Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 16 April, 2019
By: Paula Chao

The US State Department has approved an arms sales package worth US$500 million

President Tsai Ing-wen

for Taiwan. In an announcement on Thursday, the Trump administration said it has notified Congress of the package, which covers pilot training as well as the upgrading and maintenance of F-16 fighters.

A press release by the US Department of Defense’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency says the arms sale is in line with US law and policy. It also says the arms package will boost Taiwan’s security and defensive capabilities, which, in turn, will support US foreign policy.

On Tuesday, President Tsai Ing-wen said the timing of the arms sale is ideal.

“The [package] enables our pilot training program at the Luke Air Force Base to continue. We hope the program will strengthen and maintain the quality of our air force pilots so that they will be on the same level as those of other quality air forces around the world. The [package] is very important for our defense,” said Tsai.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/08/04
By Yang Ming-chu and Ko Lin

Taipei, Aug. 4 (CNA) Taiwanese Go player Kyo Kagen (許家元) has won the Gosei, one of Japan’s seven major titles, after defeating title defender Yuta Iyama 3-0 in a best-of-five match held in Osaka Friday.

Kyo broke the record for winning one of Japan’s seven major titles — Kisei, Meijin, Honinbo, Tengen, Oza, Judan and Gosei — in the shortest period after turning professional.

He clinched the Gosei in just five years and four months after turning professional in 2012, breaking the previous record of six years set by Japanese Atsushi Ida in April 2015, when he won the Judan title.

At the age of 20 years and seven months, Kyo also became the third-youngest player to bag one of the seven major titles.

Taipei Times
Date: May 12, 2018
By: Stacy Hsu  /  Staff reporter

Nicaragua will not abandon Taiwan, Nicaraguan Ambassador William Tapia said yesterday, adding that the Central American nation will not be “bought by dollars.”

Tapia made the remarks at a gathering with the media at the Nicaraguan embassy in Taipei, amid mounting concerns that the nation’s other diplomatic allies could follow in the footsteps of the Dominican Republic, which last month switched diplomatic recognition to China.

Nicaragua is one of Taiwan’s 19 diplomatic allies. The two nations resumed diplomatic ties in 1990 after then-Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega — who is also the incumbent president — switched recognition to Beijing in 1985.

“We have never thought about leaving Taiwan. Why would we leave Taiwan? It is our best ally… My president [Ortega] has said that as long as he is president of Nicaragua, we [will] never abandon Taiwan,” Tapia said.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News  
Date: 2018/02/13
By: Taiwan Today,Agencies

Taiwan machinery exports hit a record high of US$25.6 billion in 2017 on the back of surging global demand. (Taiwan Today Staff photo/Chin Hung-hao)
Taiwan’s machinery exports climbed 21.1 percent year on year to an all-time high of US$25.6 billion in 2017, according to the latest statistics by the Ministry of Finance and Taiwan Machine Tool and Accessory Builders Association (TMBA).

Metal machine tools, which comprise 13 percent of total shipments, increased 15.6 percent to US$3.35 billion—the sixth best result globally. The top destination was mainland China at 35 percent, followed by the U.S., 11.1 percent; and Turkey, 4.3 percent.

Semiconductor equipment surged 59.1 percent to US$3.72 billion, while ball and roller bearing housings gained 31.7 percent to US$1.73 billion. The record results position Taiwan ninth and 13th worldwide, respectively.

Taiwan ranks 19th in the world for machinery exports, with the top three comprising Germany, mainland China and the U.S. in that order.

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/11/08
By: Chu Tse-wei and Isabel Wang

Taipei, Nov. 8 (CNA) Taiwan’s National Communications Commission (NCC) said Wednesday that it plans to increase broadband speed in remote areas to 100 megabits per second by 2020, with the public and private sectors each contributing NT$800 million (US$26.5million).

Currently, the average broadband speed in such locations is 12 Mbps, with a 96 percent penetration rate.

NCC deputy chief Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) said the plan is part of President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program.

One of the goals detailed in the program is to create a smart and connected nation by upgrading digital infrastructure.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/10/16
By: Y.F. Low

Taipei, Oct. 16 (CNA) The U.S. dollar was traded at NT$30.15 at 10:30 a.m. Monday on the Taipei Foreign Exchange, down NT$0.035 from the previous close.
[SOURCE]