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center’s Hall 2.

CPC Corp signs a deal to explore oil area in SomalilandBy Lisa Wang / Staff reporterCPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 中油) yesterday said it had signed an agreement with Genel Energy PLC to secure 49 percent working interest of the SL10B13 block in Somaliland. OPIC Somaliland Corp (OSC) would explore the oilfield and all of OPIC’s capital investment would come from CPC, the Taiwanese firm said. A Genel Energy PLC employee inspects equipment in a promotional photograph. Genel previously held a 100 percent working interest and would continue as the block’s operator. The SL10B13 area is about 150km from a port at Berbera, offering a route to international markets.

Erdogan unveils steps to protect liraFLUCTUATION GUARDS: The Turkish president said that no citizens would need to switch their deposits to foreign currencies over concern about exchange rate effectsBloombergTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government on Monday announced extraordinary measures to bolster the Turkish lira, including the introduction of a new program to protect savings from fluctuations in the local currency. The government would make up for losses incurred by holders of lira deposits should its declines against hard currencies exceed interest rates promised by banks, Erdogan said after chairing a Cabinet meeting in Ankara. In other steps announced by Erdogan, authorities are to offer non-deliverable forwards to help exporters mitigate foreign-exchange risks emanating from the elevated levels of volatility. Turkey can free itself from a reliance on foreign capital flows by abandoning old policies that prioritized higher interest rates and strong inflows, Erdogan said. Since September, the central bank has cut interest rates in the face of soaring consumer prices.

Taipei prosecutors said evidence showed that GTIC’s operations contravened Taiwan’s business laws, with illegal profits of more than NT$37.2 million (US$1.34 million) made from Taiwanese investors. A profile of GTIC Gold Refinery Co president Victor Soh is displayed on the company’s Web site yesterday. They were charged with contravening the Securities and Exchange Act (證券交易法) and the Banking Act (銀行法). The illegal schemes were based on the promise of high returns for investing in gold and precious metals. According to the company’s Web site, GTIC is an international conglomerate headquartered in Singapore, with major gold, precious metal and petroleum trading businesses.

HK’s Lam praises ‘patriots only’ vote despite low turnoutAFP, HONG KONGHong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥) yesterday hailed the outcome of a “patriots only” legislative election that saw a record-low voter turnout and government loyalists sweep every seat. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks at a news conference at government headquarters in Hong Kong yesterday. “Hong Kong is now back on the right track of one country, two systems,” she told reporters. Hong Kong has never been a full democracy under either Britain or China, the source of years of protests. Analysts said the new system could leave Hong Kong’s rulers even more out of touch with its residents.

Taiwan’s Tseng Chun-hsin secures title in PortugalStaff writer, with CNATaiwan’s Tseng Chun-hsin on Sunday won the men’s singles title at the Maia 2-ATP Challenge in Portugal, defeating Nuno Borges of the host country. The victory made Tseng the latest Taiwanese player to win an ATP Challenger men’s singles title after Jimmy Wang, Lu Yen-hsun and Jason Jung. Taiwan’s Tseng Chun-hsin competes in a Chinese Taipei Tennis Association (CTTA) tournament on June 6 last year. Tseng Chun-hsin has won four Junior Grand Slam titles. As a result, Tseng Chun-hsin is dubbed the “Night Market Champion” in Taiwan.

Notes from Central Taiwan: As allies fall, Taiwan risesTaiwan’s rising standing in the world has rendered losses of ‘ diplomatic allies’ mootBy Michael Turton / Contributing reporterIn 2013 Gambia, then ruled by dictator Yahya Jammeh, broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan. In 2019, when Taiwan lost two “diplomatic allies” in a week, the KMT demanded that Tsai sack Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮). Why isn’t poaching Taiwan’s allies more of a priority? Two years ago Timothy Rich, associate professor of political science at Western Kentucky University, surveyed Taiwanese on their diplomatic relations. His research found that if asked whether diplomatic relations with the “allies” were important, 58.7 percent answered in the affirmative.

Lithuanian firms to start PChome initiativeStaff writer, with CNA, LondonMarketing agency Enterprise Lithuania is seeking to help companies from the Baltic country sell their products in Taiwan through Taipei-based e-commerce platform PChome Online Inc (網路家庭), the agency said in a statement on Tuesday. “Lithuania’s exports to Taiwan have been small so far, and several Lithuanian products for general consumption are gaining ground in this market, especially Lithuanian food and beverage brands,” she said. Uzdavinyte also expressed hope that the initiative would help expand the range of Lithuanian products available in Taiwan. “We believe that Lithuanian food and beverage products, cosmetics, clothing and textiles should be in demand in Taiwan,” Uzdavinyte said. Taiwanese are interested in trying new products, Uzdavinyte said, adding that the nation’s interest in Western culture would benefit Lithuanian exporters.

