Business and Finance

Hon Hai’s e-Commerce arm goes online

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/05/24
By Jalen Chung and Ted Chen

Taipei, May 24 (CNA) Hon Hai Precision Industry Co.’s (鴻海) FoxconnMall.com, a 201505240009t0001one-stop business-to-business e-commerce portal, went online on Sunday, marking a milestone for the conglomerate as it continues to branch out into businesses other than manufacturing.

A newly formed Hon Hai subsidiary in Shenzhen will oversee the platform’s operations and ensure that registered members are qualified.

The platform focuses on facilitating business in 16 trade and services categories for manufacturers, including molds, parts, equipment, and materials.     [FULL  STORY]

Chinese return ZenFones over glitches

STATE OF ZEN:Asustek Computer has delayed upgrades to Android Lollipop for its first-generation ZenFone devices after hiccups hit its latest handsets in China

Taipei Times
Date:  May 25, 2015
By: Lauly Li  /  Staff reporter

Chinese customers reportedly sought refunds over glitches in Asustek Computer Inc’s (華碩) new smartphone, dealing a setback to the Taiwanese PC maker amid its expansion into China’s smartphone market.

Asustek executives have said that the firm considers China its primary smartphone market, to which it expects to ship 25 million devices this year.

Asustek’s latest ZenFone devices — powered by Intel Corp’s new Atom processor — are not compatible with the latest version of the Android operating system, version 5, known as Lollipop, leading nearly 200,000 Chinese consumers to demand refunds, the Chinese-language DigiTimes on Saturday reported.     [FULL  STORY]

Tigerair Taiwan to offer more Taoyuan-Tokyo flights in peak season

Want China Times
Date: 2015-05-23
By: CNA

Tigerair Taiwan, a joint venture between Taiwan’s China Airlines and Singapore’s

A Tigerair Taiwan flight, May 2. (Photo/CNA)

A Tigerair Taiwan flight, May 2. (Photo/CNA)

Tiger Airways, said Friday it will increase its services on the Taoyuan-Tokyo route during the peak travel period this year.

From June 4 to June 28, the budget airline will offer three more weekly flights between Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Tokyo Narita International Airport, bringing the total number to 10 each week.

The new flights will be operated on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays, the airline said.

Launched on April 2, the Tokyo route was the airline’s fifth international destination, after Singapore, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Macau.

The airline will also start flying to Japan’s offshore prefecture of Okinawa from June 29.     [FULL  STORY]

Most Asian currencies slip as Fed rate bets boost greenback; Taipei bucks trend

Taipei Times
Date: May 24, 2015
By: Bloomberg

Asian currencies completed a weekly loss, led by the Singapore dollar and Malaysia’s ringgit, as the US dollar climbed amid speculation the US Federal Reserve is on track to raise interest rates this year.

Fed officials remain open to tightening this year, though a June liftoff in rates is unlikely, according to the minutes of their April meeting released on Wednesday.

A preliminary gauge of manufacturing in China, Asia’s biggest economy, missed estimates this month even after borrowing costs were cut for the third time since November.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan pineapples passing pesticide tests at high rate: COA

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/05/23
By: Wu Ching-chun, Evelyn Kao and Lilian Wu

Taipei, May 23 (CNA) Taiwan’s pineapples have passed pesticide tests at rates of at 201505230018t0001least 95 percent over the past two years, the Council of Agriculture council (COA) asserted amid slumping prices for pineapples due to pesticide concerns.

The council was trying to assure the public that Taiwan’s pineapples were safe after pineapple growers in Hsingang in Chiayi County appealed to the government on Friday to help stabilize pineapple prices.

Prices fell over 40 percent over the past week after China detected a higher level of chemical residue on Taiwanese pineapples than its regulations allowed.

Though the problematic pineapples did not come from Hsingang, farmers there were distraught because prices are plunging just as their fruit is about to hit the market in large volume.     [FULL  STORY]

Carrefour Taiwan opened 73rd store: Xi Ke store in Hsi Chih science park

EPR Retail News
Date: May 22, 2015
By: EPR Retail News Editors    

TAIWAN, 2015-5-22 — /EPR Retail News/ — On May 8th 2015 , Carrefour Taiwan opened 73rd store : Xi Ke store in Hsi Chih science park. Xi Ke store is a store with 1 level, in total 6864m2 sales area. The building is co-constructed with Taiwan Railway Xi Ke station which have 70 thousand commuters come in and out every day.

The store is especially designed with the integration of 4 dimensions: digital technology, eco-friendly, customer experience and service-oriented.

