TAXATION
US, India reach tax deal
The US on Wednesday said it had reached a deal to lift never-implemented levies on India in exchange for the easing of its tax targeting international tech firms. India is among countries that had imposed a tax on foreign digital services, which earned Washington’s ire since it considers such levies an unfair attack on US tech giants. The US Department of Treasury said in a statement that India would instead follow a minimum tax deal reached last month by 140 countries under the auspices of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. That agreement would see the imposition of a 15 percent minimum corporate tax worldwide and is expected to come into effect in 2023.
ENVIRONMENT
China eyes methane control
China will look into methane emissions in key industries, including coal mining, agriculture and petroleum, and publish a nationwide methane emission control action plan, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment told a news briefing yesterday. China’s methane emissions were 55.29 million tonnes in 2014, accounting for 10.4 percent of total greenhouse gases emission in the nation, the latest official data showed. The energy sector contributed 45 percent of the methane discharge, while agriculture accounted for 40 percent. The ministry said it would roll out thorough research on China’s methane emission control situation and set effective emission reduction measures.
ENERGY
IEA head appeals to OPEC
International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol on Wednesday called on OPEC and its allies to take measures to help bring oil prices down to reasonable levels. “I very much hope to see in the next meeting or meetings they ... make the necessary steps in order to comfort the global oil markets and help bring the prices down at reasonable levels,” Birol told reporters. He also took aim at Russia over gas. “Russia can easily increase exports to Europe about 15 percent ... and significantly comfort the European gas markets,” Birol said.
MEXICO
Woman to head central bank
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday nominated Deputy Minister of Finance Victoria Rodriguez as the next Bank of Mexico governor, the first woman to head the central bank. The announcement came a day after former minister of finance Arturo Herrera said Lopez Obrador had withdrawn his candidacy for the post, unsettling financial markets. “For the first time, a woman will be heading the Bank of Mexico,” Lopez Obrador told reporters, saying the nomination, which requires approval by the senate, was part of efforts to promote gender equality. As deputy finance minister, Rodriguez “has acted with great responsibility so as not to spend just to spend,” he added.
AIRLINES
Cathay to slash HK flights
Cathay Pacific yesterday said it would slash passenger flights into Hong Kong next month as the territory’s strict travel curbs continue to keep international travelers away at a time when rivals are seeing their prospects improve. As the peak holiday season approaches, the airline will convert about one-third of flights bound for Hong Kong to handle cargo, the South China Morning Post reported, citing company sources.
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
US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose up to 100 percent tariffs on Taiwan’s semiconductor exports to the US to encourage chip manufacturers to move their production facilities to the US, but experts are questioning his strategy, warning it could harm industries on both sides. “I’m very confused and surprised that the Trump administration would try and do this,” Bob O’Donnell, chief analyst and founder of TECHnalysis Research in California, said in an interview with the Central News Agency on Wednesday. “It seems to reflect the fact that they don’t understand how the semiconductor industry really works,” O’Donnell said. Economic sanctions would