Business and Finance

Acer plans March launch for new laptop lines

The China Post
Date: February 11, 2017
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan-based personal computer giant Acer Inc. plans to launch gaming and ultra-thin notebook models this year in hopes of making up for an estimated 3 to 5 percent increase in the costs of some key parts and components, a top company official said on Friday.

Acer President Lin Chia-chang (林佳璋) told a press conference that his company was striving to score higher than market level sales growth this year by maintaining a competitive pricing strategy.

Since the firm’s Swift ultra-thin notebook series was launched late last year, the series has won wide acclaim from consumers, Lin said.

This year, he said, the company planned to unveil more new models, including Swift 5 and Predator 21X gaming laptops with curved screens and the V Nitro laptop series.
[FULL  STORY]

Innolux net profit jumps in Q4

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/02/10
By: Pan Chi-i and Frances Huang

Taipei, Feb. 10 (CNA) The net profit of Innolux Corp. (群創), one of Taiwan’s largest flat panel makers, surged in the fourth quarter of 2016 from the previous quarter because of a strong rebound in global demand and product prices.

At an investor conference Friday, Innolux reported a fourth-quarter net profit of NT$10.9 billion (US$35.16 million), up from NT$3.06 billion in the third quarter, with earnings per share at NT$1.09, compared with NT$0.31 a quarter earlier.

Its shipments of flat screens rose 6.4 percent quarter-on-quarter in the October-December period to 7.41 million square meters, the most in eight quarters, while its average selling price rose to US$379 from US$330, Innolux said.   [FULL  STORY]

FSC finalizes ‘regulatory sandbox’ bill

ROOM TO EXPERIMENT:The changes allow for exemptions on regulatory rules and legal liabilities during tests in a bid to encourage the development of new services

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 11, 2017
By: Ted Chen / Staff reporter

The Financial Supervisory Commission yesterday said it has finalized a draft bill for a “regulatory sandbox,” with additions aimed to address concerns voiced by several financial technology (fintech) developers.

The commission said the Executive Yuan is expected to send the draft bill to the legislature for review before the end of this month and that it hopes it will be passed into law before the end of this year.

The regulatory sandbox is to give financial institutions and technology firms room to experiment with new fintech ideas.

The experimentation with innovative technology is aimed at speeding up development of new services by allowing for exemptions on regulatory rules and legal liabilities during tests conducted within a limited scope to prevent widespread adverse effects to consumers.    [FULL  STORY]

Don’t say goodbye yet: Uber ‘looks forward’ to serving Taiwan again

The China Post
Date: February 11, 2017
By: CNA/AFP

TAIPEI — U.S.-based ride-hailing company Uber, which suspended its services in

A car adorned with pictures and words supporting the ride-sharing service Uber is seen in Taipei on Friday, Feb. 10. (CNA)

Taiwan starting on Friday, said it hoped to resume dialogue with Taiwan’s government and looked forward to serving people in this country again.

“As much as want to continue, the current regulatory environment makes it impossible to serve the island the way we know works best,” Uber said in a statement.

“By hitting pause, we hope to reset our conversation with the government and find a way to allow ridesharing to flourish. We will do everything we can to restart the service,” it added.

The government has determined that Uber cannot legally operate transportation services in Taiwan because it is registered in Taiwan as an information services company.    [FULL  STORY]

Uber hopes for negotiations with government

The China Post
Date: February 9, 2017
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Uber, which has succumbed to government pressure and decided to

In this Jan. 16 photo, a smartphone running the ride-sharing app Uber is seen inside a car in Taipei. (Morgan Lin, The China Post)

suspend its operations in Taiwan, is keen to negotiate with the government to find a solution that can keep its ride-sharing service running in the country, a company executive said Wednesday.

Damian Kassabgi, director of Uber public policy for Asia-Pacific, told the press that his firm was willing to subject itself to government regulations, but was also keen to hold its “bottom line.”

Kassabgi said Uber had been running in Taiwan for three years, but was suspending its services in a bid to restart negotiations with the government.

Uber, having been slapped with hefty fines from a government that deems its ride-sharing services illegal, announced last week it was suspending its operations starting Feb. 10.    [FULL  STORY]

New agriculture minister goes to bat for pig farmers

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-02-09

The new head of the Council of Agriculture, Lin Tsung-hsien, said Thursday he would fight for the interests of the country’s pig farmers.