In Xi Ke store, Carrefour uses digital devices to offer product information and interaction with customers. The video wall in the entrance can attract customer flow from the external mall and deliver lively information.

Carrefour Taiwan also launched the first “Natural and Healthful” area in Grocery to offer more HOPE (Healthy, Organic, Premium and Eco-Nature) product choice while promoting lots of traceability, organic, and our quality line in Fresh.

Customers could enjoy new shopping experience in different universe. In sport area, you can play basketball, testing fitness equipment or cycling. For culture area, children have their playground while parents could enjoy their reading moment.

Vietjet to increase flights on Taipei-Ho Chi Minh route

Want China Times
Date: 2015-05-22
By: CNA

Vietnamese budget carrier VietJet Air, which started operations in Taiwan last year,

A VietJet plane. (Photo courtesy of VietJet Air)

A VietJet plane. (Photo courtesy of VietJet Air)

said Thursday it will provide two more round-trip services per week between Taipei and Ho Chi Minh, starting next month.

With the introduction of the new flights on June 18, the airline said, it will have a regular daily service between the two cities, offering fares as low as NT$350 (US$11.50) for a one-way ticket.

The flight will depart daily from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 8pm and arrive in Ho Chih Minh City at 10:25pm (local time), taking three hours and 25 minutes.     [FULL  STORY]

Unemployment fell to 3.63% last month

LAGGING BEHIND:The statistics agency said that unemployment data have yet to reflect the current economic slowdown indicated by recent data on exports

Taipei Times
Date: May 23, 2015
By: Crystal Hsu  /  Staff reporter

The nation’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.63 percent last month, the lowest in 15 years for April, as companies increased headcounts and people dissatisfied with earlier jobs rejoined the labor force after receiving their lunar year-end bonuses, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said yesterday.

The latest jobless figure marked a 0.28 percentage point decline from a year earlier and a 0.09 percentage point decline from March, the DGBAS said in a report, adding that unemployment after seasonal adjustments stood unchanged at 3.75 percent.

“A lagging economic indicator, the jobless rate has yet to reflect an ongoing economic slowdown indicated by disappointing export data,” DGBAS Deputy Director Lo Yi-ling (羅怡玲) said.     [FULL  STORY]

Dong Nai talks business with Taiwan

Viet Nam News
May, 21 2015

The provincial Customs Department and the Taiwanese Business Association used 2the opportunity to sign a partnership agreement on sharing information on trade policies and customs activities. — Photo baodongnai
DONG NAI (VNS)  — The People’s Committee of the southern province of Dong Nai yesterday held talks with more than 100 businesses from Taiwan based in the locality.

Participants discussed policies and issues related to investment, exports and imports, anti-dumping taxes and foreign resident and labour registration.

The provincial Customs Department and the Taiwanese Business Association used the opportunity to sign a partnership agreement on sharing information on trade policies and customs activities.

Taiwan is the largest foreign investor in Dong Nai. It has more than 270 projects worth US$4.8 billion. Taiwanese businesses concentrate on the manufacture of chemical products, garments, footwear and steel.

Indo-Taiwan consortium wins Greater Noida Metro in fast laneVandana Keelor,TNN |

India Times
Date: May 21, 2015

DMRC starts bid to get rakes for Noida MetroNoida Metro to decide on funding in meet todayGreater Noida set for 2 new Metro routesTechnical bids initiated for Noida-Gr Noida Metro linkMetro phase III may get over by year end

NOIDA: The financial bid for the 28.8-km Noida-Greater Noida Metro link was finalized on Wednesday by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

The tender, which had been divided into three parts, has been awarded to a consortium of Taiwanese and Indian companies working with a Spanish consultant. The joint venture consisting of Continental Engineering Corporation and Ayesa Engineering, will undertake the construction of the track work for about Rs 1,500 crore, about 15% less than the estimated cost of Rs 1,735 crore. Work on the ground for the track is now expected to begin by June 15.

For Greater Noida this will be the first Metro link providing connectivity between the two cities and Delhi. “The route will prove to be a milestone in the future development of not only the twin cities but the entire state of UP,” said Rama Raman, chairperson and CEO, Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway Authorities. “The Metro will boost urbanization, generate employment and provide a surge to economic activity,” he said.

According to DMRC officials, the contract with the consortium involves designing and construction of elevated viaduct and 22 elevated stations. The work is to be completed within 24 months. The technical bids for the track were finalized in March this year. Thirty companies had put in their bids for the mega project. The construction of the route has been divided into three parts and ten bids had been received for the each of the three parts. However, the lowest bidder was awarded the contract.     [FULL  STORY]