Taiwan has given permission to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) to set up an office in Taipei. The office will be the special administrative region’s first official organization in Taiwan, HKTDC Spokesman William Cheung (張志輝) said on Thursday.
The council applied to Taiwanese authorities earlier this year to establish an office in Taipei, and received approval on Thursday, Cheung said, adding that the council welcomed the decision.
The council was established in 1966 as the international marketing arm of Hong Kong and now has 40 offices around the world, Cheung said.
The council has rented an office in Taipei, and will send one staff member from Hong Kong, while other personnel will be recruited locally, Cheung said.
The Taipei office is being established to enhance bilateral trade relations and promote Hong Kong’s services industry, with financial services, logistics and real estate being the focus, Cheung said. The Taipei office will also help to boost cooperation between the two sides in technology development and the entertainment industry, he said.
Taiwan is Hong Kong’s fourth largest trade partner in terms of volume, with bilateral trade volume standing at US$33.25 billion for last year, Cheung said, citing council statistics.
Bilateral trade for the period from January to August this year stood at US$22 billion, up by 2.4 percent from the same period last year, he said. The figures show that Taiwanese exports to Hong Kong were worth US$17 billion while Hong Kong’s exports to Taiwan were worth US$5 billion, Cheung said.
Cheung said that the Taiwan market would offer more business opportunities for Hong Kong with the continued improvement of relations between Taiwan and China.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS