Taiwan News
Date: 2018/05/19
By:  Central News Agency

TAIPEI (CNA) – The second furnace of Taiwanese conglomerate Formosa Plastics Group

(FPG)’s steel mill in Vietnam has started production on a trial basis, a step which is expected to generate additional revenue for the group.

According to Vietnamese media, FPG held a ceremony on Friday for the trial production of the second furnace owned by its subsidiary, the Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corp., located in the Vung Ang Economic Zone in Ha Tinh Province.

Several officials from Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ha Tinh local government witnessed the start of operation.

The reports said the first day trial production proceeded smoothly and the second furnace is up to Vietnam’s environmental protection requirements in terms of its treatment of waste water, polluted air and other pollutants.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/05/19
By: Chang Chien-chung and Frances Huang

Taipei, May 19 (CNA) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) was the third largest integrated circuit supplier in the world in the first quarter of the year, unchanged from recent quarters, according to market information advisory firm IC Insights.

A research report released by IC Insights showed TSMC posting first-quarter sales of US$8.47 billion, up 13 percent from a year earlier, to retain the No. 3 spot in the rankings.

TSMC was the only contract chipmaker listed in IC Insights’s first quarter rankings of the top 15 semiconductor suppliers.

If TSMC, the world’s largest pure-foundry operator, had been excluded from the list, Taiwan-based IC designer MediaTek Inc. would have been ranked 15th with total sales of about US$1.70 billion in the January-March period.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan and India are set to hold talks this November on agriculture and fisheries

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/05/18
By: Huang Tzu-ti, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Representatives from Southeast Asian countries voiced their

interest in strengthening cooperation with Taiwan during a visit to the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) at Wufeng in Taichung City on May 17.

The six dignitaries hail from India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines – the nations the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen focuses on boosting relations with as part of its New Southbound Policy.

According to Director-General Sridharan Madhusudhanan (史達仁) of the India-Taipei Association, India and Taipei inked an MOU on agricultural cooperation in 2016, laying the foundation for the two sides to push for closer ties. He said that India, whose economy is heavily reliant on agriculture, boasts over 80 varieties of mango, for example.

Noting that government officials from the country are scheduled to visit Taichung World Flora Exposition taking place this November, he looks forward to seeing advanced bilateral cooperation in agricultural projects, reported the Liberty Times.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/05/18
By: Han Ting-ting and Flor Wang 

Taipei, May 18 (CNA) Shares in Taiwan ended flat after a positive start on the Taiwan Stock
Exchange on Friday — the last trading session ahead of May 20, the second anniversary of President Tsai Ing-wen’s presidency.

After opening at 10,844.09, the Taiex rose to the day’s high of 10,893.35 within 20 minutes but then lost its momentum in the rest of the session and ended down 2.97 points, or 0.03 percent, at 10,830.84, dragged down by a weak performance by most electronics shares.

Turnover totaled NT$125.891 billion (US$4.21 billion). Gainers outnumbered losers 403 to 388, with 128 remaining unchanged.

The electronics sub-index finished down 0.26 percent, hurt by weakness in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chip maker and the most heavily weighted stock in Taiwan. It fell 1.32 percent to finish at NT$223.50.
[FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-05-17

The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) believes that Taiwan can

become a great working partner with India. That’s the word from TAITRA Chairman James Huang on Thursday at the opening of the Taiwan Expo in New Delhi, India.

Huang said Taiwan is not only in India for its trade. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said earlier in the year that investing in India means investing in the future. Modi subsequently announced the policies of Make in India, Digital India and Green India. Huang said Taiwan has the supply chain for the needs of India in those areas.

Taiwan is exhibiting its smart cities, electric cars, green technology, health care and culture tourism in India. He said 130 Taiwanese companies are displaying their newest technology and products.    [FULL  STORY]

“Industrial IoT will become a core focus for Foxconn,” said Terry Gou.  

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/05/17
By: Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Terry Gou, chairman of Hon Hai Precision (trading as Foxconn), confirmed in a speech at China’s Tsinghua University on Wednesday that the company is building up a semiconductors team responsible for chip design and manufacturing to address massive demand for chips to be used in the company’s development of the industrial Internet of Things (IoT).

The company is said to be shaking the Apple shackles as merely a contract manufacturer, and is dedicated to transformation.

The outspoken Taiwanese tycoon said on May 16 that the group is delving into the industrial IoT and is working on its own chips for the ambition. The company is said to have procured up to US$40 billion worth of chips a year.

“Industrial IoT will become a core focus for Foxconn,” said Gou.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/05/17
By: Elaine Hou, Wang Yang-yu and William Yen

Taipei, May 17 (CNA) Taiwan expressed serious concern and regret Thursday after Spain

deported two Taiwanese suspected of involvement in telecoms fraud to China last Friday, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) press release.

The duo were part of a larger group of 219 Taiwanese nationals arrested in the European country for alleged involvement in fraud, MOFA said.

Meanwhile, based on Spain’s deportation treaty with China, a Spanish court has agreed to deport the remaining 217 suspects to that country, MOFA pointed out.

MOFA and Taiwan’s representative office in Spain will continue to assist and protect the rights of the Taiwan nationals and help their family members get in touch with them, the ministry said.    [FULL  STORY]