Chen thanks CECC advisory panelBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterMinister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) yesterday expressed gratitude to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) advisory specialist panel for serving as its “brain” in the fight against the novel coronavirus. Taiwan yesterday reported no new COVID-19 cases and 429 patients have been released from isolation after recovering, said Chen, who heads the CECC. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung drinks a cup of Alishan tea during a visit to Chiayi County yesterday. Photo: Tsai Tsung-hsun, Taipei TimesThe CECC extends its special thanks to the panel, led by Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳), for keeping its policies on the right track, he added. “Unless a competent authority has set its own regulations for better management, the CECC would no longer limit the number of participants or flow of people at certain activities,” Chen said.

The university on Wednesday announced the establishment of the Research Center for Diplomacy Involving Taiwan as well as the Amalgamated Cross-strait Development and National Unification Policy Simulation Laboratory. The centers would use artificial intelligence to simulate scenarios involving a China unified with Taiwan under Beijing’s “one country, two systems” framework, it said. Through simulations and artificial intelligence, the Amalgamated Cross-strait Development and National Unification Policy Simulation Laboratory would “develop cross-strait policies that would advance international society’s understanding of and support for China’s national unification,” the university added. Taiwanese academics and think tanks should clearly see the intentions of the university’s new research centers and avoid exchanges with its academics, the council said. All Taiwanese should be clearly aware of Beijing’s “united front” methods and work together to protect Taiwan’s sovereignty, the council added.

Councilors report alleged wrongs at Han recall voteBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterNew Power Party (NPP) Kaohsiung City Councilor Huang Jie (黃捷) and other councilors yesterday reported complaints of suspected illegal activity as people in Kaohsiung headed to the polls to vote on recalling Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜). Kaohsiung councilors and residents at the polls were on the alert for illegal activity, as media reports had said that some people claiming to “monitor” polling stations were warning people not to cast a recall ballot, which could be viewed as intimidation. Huang said that when the polls opened at 8am, she began receiving reports of alleged election law offenses, such as people being filmed when entering the stations and other possible intimidation tactics. Kaohsiung voters yesterday enter a polling station to vote on recalling Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu. “There were also election workers making misleading statements at some polling stations, falsely informing those with no voter notification that they could not vote,” Huang wrote on Facebook, adding that the instruction was incorrect — people could vote with just their national identification card.

University graduation ceremonies go small, high-techBy Rachel Lin / Staff reporterSeveral universities yesterday held their graduation ceremonies, which were smaller and incorporated videoconferencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At National Taiwan University’s (NTU) event, students wore masks while speakers participated via videoconference. National Cheng Kung University students throw their caps in the air at their graduation ceremony in Tainan yesterday. National Taiwan University graduates yesterday attend the commencement at the school. “Hold on to your passion and cultivate your transcultural quotient,” Kuan told students.

Virus Outbreak: Border controls to remain: CECCSUCCESSFUL POLICY: The center said that 6,000 people have undergone testing at airports and ports, while nearly 150,000 home quarantine notices have been issuedBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterNearly 40 percent of the nation’s imported COVID-19 cases were intercepted at the border, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday, adding that maintaining strict border controls remains an important policy. The center would not prioritize the entry of overseas students, Chen said when asked about the issue yesterday. The center yesterday did not report any additional COVID-19 cases. Since the coronavirus outbreak began, 6,000 people with possible COVID-19 symptoms have undergone testing at airports and ports, while the center has issued nearly 150,000 home quarantine notices, Chen Tsung-yen said. Whether to lift the ban on flight transfers could be discussed when those plans are ready, Chen Shih-chung said.

Amendments aim to halt meddling with electionsBy Huang Hsin-po / Staff reporterThe Ministry of the Interior on Thursday finalized draft amendments to the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act (總統副總統選舉罷免法) and the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) targeting vote-buying, gambling and foreign actors meddling with local elections. Photo: Huang Hsin-po, Taipei TimesTo prevent disinformation from influencing voters, the proposed amendments borrow from US legislation a provision requiring advertisements for elections and recall votes to specify who paid for them. The amendment would only apply to local and legislative elections, not presidential elections, the ministry said. The Political Parties Act does not limit the number of parties that a person can join, which created the loophole, Civil Affairs Department Director Lin Ching-chi (林清淇) said. If passed into law, the amendments would apply to the 2022 local elections, it said.

Yageo chairman Pierre Chen, right, speaks to reporters at a press briefing in New Taipei City’s Shenkeng District yesterday. Photo: Lisa Wang, Taipei Times“I believe Yageo’s revenue and profit will continue to grow after combining [revenue] from Kemet Corp starting from July,” Chen said. As they are niche products, the acquisition of Kemet would help Yageo ride volatility in the consumer electronics industry, Chen said. More than 60 percent of Yageo’s revenue came from consumer electronics, smartphones in particular, he said. Yageo would not relocate production capacity out of China, despite trade difficulties and a technology race between Washington and Beijing, it said.

Chen was responding to a question about the reasoning behind the central government’s decision not to allow foreign students into the nation for now. The COVID-19 situation is different in many places, he said, adding that every nation has its own set of standards for loosening travel restrictions, and a responsibility toward its people. Taiwan has its own standards for lifting travel ban, he said, adding that the standards are in place to protect the public. For important business or trade-related travel, the center might consider shortening travelers’ quarantine period while ensuring the safety of the community, he added. As residents at long-term care facilities tend to be older, he advised them to wear a mask and follow hand hygiene.

