Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/06/23
By: Lu Hsin-hui, ChenWei-ting, Yu Hsiao-han and S.C. Chang

Taipei, June 23 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen said Thursday she respects a decision by China Airlines (CAL) flight attendants’ decision to go on strike with effect from midnight Thursday, even though she is scheduled to depart Friday for Latin America on CAL flight.

Tsai has instructed the relevant government agencies to deal with the air transportation issues that may arise as a result of the strike, and has also asked labor affairs officials to “protect the workers’ right to strike,” said Presidential Office spokesman said Alex Huang (黃重諺).

On her first visit abroad since taking office on May 20, Tsai will travel to Panama and Paraguay on a special CAL flight that was arranged by a contingency committee, according to CAL President Chang Yu-hern (張有恆).

Chang said he was doing all he could to prevent the presidential flight from being affected by the strike.     [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: June 24, 2016
By: Enru Lin

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Yuanta-Polaris Research Institute (元大寶華綜經院) on Thursday lowered its

annual economic growth forecast for Taiwan from 1.42 percent to 0.9 percent amid disappointing global demand.

The think tank cited reasons including a downtrend in tourism revenue and worse-than-expected export figures from January to May.

Yuanta-Polaris Research Institute Chairman Liang Kuo-yuan (梁國源) said demand for exports had failed to pick up this year as the world economy stayed ensnared in weak growth.

Liang said that major economies were not working together to lift themselves and to stabilize the global financial system.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/06/22
By: Wang Shu-fen, Liu Kuan-ting and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, June 22 (CNA) The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) on Wednesday told China Airlines (CAL), Taiwan’s largest air carrier, that it must safeguard the rights, interests and safety of its passengers if its flight attendants decide to go ahead with a strike.

If the rights and safety of CAL passengers are compromised during a strike, the airline will be liable to a fine of NT$600,000 (US$18,660) to NT$3 million, under the Civil Aviation Act, the CAA said.

CAL management and workers are advised to continue negotiations to avoid a strike during the peak summer travel period, the CAA said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Transportation Minister Frank Fan (范植谷) said his ministry and the Ministry of Labor have also been trying to dissuade the CAL flight attendants from taking strike action.     [FULL  STORY]

SHARP TURNAROUND:Terry Gou also said he would boost the firms research and development process, turning its patented technologies into commercial products

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 23, 2016
By: Lauly Li / Staff reporter

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘) yesterday said the

company is helping Sharp Corp cut its overseas retail joint ventures as part of efforts to improve the troubled Japanese company’s operations.

“Sharp has its financial problems… Once we officially join the company’s board next month, we will carry out a series of measures to help Sharp make a turnaround as soon as possible,” Gou told shareholders during Hon Hai’s annual general meeting at its headquarters in Tucheng District (土城), New Taipei City.

Gou said Hon Hai vice chairman Tai Jeng-wu (戴正吳) is to attend Sharp’s annual general meeting today, with shareholders expected to approve his appointment as the Japanese firm’s president.

Japanese media reported that Hon Hai and its subsidiary, Foxconn Technology Co (鴻準) — which hold a combined 66 percent stake in Sharp — are expected to secure six of Sharp’s nine board seats at the meeting today.     [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: June 23, 2016
By: CNA

TAIPEI — VietJet Air — a Vietnam-based budget carrier — made its maiden flight from Ho Chi

Minh City to Tainan Wednesday, with 138 passengers aboard.

Addressing a ceremony to mark the inauguration of the route at Tainan Airport, Tainan Mayor Lai Ching-te said he was happy that the Vietnamese carrier chose Tainan as its first destination in Southern Taiwan.

“This means that the government led by President Tsai Ing-wen has successfully taken its first step in implementing its Southbound Policy,” Lai said.

He expressed hope that the four weekly flights will bring Tainan and Vietnam closer and provide a more convenient service for the many passengers flying between the two sides.

It is the third international route serving the Southern Taiwan city, following routes opened by China Airlines to Hong Kong and Osaka, according to Lai.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-06-21
By National Animal Industry Foundation
Agencies

The biggest event of the year for Taiwan’s food sector – the 2016 Taipei International Food Show – is about to open its doors on June 22, and the best of the domestic livestock and poultry sectors will of course be present! Taiwan’s pavilion at this year’s International Food Show will be divided into three parts, a “special products area,” a “10 most innovative products area,” and an “agricultural brand products area.” The “special products area” consists of excellent export products typical for Taiwan and possessing a traceable background. As to the livestock and poultry part, ten manufacturers are exhibiting their wares, which already received attention from the media early on. Their emergence at the International Food Show has met with positive expectations from the public. In addition to the Taiwan Pavilion, the “CAS Taiwan Pork Pavilion” at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center and the “Taiwan Water and Land Poultry Pavilion” at the Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 1 will present Taiwan’s top livestock and poultry producers. No matter whether you are a domestic or an overseas buyer or consumer, these areas are not to be missed!     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/06/21
By: Tsai Yi-chu and Frances Huang

Taipei, June 21 (CNA) The exposure of Taiwan’s financial sector to the European market currently totals about NT$3 trillion (US$92.88 billion), according to a market estimate released Tuesday.

The estimate was reached after industry sources took into account data recently released by the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) showing that as of mid-2015, exposure of the local financial sector had reached NT$2.77 trillion.

The local financial market has become wary of a referendum scheduled by the United Kingdom for June 23 to decide whether it should leave the European Union.

The local financial market is alert to the possible risks arising from a vote result pointing to a U.K. departure from the EU, which could send ripples through global markets and push down the value of the British pound.     [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: June 22, 2016
By: Enru Lin

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Government agencies are soliciting an estimated NT$130 billion in investment

from the private sector from now to mid-2017.

In a fair held by the Ministry of Finance (MOF, 財政部) on Tuesday, central and local government agencies touted 72 infrastructure projects to over 120 private companies from across Taiwan.

The cases included an operate-transfer tennis facility in Taipei City, a build-operate-transfer (BOT) mountain resort in Matsu, land development projects and mass transit projects in major cities.

The Ministry of Culture is placing its BOT project at Huashan Creative Cultural Park up for public tender for a concession period that expires next Nov. 7.     [FULL  STORY]