Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/12
By: Esme Jiang and Frances Huang

Taipei, Dec. 12 (CNA) Cell phone shipments in Taiwan fell about 17 percent sequentially in the third quarter of the year, as sales of several major brands dropped, according to market information advisory firm International Data Corp. (IDC).

The decline in shipments was due in part to Taiwanese consumers waiting for the release of Apple Inc.’s latest smartphone models, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which were not launched in Taiwan until September, IDC said.

Shipments of Apple phones decreased in the third quarter by about 300,000 units from the second quarter, while other brands, including Taiwan-based HTC Corp. (宏達電) and Asustek Computer Inc. (華碩), also saw lower smartphone shipments in the third quarter, IDC said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-11
By: Central News Agency

Taipei, Dec.11 (CNA) The Taipei City government said Friday it will slap a heavy fine on the operator of an unregistered rental apartment in the city’s Wanhua District after foreign tourists staying in it came down with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

Four of the six members of a Singaporean family staying in the apartment rented out on a daily basis on Xining South Road were sent to Mackay Memorial Hospital after complaining of dizziness. They were in good condition after being treated.

Chien Yu-yen, head of the city’s Department of Information and Tourism, said the agency will fine the unregistered operator NT$180,000 as early as Friday and will also check all short-term rentals in Wanhua District.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/11
By: Huang Chiao-wen and Christie Chen

Taipei, Dec. 11 (CNA) The Taiwanese government is unlikely to approve all three of Chinese chip firm Tsinghua Unigroup’s (紫光) plans to acquire 25 percent of shares in each of Taiwan’s second, third and fourth-largest IC packaging and testing companies, an official said Friday.

Tsinghua Unigroup, which is backed by China’s government, announced on Oct. 30 that it has reached an agreement with Taiwan’s Powertech Technology Inc. (力成, PTI) to spend NT$19.4 billion (US$588.89 million) to acquire a 25 percent stake in the company, Taiwan’s third-largest IC packaging and testing company.

Siliconware Precision Industries Co. (矽品, SPIL) and ChipMos Technologies (南茂) — Taiwan’s second and fourth-largest IC packaging and testing companies — also announced Friday that they will both enter into a strategic alliance with the Chinese firm and give it a 25 percent stake in the companies for NT$56.8 billion and NT$12 billion, respectively.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date:  Dec 12, 2015
By: Ted Chen  /  Staff reporter, in Taichung

Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC, 漢翔航空工業), the nation’s largest civilian and military aircraft manufacturer, yesterday said that despite recent media fanfare, the aerospace sector is still facing tremendous challenges.

“We are the reluctant sector bellwether,” AIDC chairman Anon Liao (廖榮鑫) told reporters at a media briefing in Taichung’s Salu District (沙鹿).

“Perhaps we are facing as many prospective challenges as opportunities,” Liao said, referring to the company’s plans to bolster partnerships with other domestic suppliers, called the “A-Team 4.0,” in a bid to tap into global markets.

Liao said that it is customary for clients such as Boeing Co and Airbus SAS to demand that suppliers cut prices by as much as 10 to 25 percent annually.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-10
By: Central News Agency

Gasoline and diesel prices in Taiwan are expected to drop next week because of a decline in international crude oil prices and worry over an oversupply, market sources said Thursday.

The sources estimated that prices of diesel and gasoline products at pumps operated by the state-owned oil supplier, CPC Corp. Taiwan, will drop NT$0.7 (US$0.02) per liter each.

If the prediction comes to pass, starting Dec. 14, the CPC price of 92 octane unleaded will reach NT$20.9 per liter, that of 95 octane unleaded will fall to NT$22.4 per liter, and that of 98 octane unleaded will dip to NT$24.4 per liter.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date:  Dec 11, 2015
By: Lisa Wang  /  Staff reporter, in Taoyuan

Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital yesterday said it became the second hospital chain in the world to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification for a new advanced cancer treatment center.

The hospital said it invested NT$5.4 billion (US$163.6 million) to build the center, including NT$2.15 billion in construction spending.

About NT$7.8 million, or 3.6 percent, of the construction funds were spent on work required for the certification in collaboration with Siemens AG, the hospital said, adding that the center uses 42 percent less energy than a regular building.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-09
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Beleaguered Ting Hsin International hung on to five seats Wednesday on the 13-member board of directors at the Taipei Financial Center Corporation, the company in charge of the iconic Taipei 101 building.

Ting Hsin, the group at the core of a wide-ranging food safety scandal which broke out last year, has a stake of 37.17 percent in TFCC but has so far been unsuccessful at trying to sell it.

United States private equity company Blackstone Group has been allowed to inspect TFCC’s financial books ahead of a potential bid, but the subject was not discussed at Wednesday’s meeting, Taipei 101 spokesman Michael Liu said.

The lineup on the new board is virtually the same as on its predecessor, with seven representatives of government-controlled institutions, one from CTBC Bank Co., Ltd. and five representing Ting Hsin, reports said.     [FULL  STORY]

INTERNATIONAL PROBE:Taiwanese officials began working with their counterparts in several countries, including the US, South Korea and Singapore in March last year

Taipei Times
Date:  Dec 10, 2015
By: Ted Chen  /  Staff reporter

The Fair Trade Commission yesterday levied fines totaling NT$5.8 billion (US$175.5 million) on 10 aluminum and tantalum capacitor manufactures for colluding with rivals to fix prices.

It is the biggest penalty the commission has handed down on international companies since it was established in 1992.

Taiwan is the first among authorities in Europe, Singapore, South Korea, China and the US — who have been collaborating on investigations into the case — to take regulatory action against the offending companies, the commission said.     [FULL  STORY]