Lin was asked if there would be an opening to imports of American pork containing ractopamine. The drug is a food additive that makes pork less fatty.

Lin pointed out that the drug is banned in Taiwan. He said that while the Council of Agriculture does not take the lead in trade talks, it does have a representative at the World Trade Organization.

“Regarding the impact of imports on domestic farmers, if we take pork as an example, we will certainly fight for the best interests of pig farmers in the course of negotiations,” Lin said.    [FULL  STORY]

Housing transactions in northern Taiwan hit new low in 2016

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/02/09
By: Wei Shu and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Feb. 9 (CNA) Transactions of residential and commercial property in northern Taiwan for 2016 fell to a record low of around 29 percent of available properties, in reflection of stagnant buying interest, real estate market magazine My Housing (住展雜誌) reported Thursday.

The number of new houses and pre-construction homes for sale in northern Taiwan last year totaled 42,076 but only 12,116 units were sold, representing a sales rate of 28.8 percent.

Among the cities and counties in northern Taiwan, New Taipei had the most homes for sale, at 15,490 units, followed by Taoyuan with 12,500 units, while Hsinchu County had 3,839 units and Taipei had 3,589 properties for sale.    [FULL  STORY]

CPC focuses on natural gas plans

SIX-YEAR PLAN:The refiner has budgeted NT$60.8 billion for a new natural gas storage terminal in Taoyuan and wants to build a new storage center in Kaohsiung

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 10, 2017
By: Kuo Chia-erh / Staff reporter

CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) yesterday said it plans to allocate more than

CPC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Chin-te, right, speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday as company president Liu Cheng-hsie looks on. Photo: Huang Pei-chun, Taipei Times

NT$200 billion (US$6.44 billion) for capital expenditure over the next six years to expand its natural gas business.

“The capital spending would mainly be used for establishing the company’s third liquefied natural gas terminal and constructing natural gas infrastructure in the nation,” CPC chairman Chen Chin-te (陳金德) told a news conference in Taipei.

The state-run oil refiner plans to spend NT$60.8 billion on a new terminal in Taoyuan for storing natural gas, which is scheduled to start operations before 2023 with an estimated annual capacity of 3 million tonnes.

“The [terminal] plan follows the government’s long-term goal of a nuclear-free homeland, and we expect the terminal to meet demand for natural gas in northern Taiwan,” Chen said.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan launches smart machinery promotion office in Taichung

Establishment of smart machinery promotion office crucial to strengthening Taiwan’s Industry 4.0 development: Tsai

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/02/08
By: Judy Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taipei (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) highlighted major

A diagram from Wikipedia showing the different phases of industrialization.(By Wikimedia Commons)

functions of the newly established Smart Machinery Promotion Office in Taichung to help strengthen Industry 4.0 developments, during the opening ceremony on Tuesday.

The new office is an important milestone for Taiwan’s Industry 4.0, she added. The Smart Machinery Promotion Office has been established under the ministry of economics Smart Machinery Promotion Program, other agencies involved in the program include the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) and the Precision Machinery Research and Development Center (PMC).

“Taiwan cannot miss out on opportunities in Industry 4.0, if we want to hold fast to ‘made in Taiwan’ policies or strengthen the nation through industry,” said Tsai.
[FULL  STORY]

MOEA monitoring potential water shortage amid low rainfall

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/02/08
By: Huang Ya-chuan and Elizabeth Hsu

From Water Resources Agency website

Taipei, Feb. 8 (CNA) Lower than average rainfall in most of Taiwan in recent months has led to concerns at the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) of potential water shortages, leading to precautionary measures, including setting up an emergency response task force.

Economic Affairs Minister Lee Chih-kung (李世光) said Wednesday that the water supply situation in parts of 21 counties and cities around Taiwan is expected to worsen in the near future, due to lower rainfall than in the past.

The water supply in Taoyuan and Linkou, Banqiao and Xinzhuang districts in New Taipei began flashing a “green” light on Feb. 3, suggesting supply is tight, Lee said, and he expected some other cities and counties to follow suit in the near future.

According to data from the Water Resources Agency under the MOEA, the water monitoring indicator flashed a “blue” light — indicating sufficient reserves — for all other parts of Taiwan proper as of Feb. 3.    [FULL  STORY]