Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-05-16

A group of 15 Taiwanese startup companies is headed to Thailand to attend a major tech

conference. The government hopes the group’s participation will bring attention and opportunities to the companies while also encouraging foreign startups to come to Taiwan.

The Asian Silicon Valley Development Agency and the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration held a press conference Monday to announce that a Taiwanese contingent will be at Startup Thailand 2018.

The two government agencies have assembled a group of 15 startups to take part in the conference, which is set to open Thursday. The companies span a range of fields, from agricultural biotechnology to smart medicine and data security.    [FULL  STORY]

The two sides agreed to bolster cooperation in agricultural technologies

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/05/16
By: Huang Tzu-ti, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The 7th Taiwan-Philippines Agricultural Meeting took place in

Taipei on May 14, during which the two sides discussed a broad range of agricultural topics and sought ways to increase bilateral cooperation in agriculture and fisheries technologies.

According to the Council of Agriculture (COA), the Philippines is a key nation Taiwan eyes at furthering ties as part of its New Southbound Policy. Meetings have been held and collaborative projects carried out between the two sides since the inking of a MOU on agriculture and fisheries in 2005.

During the meeting on May 14, Taiwan and the Southeast Asian country agreed upon the implementation of mutually beneficial programs, including ones promoting the introduction of tropical agriculture infrastructure to the greenhouse industry, agricultural technologies exchange, vegetable gene bank management, pesticide research, and livestock and poultry production enhancement, COA said in a press release.

The two sides will, taking advantage of Taiwan’s strength in technologies and the Philippines’ supply of raw materials, establish demonstration farms in the Philippines for cooperation and to foster commercial opportunities.    [SOURCE]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/05/16
By: Tien Yu-pin and Frances Huang

Taipei, May 16 (CNA) Listed companies on the local main board posted a more-than 11

percent year-on-year increase in pretax profit in the first quarter of this year at a time when the economy at home and abroad has been on the road to recovery, according to data released Wednesday by the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE).

The TWSE, which operates the local main board, said listed firms in the exchange raked in NT$503.7 billion (US$16.85 billion) in pretax profit, up 11.29 percent from a year earlier.

According to the exchange, the Internet/communications, plastics and semiconductor industries served as an anchor to the earnings growth during the January-March period.

The TWSE said the Internet/communications industry benefited from disposal of assets and revenue from licensing, while the bottom line of the plastics sector was boosted by solid global demand.    [FULL  STORY]

The relaxation of the rule on a visa scheme targets rich foreign investors

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/05/15
By: Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan’s Cabinet unveiled a proposal for a New Economic Migrant Act on Tuesday and is mulling relaxation of the rules on a visa scheme targeted at rich foreign investors, which allows investments in designated funds, or other financial products outside government bonds.

According to existing rules for immigrant investors, applicants are required to invest either over NT$30 million (US$1 million) in Taiwanese government bonds or over NT$15 million (US$0.5 million) in a for-profit enterprise in Taiwan, which can create five or more job opportunities for Taiwanese citizens.

National Development Council Minister Chen Mei-ling (陳美伶) admitted that the rule was too rigorous, with less than 20 applicants eligible to get permanent residency so far, reported the United Daily News.

According to the Cabinet’s new plan, immigrant investors are allowed to invest in funds, company bonds, and other financial products designated by the government as critical to the country’s development.   [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/05/15
By: Tien Yu-pin and Frances Huang

Taipei, May 15 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) is launching a campaign to solicit funds from Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong, starting with a series of investment seminars in the three markets.

The seminars will be held May 15-18 in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul and will offer information on the investment environment in Taiwan.

TWSE President Chien Lih-chung (簡立中) will lead one of the delegations, comprising representatives of more than 10 listed companies, to meet with foreign institutional investors in Hong Kong and Tokyo and promote the Taiwan firms’ products and operations.

The Taiwan companies represented will include PC brand Acer Inc., power management solution provider Delta Electronics Inc., and computer component and peripheral equipment supplier Lite-On Technology Corp.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan Inter4national
Date: 2018-05-14

A Taiwanese energy-related company called CTCI has just signed a US$240 million

contract with an Indian company called Adani, to build natural gas receiving stations in Gujarat, India. That was the word from James Huang, the head of TAITRA, Taiwan’s trade council.

On Sunday, Huang led a delegation of 16 business leaders, 130 company representatives and 30 journalists to participate in the 2018 Taiwan Expo in India. This is the largest delegation to visit a New Southbound Policy country.

The stations will be built in the Mundra Economic Zone. The contract with Adani is the biggest contract ever signed with a New Southbound Policy country. That Taiwan government policy is tasked with strengthening ties with South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Huang said that Gujarat is a flagship area for petroleum companies. He has led delegations of Taiwanese petroleum industry leaders there four times since December, 2016.
[SOURCE]

The office aims to facilitate foreign investment in Taiwan, and create a network for talent cultivation in the country

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/05/14
By: Duncan DeAeth, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has announced plans to create a new office to assist foreign investors and to attract foreign talent to Taiwan.

The new project and office, called “Invest Taiwan” will act as a platform for recruiting foreign professionals as well as a help center that will make use of the MOEA’s resources to facilitate foreign investment in Taiwan. The office will reportedly open in June.

The head of MOEA’s Department of Investment Services, Chang Min-pin (張銘斌) , says the Invest Taiwan Office will tailor services to foreign companies and investors, also helping create a networking service to pair talented professionals with suitable companies to better facilitate growth in various industries, and among start up enterprises.

Along with the Invest Taiwan Office initiative, a three-part strategy to cultivate and attract talent is also under development, according to CNA.    [FULL  STORY]