The China Post
Date: April 30, 2017
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — After visiting the White House for the second time in two days, Hon

Hai Chairman Terry Gou on Friday confirmed that his firm was planning major “expanded investments” in the U.S.

Greeted by White House reporters after his meeting, Gou read from a statement: “We are planning a number of expanded investments in America together with the office of American innovation. This project will include both capital-intensive and skilled labor-intensive and high-tech investment.”

Gou said Hon Hai was

already working with local U.S. governments to select a location for the project.

“I will share with you more this summer,” he said.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan new Company Act draft bill aims to create better startup environment, corporate governance, and prioritize corporate social responsibility

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/04/28
By: Judy Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)—The newly released Company Act (公司法) draft bill by the Department of Commerce (DOC) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), on Thursday made several significant changes aimed at offering greater financing flexibility for “closed companies” (閉鎖性公司), improve corporate governance, and prioritize corporate social responsibility (CSR).

A closed company is defined by the Executive Yuan in Taiwan as a private company that is not publicly listed, with less than 50 shareholders, and restricts transfers of shares in its charter.

These types of companies are considered closed limited-liability companies regulated under Chapter 5, Section 13 of the Company Act.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/04/28
By: Chen Cheng-wei and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, April 28 (CNA) Taiwan’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose 2.56 percent in the first quarter year-on-year, beating an earlier forecast of 2.45 percent made in February, according to an advance estimate from the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) released on Friday.

The figure marked an increase of 0.11 percentage points, and after seasonal adjustment, the Q1 GDP grew 0.72 percent from the previous quarter and 2.93 percent from the same quarter of last year, the DGBAS said.

DGBAS specialist Huang Wei-chieh (黃偉傑) said the growth could help boost the directorate’s forecast for the economic growth of the country for 2017 from 1.92 percent to 1.95 percent, and he expressed optimism that the economy will grow stably this year.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date; April 29, 2017

Acer presents its Windows Mixed Reality head-mounted display at a product launch in New York, Thursday, April 27. Acer showed how the mixed reality platform produces environments in which physical and digital coexist and interact with one another to enable a new way of harnessing technology. During the New York event, the Taiwan-based PC vendor also introduced its full 2017 back-to-school product lineup.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan’s MOST aims to acquire multi-year NT$5 billion budget to construct AI servers

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/04/27
By: Judy Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Reporter

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)—To support Taiwan’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry

development, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) seeks to obtain a multi-year NT$5 billion (US$165.91 million) budget from the government to build crucial AI infrastructures, said Minister Chen Liang-gee (陳良基), at the launch of Taiwan AI Lab (台灣人工智慧實驗室) on Thursday.

“The 4-year AI server NT$5 billion budget proposal is being submitted for review under the Tsai Administration’s Forward-looking Infrastructure Program budget, and an additional annual budget of NT$1 billion will be set aside to help universities to train AI talents to meet market demands,” said Chen.

MOST aims to create an environment to facilitate the nation’s AI development through these efforts, while the role of The Taiwan AI Lab headed by PTT founder Ethan Tu (杜奕瑾) will serve as an open AI platform to allow the public to aggregate data for research projects, innovate, and create new user experiences.

“It is hoped that through open sourcing and open data, we can lower the entry level for AI,” stated Minister without Portfolio Audrey Tang (唐鳳).

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/04/28
By: Chen Cheng-wei and Y.F. Low

Taipei, April 28 (CNA) Taiwan’s annual economic growth stood at 2.56 percent in the first quarter of this year, 0.11 percentage points higher than the forecast of 2.45 percent made in February, according to an advance estimate released by the government on Friday.    [SOURCE]

The China Post
Date: April 28, 2017
By: The China Post news staff

Hon Hai Chairman Terry Gou was seen exiting the White House after a reported

meeting the U.S. President Donald Trump, according to reports Thursday.
Gou, the multibillion dollar Taiwanese tech mogul would not confirm his meeting with Trump, telling reporters in English: “My memory is not good; maybe I already forgot,” after exiting the White House, according to the Central News Agency.

White House officials did not respond immediately to questions regarding the reported meeting.

Reports of a possible meet between Gou and Trump surfaced earlier on Thursday when the Nikkei Asian Review cited unnamed sources familiar with the plan. That report also indicated that Gou met with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in late February.    [FULL  STORY]

The nation is currently Taiwan’s 64th largest trading partner..

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/04/26
By: Wendy Lee , Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A new “Taiwan Desk” has been set up at the Taipei Economic

and Cultural Office in Yangon, Myanmar by the nation’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) to facilitate Taiwan’s private investment in the country.

The move was part of the government’s “New Southbound Policy,” which seeks to strengthen Taiwan’s trade and economic ties with countries in South and Southeast Asia.

The desk will provide professional consultations on legal, tax, labor, and environmental protection affairs to help Taiwanese business people invest in the country, the MOEA said.    [FULL  STORY]