Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/01/20
By: Central News Agency

Taipei, Jan. 20 (CNA) The weeks following Lunar New Year are generally when people

in Taiwan switch to new jobs or even change career paths, so it should come as no surprise that a large number of businesses have plans to recruit during the first quarter of this year.

According to the latest survey by TaiwanJobs, an online recruitment platform established by the Bureau of Employment, 60.60 percent of Taiwan’s businesses surveyed have plans to recruit during the first quarter, while 24.62 percent are unsure and 14.78 percent do not have openings, so will not be recruiting.

TaiwanJobs published its results based on 1,109 completed, valid telephone questionnaires collected between Nov. 20 and Dec. 7, 2017. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.93 percentage points.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News  
Date: 2018/01/19
By: Taiwan Today,Agencies

An action plan aimed at promoting AI development will help transform Taiwan into a

global hub of innovation in the field, according to Premier Lai Chi
An action plan aimed at promoting artificial intelligence development was approved by the Cabinet Jan. 18, underscoring the government’s commitment to spurring innovation and transforming the nation into a global AI technology hub.

Proposed by the Cabinet-level Office of Science and Technology, the initiative seeks to foster and recruit top AI talent, identify cutting-edge research topics advantageous to Taiwan, create an international center for AI innovation, promote regulatory easing to facilitate AI testing and verification, and craft pioneering AI solutions to meet industry needs.

With a total budget of NT$36 billion (US$1.22 billion), the four-year action plan will be jointly implemented by the Ministries of Economic Affairs, Education, Labor and Science and Technology.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/01/19
By: Chang Chien-chung and Frances Huan

Taipei, Jan. 19 (CNA) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s

largest contract chipmaker, said Friday that it is scheduled to break ground for a new foundry to produce the advanced 5 nanometer wafer in the Southern Taiwan Science Park on Jan. 26.

TSMC said it issued invitations on Friday to its guests to attend the ground-breaking ceremony, which will be presided over by its Chairman Morris Chang (張忠謀).

In November, TSMC’s board meeting approved a capital appropriation plan of US$4.28 billion and out of the budget, about US$1.67 billion will be used for construction of the 5nm plant in Tainan City.

The chipmaker has not yet disclosed the total investment for the new 5nm plant. Market analysts have anticipated Chang will give more details about the financial terms of the new plant at the ceremony.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/01/18
By: Huang Tzu-chiang and Ko Lin

Singapore, Jan. 18 (CNA) Taichung city government is looking to establish further

exchanges and cooperation with Singapore in the hope of turning the city into a major logistics hub in the region, Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said Thursday.

Singapore boasts a highly developed logistics industry and is also actively working to develop a smart city initiative, Lin said during his visit to a major logistics company in the country.

YCH Group, founded in 1955, is the city state’s major logistics service provider with business that covers warehousing and freight management.

It is also Singapore’s largest home-grown supply chain solutions company and a leading regional supply chain management partner to many of the world’s leading brands across Asia Pacific, according to the Taichung Economic Development Bureau.
[FULL  STORY]

ROSY PROSPECTS: The chipmaker expects to see another 10% to 15% rise in revenue this year, backed by growth in high-performance computing, IoT and automotive chips

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

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

chipmaker, yesterday posted a record-breaking net profit of NT$343.11 billion (US$11.61 billion) for last year, benefiting from robust chip demand for smartphones and cryptocurrency mining machines.

That represented an annual growth of 2.65 percent from NT$334.25 billion in 2016, according to the chipmaker’s financial statement. Earnings per share rose to NT$13.23 from NT$12.89.

While the pace of growth decelerated from 2016’s 10 percent increase, the chipmaker expects the growth momentum to carry on this year.

This year will be “an above-average year,” TSMC founder and chairman Morris Chang (張忠謀) told investors at his last appearance at the company’s quarterly earnings conference.    [FULL  STORY]

A four year plan that calls for training over 20,000 specialists

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/01/18
By: Duncan DeAeth, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Board of Science and Technology of the Executive Yuan is

making plans to be a central player in the drive to develop AI technology. The Board recently announced that it was planning an ambitious campaign to cultivate AI technology in Taiwan.

At a conference held on Jan. 18, the organization outlined a four year plan, which is comprised of five areas for investment and development.

The five areas of focus are; recruiting and training talent in fields related to AI, establishing leadership and strategies to navigate AI development, constructing an international platform for AI innovation, addressing legal issues and restrictions regarding expanding AI research, and lastly directing industries in Taiwan to begin coordinating and investing in AI technologies.    [FULL  STORY]

Landmark agreement marks Taiwan’s entrance to western veterinary medical market

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/01/17
By: Renée Salmonsen, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan-based drug development company, Lumosa

Therapeutics, announced yesterday on their website that a licensing agreement with Skyline Vet Pharma (SVP), an American animal health product development company, has been signed for an animal pain management drug to enter specified western markets.

The new drug is “an extended-release analgesic injection for pain management in companion animals,” according to the Lumosa website. The new drug is a combination of nabuphine, a kappa-agonist, and partial mu-agonist aimed at relieving moderate to severe pain in cats and dogs as well as other pets.

Under this agreement the drug, currently referred to as CS011 and soon to be SVP-161, will be further developed, commercialized, and marketed exclusively by SVP for resale in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. SVP will continue the necessary animal clinical studies needed to fulfill all regulations.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/01/17
By: Chiu Po-sheng and Frances Huang

Taipei, Jan. 17 (CNA) The Taipei Exchange (TPEx), has been encouraging Malaysia-

based companies to list on Taiwan’s over-the-counter (OTC) market, which the TPEx operates.

At a joint conference held by the TPEx and accounting firm KPMG in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, TPEx Chairman Philip Chen (陳永誠) addressed the representative of more than 50 companies, saying Malaysia is one of the major markets with the potential for stock listings and investments in Taiwan.

Chen said the TPEx has helped more than 1,000 companies, in particular small- and medium-sized enterprises, to raise funds from the capital market.

Through a stock listing on the OTC market, companies can improve their operations and thus attract investors, while laying out their plans for sustainable growth, Chen said.    [FULL  STORY]