■ AUTOMAKERS
Tiny Toyota in the making
Toyota Motor Corp plans to introduce a fuel-efficient ultra-compact four-seater vehicle in Europe by around 2009 to meet rising demand for low-pollution cars, a report said yesterday. The vehicle will be based on the "iQ" prototype that the Japanese automaker exhibited at this month's Frankfurt auto show, the Nikkei Shimbun said, without citing its sources. Measuring just 2.98m long, the iQ is around 80cm shorter than Toyota's Yaris subcompact, it said. The car is expected to carry up to four people and have a 1 liter-class engine, with the price yet to be decided, the report said.
■ ELECTRONICS
Cisco, Haier strike deal
Cisco Systems Inc, the world's biggest network equipment maker, announced a deal yesterday with China's largest appliance manufacturer to share expertise in constructing home network technology. The deal with Haier Group (海爾集團) comes as technology and home electronics companies forge ties to profit from the growing integration of the Internet with home entertainment. Cisco and Haier will share expertise in management and constructing "information infrastructure and home networking systems," the companies said in a joint statement. They gave no details of how their cooperation would work or what products they might develop together.
■ ENERGY
San Miguel bids for grid
Southeast Asia's top food and beverage firm San Miguel Corp said yesterday it wanted to run the power transmission grid in the Philippines. The firm, one the country's largest, told the stock exchange its unit San Miguel Energy had allied with a Malaysian utility and a US fund for the bid. The franchise to operate the power grid for the next 25 years is to be auctioned off in December. San Miguel has amassed a cash pile of more than 35 billion pesos (US$772 million), which it will use to diversify into utilities, mining and property development.
■ AVIATION
Airbus short-lists partners
Commercial jet builder Airbus has named five suppliers as potential partners to take over some of its manufacturing facilities in France, Germany and Britain, the company said on Monday. The short list, narrowed from 11 contenders, includes GKN PLC of Britain, Aviation Latecoere of France, the two German companies Voith AG and MT Aerospace and US-based Spirit AeroSystems Inc. Airbus gave no date for a further decision, saying there were no front-runners and it wouldn't be rushed into a choice. Airbus is looking for partners for its manufacturing sites as part of a broad restructuring and cost-cutting program.
■ NUCLEAR ENERGY
Westinghouse to buy Astare
US nuclear reactor manufacturer Westinghouse Electric Co, a group company of Japan's Toshiba Corp, has reached an agreement to acquire French nuclear engineering company Astare, it said yesterday. Westinghouse and Toshiba did not disclose the terms of the agreement. Westinghouse vice president of engineering Nick Liparulo said the deal should help Westinghouse prepare for expected growth in the industry around the globe. Astare will continue to operate as Astare.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source