The election results also underscored the acceptance of President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) policies and programs. Thus, China not only asserted that the election did not change “the basic fact that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China,” it also criticized the other countries which sent congratulatory messages to Taiwan. Nauru’s announcement to sever ties with Taipei and establish diplomatic ties with Beijing further highlighted Xi’s efforts to isolate Taiwan. The flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) from Taiwan to New Southbound countries reached US$2.13 billion from January to June last year, while China received US$1.9 billion as FDI from Taiwan. Moreover, the pro-independence party of Taiwan retaining the presidency should not be used as a bargaining chip by other countries against China.

The Health Promotion Administration has urged people with cardiovascular disease to avoid eating spicy food or drinking alcohol before taking a hot bath or entering a hot spring during cold weather. Elderly people and people with cardiovascular disease should consult with their doctor before entering hot baths or hot springs in cold weather, and keep in mind six points, the HPA said. New Taipei CityFeb. 8, 9 (Thurs-Fri): garbage collection begins in the morning and ends at 6pm. TainanExtra service: Feb. 8 (Thurs) and Feb. 13 (Tue). KaohsiungFeb. 8, 9 (Thurs-Fri): garbage collection begin at 10am and ends at 6pm.

Taiwan biomanufacturer aims to be ‘biotech TSMC’FORESIGHT: TBMC teamed up with a US firm to secure access to biologics and other expertise in exchange for smart manufacturing and automation capabilities Taiwan Bio-Manufacturing Corp (TBMC, 臺灣生物醫藥製造), a government-initiated biotech company, on Friday staged its first public event in Taipei, during which it outlined its business model as being similar to that of contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) and highlighted its strategic alliance with a US technology-focused biomanufacturing company. The company, co-established by the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and the Development Center for Biotechnology (DCB) last year, on Friday announced a strategic alliance with National Resilience Inc from the US, which it said would give it access to the latter’s expertise in biologics, vaccines, nucleic acids, cell therapy and

More needed to protect chip sectorBy Liao Ming-hui 廖明輝Geopolitical competition has turned the semiconductor industry into a key sector being contested globally. On the other hand, Beijing is trying to break through that wall, using talent mobility and AI as shortcuts. China’s semiconductor industry faces four major bottlenecks: semiconductor equipment for advanced manufacturing processes, electronic design automation (EDA) software for semiconductor design, high-end AI chips and semiconductor talent. By adopting the technology of optical proximity correction, China has attempted to improve the low yield rate of deep ultraviolet multiple exposure processes caused by the optical proximity effect. The US “small yard and high wall” blockade focuses on the extreme ultraviolet equipment and deep ultraviolet lithography equipment, as well as high-end AI chips and EDA software.

People buy food and snacks for the Lunar New Year holiday in Taipei’s Dihua Street yesterday. Photo: CNA“People might feel the pinch more acutely,” since food costs, the largest chunk making up the index and an expense all consumers need to bear, advanced 4.1 percent, Tsao said. Meat prices were up 5.63 percent, while processed food items and dining out costs rose 4.31 percent and 4 percent each. By contrast, vegetable prices tumbled 14.54 percent year-on-year, as ample supply weighed on their value and helped mitigate overall food costs, Tsao said. Core CPI, a more reliable long-term price tracker because it strips volatile items, increased 1.64 percent, also well inside 2 percent territory, DGBAS data showed.

Global chip industry poised to bounce back after tough 2023BloombergThe global chip industry is poised for a significant rebound this year with sales expected to jump to a record level, fueled by a greater need for the electrical components from a broad range of businesses, according to a forecast from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). The increasing momentum indicates sales will gain 13 percent this year to almost US$600 billion, the SIA said. “Global semiconductor sales were sluggish early in 2023 but rebounded strongly during the second half of the year, a trend we expect to continue in 2024,” SIA president and chief executive officer John Neuffer said. By region, Europe was the only area that posted growth last year as sales increased 4 percent. China and the Asia Pacific region posted the steepest declines, with China revenue, the biggest block of sales for the industry, down 14 percent.

Taiwan’s voters can only vote on one single day, which makes it harder for some citizens to cast ballots in a variety of circumstances. Then, like now, Taiwan had no provisions for alternative means to cast a vote other than in person on a single election day. Far too many police officers and medical workers report that they do not vote in Taiwanese elections, because they need to stay on the job throughout election day. Alternatively, if such an issue appeared for the first time on election day, election officials would have less time to discover and resolve it. Taiwan should also allow voters who have a legitimate reason for not being able to vote in person to vote from home.

