US delegation signals ‘clarity’: expert
US lawmakers wave from inside a bus as they leave the Ministry of National Defense in Taipei yesterday. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian yesterday voices China’s objection to a visit by US lawmakers to Taiwan. Su — who is director of the institute’s Division of Defense Strategy and Resources — was a speaker at a defense ministry news conference on Tuesday, at which it released a national defense report. These signals demonstrate that Washington’s policy toward Taiwan has moved from “strategic ambiguity” toward “strategic clarity,” he said, but added that the government cannot reveal too much about the delegation’s itinerary at this time. The visit can be viewed as an attempt to boost Taiwan-US cooperation in military affairs, Su said.
Source:Taipei Times
November 10, 2021 22:15 UTC
Lithuania aims to send charter tours to Taiwan: panel
Lithuania aims to send charter tours to Taiwan: panelStaff writer, with CNALithuania is looking forward to helping local tourism and travel firms create charter-flight tour packages to Taiwan, Dalius Morkvenas, Lithuania’s head of tourism, told a travel symposium in Taipei on Monday. Photo: Chen Hsin-yu, Taipei TimesMorkvenas serves as managing director of Lithuania Travel, the Baltic nation’s agency responsible for tourism marketing and promotion, following the liquidation of Lithuania’s tourism department in 2019. Having an “air travel connection” is important for tourism, and Lithuania is prepared to help its travel companies create and promote charter-flight tours to Taiwan, Morkvenas said. With Taiwan’s appreciation of outdoor scenic attractions, local firms should strike while the iron is hot and promote post-pandemic outdoor tourism to Lithuania, Lin added. A local participant suggested organizing cultural exchanges as a means of promoting tourism between Lithuania and Taiwan.
Source:Taipei Times
November 10, 2021 22:15 UTC
Local researchers make advanced MRAM device
Local researchers make advanced MRAM device‘A BREAKTHROUGH’: TSRI Fabrication Service Division director Li Kai-shin said the key step forward in making the device entailed perpendicular magnetic anisotropyBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterThe Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute (TSRI) yesterday unveiled a new memory device it developed with university researchers, saying that they are the world’s second team after Intel to make the breakthrough. Magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) is widely regarded as having the potential to become a mainstream device, TSRI Fabrication Service Division director Li Kai-shin (李愷信) told a news conference in Taipei. To develop the device, global manufacturers have been working on various techniques, including spin-transfer-torque MRAM (STT-MRAM) and spin-orbit-torque MRAM (SOT-MRAM), although SOT-MRAM is still mostly in the research phase, he said. A next-generation memory device, developed by researchers from the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute, National Taiwan University, National Tsing Hua University and the Industrial Technology Research Institute, is pictured at a news conference at the Ministry of Science and Technology in Taipei yesterday. While Intel did not reveal the structural features of its device, the team clarified the physical mechanism involved in making the device, he added.
Source:Taipei Times
November 10, 2021 02:36 UTC
Wang, Lee ready for Indonesia
Wang, Lee ready for IndonesiaJUGGLING COMMITMENTS: Taiwan’s Lee Yang said that he and Wang Chi-lin are protecting themselves and others, while doing ‘our best to prepare for each match’Staff writer, with CNAOlympic gold medalists Wang Chi-lin and Lee Yang depart today for Bali, Indonesia, to compete in the three-tournament Indonesia Badminton Festival, looking to regain the form that carried them to victory for Taiwan at the Summer Games in Tokyo. 44 Yoshinori Takeuchi and Keiichiro Matsui of Japan in the first round of the Super 750 Indonesia Masters, which offers prize money of US$600,000. Wang and Lee are also seeded third as the festival continues with the Super 1000 Indonesia Open, which opens on Nov. 23 with a US$850,000 purse. Taiwan’s Lee Yang, left, returns as Wang Chi-lin positions himself during their men’s doubles badminton final against China’s Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo on July 31. To advance to the top in Indonesia, Wang and Lee might need to face the two top-seeded Indonesia teams, which they defeated under pressure-packed conditions at the Olympics, as well as the in-form pairing of Hoki and Kobayashi.
