Visiting Guatemalan minister pledges commitmentSUPPORT: Mario Bucaro, who is to meet with the president and other top officials, said it was no coincidence that his trip came during ‘sensitive times in the region’Staff writer, with CNAVisiting Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mario Bucaro yesterday said his trip is aimed at showcasing his country’s commitment to Taiwan amid increased tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mario Bucaro, left, shakes hands with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Yui upon arriving at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday. The visit is Bucaro’s first trip to the country, and he plans to meet with high-ranking officials, including President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. They would head south to Kaohsiung Software Park (高雄軟體園區) before concluding their visit and leaving Taiwan on Friday, it said. Bucaro’s visit comes two months after Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei pledged to maintain ties with Taipei, amid increasing efforts by Beijing to poach Taiwan’s 14 remaining diplomatic allies.

BizLink profit surges on record salesBy Chen Cheng-hui / Staff reporterBizLink Holding Inc’s (貿聯控股) second-quarter profit surged from a year earlier and the previous quarter as sales hit a record high driven by demand for factory automation, capital equipment, high-performance computing and electric vehicles, the interconnect solutions provider said in a statement on Friday. Net income last quarter grew 112.72 percent year-on-year and 109.58 percent quarter-on-quarter to NT$1.17 billion (US$38.72 million), or earnings per share (EPS) of NT$7.68, BizLink said. The logo of BizLink Holding Inc is pictured at the company’s Taipei office in an undated photograph. However, BizLink’s ability to address customer needs quickly was key to our performance in the second quarter,” Teng said. In the first half of the year, net income was NT$1.73 billion, up 101 percent from a year earlier, or EPS of NT$11.46, while revenue rose 94.9 percent to NT$25.63 billion, BizLink said.

Stephen M. Young On Taiwan: US-Taiwan relations after Pelosi’s visitThe controversy in the US and with China over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan thrust my favorite island-state into the world’s headlines. Despite there being clear precedent for such a visit, Beijing decided to overreact and top it off with missile tests on, around, and over Taiwan. Speaker Pelosi’s trip was followed by a visit from a second congressional delegation headed by Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey. President Biden and his advisers maintained their cool and provided the necessary logistical support for Speaker Pelosi’s visit, including a US Government plane to carry her delegation there and back. Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, though controversial in some circles, reinforces American support for Taipei and its strategic position in East Asia.

Energy crisis spurs nuclear power revival in AsiaBloombergAsia is giving the once-shunned nuclear power industry a second lease on life, thanks to the global energy crisis. Photo: AFPThat is making clean and reliable nuclear power attractive for policymakers and utilities eager to rein in inflation, achieve renewable energy goals and curb dependence on overseas energy suppliers. China has nearly 24 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity under construction, while another 34 gigawatts is planned, WNA data showed. If all of that comes to fruition, China would become the world’s top nuclear power producer. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s expansion into atomic energy is also gaining momentum as India’s largest power producer looks to develop two massive nuclear power projects.

Afghanistan demolish Sri Lanka in Asia Cup openerAFP, DUBAI, United Arab EmiratesAfghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi on Saturday said his team would not be pushovers in the Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament after a crushing eight-wicket win over five-time champions Sri Lanka in the opening match. Fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi returned figures of 3-11 to help bundle out Sri Lanka for a paltry 105 — a total their batsmen overhauled in 10.1 overs in Dubai. Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi, left, bowls, while Sri Lanka’s Bhanuka Rajapaksa looks on during their Asia Cup Twenty20 match in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Saturday. Photo: APAfghanistan, in Group B with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, have made a thumping start to their campaign in the six-nation tournament that acts as a tune-up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which starts in October in Australia. We have properly worked on this tournament,” Nabi said after being about Afghanistan creating shock wins.

Defense talks with US to be held in November: sourceBy Su Yung-yao and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerDefense review talks between Taiwan and the US could be held as soon as November, focusing on views on arms sales and defense strategies that might have changed since the Chinese military drills around Taiwan early this month, senior officials at the Ministry of National Defense have said. Photo: ReutersNational Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo (顧立雄) might attend the review talks, after his deputy attended last year’s edition of the annual event, they said. The review talks would be held “sometime around November,” as it was last year, the source said. There have always been differing views on US arms sales to Taiwan, with some calling for the acquisition of larger weapons platforms, the source said. However, obtaining HIMARS is in line with Taiwan’s asymmetrical warfare strategy, the source said.

Japan delegation urges border openingFOR EXPERTS, STUDENTS: People should be allowed to see free and open Taiwan for themselves, especially as many are concerned for the nation’s safety, a lawmaker said Taiwan should quickly reopen its borders for East Asian political experts and Chinese-language students so that they can see the free and open country for themselves, a delegation from the University of Tokyo’s cross-strait relations research group told President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at a meeting at the Presidential Office yesterday. Some members of the delegation comprising Japanese and Taiwanese researchers had to obtain visas in advance, as Taiwan has not reinstated a visa-waiver program for Japanese that was suspended early in the COVID-19 pandemic, said politics professor Yasuhiro Matsuda, who led the delegation. Like Japan, Taiwan is grappling with howBy Shelley Shan

Cabinet rebuts claims of nepotism at digital ministryBy Lee Hsin-fang and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerCandidates to work at the Ministry of Digital Affairs would not be selected based on their personal ties with other government officials, the Executive Yuan said yesterday. The ministry, which was officially established yesterday, is planning to hire 300 contract workers, and the process would be in line with government regulations, the Cabinet added. President Tsai Ing-wen, third right, Premier Su Tseng-chang, second right, and others attend the inauguration ceremony for the Ministry of Digital Affairs in Taipei yesterday. A Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that half of the ministry’s staff would be contract workers. The legislature last year passed the organization act of the ministry alongside two related pieces of legislation — the Organization Act for the Ministry of Digital Affairs’ Information Security Bureau (數位發展部資通安全署組織法) and the Organization Act for the Ministry of Digital Affairs’ Digital Industry Bureau (數位發展部資通安全署組織法).