In addition, the central bank intervened in the local market last month to shore up the local currency, which weighed on overall foreign exchange reserves, Department of Foreign Exchange Director-General Eugene Tsai (蔡炯民) said during a news conference in Taipei. Euro, Hong Kong dollar, US dollar, Japanese yen, British pound and Chinese yuan banknotes are seen in a picture illustration taken on Jan. 21, 2016. Tsai linked the foreign fund outflow to a cash dividend distribution on the part of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電), the world’s largest contract chipmaker. Despite the retreat in foreign exchange reserves last month, Taiwan holds the world’s fourth-largest foreign exchange reserves after China, Japan and Switzerland, Tsai said. The central bank would maintain ample foreign exchange reserves to ensure stability in local financial markets and guard against any sudden fund outflows by foreign investors, he added.

As of this writing it was looking like Taiwan is about to lose Tuvalu after the recent election there. Similarly, in 2019 the Solomon Islands, neighbors to Bougainville, switched from Taiwan to the PRC, another move in the Great Game in the Pacific. Taiwan offers numerous such cleavages for Beijing to exploit. Occasionally, one even hears proposals that Taipei could be split off from the rest of Taiwan as Northern Ireland is from Ireland. I do not know of any research finding this in Taiwan, but the structure of support for Ko is suggestive of future trends.

Diesel to drop NT$0.1 amid airstrikes in Jordan, IraqBy Chen Cheng-hui / Staff reporterGasoline prices are to remain unchanged this week, even though international crude oil prices continued to rise last week, CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) and Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) said yesterday. Diesel prices are to decrease by NT$0.1 per liter this week, following a drop of NT$0.2 per liter last week, the two companies said in separate statements. “The decline in the annual growth rate of US personal consumption expenditures price index in December and Washington’s threats to strike back following attacks on US troops in Jordan led the global oil prices to rise last week,” CPC said. Effective today, gasoline prices at CPC and Formosa stations are to stay at NT$29.0, NT$30.5 and NT$32.5 per liter for 92, 95 and 98-octane unleaded gasoline respectively, the companies said. The price of premium diesel is to be NT$27.4 at CPC stations and NT$27.2 at Formosa pumps, they said.

Ko draws criticism for ‘college-educated’ jibeStaff writer, with CNATaiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) drew criticism from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as well as the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) after saying that his party would have won the election if ballot access was limited to college-educated voters. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je, center, attends a meet-and-greet event in Tapei yesterday, the latest in a series of events thanking supporters of his presidential campaign following the Jan. 13 elections. Ko said that, by definition, it is hard for a party of elites to win a majority. Nevertheless, “If there was a rule stating that only college-educated people could vote,” the TPP would have won the election, he said. KMT Legislator Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) dismissed the remarks as “yet another gaffe” by the TPP chair.

EDITORIAL: TPP horse-trading creates doubtMore than two weeks of heated discussions and speculation about which political party might win the legislative speakership ended with Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator-at-large Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) elected as the new speaker on Thursday. However, “how to recall the legislative speaker” became a hot search term that same day, while new debates arose the following day. Unsurprisingly, the KMT secured the speaker and deputy speaker roles. Although both sides were cordial and expressed goodwill, he knew the negotiations would fail as both parties refused to concede. Ko yesterday said he might file a defamation lawsuit against Wu over allegedly proposing the murky speakership quid pro quo.

North Korea calls for ‘war readiness’AP, SEOULPyongyang yesterday extended a provocative series of weapons tests by firing cruise missiles into the sea, as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for his military to step up war preparations and toured a shipyard. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the US and South Korean militaries were analyzing the North Korean launches into its western sea. South Korea’s military detected multiple missiles, but it did not immediately provide a specific number or an assessment of their flights, the joint chiefs said. A woman at a railway station in Seoul yesterday walks past a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test. North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not specify when Kim visited Nampho.

European countries have become heavily involved in the war in Ukraine by supporting the Ukrainian forces militarily. As such, the worry that war may return to more European countries has become more real, too. Whether European countries would support Taiwan in the event of a Taiwan contingency similar to how it has supported Ukraine is unclear. The European public finally understood the importance of Taiwan’s democracy, one that is constantly under threat from China. Last year, when Taiwan’s fertility rate was still low and I pitched pretty much the same story again, it sold exceptionally well.

Tata is building the iPhone assembly plant in Hosur city, which is to be its second such facility in the country. The Tata Group logo is pictured at a business meeting organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry in New Delhi on March 23, 2009. Photo: Reuters, Vijay MathurThe Taiwanese firm would provide technical and engineering support at the plant, the sources said. Tata’s first iPhone assembly plant is in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, which it took over from Taiwan’s Wistron Corp (緯創) last year. Pegatron independently operates an iPhone assembly plant in Tamil Nadu and is in talks to add a second facility.