■ Music Piracy
IFPI to sue in Asia, Europe
The international record industry expanded its fight against music piracy yesterday, announcing that it will file hundreds more lawsuits across Europe and Asia against individuals and groups it accuses of illegally sharing music through the Internet. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) said its affiliates are filing 963 new cases and are also adding five new countries to the list of litigation. In the new wave of lawsuits, Japan becomes the first Asian country to launch legal action against music piracy. It is also the first time such action has been taken in the Netherlands, Iceland, Finland and Ireland. Kazaa, which used to be the largest and most popular file-sharing service, has seen its users drop by approximately 45 percent -- from 4.2 million to 2.3 million concurrent users -- since the start of the warning and litigation campaign, the IFPI said.
■ Airlines
State aid row heats up
The future Airbus A350 aircraft, designed to rival Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, could be the first victim of a lengthy dispute between the EU and the US over state aid to the aeronautics sector. Brussels and Washington failed to meet their self-imposed deadline Monday to achieve a negotiated agreement on subsidies to Boeing and Airbus. The US has bitterly opposed European plans to subsidize the A350 and has threatened to seek arbitration by the WTO if the EU allows aid to the project before the end of bilateral negotiations. The situation has stymied the European aircraft maker, which intended to ask its four participating countries, Britain, France, Germany and Spain, for aid to finance the A350. The project's cost is estimated at 4 billion euros (US$5.19 billion).
‘UNFRIENDLY’: Changing the nationality listing of Taiwanese residents to ‘China’ goes against EU foreign policy as well as democratic and human rights principles, MOFA said Taiwan yesterday called on Denmark to correct its designation of the nationality of Taiwanese residents as “China” or face retaliatory measures. The Danish government in 2024 changed the nationality of Taiwanese citizens on their residence permits from “Taiwan” to “China.” The decision goes against EU foreign policy and contravenes democratic and human rights principles, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) said. Denmark should present a solution acceptable to Taiwan as soon as possible and correct the erroneous designation to preserve the longstanding friendship between the two nations, Hsiao said. The issue could damage Denmark’s image and business reputation in Taiwan,
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
SUFFICIENT: The president said Taiwan has enough oil for next month, with reserves covering more than 100 days and natural gas enough for 12 to 14 days A restart plan for the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春) would be submitted to the Nuclear Safety Commission by the end of the month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, reversing the government’s policy to abolish nuclear energy. On May 17 last year, Taiwan shut down its last nuclear reactor and became the first non-nuclear nation in East Asia, fulfilling the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s pledge of a “nuclear-free homeland.” Even without nuclear power, Taiwan can maintain a stable electricity supply until 2032,
DEROGATORY: WTO host Cameroon’s designation of Taiwan as a ‘province of China’ seriously undermines the nation’s status and rights as a WTO member, MOFA said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday condemned Cameroon for listing Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China” in visa documents for an upcoming WTO ministerial conference, a move that led to Taiwan’s withdrawal from the event. The designation “seriously undermined” Taiwan’s status and rights as a WTO member, the ministry said in a statement. It is the first time since 2001 that Taiwan has declined to attend a WTO Ministerial Conference. The conference is scheduled to take place from Thursday to Sunday next week in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. Taiwan had planned to send a delegation led by Minister Without Portfolio
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