Taiwan Today
Date: May 17, 2019

The desire to educate and inspire was a major motivation for Tsai Feng-chun, chief executive offer of Sha Yang Ye Industrial Co. Ltd., in establishing tourism facilities at the headquarters of his firm in northern Taiwan’s Taoyuan City.

“We are moving into the age of robotics,” Tsai said. “So, our establishment aims to inform the public about the important role robots play in modern life, as well as stimulate young people’s interest in intelligent automation technologies.”

Since opening in 2013, Sha Yang Ye Robot Wonderland has successfully showcased the company’s wares while helping raise its profile as a leading original design manufacturer of high-precision microgeared motors.

The wonderland displays a range of service robots designed for companionship, education, entertainment, rescue missions and other purposes. Some of the most popular devices are puppet-like creations in the form of prominent local cultural symbols such as the Taoist deity known as the Third Prince.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan’s economic growth rate this year leaps to top of Asia’s 4 tigers for first time in over 10 years

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/05/17
By: Keoni Everington,Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Financial information firm IHS Markit predicts that Taiwan’s economic growth rate will lead the pack among Asia’s four tigers, for the first time in more than 10 years.

According to London-based IHS Markit, Taiwan’s economic growth rate this year will be 2 percent. This economic growth rate will put Taiwan on a path to surpass its rival Asian tigers, including Hong Kong (1.8 percent), South Korea (1.7 percent), and Singapore (1.4 percent), according to the firm.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/05/17
By: Chang Chien-chung and Frances Huang 

Taipei, May 17 (CNA) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s largest contract chipmaker, remained the third largest integrated circuit supplier in the world in the first quarter of this year, according to market advisory firm IC Insights.

Data released by IC Insights on Thursday showed that TSMC posted US$7.096 billion in sales in the January-March period, down 16 percent from a year earlier in the wake of weaker global demand, but its ranking remained unchanged.

In the first quarter, U.S.-based semiconductor giant Intel Corp. overtook Samsung Electronics Co. of South Korea to become the world’s largest IC supplier as the South Korean firm saw sales revenue plunge due to a tumble in the price of dynamic random access memory chips and NAND flash chips used in storage, IC Insights said.

Intel posted US$15.80 billion in sales in the first quarter, little changed from a year earlier, while Samsung’s sales revenue fell 34 percent from the previous year to US$11.99 billion, the data showed.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/05/16
By: Tsai Peng-min and William Yen

Taipei, May 16 (CNA) More than NT$288.4 billion of investment has been pledged by Taiwanese firms planning to return home as of Thursday, when three more firms responded to a government effort to attract investment from overseas Taiwanese firms returning to the country, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA).

The three companies — materials producer DingZing, optical lens supplier Ability opto-Electronics Technology co. Ltd. (AOET) and welding and wire company Kuang Tai Metal Industrial Co. (Kuang Tai), Ltd. — are expected to invest over NT$8.9 billion and create about 900 new jobs, the ministry said.

DingZing, which has operations in China, the United States and Vietnam, plans to invest over NT$2 billion in Taiwan, establishing facilities in Pingtung to produce advanced optical products, which will create 320 new domestic jobs, the MOEA said.

Meanwhile, AOET plans to invest more than NT$4 billion in Central Taiwan Science Park in Taichung by establishing new facilities with automated machinery and equipment, while recruiting a workforce of over 500, the MOEA pointed out.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwanese investments in India increased twelve-fold in 2018 over 2017

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/05/15
By: Duncan DeAeth, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taipei News) – Recent statements from the Department of Investment Services

of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) indicate that the economic and trade partnership between India and Taiwan is on track for steady growth over the coming years.

In 2018, total Taiwanese investment in India increased by a multiple of 12, with 21 applications for major investments totaling over US$360 million were approved by MOEA. In 2017, there were only 8 investment applications totaling US$30.5 million.

The total foreign investments in India by Taiwanese companies is just over US$700 million, reports UDN, meaning investments in 2018 alone, amount for over half of all Taiwanese investments in India.

Taiwan has established four trade offices in India over the past few years. Since the year 2000, bilateral trade has increased six fold to stand at US$7 billion dollars’ worth of goods and services in 2018, reports First Post.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/05/15
By: Pan Tzu-yu, Tsai Peng-min and Frances Huang

Taipei, May 15 (CNA) Taiwan companies are likely to play a critical role in the

development of a “non-red supply chain,” as the government has been offering incentives for overseas-based Taiwanese firms to return home, Minister without Portfolio Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said Wednesday, referring to a supply chain outside China.

Speaking at an economic forum held by the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER) on the economic outlook in Asia, Kung said an increasing number of China-based Taiwanese firms are looking to move at least part of their production back to Taiwan amid an escalating trade war between the United States and China.

Meanwhile, some Southeast Asian countries have been contacting the Taiwan government, hoping Taiwanese firms in China will shift some of their investments there, Kung said.

With the relocation of Taiwanese manufacturers back home and to Southeast Asian countries, the development of a “non-red supply chain” in the region will be strengthened, Kung said.    [FULL  STORY]