Business and Finance

Government to fast-track solar sector development

OUT TO IMPRESS:The Ministry of Economic Affairs is also working to improve air quality by reducing PM2.5 emissions from Taipower’s fossil-fuel power stations

Taipei Times
Date: May 26, 2016
By: Lauly Li / Staff reporter

The government plans to utilize 10,000 hectares of idle land to accelerate the development

Minister of Economic Affairs Lee Chih-kung, left, and Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Yang Wei-fuu are pictured yesterday in Taipei. Photo: Huang Pei-chun, Taipei Times

Minister of Economic Affairs Lee Chih-kung, left, and Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Yang Wei-fuu are pictured yesterday in Taipei.
Photo: Huang Pei-chun, Taipei Times

of the nation’s solar power industry, Minister of Economic Affairs Lee Chih-kung (李世光) said yesterday.

The plan is part of the ministry’s efforts to impress the public during the first 100 days of President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration, Lee told a press conference in Taipei.
The development of the solar power industry could be faster than other “green” energy industries because the industry already has established technologies and adequate funds for development, he said.

The Council of Agriculture has allocated 10,000 hectares of land for the development of solar energy across the nation, Lee said, adding that the council would unveil the sites soon.
The ministry would help organize the sites for local solar power companies to install facilities, he said, adding that the Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) would assist with the construction of grid networks at the designated locations.     [FULL  STORY]

ASE, SPIL target holding company

Taipei Times
Date: May 25, 2016
By: Lisa Wang / Staff reporter

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc (ASE, 日月光半導體), yesterday said it is in talks with Siliconware Precision Industries Co (SPIL, 矽品精密) to create a joint-venture holding company in a last-ditch attempt to push for a merger of the two firms.

ASE’s proposal, if accepted, would put an end to a nine-month ownership fight, as SPIL has resisted a “hostile” takeover bid by the world’s biggest chip tester and packager.

“The company has talked to SPIL about the feasibility of forming a joint holding company. We have also exchanged views [about the proposal],” ASE said in a statement.

The company plans to make a formal announcement after the two sides reach an agreement and receive approvals from their respective boards, ASE said in the statement.     [FULL  STORY]

China Airlines to sell tickets with no free checked bag allowance

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-05-24
By: Central News Agency

China Airlines (CAL), one of Taiwan’s leading carriers, said Tuesday that it will begin selling tickets on its Taoyuan-Tokyo route with no free checked luggage allowanc
e.
The new type of tickets, sales of which will begin through its website from 10 a.m. Wednesday, will first be available for flights between Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Tokyo Narita International Airport that depart July 9 and after, the carrier said.

The carrier said it believes the tickets will be attractive to travelers seeking to save some money but who also want to enjoy free in-flight meals and entertainment.

Passengers who book such tickets can still purchase baggage allowance online for US$30 per 20 kilograms, but will not be able to do so at the airport, the carrier said.

A limited promotional economy-class fare of NT$5,100 (US$155.99) excluding tax will be available when ticket sales begin, according to the carrier.     [FULL  STORY]

China ‘flat panel queen’ might visit Taiwan in August

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/05/24
By: Pan Chi-i and Y.F. Low

Taipei, May 24 (CNA) Bai Weimin (白為民), vice president of the China Video Industry

CNA file photo

CNA file photo

Association, said Tuesday that she is considering visiting Taiwan in August to take part in the International Smart Display and Touch Panel Exhibition 2016 after canceling her planned visit in June.

Bai, however, told CNA that because it remains unclear how cross-Taiwan Strait relations will develop, she cannot finalize the dates of her trip Taiwan for the time being.

Bai said she hopes she can travel to Taiwan in late August, but it is likely that she will need to take a wait-and-see approach for some time.

Nicknamed the “flat panel queen,” Bai has led a delegation to Taiwan for the past seven years in May or June to visit Taiwanese flat panel makers and related manufacturers such as TV assemblers to negotiate annual purchases of Taiwan-made displays.    [FULL  STORY]

Minister confident ahead of fisheries talks

Taipei Times
Date: May 25, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee, left, and Deputy Minister Wu Chih-chung, second right, yesterday raise their glasses at a welcome party at the ministry. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times

Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee (李大維) yesterday expressed confidence that Taiwanese fishermen would receive improved fishing rights after bilateral talks in July between Taiwan and Japan over the Okinotori atoll dispute.

“We have negotiated with Japan on matters concerning fishing rights around Okinotori and have reached a preliminary agreement, which is to bring related maritime affairs to the negotiating table before the end of July,” Lee said.

Lee said Japan has demonstrated a high level of sincerity during their previous negotiations on the matter, which he acknowledged took place before the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government was sworn in on Friday last week.