The army and the American Institute in Taiwan signed the deal for weapons, ammunition and parts to be implemented from last month to December 2028, according to the contract notice published on Friday last week. The contract came amid Western media reports that China’s military drills in waters around Taiwan spurred US President Joe Biden to increase military aid to the nation. South Korean Army Apache attack helicopters take off during a large-scale drill in Icheon, South Korea, on July 25. Taiwan and the US have signed a six-year contract for ammunition and parts for Apache and Black Hawk helicopters. China’s military drills have put Washington on edge, but not enough to spur an immediate increase in weapons sales to Taiwan, Reuters reported.

KMT dubs Chen ‘king of nonsense’ in latest card setBy Shih Hsiao-kuang and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has released the latest set of its playing card series that feature “ridiculous” quotes from members of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The KMT has issued the card sets every two years since 2018 to coincide with local and general elections. This year’s set includes quotes from the DPP’s mayoral candidates Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) in Taipei, Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) in New Taipei City and Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬) in Taoyuan. Aside from Chen as the king of nonsense, the set also includes several “queens of nonsense,” including Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) and DPP legislators Fan Yun (范雲) and Michelle Lin (林楚茵). “Chen often said in the past that he has a ‘poker face,’ so we helped him make a set of cards,” said Kang Chin-yu (康晉瑜), spokesman for KMT Taipei mayoral candidate Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安).

House loans hit record, despite slowing growthBy Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterThe nation’s house loans and land financing last month climbed to record highs, but at the weakest pace in 19 months and 33 months respectively, as developers and buyers turned cautious amid interest rate hikes and economic uncertainty, the central bank said on Thursday. Home loans increased by NT$41.88 billion (US$1.39 billion), or 8.64 percent, from a year earlier, the central bank told an online news conference. Interest rate hikes, selective credit controls and unfavorable tax terms weighed on sentiment, the officials said. Similarly, land financing last month grew 12.53 percent year-on-year, mitigating for the past one to two years, the central bank said. Developers grew increasingly apprehensive over spiking construction costs and labor shortages, and many slowed the pace of construction and product launches, the central bank said.

Two former TPP members to run under NPP flag‘THIRD FORCE’: In making the switch, Chu Che-cheng lauded the ideals and persistence of the NPP, while Lin Chih-hao said the TPP lacked integrityBy William Hetherington / Staff writer, with CNAThe New Power Party (NPP) yesterday announced two candidates for the Nov. 26 local elections — Chu Che-cheng (朱哲成) and Lin Chih-hao (林志豪) — both of whom are former members of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). Members of the New Power Party hold a news conference in Taipei yesterday to announce its candidates for the November local elections. Photo: CNAAsked the same question, Lin said he made the decision to come to the NPP because he felt the TPP lacked integrity. Chu is to run for Taoyuan city councilor, while Lin is to run for Miaoli county councilor, NPP Chairwoman Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華) told a Taipei news conference. Lin said he had been inspired by the youthful NPP Miaoli County Councilor Sang Kok-ting (宋國鼎), who has fought against corruption in the county.

Sports icons:John McEnroe compared Williams to LeBron James and Michael Jordan, calling him “one of the greatest athletes in the history of any sport.”Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion and iconic tennis superstar of a generation, said Tuesday the “countdown has begun” to retirement from the sport. Williams is set to play in Cincinnati next week and qualify for the US Open, where she won her first Grand Slam title in 1999 at the age of 17. It just doesn’t feel like a modern word to me,” Williams wrote in Vogue. '”Williams has won 7 Wimbledon and Australian Open titles, 6 US Open titles, 3 French Open titles, a singles gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, and 3 doubles gold medals. US tennis legend John McEnroe compared Williams to the greatest NFL and NBA sports heroes of all time.

Poor sales of smartphones, notebook computers and other consumer electronic gadgets globally deepened growing economic unease, TIER said, citing a monthly survey of local makers. Mineral and food product suppliers are optimistic given a recovery in private consumption in Taiwan, it said. Despite ongoing COVID-19 infections, Taiwanese have returned to normal social activities and travels, TIER Economic Forecasting Center director Gordon Sun (孫明德) said. The recovery was responsible for the sentiment reading for service sectors growing 2.55 points monthly to 96.41, ending three months of downturn, the survey showed. Similarly, the confidence score advanced 3.84 points to 96.7 among civil engineering companies and property developers, given an approaching high season, it said.

Taiwan free to decide, under duressBy Yvonne ChiuTaiwan was briefly thrust back in the news recently, but global coverage and analysis largely overlooked an essential voice — that of Taiwan’s people — and focused primarily on the US-China conflict, leaving many Taiwanese to wonder if their interests were even a consideration in the debate. Great power conflict tends to relegate all other actors to pieces to be moved around a chessboard, but this perspective is dangerous. These continuous and increasing threats hold Taiwan hostage, so people consider the ramifications of a bloody and devastating invasion of their country, and answer accordingly. Four generations have lived in Taiwan with the looming specter of Chinese invasion. At this point, however, it cannot be adequately discerned what Taiwanese really want — only what they want under duress.