Three of four enterprises under MOEA post net profits
Taipower spokesman Chang Ting-shu (張廷舒) attributed the results to an annual increase in electricity consumption of 5.1 percent, far above what the company had anticipated. The Bureau of Energy had estimated that electricity use would increase 2.6 percent year-on-year, up from 2.1 percent last year. RISING LNG PRICESHowever, the surging price of liquefied natural gas (LNG) internationally has become “a burden” for the company. THE DROUGHTTaiwan Sugar Co (Taisugar, 台糖) reported net profit of NT$685 million, but Taiwan Water was in the red due to a drought earlier this year, the ministry’s State-owned Enterprise Commission said. As the drought affected farmers’ first and second rice harvests, Taiwan Water and the Water Resources Agency paid compensation of NT$1.22 billion each to the farmers, the commission said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 13, 2021 15:56 UTC
Military think tank expanding its European ties
Military think tank expanding its European tiesBy Aaron Tu / Staff reporterThe Institute for National Defense and Security Research is expanding its ties with think tanks in Europe, and they are interested in Taiwan’s experience in countering China’s security threats, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. Many European nations have been alerted to China’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy, military expansionism and its ties with Russia, which is an opportunity for the institute to acquire more partners through “think tank diplomacy,” an institute member said on condition of anonymity. An undated photograph shows the logo of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taipei. Several European nations have expressed an interest in learning from Taiwan’s experience in countering disinformation campaigns and cognitive warfare by Beijing, the member added. “European nations that maintain close ties with Washington cannot be indifferent to the situation.”
Source:Taipei Times
July 13, 2021 15:56 UTC
Number of quarterly ‘big players’ hits new record, showing market confidence
Number of quarterly ‘big players’ hits new record, showing market confidenceBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterThe number of so-called “big investors” — those who trade more than NT$500 million (US$17.86 million) in local stocks in a single quarter — rose 88 percent in the second quarter to 5,990 investors, a record amount for a fifth consecutive quarter, data released by the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) showed. The number of big investors, viewed as a gauge of investors’ confidence in the local stock market, has been hitting fresh highs since the 1,674 registered in the second quarter of last year. The number increased to 2,369 in the third quarter and 2,401 in the fourth quarter of last year, before climbing to 3,178 in the first quarter of this year. The total number of investors rose 13 percent quarterly to 4.44 million in the second quarter, the data showed. Turnover totaled NT$656.38 billion, with foreign institutional investors buying a net NT$22.95 billion of shares on the main board, TWSE data showed.
Source:Taipei Times
July 13, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Recreation sites reopen, but few people going out
COVID-19: Recreation sites reopen, but few people going outSLOW START: Amusement parks reported about 100 visitors each, gyms said that attendance was sparse, while theaters are banking on ‘Black Widow’ for helpStaff writer, with CNAMovie theaters, sports centers, gyms, scenic spots and amusement parks across Taiwan reopened after two months yesterday as some COVID-19 restrictions were eased, but crowds generally stayed away. A worker disinfects a cycling machine as a woman exercises at a gym in Taipei yesterday. Moreover, Taoyuan and New Taipei City did not allow movie theaters to open. In Taichung, movie theaters and gyms reopened, although attendance was sparse. Three of Taiwan’s biggest amusement parks — Janfusun Fancyworld in Yunlin County, Lihpao Discovery Land in Taichung and Farglory Ocean Park in Hualien — said that about 100 visitors had entered each of their reopened parks as of noon.
Source:Taipei Times
July 13, 2021 15:56 UTC
Reporter's Notebook: Japan’s defense white paper displays nation’s growing affinity for Taiwan
Reporter's Notebook: Japan’s defense white paper displays nation’s growing affinity for TaiwanBy Lin Tsuei-yi and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter in TOKYO,with staff writerSignificant changes in Japan’s annual defense white paper, including for the first time a declaration of support for stability in the Taiwan Strait and separate treatment of Taiwan, show Tokyo’s growing affinity and respect for the nation. The cover of this year’s “Defense of Japan” annual white paper featuring a warrior riding a horse, left, is pictured yesterday next to the cover of last year’s white paper featuring cherry blossoms and outline of Mount Fuji. Photo: Lin Tsui-yi, Taipei Times“Stabilizing the situation surrounding Taiwan is important for Japan’s security and the stability of the international community,” the paper says. While the Japanese Ministry of Defense has emphasized that the nation’s basic stance toward Taiwan has not changed, its treatment of the issue in the latest white paper says otherwise. The report also corrects a map of Chinese military capabilities repeated in previous versions that expat groups have long protested should not include Taiwan.
