Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/10/19
By: Liu Chien-pang and Flor Wang

Taipei, Oct. 19 (CNA) Taipei has teamed up with electric vehicle maker Tesla, Inc. to build

a “new creative energy base” that formally opened in the city Friday, with one new startup already based there.

The 1.46-hectare base located in Neihu District was formerly a bus repair depot and was provided by the city government to help foster new startups, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lin Chin-rong (林欽榮) said at a news conference.

Lin said the base, which has enough space for eight more startups, will house new companies focusing on new energy, new high-tech and energy-saving technologies.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-10-18

Taiwan and Paraguay plan to cooperate in US$150 million in investment. Pictured is

Taiwan and Paraguay plan to cooperate in US$150 million in investment. The two countries will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) by the end of the year at the earliest. That’s the word from Deputy Foreign Minister Jose Maria Liu on Thursday during a legislative hearing.

Liu’s comment came after the foreign ministry confirmed a day earlier that the two countries are pushing for a US$150 million investment proposal.

President of Paraguay Mario Abdo Benitez was on a state visit to Taiwan last week. Liu said Benitez, who took office in August, voiced his wish for Paraguay to deepen cooperation with Taiwan in investment, trade and public infrastructure.

Paraguay and Taiwan have had diplomatic relations since 1957.    [SOURCE]

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/10/18
By:  Central News Agency

Taiwan remains 13th in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) Global Competitiveness Report 2018, as well as fourth in East Asia and the Pacific.

In the competitiveness rankings among countries in East Asia and the Pacific, Taiwan finished behind Singapore (2nd overall), Japan (5th) and Hong Kong (7th) but ahead of Australia (14th), South Korea (15th) and New Zealand (18th).

Taiwan was also one of only four countries among the 17 economies in East Asia and the Pacific to remain in the same position as in last year’s rankings, along with Singapore, Hong Kong and China (28th).

In its Global Competitiveness Index 4.0 2018 rankings, the WEF assessed the competitiveness of 140 economies based on 98 indicators organized into 12 pillars.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/10/18
By: Tsai Peng-min and Ko Lin 

Taipei, Oct. 18 (CNA) A team from Indonesia received first place in the fifth annual Asia Super Team competition Thursday, at an event held to present team members with their award.

“The 2018 Asia Super Team: Dare for Future” saw about 5,500 business teams apply online to take part in the preliminary round which was held from June to August, after which eight teams from eight countries were selected to contest the final in September.

Organized by the Bureau of Foreign Trade and promoted by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the 2018 theme was “Dare for Future” and required eight Asian teams to undertake various challenges across Taiwan for two days beginning October 15, including preparing and tasting local signature dishes, drawing cinema posters, picking tea leaves and experiencing indigenous dance and culture.

On the last day of the challenge, the teams were required to upload photos of their competition in Taiwan, tag the photos with #AsiaSuperTeam, and encourage coworkers, friends, and families to vote for them.    [FULL  STORY]

STILL UPBEAT: The world’s biggest contract chipmaker sees little impact from the US-China trade war and is sticking to its five-year growth forecast of 5-10%

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 19, 2018
By: Lisa Wang  /  Staff reporter

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest contract

chipmaker, yesterday lowered its revenue growth forecast for this year to 6.5 percent, owing to flagging demand from China for chips used in cryptocurrency mining tools.

That marked the second downward revision after the Hsinchu-based chipmaker in July reduced its projection for this year to between 7 and 9 percent for the same reason.

At the beginning of this year, TSMC had set a growth target of between 10 and 15 percent.

TSMC remains upbeat about its growth prospects over the next five years.

“We [will] continue to stay at 5 to 10 percent [annual] growth rate. It would probably be closer to the high-end of that range,” TSMC chief executive officer C.C. Wei (魏哲家) told an investors’ conference in Taipei.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-10-17

Popular Taiwanese bookstore chain Eslite has announced plans to open its first location

in Japan. The move represents a big step for the company’s expansion outside of Taiwan.

Bookstore chain Eslite is a Taiwanese institution, one that brings a touch of Taiwan wherever it goes. In 2012, it opened a store in Hong Kong, and in 2015, it entered the Mainland Chinese market with a store in Suzhou.

At a press conference Tuesday, Eslite announced a new plan- its first foray outside of the Chinese-speaking world.     [FULL  STORY]

1111 Job Bank survey reveals under 50% of Taiwanese companies in a position to offer wage increases next year

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/10/17
By: Scott Morgan, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – About 58 percent of businesses offered a wage increase to workers this year, and 46 percent are expecting to dish out pay increases next year, according to a recent survey by 1111 Job Bank, reported CNA.

1111 Job Bank suggests the average wage boost for companies offering raises next year will be 3.75 percent.

The survey revealed the main reasons for improving employee income this year were job performance (52.46 percent), business performance (43.77 percent), department performance (15.85 percent), and compatibility with the company (8.55 percent).

The survey also revealed wage increases were most prevalent in the financial services sector, despite the industry being the second-highest paying in Taiwan, and least prevalent in the logistics sector.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/10/17
By: Lee Hsin-Yin

Taipei, Oct. 17 (CNA) Gogoro Inc., a Taiwan-based electric scooter company, said

Wednesday it will share its battery-swapping facilities with two other domestic companies that are planning to launch electric scooter models next year.

Through the partnership with Aeon Motor Co. and PGO Scooters, a larger business model of electric mobility could become a reality, said Gogoro founder and Chief Executive Officer Horace Luke (陸學森).

“Electric mobility will trigger a wave of new industries and possibilities,” he said, adding that the partnerships will help expand Gogoro’s business.

The decision followed an announcement by Gogoro in September that it had agreed to manufacture electric scooters for the Japanese firm Yamaha Motor Co. and offer similar battery swapping services.    [FULL  STORY]