Taiwan and the Philippines are to hold a "smart harbor" forum in Kaohsiung next month to promote cooperation between the southern Taiwan harbor and the Port of Subic Bay, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said today.
The Taiwan-Philippines smart harbor forum from Dec. 9 to 11 is to be joined by more than 30 representatives from the Philippines' public and private sectors, Department of International Cooperation and Economic Affairs Director Lien Yu-ping (連玉蘋) told a weekly briefing.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
Invitations have been extended to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and to local government officials from North Luzon, but the guest list has yet to be finalized, she said.
The Port of Subic Bay and Port of Kaohsiung are busy harbors situated in important geographical areas in the region, Lien said.
The forum is aimed at facilitating closer exchanges between them on digitalization, automation and uncrewed surface vehicles, she said.
It is part of the government's ongoing efforts to promote the so-called Taiwan-Philippines Economic Corridor, she added.
The project aligns with the Luzon Economic Corridor, launched by the Philippines, the US and Japan last year.
It also underscores joint efforts by Taiwan and the US to bolster cooperation in third countries and deepens Taiwan's strategic partnership with the Philippines, the ministry said.
A NT$39 receipt for two bottles of tea at a FamilyMart was among the NT$10 million (US $312,969) special prize winners in the January-February uniform invoice lottery. FamilyMart said that two NT$10 million-winning receipts were issued at its stores, as well as two NT$2 million grand prizes and three NT$200,000 first prizes. The two NT$10 million receipts were issued at stores in Pingtung County and Yilan County’s Dongshan Township (冬山). One winner spent just NT$39 on two bottles of tea, while another spent NT$80 on water, tea and coffee, the company said. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven reported three NT$10 million winners — in New Taipei
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
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