Virus Outbreak: KMT accuses Tsai of double standards in criticizing MaBy Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporterThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday accused President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of applying double standards, saying that her criticism in 2008 of former president Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration consumer voucher program could apply to the stimulus coupons that her administration is launching next month. The arguments Tsai made 12 years ago can be applied to today’s stimulus coupon program, Wang said, adding that the central government has taken too long to finalize its stimulus program. Tsai criticized the Ma administration’s economic policy as being “haphazard,” “disorganized” and “directionless,” she said. Those comments are an accurate “prediction” of the “mess” that characterizes the Tsai administration’s COVID-19 relief efforts, she added. She urged Tsai to “reflect,” and to not use a different set of standards as the ruling party, compared with when she was in the opposition.

TAITRA launches virus aid siteONE-STOP SERVICE: The Web site provides medical workers, government officials and businesses access to educational videos and ways to buy medical equipmentBy Natasha Li / Staff reporterThe Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) yesterday launched the Taiwan Global Anti-COVID-19 Pavilion, an online information center, in cooperation with more than 2,000 local firms and 20 hospitals. With all information provided in English, the Web site offers a one-stop service catering to medical professionals, government officials, corporations and businesses, as well as individuals, Huang said. The Web site hosts a multitude of educational videos on epidemic prevention, and overseas medical personnel can even request video conferences with local doctors and healthcare providers, Huang said. “Companies that wish to purchase our medical equipment can do so through the Web site, as all products are clearly listed,” he added. “The Web site is also connected to Taiwan Centers for Disease Control’s 1922 COVID-19 hotline, which offers international patients more direct access to medical services,” Huang said.

Global smartphone shipments to fall by 12 percent, IDC saysReutersGlobal smartphone shipments are to fall nearly 12 percent to 1.2 billion units this year, market research firm International Data Corp (IDC) said on Wednesday, citing lower consumer spending due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. “What started as a supply-side crisis has evolved into a global demand-side problem,” IDC senior research analyst Sangeetika Srivastava said in a statement. Taipei-based research firm TrendForce Corp (集邦科技) said in April that it expected global smartphone production to slump a record 16.5 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier. In China, where the economy has begun to reopen and factories have resumed operations, IDC expects a single-digit decline this year. The research firm also expects upcoming 5G deployment to help smartphone shipments recover next year, adding that it does not expect growth to return until the first quarter of next year.

‘Financial strength’ key for Prudential buyer: FSCCAPITAL ADEQUACY: Some financial firms would like to acquire a foreign insurer for new profit momentum, but it comes with greater pressure, an academic saidBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterThe Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) on Wednesday said that it would scrutinize the financial health of the buyer of Prudential Life Insurance Co of Taiwan (保德信人壽) after local media reported that potential buyers submitted bids on Monday. Financial strength is critical as local life insurers must adopt International Financial Reporting Standards 17 in five years, which have stricter rules on the calculation of liabilities, the official said. The commission rejected Taishin Financial Holding Co’s (台新金控) application to acquire New York Life Insurance Taiwan Corp (紐約人壽) in 2013, and turned down IBF Financial Holdings Co’s (國票金控) application to acquire MetLife Taiwan Insurance Co (大都會人壽) in 2010, the official added. The Chinese-language Economic Daily News reported that First Financial Holding Co (第一金控) and Union Bank of Taiwan (聯邦銀行) had participated in the tender. Prudential Life Insurance Co of Taiwan, which began operations in 1990, has 700 sales personnel and 300 employees.

Q3 labor demand forecast to be lowest in 11 yearsStaff writer, with CNAThe demand for workers from July to September is expected to rise by 21,100 from this quarter, the lowest level for the same period in 11 years, a survey published by the Ministry of Labor on Tuesday showed. The manufacturing sector has the highest demand, with a hoped-for workforce increase of 7,200 people, followed by the wholesale and retail sector, which wants to hire 3,000 additional staff, the survey found. People line up at a Tainan City Government office on May 23 to apply for emergency relief funds. Photo: Yang Chin-cheng, Taipei TimesThe demand for workers in the medical, healthcare and social services field was third, at 2,200. However, the third quarter of 2009 saw a net increase that was even lower, with just of 19,563 workers added, ministry data showed.

Firms to spend NT$3bn on tripsKEEPING IT LOCAL: Although many firms had planned to hold trips overseas for their employees, they are instead opting to spend that money on domestic eventsBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterNearly 300 financial companies plan to spend NT$3.032 billion (US$101.3 million) subsidizing domestic trips for employees from this month to the end of the year to help boost the economy, the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) said yesterday. Banks plan to spend NT$1.36 billion, the highest among all industries, followed by insurers with NT$1.35 billion, securities companies with NT$185 million and accounting firms with NT$67 million, the commission said. Many firms had planned to organize overseas trips for their employees, or hold conferences and employee training courses abroad, Huang said. Fubon Financial Holding Co (富邦金控) yesterday said it would spend NT$700 million on domestic travel and training programs for its 58,000 employees. The company’s insurance unit, Fubon Life Insurance Co (富邦人壽), plans to spend NT$220 million on similar endeavors, it added.

Virus Outbreak: Bureau questions six over ‘mask hoarding’By Jason Pan / Staff reporterThe Criminal Investigation Bureau yesterday said it had arrested six people on suspicion of illegally stockpiling and selling medical masks made by a factory in central Taiwan. Bureau officials told a news briefing that they had seized 180,000 masks after raiding the factory and several warehouses on Friday last week. Boxes of confiscated masks are stacked up at the Taichung Criminal Investigation Bureau premises yesterday. Lai said that the bureau started its surveillance in late April after receiving reports that a company based in Taichung’s Wurih District (烏日) had been “stockpiling” masks. Agents also found more than 10,000 defective items and faulty masks returned from pharmacies, which Lai said were used to supplement the under-the-table mask production.