Source:Taipei Times
November 09, 2021 22:05 UTC
Toshiba to split business into three firms: report
Toshiba told Agence France-Presse the option of splitting its business up was under consideration, but said nothing had been decided yet. The Nikkei, which did not cite sources, said the move could be announced on Friday, when Toshiba reports earnings and unveils a new mid-term business plan. The Nikkei report said that splitting up conglomerates had been a successful strategy for some firms in the US, including Hewlett-Packard Co. However, for others, such as chemical giant DuPont Co, which separated into three firms under shareholder pressure, overall market capitalization is now lower, the business daily said. The move is relatively rare in Japan, and Toshiba would be the first major conglomerate to split into completely independent listed companies, the Nikkei said.
Source:Taipei Times
November 09, 2021 19:01 UTC
Ministry denies accusations of discrimination
Ministry denies accusations of discriminationSTUDENT COMPLAINTS: One said they were asked to wait four months for an appointment, but ministry officials in Taipei said no discrimination is toleratedBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday denied accusations by a group of students from Africa, who said that officials discriminated against them in processing their visa applications. In an online news conference yesterday, the students accused the Taipei Trade Office in Nigeria of blocking their visa applications. Photo: screen grab from the InternetMany of the students had applied for visas at other foreign embassies, but what they experienced at the Taiwan office was terrible, they said. The students have sought help from the Taiwan International Student Movement, an advocacy group for the rights of international students, which also called on the ministry to stop discriminating against African students. However, since Aug. 23, overseas students have been allowed to enter Taiwan and overseas offices have been accepting applications for student visas, Ou said.
Source:Taipei Times
November 09, 2021 17:30 UTC
COVID-19: Foreigners receive another 30-day visa extension
The government has announced automatic 30-day visa extensions each month this year to avoid forcing foreigners to leave Taiwan while the pandemic continues to affect the world and travel restrictions are in effect. The extension policy would continue to be reviewed and adjusted as necessary, in accordance with the Central Epidemic Command Center’s (CECC) assessment of COVID-19 conditions, the agency said. The death involved a woman in her 90s, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on June 1, Chen said. Chen announced that three types of COVID-19 vaccines — AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna — would be offered in the 14th round of the national vaccination program. Asked if a mix-and-match approach to COVID-19 vaccines could be approved in the 15th round, Chen said “it is possible,” but it would depend on the delivery of vaccines later this month.
Source:Taipei Times
November 09, 2021 17:30 UTC
Exports hit record highs on tech orders
“Tight capacity and clear order visibility for chips, the main growth driver, lend further support to Taiwan’s exports,” Department of Statistics Director-General Beatrice Tsai (蔡美娜) said at a media briefing in Taipei. Electronics shipments grew 12.4 percent to US$14.58 billion, while exports of information and communications technology products soared 26.9 percent to US$5.88 billion last month, the ministry’s monthly report showed. Imports of agricultural and industrial materials surged 48.8 percent to US$23.67 billion, while semiconductor equipment imports rose 46.3 percent to US$3.14 billion, it said. In the first 10 months of the year, exports jumped 30 percent to US$364.2 billion, while imports advanced 33.7 percent to US$310.38 billion, the ministry said. Tsai said fast vaccination rates worldwide allowed companies and consumers confidence to embark on purchasing activity.
Source:Taipei Times
November 09, 2021 02:38 UTC
Few willing to change lifestyle to save the planet
Protesters on Friday hold a sign inside the venue at the COP26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland. Only 51 percent said they would definitely take individual climate action, with 14 percent saying they would definitely not and 35 percent torn. People in Poland and Singapore (56 percent) were the most willing to act, and in Germany (44 percent) and the Netherlands (37 percent) the least. People carry a sign on Saturday as they attend a protest during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain. “Citizens are undeniably concerned by the state of the planet, but these findings raise doubts regarding their level of commitment to preserving it,” the study said.
Source:Taipei Times
November 09, 2021 01:03 UTC
Taiwanese company converts sugarcane into masks
Taiwanese company converts sugarcane into masksStaff writer, with CNAPolyester and textiles producer Far Eastern New Century Corp (FENC, 遠東新世紀) has developed a bio-based material derived from sugarcane bagasse that can be used in the production of masks. While the quality of bio-based fibers and petroleum-based synthetic fibers are similar, biodegradable materials are gentler on the skin and have good water absorption, the company said. Bio-based fibers cost about US$3 per kilogram — about three times that of petroleum-based alternatives, FENC said. The bio-based fibers can also be used to produce products such as diapers and alcohol wipes, the executive said. The firm’s biodegradable unwoven fibers include a green polyethylene made out of sugarcane ethanol.
