■FINANCE
AIG, MetLife discuss deal
American International Group Inc (AIG) is discussing a deal for all or part of its foreign unit, American Life Insurance Co, with MetLife Inc, according to a published report on Wednesday that cited people familiar with the matter. Alico operates in 50 countries, and a deal could offer its rival a chance to expand overseas quickly, the Wall Street Journal said in a report on its Web site. AIG must repay tens of billions of dollars to the US after it rescued the firm in September from potential bankruptcy, the newspaper said.
■ASIA
IMF raises growth outlook
The IMF has raised this year’s growth forecast for Asia’s developing economies from 4.8 percent to 5.5 percent, but cautioned that a sustained rebound would depend on recovery in developed economies. The Washington-based IMF cited improved prospects for regional giants China and India. In a report on Wednesday, it raised its growth outlook for China by 1 percentage point to 7.5 percent and for India by 0.9 percentage points to 5.4 percent. The IMF raised next year’s growth projection for developing Asian economies from 6.1 percent to 7 percent.
■AUSTRALIA
Jobless rate hits 5.8 percent
The unemployment rate rose to a six-year high of 5.8 percent last month as companies shed workers despite the government’s massive stimulus spending, official figures showed yesterday. The Australian Bureau of Statistics said the number of people in jobs fell by 21,400, with a small increase in the number of part-time employees overwhelmed by losses in full-time employment. The increase in joblessness was more moderate than economists had predicted. The rate hit 5.8 percent for the first time since October 2003, rising from 5.7 percent in May.
■SOUTH KOREA
Key rate still frozen
The central bank yesterday froze its key interest rate for the fifth straight month at a record low 2 percent, a statement said. The Bank of Korea’s decision to leave the seven-day repo rate unchanged came amid signs of economic improvement and easing inflationary pressure. The bank had made six consecutive rate cuts totalling 3.25 percentage points between October and February to prop up the export-dominated economy.
■LCD PANELS
Sharp to boost production
Bucking the economic gloom, Japan’s Sharp Corp said yesterday that it would move to boost production of liquid-crystal-display (LCD) panels to meet increasing demand for flat-screen TVs. Sharp will increase production capacity by 10 percent at its Kameyama No. 2 plant in central Japan sometime from August. The company, which makes the popular AQUOS brand of LCD TVs, is also preparing to put a new LCD plant in Sakai, western Japan, into operation in October, ahead of the original schedule.
■CELLPHONES
NTT DoCoMo raises goal
NTT DoCoMo Inc aims to ship as many as 1 million smartphones in Japan this year, helped by the release of a model running Google Inc’s Android operating system. The company aims to capture half of the country’s market for smartphones, estimated to be between 1.5 million and 2 million units in the 12 months ending on Dec. 31, president Ryuji Yamada said yesterday. The Tokyo-based carrier will begin selling an Android handset made by Taiwan’s HTC Corp (宏達電) tomorrow to compete with Apple Inc’s iPhone offered by rival Softbank Corp.
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