2008 targets on the table
The Council for Economic Planning and Development yesterday earmarked a target for the nation's economic performance next year.
The nation's economic growth would maintain a 4.8 percent level next year with a consumer price index below 2 percent and an estimated jobless rate of 3.8 percent, the council said in a statement.
The council forecast that crude oil prices would average US$74 per barrel, up from its previous estimate of US$60 per barrel, while the nation's trade surplus from commodities and services would contribute 1.6 percent to the nation's GDP.
Exports of commodities and services would contribute another 3.3 percent and domestic demand was expected to contribute another 1.9 percent, the statement added.
The council also said yesterday that it was still expecting the nation's per capita GDP to reach US$18,000 next year.
Per capita GDP would then climb to US$20,000 in 2015, the council said.
Chunghwa into real estate
The nation's biggest telecom operator, Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信), yesterday said it was planning to set up a real estate company next month to manage its large properties around the nation.
The company planned to inject NT$3 billion in Light Era Construction and Development Co Ltd (光世帶建設開發股份有限公司) in the initial stage and to eventually increase capital to NT$5 billion, said Hank Wang (王漢朝).
Wang was appointed as Light Era Construction and Development's chairman yesterday.
The company will have 25 employees in the first phase of its operations.
Chunghwa Telecom yesterday also said that in order to integrate resources it would spend NT$918 million on purchasing three telecom-related firms -- Chunghwa Telecom Global Inc (中華全球), Donghwa Telecom Co Ltd (東華電信) and Chunghwa System Integration Co Ltd (中華系統整合) -- from venture capital subsidiary Chunghwa Investment Co Ltd (中華投資).
Chunghwa Telecom owns 49 percent in Chunghwa Investment.
Chunghwa Telecom Global and Donghwa Telecom will be in charge of overseas marketing, as well as conducting promotion of overseas enterprise customers in the US, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.
First woman in IP post
The Ministry of Economic Affairs' Intellectual Property Office yesterday reshuffled its director-general, with the first female chief, Wang Mei-hua (王美花), being sworn in.
With a law degree from National Taiwan University, Wang, 49, had previously worked at the ministry's petitions and appeals committee.
Her excellent performance had led to her promotion to the office's deputy director-general post a year ago.
"The internationalization of the nation's intellectual property protection has been improved, but still has a long way to go," Wang told a handover ceremony yesterday.
"The review of intellectual property infringements will be the office's biggest challenge but an important aspect for our users," she said.
Outgoing director-general Tsai Lien-sheng (蔡練生) will take up the post of secretary-general at the Chinese National Federation of Industries.
NT dollar weakens
The New Taiwan dollar yesterday weakened by NT$0.036 to close at NT$32.304 against the greenback in Taipei on turnover of US$700 million.
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