Source:Taipei Times
July 13, 2021 15:56 UTC
Farmers in need of digital certificates, DPP legislators say
Farmers in need of digital certificates, DPP legislators sayVIRTUAL WORLD: An online business account should be implemented as part of the farmer’s welfare card to help them source supplies, a legislator saidBy Pan Wan-hsin and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Council of Agriculture should implement digital certificates to help farmers buy materials and claim benefits, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators said yesterday. The council should create QR codes as an addition to the farmer’s welfare card, which was introduced in January, Chung said. The council should also implement an online business account function as part of the farmer’s welfare card project that would help farmers source their supplies through online retailers, he added. The farmer’s welfare card should be used for more than proof of identity and managing food safety standards, DPP Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said. The farmer’s welfare card should also incorporate other personal information, such as the farmer’s insurance, pension account and the status of subsidy payments, he said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 13, 2021 15:56 UTC
TSMC says three workers test positive for COVID-19
TSMC says three workers test positive for COVID-19By Lisa Wang / Staff reporterTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, yesterday said three of its employees had tested positive for COVID-19, and more than 100 workers who came into close contact with them are quarantining at home and are to undergo rapid and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. It has also provided them with COVID-19 home test kits and arranged for further PCR tests. The PCR tests will be completed in two days, the chipmaker said. More than 200 workers have tested negative in initial tests, TSMC said in a filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange. The chipmaker plans to launch several rounds of rapid tests this week for employees to safeguard their health, it said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 12, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Easing urged for cram schools
Starting today, the Central Epidemic Command Center is to ease some COVID-19 restrictions on a conditional basis, although the nation remains under a level 3 COVID-19 alert through July 26. Unlike night markets and other places for whom restrictions have been relaxed, after-school education facilities have fixed clients, he said. If the nationwide level 3 alert is lowered after July 27, there would be no reason to keep cram schools closed, he said. He urged the government to finish vaccinating cram school teachers against COVID-19 before the end of this month so that they can resume classes. Summertime is peak season for cram schools, he said, adding that many elementary and junior-high school students are sent to cram schools during summer break.
Source:Taipei Times
July 12, 2021 15:56 UTC
Chiang, Cho spar over ‘consensus’
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang, center, speaks to reporters on the sidelines of an event outside Tucheng Hospital in New Taipei City yesterday. Chiang said that he made the KMT’s discourse on cross-strait relations “very clear” at the congress. The party advocates “a 1992 consensus based on the Constitution of the Republic of China,” Chiang added. Elections for the KMT chairperson and delegates to the party’s 21st national congress had been scheduled to take place on Saturday next week. Cho’s announcement made him the fourth candidate to run for KMT chairperson.
Source:Taipei Times
July 12, 2021 15:56 UTC
TSMC, Hon Hai to donate 10m shots
TSMC, Hon Hai to donate 10m shotsPRIVATE EFFORT: The shots are to arrive by the end of September and the firms have not mentioned reserving doses for their employees, the minister of health saidStaff writer, with CNATaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) and the Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密)-affiliated Yonglin Foundation yesterday said they would each donate 5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the government. TSMC and Hon Hai yesterday said that the doses they are buying would be shipped directly from the manufacturer in Germany. Hon Hai in a statement said that it would spend up to US$105 million and the foundation would spend up to US$70 million on the vaccine deal. Taiwan has signed contracts to buy about 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from abroad: 5.05 million doses of Moderna, 10 million doses of AstraZeneca and 4.76 million doses of unspecified brands through the COVAX program. As of yesterday, only about 2.15 million doses have been delivered, but Taiwan has also received donations of 4.86 million doses from the US and Japan.
