Software park on track
The Nankang Software Park's (南港軟體園區) is expected to attract more international corporations to set up research and development centers after its second-phase development project is completed in March 2003, Chen Chao-yi (陳昭義), director-general of the Industrial Development Bureau said yesterday. A total of 107 manufacturers have set up R&D or production facilities in the 8.2-hectare industrial park, employing a total of 4,500 workers, Chen said. The bureau expects that the software park will accommodate 150 more manufacturers, recruiting a total of about 9,000 employees, he added. Sony Corp has said it is interested in setting up a computer game and IC design center in Nankang, Chen said. Sony is expected to farm out around NT$150 billion worth of goods here this year.
Tech exports to be regulated
Taiwan, to protect national security and maintain its competitiveness in science and technology, has drafted a bill to control the export of sensitive technology. The bill, drafted by the National Science Council, calls for one to seven years' imprisonment for publicizing or exporting sensitive technology, a local Chinese-language newspaper reported. The paper said that under the proposed law, anyone publicizing or exporting sensitive technology would first have to gain approval from the council.
Biotech companies increasing
The Industrial Development Bureau has approved 56 applications for the establishment of biotechnology companies during the first eight months of the year, bureau officials said. The applications totalled above NT$15 billion, a bureau official said. The official said that while the overall investment sentiment in Taiwan has been low over the past months, the biotechnology sector has remained robust and start-ups have been investing huge amounts in diversified projects. Statistics compiled by the bureau indicate that there are around 150 biotechnology companies in Taiwan and that many of them are start-ups with capital investment under NT$200 million.
EVA raises profit forecast 31%
EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空) raised its 2002 profit forecast by 31 percent because of new routes and better-than-expected cargo demand. EVA's forecasts net income of NT$1.63 billion (US$47 million), compared with its April forecast of NT$1.25 billion. Last year, the company posted a NT$3.17 billion loss. EVA Air returned to profit in the first half of the year, posting net income of NT$765 million, after expanding routes to Japan in April. In July, the company more than doubled its flights to Hong Kong after a new air services agreement was reached.
Investment in China triples
Taiwan companies more than tripled investment in China in August from a year earlier, according to statistics provided by the the Min-istry of Economic Affairs's Invest-ment Commission. The China-bound investment amounted to US$425.6 million last month while foreign companies cut investment in Taiwan 28 percent to US$212 million, the commission said in a statement.
NT dollar dips
The New Taiwan dollar yesterday fell against its US counterpart as it tracked a weaker yen, losing NT$0.152 to close at NT$34.772 on the foreign exchange market. The turnover was US$550 million, up from the previous day's US$440 million. The currency, which opened at NT$34.750 against the greenback, traded between NT$34.670 and NT$34.780 during the session.
Zhang Yazhou was sitting in the passenger seat of her Tesla Model 3 when she said she heard her father’s panicked voice: The brakes do not work. Approaching a red light, her father swerved around two cars before plowing into a sport utility vehicle and a sedan, and crashing into a large concrete barrier. Stunned, Zhang gazed at the deflating airbag in front of her. She could never have imagined what was to come: Tesla Inc sued her for defamation for complaining publicly about the vehicles brakes — and won. A Chinese court ordered Zhang to pay more than US$23,000 in
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday held its first board of directors meeting in the US, at which it did not unveil any new US investments despite mounting tariff threats from US President Donald Trump. Trump has threatened to impose 100 percent tariffs on Taiwan-made chips, prompting market speculation that TSMC might consider boosting its chip capacity in the US or ramping up production of advanced chips such as those using a 2-nanometer technology process at its Arizona fabs ahead of schedule. Speculation also swirled that the chipmaker might consider building its own advanced packaging capacity in the US as part
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday said that its investment plan in Arizona is going according to schedule, following a local media report claiming that the company is planning to break ground on its third wafer fab in the US in June. In a statement, TSMC said it does not comment on market speculation, but that its investments in Arizona are proceeding well. TSMC is investing more than US$65 billion in Arizona to build three advanced wafer fabs. The first one has started production using the 4-nanometer (nm) process, while the second one would start mass production using the
‘NO DISRUPTION’: A US trade association said that it was ready to work with the US administration to streamline the program’s requirements and achieve shared goals The White House is seeking to renegotiate US CHIPS and Science Act awards and has signaled delays to some upcoming semiconductor disbursements, two sources familiar with the matter told reporters. The people, along with a third source, said that the new US administration is reviewing the projects awarded under the 2022 law, meant to boost US domestic semiconductor output with US$39 billion in subsidies. Washington plans to renegotiate some of the deals after assessing and changing current requirements, the sources said. The extent of the possible changes and how they would affect agreements already finalized was not immediately clear. It was not known