PRC’s ally poaching helps TaiwanBy Fan Shih-ping 范世平The Straits Forum, the largest non-political platform between Taiwan and China, took place in China’s Fujian Province on Sunday last week. Days before the forum, on Thursday last week, Nicaragua announced that it had severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan. More importantly, Nicaragua cut diplomatic ties while Washington was hosting the two-day Summit for Democracy, to which Taiwan was invited, but China was not. Why is Nicaragua so important to China that it established diplomatic ties with Managua on the same day as the breakup with Taiwan? Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅), who formerly headed China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), must have been aware that the establishment of ties with Nicaragua would anger Taiwan.

Metals key for EVs likely pricier for longerBloombergMetals vital for making rechargeable batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) are set to extend their stunning rally into next year, potentially increasing costs for automakers and blunting a key weapon in the race to slow climate change. LITHIUM RECORDAn index of lithium prices has more than tripled this year to a record. “It’s hard to see any material changes in global market tightness in the short term,” the company said in a written response to Bloomberg News. As miners scurry to expand capacity, long-term electric vehicle demand bodes well for the material that is used in virtually all electric vehicle batteries. In China, the world’s biggest electric vehicle market, battery manufacturers have already started to feel the pinch from the escalating cost of raw materials.

Estonia’s wood pellet industry stokes controversyProducers of wood pellets say they only use wood that has been rejected by sawmills or plywood factories, but environmentalists say that biomass demand is causing logging to intensify, threatening some bird speciesBy Polina Kalantar / AFP, IMAVERE, EstoniaEstonia’s thriving wood pellet industry is pitting environmentalists who say it increases logging and harms biodiversity against supporters who say it makes good use of wood that would otherwise go to waste. However, at a plant belonging to Europe’s biggest wood pellet producer, Estonia’s AS Graanul Invest, Mihkel Jugaste, the company’s head of quality and certification systems, defended the industry. Environmentalists say that the wood pellet industry has caused an increase in forest logging, but supporters of the sector say it is making efficient use of low-quality wood. Wood pellets are a type of biofuel that can be used in special pellet stoves or central heating furnaces for homes. Ehrpais, who is also the head of Vardi Metsauhistu, a forest management organization, said it was “an unbelievable myth” that the wood pellet industry was leading to an increase in logging.

“Kwang Yang has no plan to go public, but the company is likely to spin off its electric scooter division for an IPO,” Kwang Yang chairman Allen Ko (柯勝峰) said during an interview with a small group of reporters in Taipei. Kwang Yang Motor Co employees work on KYMCO scooters at the company’s factory in Kaohsiung in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of Kwang Yang MotorTOP MAKERFounded in 1963, the company has a long history in making gas-fueled scooters. Kwang Yang has built a strong presence in the nation’s scooter market, holding on to the No. Kwang Yang expects its partnership with Harley-Davidson to bear fruit in the next two to three years, Ko said.

The study would help authorities develop a comprehensive policy response as mosquito-borne diseases are becoming more prevalent with climate change, officials from the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), Taipei City Government and National Mosquito-Borne Disease and Research Center told a news conference in Taipei. Officials from the Environmental Protection Administration, Taipei City Government and the National Mosquito-Borne Disease and Research Center attend a news conference in Taipei yesterday. The models show that the risk of dengue fever transmission in northern Taiwan would increase significantly by 2050, he said. The government study would divide Taiwan in 10km2 research areas, and in its first phase focus on Taipei and high-altitude areas, Huang said. The next phase would add New Taipei City and Taichung, he said.

Following a local COVID-19 outbreak in May, schools nationwide adopted the approach of “suspending classes without suspending learning,” offering synchronous or asynchronous online instruction. According to psychologist Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” theory, after a person’s material needs are fulfilled, spiritual needs can be pursued, and the theory is applicable to online instruction, too. Without additional staff for backup support, a slew of problems could affect online teaching, and more seriously, online teaching could threaten the effectiveness of offline teaching. While providing the hardware to students, they should also improve the quality of online instruction. Otherwise, despite the good intentions of the free tablet policy, no one would benefit from it, and this is not something that the public would want to happen.