EU antitrust regulators said on Tuesday they were looking again into Intel Corp's business practices after rival US chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices Inc declined to withdraw its complaint. \nThe European Commission reached a preliminary conclusion a couple of years ago that there was insufficient evidence to bring charges, but AMD disagreed and renewed its complaint, said EU spokeswoman Amelia Torres. \nTherefore, the commission began "a new fact-finding phase" by sending letters to industry players requesting information, she said. \nShe stressed the probe was at the beginning and it was "too early to say if we have a case." \nIn 2002, the EU said it didn't have enough evidence to pursue AMD's complaint about microprocessors. \nEven so, AMD has continued to press its case against Intel in Europe where, in the past, AMD accused the world's leading chipmaker of unfair sales practices such as offering loyalty rebates to customers and signing exclusive purchasing agreements. \n"We've been in continual contact with the EU and shared information with them that we think may be useful," said AMD spokesman Michael Simonoff. "It seems that some information that we may have provided of late has sparked them to issue these letters." \nHe declined to disclose details on what information was provided to regulators. \nIntel has not received any additional requests for information, said company spokesman Chuck Mulloy. \n"Should we receive those questions, we will answer them," he said. "We continue to believe our business practices are fair and lawful." \nMeanwhile, the US Supreme Court heard arguments in April and is expected to rule this month on another element of the case -- AMD's request for confidential documents from a patent dispute between Intel and Intergraph Corp. AMD believes the information would be of interest to the Europeans. \nThat case, however, focuses more on the exchange of information between governments, and less on the content of the documents, AMD's Simonoff said. \n"The information that is being discussed in the Supreme Court case is pretty dated at this point," he said. Still, the documents could illustrate a pattern of past business practices, he added. \nAMD's complaint isn't Intel's only headache in Europe. In April this year, the EU said it is investigating whether some European governments illegally favored Intel chips in public procurement of computers. \nIn that case, EU officials didn't accuse Intel of wrongdoing but are investigating why governments put Intel-only clauses in bid requirements.
CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT: A new committee would investigate a backlog of US weapons sales to Taiwan, said its chairman, US Representative Mike Gallagher The US should formally recognize Taiwan as an independent nation, and end its outdated and counterproductive “one China” policy, US Representative Tom Tiffany and 18 other US lawmakers wrote in a petition. “It is time to change the status quo and recognize the reality denied by the US government for decades: Taiwan is an independent nation,” Tiffany told the Epoch Times. “As our long-standing and valued partner, correctly acknowledging their independence from communist China is long overdue.” The resolution also asks the administration of US President Joe Biden to support Taiwan’s membership in international organizations and to negotiate a bilateral free-trade
The Pentagon is preparing for US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy to visit Taiwan later this year, Punchbowl News reported on Monday, citing an official directly involved in the talks. US administration officials anticipate McCarthy would visit Taiwan some time in the spring, the report said. McCarthy had previously pledged to visit Taiwan if he became House speaker. He was elected speaker earlier this month. He had also said that he would have liked to join then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s delegation when she visited Taiwan in August last year. Pelosi’s 19-hour visit to Taipei marked the first time in 25 years
GUT FEELING: In the leaked memo, US Air Force General Mike Minihan urged mobile command personnel to go to a firing range, shoot at a target and ‘aim for the head’ A four-star US Air Force general has warned of a conflict with China as early as 2025 — most likely over Taiwan — and urged his commanders to push their units to achieve maximum operational battle readiness this year. In an internal memorandum that first emerged on social media on Friday, and was later confirmed as genuine by the Pentagon, Air Mobility Command Commander General Mike Minihan said that the main goal should be to deter “and, if required, defeat” China. “I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me we will fight in 2025,” Minihan said. Minihan said that Taiwan’s presidential election
JOINT OPERATIONS: Participating in the IMET program, which offers professional training and education to military personnel, would boost Taiwan’s defense capabilities The US government is appropriating funding to help Taiwan participate in its International Military Education & Training (IMET) program to enhance interoperability and capabilities for joint operations of the Taiwanse and US militaries. The funding for Taiwan’s participation in the program is mentioned in the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023, a US$1.7 trillion spending bill funding the US federal government for the fiscal year 2023. It covers funding for military support for Ukraine, defense spending and regions affected by natural disasters. The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) told the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) that IMET is an important US
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