The new development signifies an implementation of President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) principles to settle disputes through communication and negotiations, Lee said, adding that the ministry would continue to uphold those principles in its interactions with Japan.     [FULL  STORY]

International Children’s Games to open in mid-July in New Taipei

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/05/23
By: Sunrise Huang and Kuo Chung-han

Taipei, May 23 (CNA) Some 2,000 athletes, coaches and support staff representing 83 201605230033t0002cities across the world will participate in the 50th International Children’s Games (ICG) in New Taipei, city officials said on Monday.

The games, to be held from July 11 to 16, will hold competitions in athletics, swimming, handball, taekwondo, tennis, table tennis, basketball, football and volleyball.

Of the 2,000 participants, 500 will be from 13 cities and counties in Taiwan.

Taiwanese students from 79 school clubs at 43 high schools will interact before the event with overseas participants online through SNS (social network services) platforms including Facebook, said Kung Yea-wen (龔雅雯), the city’s Education Department commissioner.

Real wages in Taiwan down in first quarter of year

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-05-23
By: Central News Agency

Real wages and earnings in Taiwan were both down in the first quarter of 2016 year-on-year, hurt by lower year-end bonuses and only small gains in salaries, according to government statistics released Monday.
Average real monthly wages, which are adjusted for inflation, fell 0.21 percent from the same period a year earlier to NT$37,409 (US$1,145), the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said.

Average real monthly earnings, which include regular wages and irregular income such as bonuses and overtime pay, were down 3.25 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier at NT$57,157, the DGBAS said.

Even before adjusting earnings for inflation, average monthly earnings were down 1.56 percent year-on-year in the first quarter at NT$59,580, the statistics showed.     [FULL  STORY]

Industrial production falls for 12th consecutive month in April

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/05/23
By: Lin Meng-ju and Frances Huang

Taipei, May 23 (CNA) Taiwan’s industrial production fell for the 12th consecutive month in

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

April amid lingering weak global demand, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said Monday.

The MOEA said the industrial production index fell 4.06 percent in April from a year earlier to 102.12, equaling the streak of 12 consecutive months of negative growth in the index seen during the global financial crisis from September 2008 to August 2009.

Yang Kuei-hsien (楊貴顯), deputy director of the MOEA’s statistics department, said Taiwan’s industrial production will likely continue to register year-on-year declines in May and June because there are few signs global demand will pick up any time soon.

But he expected that the magnitude of the dips in May and June could be smaller and said Taiwan could see industrial production return to positive growth in the second half of the year.     [FULL  STORY]

Jobless rate dips to 3.86 percent: report

GIVE AND TAKE:While take-home wages rose 1.78 percent year-on-year in March, average pay in the first quarter including year-end bonuses dropped 1.56 percent

Taipei Times
Date: May 24, 2016
By: Crystal Hsu / Staff reporter

The unemployment rate last month fell to 3.86 percent, a decline of 0.03 percentage points from March, with fewer people quitting while others lost their jobs to business downsizing and closures, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics said yesterday.

The latest jobless data represented a 0.23 percentage point increase from a year earlier, suggesting that companies remained conservative about hiring amid a soft economy, the agency said.

“The monthly drop in the unemployment rate was the smallest in 15 years, indicating that economic weakness weighed on the job market,” deputy section head Chang Yun-yun (張雲澐) told a news conference.

The unemployment rate after seasonal adjustments was 3.97 percent, up from 3.92 percent in March, signaling that the nation’s job market is slowly deteriorating, the report said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan’s cellphone shipments in Q2 to fall 10%: Digitimes

ZENFONE WINNER:HTC Corp is expected to ship 3.2 million units in the second quarter, behind Asustek, which is expected to ship 4.4 million units

Taipei Times
Date: May 23, 2016
By: Staff writer, with CNA

Cellphone shipments from Taiwan for the second quarter are likely to fall almost 10 percent from the first quarter due to slowing global demand for select flagship models of some Taiwanese brands, according to Taiwan-based Digitimes Research.

The research firm on Friday said that the expected drop in cellphone shipments also reflected the end of a product life cycle of several Sony models.

Sony Corp is a major client of Taiwanese contract electronics makers.
12.6 MILLION UNITS

Digitimes said that cellphone shipments from Taiwan for the April-to-June period are expected to total 12.6 million units, down 9.7 percent from a quarter earlier and declining 42.9 percent from a year earlier.

With limited shipments of its latest flagship model the HTC 10, HTC Corp (宏達電) is expected to ship 3.2 million units in the second quarter, lagging behind Asustek Computer Inc (華碩), which is expected to ship 4.4 million units due to sales of its ZenFone 2 series.     [FULL  STORY]