‘PERFECT TIMING’: The updated requirement would free up 4 million more masks per day for manufacturers, which are expected to sell up to 8 million units daily

Taipei Times
Date: May 27, 2020
By: Natasha Li / Staff reporter

The government would requisition 8 million masks daily to ensure that the nation has sufficient supplies after a ban on mask exports is lifted on Monday next week, Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) said yesterday.

“We have decided to lower the requirement from 12 million units to 8 million units per day, providing them [local mask suppliers] with 4 million more masks to sell freely according to market mechanisms,” Shen told reporters after a meeting with domestic mask manufacturers.

The figure was determined based on local market demand, Shen said, pointing to declining mask purchases as Taiwan gets its COVID-19 outbreak under control.

However, “if the Central Epidemic Command Center’s [CECC] mask inventory falls below 100 million units, we would raise the requirement back to 12 million units [per day] for mask manufacturers,” Shen said.    [FULL  STORY]

GSMarena
Date: 22 May 2020

Asus Android Rumors

According to Taiwanese media Commercial Times, Asus is going to release two flagship phones in July or even earlier – sometime towards the end of the second quarter. The two phones in question are the Zenfone 7 and the upcoming gaming ROG Phone III.

This goes well in line with the recent Wi-Fi certification that the upcoming ROG Phone III received. This means that the phone is in the final stages of the development phase and it should be ready to launch pretty soon. Now according to the new report, the Zenfone 7 will tag along.

When you think of it, both phones, the Zenfone 6 and the ROG Phone II are due for an update.

Those wanting an all-round flagship will get the Zenfone 7 while gaming enthusiasts will shoot for the way more expensive ROG Phone III. The Taiwanese company expects 30-50% growth in ROG Phone sales after the release of the 2020 version so we might be in for some big surprise.

World's largest chip contract manufacturer TSMC has already attracted major clients such as Apple and Qualcomm

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/05/220
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TSMC), the largest chip contract manufacturer in the world, said Thursday (May 21) it was not worried about its lead position in the production of 5-nanometer chips after South Korean rival Samsung announced renewed efforts.

While TSMC said it did not comment on any situation involving competitors, it added it was confident it would continue to be the leading force in the chip manufacturing technology, UDN reported. Samsung announced it expected to begin mass production of its sophisticated 5-nm chips during the second half of 2021, while TSMC started during the first quarter of this year.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 05/22/2020
By: Flor Wang and Pan Chih-yi

Taipei, May 22 (CNA) Shares in Taiwan ended sharply lower Friday amid renewed tensions between the United States and China over Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies and China's plan to introduce a national security law in Hong Kong.

The Taiex, the key barometer of the Taiwan Stock Exchange, finished down 197.16, or 1.79 percent, at 10,811.15 on turnover of NT$177.183 billion (US$5.91 billion).

The market was down across all major sectors, in particular electronics shares, which finished down 1.99 percent from Thursday's close.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world's largest wafer foundry and a chip supplier to Apple Inc., closed 1.85 percent lower to end at NT$292.00.    [FULL  STORY]

WORK HOURS: The DGBAS said the number of people whose work hours decreased rose, indicating that local firms are contracting operations amid declining business

Taipei Times
Date: May 23, 2020
By: Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporter

The unemployment rate climbed to 4.03 percent last month as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic began to bite, surpassing 4 percent for the first time in the past 42 months, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said yesterday.

Last month’s figure is the highest for April in the past seven years, DGBAS data showed.

The jobless rate expanded for the third consecutive month after posting 3.64 percent, 3.7 percent and 3.72 percent respectively in the first three months of this year, DGBAS senior executive officer Chen Hui-hsin (陳惠欣) told a media briefing.

The gauge accelerated last month with a monthly gain of 0.31 percent, the highest for a single month in the past 11 years, as more firms in the service sector, hurt by the outbreak, dismissed employees while cutting back on operations or shutting down, Chen said.    [FULL  STORY]

Program shows Taiwan can be force in smart healthcare: NYMU President Steve Kuo

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/05/20
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Local technology group AsusTek Computer Inc., commonly known by its brand name Asus, announced a plan Tuesday (May 19) for a joint program with National Yang Ming University (NYMU) to develop AI medical talent.

Under the project, top managers at Asus and its affiliate AICS will teach classes at the university in Taipei City, which is known for its medical courses, in order to train talent in fields such as biotechnology and break down barriers between business and academia.

In addition, AICS will establish an “AI for Medical” program for trainees and PhD students at the college, Health Media reported. The cooperation would allow students to apply the theoretical knowledge gained from the courses at the hospital to practical tasks.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 05/20/2020
By: Chang Chien-chung, Han Ting-ting and Frances Huang

Taipei, May 20 (CNA) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world's largest contact chipmaker, said it will issue NT$14.4 billion (US$482 million) in unsecured straight bonds to meet fund demands for new factory construction and the installation of production equipment.

In a statement, TSMC said the NT$14.4 billion straight bonds will be comprised of three tranches: NT$4.5 billion with a maturity of five years, NT$7.5 billion at seven years and NT$2.4 billion at 10 years.

TSMC said the three tranches will carry a rate of 0.55 percent, 0.6 percent, and 0.64 percent, respectively, with Hua Nan Securities serving as the underwriter.

It will be the third bond issuance by TSMC this year after NT$24 billion and NT$21.6 billion in unsecured straight bonds were sold in May and April, respectively.    [FULL  STORY]

MILESTONES: In addition to unexpected growth, orders for ICT products surged to a record-high US$12.49 billion, as did combined orders from the US and Europe

Taipei Times
Date: May 21, 2020
By: Natasha Li / Staff reporter

Export orders last month again defied expectations by increasing 2.3 percent year-on-year to US$38.53 billion amid robust demand for information and communications technology (ICT) products and electronics, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday.

“Due to COVID-19 lockdowns, market demand for laptops and tablets, as well as servers and other electronic devices, remained strong… Stronger than our previous predictions,” Department of Statistics Director Huang Yu-ling (黃于玲) told a news conference in Taipei.

The ministry in March had forecast a 6.37 to 10.34 percent annual decline in export orders for last month.Different from customs-cleared exports, export orders are a gauge of how actual exports are likely to perform in one to three months, the ministry said.    [FULL  STORY]