Source:Taipei Times
November 09, 2021 01:03 UTC
‘EU agrees on cooperation with Taipei’
European Parliament member Raphael Glucksmann, president of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the EU, including Disinformation, speaks at a news conference in Taipei on Friday. Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA-EFEAlthough it was not the first time that European Parliament members have visited Taiwan, it was the first official delegation sent by the European Parliament, Glucksmann said. Asked how supporting Taiwan benefits the EU, Glucksmann said that supporting democracies against authoritarian regimes is in the long-term interest of the EU and is an issue of principle. It is also because of China’s aggression that Europe has stepped up its cooperation with Taiwan, he added. Glucksmann said that he would continue to push for closer ties between the EU and Taiwan, and advocate for a bilateral investment agreement.
Source:Taipei Times
November 07, 2021 19:00 UTC
Ministry working to fight Chinese cognitive warfare
Ministry working to fight Chinese cognitive warfareALREADY COVERED: All scenarios in a Reuters report on a possible Chinese attack have already been discussed by the defense ministry and Pentagon officials, an analyst saidBy Wu Su-wei and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNAThe Ministry of National Defense yesterday said that it is combating Chinese Communist Party (CCP) cognitive warfare efforts against Taiwan. The ministry said it has submitted guidelines to the Legislative Yuan to define cognitive warfare efforts by foreign powers and to outline the military’s actions to combat it. Photo: EPA-EFE / the Ministry of National DefenseThe CCP engages in cognitive warfare with Taiwan through the use of propaganda, fake social media accounts, content farms and Taiwanese collaborators, it said. The possible scenarios regarding a Chinese attack discussed in the report have all been previously discussed between the ministry and US officials at the Pentagon, he said. “Taiwan should also play to its strengths in information technology, and invest more in its electronic warfare capabilities,” he said.
Source:Taipei Times
November 07, 2021 17:31 UTC
John J. Tkacik, Jr. On Taiwan: Taiwan’s ‘meaningful participation’
John J. Tkacik, Jr. On Taiwan: Taiwan’s ‘meaningful participation’Ironically, October 25, 2021, was a milestone in Taiwan’s “meaningful participation” in the international community. In fact, the United States voted against China’s admission under Resolution 2758 explicitly because the resolution also expelled Taiwan. And now, the US insists on Taiwan’s “meaningful participation” in international organizations. But what, pray tell, is “meaningful participation”? Not only is the US lending weight to Taiwan’s international aspirations, Europe’s parliaments, Australia and the new government in Japan are also supportive.
Source:Taipei Times
November 07, 2021 17:19 UTC
Oil falls for second week as US, Saudi Arabia spar
Oil falls for second week as US, Saudi Arabia sparBloombergOil pared its weekly loss as Saudi Arabia cranked up prices for its global crude exports and the US demurred on a potential release of oil from the strategic reserve. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) shaved its weekly loss to 2.75 percent, rising sharply late in the session on Friday, after Saudi Arabia raised the official selling price of all the nation’s crudes to buyers around the globe. Photo: AFPSaudi Arabia boosted its prices just days after refusing to concede to US pressure to pump more oil. The increase in Saudi Arabian Oil Co prices suggests Saudi Arabia sees demand still improving, particularly in Asia where a resurgence in COVID-19 cases seeded doubt about the recovery’s strength, she added. For months, Biden has led calls for OPEC+ to add more barrels to tame high oil prices.
Source:Taipei Times
November 06, 2021 19:11 UTC
From Nigeria to India, Gen Z uses apps to invest
From Nigeria to India, Gen Z uses apps to investBy Nivrita Ganguly / AFP, MUMBAI, IndiaThere are a new generation of investors in town. College student Ishan Srivastava checks stocks on his computer while trading on apps on his smart phone in Ghaziabad, India. Photo: AFPSrivastava uses a handful of Indian trading apps from companies including Zerodha and Upstox, and often recevies his financial advice from YouTube. Trading apps have lowered the barriers to entry for youngsters in part by offering fractional trade. Some young investors have already been burned.
Source:Taipei Times
November 06, 2021 17:05 UTC