Source:Taipei Times
July 12, 2021 15:56 UTC
Taipei censured over lax response to nursing home
Taipei censured over lax response to nursing homeCURSORY RESPONSE: Reports of an illegal nursing home in Neihu District were mired in bureaucracy and not thoroughly followed up on, leading to a deadly fireBy Hsieh Chun-lin and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Control Yuan yesterday censured the Taipei City Government for its cursory response to reports of an unregistered nursing home, saying that its negligence resulted in a missed opportunity to prevent a fire that killed three residents last year. The owner, surnamed Ting (丁), took three physically disabled people under her care, despite not having a nursing license, they said. The Control Yuan building is pictured in Taipei on June 3. Based on their investigation and Huang’s statement, Wang said that the Control Yuan found Taipei’s process for handling reports of unlicensed facilities insufficient. In addition, two of the residents formerly received welfare payments when living in another private care facility in the district, Wang said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 11, 2021 16:03 UTC
Hon Hai, US state in EV car talks
Hon Hai, US state in EV car talksTO BE FINALIZED: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co said it has engaged the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp to discuss its plans for EV manufacturing thereStaff writer, with CNA and BloombergHon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密), known internationally as Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團), on Friday announced that it had been holding talks on building electric vehicles (EVs) in Wisconsin, but said that plans had yet to be finalized. “Foxconn has engaged the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp (WEDC) to discuss the company’s plans for electric vehicle manufacturing,” the company said in a statement. The frame of an electric vehicle based on Hon Hai Precision Industry Co’s MIH Open Platform is displayed in Taipei on Oct. 16 last year. Many have speculated that the project would be based in Wisconsin, where Hon Hai had previously planned a US$10 billion factory to make flat panels, before massively scaling it back earlier this year. The spokesperson added that “core stakeholder” FAW and “partner” Foxconn would collaborate in sending executives to Byton to support production and operations.
Source:Taipei Times
July 11, 2021 15:56 UTC
Realtek to build NT$7bn facilities at science parks
The company’s investment is also a demonstration of the robust demand for semiconductors in the post-COVID-19 era, the ministry said in a statement. Realtek, founded in 1987 at the Hsinchu Science Park (新竹科學園區), is a fabless semiconductor firm that focuses on chips used in products for communication networks, computer peripherals, and devices for multimedia and ultra-wideband communications. Realtek Semiconductor Corp’s logo is displayed outside its headquarters at the Hsinchu Science Park in an undated photograph. Photo: Grace Hung, Taipei TimesThe company plans to build a new office building at the Hsinchu Science Park and another at the Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park (新竹生醫園區) in Hsinchu County’s Jhubei City (竹北) to accommodate IC designers, software and hardware researchers, laboratories and small-scale trial production bases, the ministry said. Last month, memorychip packaging and testing service provider Powertech Technology Inc (力成科技) said it would invest NT$20 billion in a second production facility at the Hsinchu Science Park.
Source:Taipei Times
July 11, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Taichung friends form group to disinfect district
COVID-19: Taichung friends form group to disinfect districtBy Chang Jui-chen and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerStaff reporter, with staff writerFour volunteers in Taichung’s Nantun District (南屯) have helped disinfect half the district in less than a month. From left, disinfection volunteers Hung Hsin-jen, Chiang Ming-che, Chen Chun-hua and Huang Mao-chieh pose with spray equipment in Taichung’s Nantun District in an undated photo. Volunteers disinfect a statue in a garden in Taichung’s Nantun District in an undated photo. Photo copied by Chang Jui-chen, Taipei TimesHung, 33, who works in the automotive industry, said on Wednesday that encouragement from community residents helped fuel their motivation. The group said they hope to disinfect the rest of the district by the end of this month, before disinfecting nearby tourist spots.
Source:Taipei Times
July 10, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Tzu Chi takes next step to buy vaccines
COVID-19: Tzu Chi takes next step to buy vaccinesPRIVATE AID: Tzu Chi joins Yonglin and TSMC in working to purchase vaccines for the government, although the Executive Yuan had initially not approved the dealsBy Lee Hsin-fangand Wang Chun-chi / Staff reportersThe Executive Yuan yesterday confirmed that it had given the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation the necessary documents for it to procure 5 million doses of the BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The confirmation came after the foundation earlier said in a news release that it had signed documents with the government on Friday. The foundation also thanked the government for its help, allowing it to hasten the process of acquiring vaccines and donating them back to the government. Protest organizers urged the government to import more vaccines instead of waiting for locally developed shots to become available. Tzu Chi on June 23 submitted its vaccine purchase plan to the Food and Drug Administration, but Executive Yuan spokesman Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) said the following day that it would not approve it.
Source:Taipei Times
July 10, 2021 15:56 UTC