■Electronics
NEC invests in government
NEC Corp, Japan's second-largest chipmaker, and Fujitsu Ltd, the nation's biggest business computer maker, plan to set up data-processing centers for local governments, spending as much as Japanese Yen 30 billion (US$253 million), Nikkei English News reported. The companies each plan to establish 50 centers by March 2005 as demand for such services increase after local governments next month start distributing electronic identity cards to citizens, the newswire said, without citing the source of its information. NEC will provide computer equipment to local companies as well as expertise on how to design and operate such facilities, Nikkei said.
■ Internet
Cable wins from net phones
Cablevision Systems Corp, the largest cable-television company in the New York area, and its peers may eventually dominate calling via the Internet, Barron's said, citing an interview with Legg Mason analyst Blair Levin. In the coming months, Cablevision plans to begin selling a service that lets customers make telephone calls over the Internet, Levin said. "That shift is going to get worse with Voice Over Internet Protocol on the horizon. In the future, cable will be doing more VoiP," Levin said. Smaller companies, such as Vonage, which use other companies' broadband networks as well as equipment linked to a telephone to let customers make phone calls over the Internet, are also poised to benefit from growing demand for the service, Levin told Barron's.
■ Hotels
Le Meridien fights for life
Le Meridien Hotels, the operator of London's Grosvenor House, may be placed into administration this week if talks with Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal to refinance the company fail, the Sunday Telegraph reported, citing no one. Negotiations aimed at avoiding administration may continue today after Le Meridien's lenders rejected an offer from Hands and the Saudi prince to inject ?150 million (US$238 million) into the company provided the banks exchanged a portion of debt for a 10 percent equity stake. The hotel chain has been close to bankruptcy since it missed a ?20 million rental payment to Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc two weeks ago. RBS leases 11 UK hotels to Meridien and wants to appoint a new hotel operator for them, the paper said. Lehman Brothers Inc, another of Le Meridien's lenders, wants to hand over the management of the company's 130 hotels overseas to Hyatt Corp, the US hotels group, the paper said.
■ Luxury goods
Cartier opens Ginza outlet
Cie Financiere Richemont AG's Cartier opened the biggest outlet in its chain of luxury goods stores in Tokyo's Ginza district, following similar moves by rivals such as Christian Dior SA and Gucci Group NV, the Mainichi Yomiuri said. Cartier this weekend opened the 1,030m2 Parisian Mansion-style boutique, the biggest of its 212 outlets worldwide, the Yomiuri said. The company plans to invest aggressively in the Japanese market, Cartier International president Bernard Fornas said. Japan provides a fifth of the Cartier's profits, the paper quoted him as saying. Several foreign luxury goods makers have opened or plan to open stores in Tokyo's top shopping district,indicating Japan remains an attractive market for global luxury goods makers.
Agencies
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from