■ Aviation
Market shifting, report says
Asia-Pacific air carriers were advised against relying on "continuing and unquestioning government support" by an aviation consultancy in a published report yesterday. High fuel prices, recent relaxation of the international regulatory structure and national policy trends have passed the point of no return, creating a radical change in the region's aviation market, said the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA). Continuing government support is becoming politically unacceptable for most governments, the Sydney-based consultancy said in a statement published in the Business Times. "As a result, more point-to-point route access, more fifth freedom operations and more new entry will be permitted, resulting in further competitive pressures," CAPA said. CAPA also predicted a period of fierce price discounting next year as consumer demand slows in many countries.
■ Telecoms
Ericsson warns of slump
Ericsson, the world's largest supplier of mobile telecommunication systems, yesterday reported third-quarter earnings slightly ahead of forecasts, but warned that the world systems market would show only moderate growth this year and next. The Swedish company booked a net profit of 5.3 billion kronor (US$672 million) for the three months through last month, up from 4.3 billion the same period a year earlier. Pretax profit was 8 billion kronor, compared with financial market expectations of 7.9 billion, and a 6.4 billion profit a year earlier. "The market continues to show good development with growth in mobile voice and data, broadband and in emerging markets in general," Chief executive Carl-Henric Svanberg said.
■ Semiconductors
Toshiba to up investment
Japan's Toshiba Corp. said yesterday it will boost semiconductor capital investment this fiscal year to a record ¥225 billion (US$1.95 billion) on surging demand for high-capacity flash memory chips. Toshiba has decided to increase the capital investment by about 33 percent to meet rising demand for NAND-type flash memory chips, used for such products as Apple's hugely popular iPod. "We have decided to increase our capital investment plan from the original ¥169 billion to ¥225 billion [for the year to March 2006], mainly to increase production at our Yokkaichi factory," in central Japan, a spokesman said.
■ Telecoms
India raises ownership cap
India's Cabinet Thursday gave formal approval to raise the limit on foreign company ownership of telecoms companies to 74 percent from 49 percent, a senior minister said. "The Cabinet has cleared the proposal to hike foreign direct investment [FDI] in the telecom sector to 74 percent to meet the funding needs of the growing industry," S. Jaipal Reddy, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, told reporters after a Cabinet meeting. India has emerged as the world's second-fastest growing mobile phone market after China and it has an ambitious target of adding some 200-250 million users by 2007, compared with about 55 million now. This breakneck expansion would require investment of nearly 1.5 trillion rupees (US$34 billion), according to the telecommunications ministry. US-based bank Morgan Stanley says India's mobile market is expected to grow at 40 percent a year until 2007.
Nvidia Corp yesterday unveiled its new high-speed interconnect technology, NVLink Fusion, with Taiwanese application-specific IC (ASIC) designers Alchip Technologies Ltd (世芯) and MediaTek Inc (聯發科) among the first to adopt the technology to help build semi-custom artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure for hyperscalers. Nvidia has opened its technology to outside users, as hyperscalers and cloud service providers are building their own cost-effective AI chips, or accelerators, used in AI servers by leveraging ASIC firms’ designing capabilities to reduce their dependence on Nvidia. Previously, NVLink technology was only available for Nvidia’s own AI platform. “NVLink Fusion opens Nvidia’s AI platform and rich ecosystem for
WARNING: From Jan. 1 last year to the end of last month, 89 Taiwanese have gone missing or been detained in China, the MAC said, urging people to carefully consider travel to China Lax enforcement had made virtually moot regulations banning civil servants from making unauthorized visits to China, the Control Yuan said yesterday. Several agencies allowed personnel to travel to China after they submitted explanations for the trip written using artificial intelligence or provided no reason at all, the Control Yuan said in a statement, following an investigation headed by Control Yuan member Lin Wen-cheng (林文程). The probe identified 318 civil servants who traveled to China without permission in the past 10 years, but the true number could be close to 1,000, the Control Yuan said. The public employees investigated were not engaged in national
CAUSE AND EFFECT: China’s policies prompted the US to increase its presence in the Indo-Pacific, and Beijing should consider if this outcome is in its best interests, Lai said China has been escalating its military and political pressure on Taiwan for many years, but should reflect on this strategy and think about what is really in its best interest, President William Lai (賴清德) said. Lai made the remark in a YouTube interview with Mindi World News that was broadcast on Saturday, ahead of the first anniversary of his presidential inauguration tomorrow. The US has clearly stated that China is its biggest challenge and threat, with US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth repeatedly saying that the US should increase its forces in the Indo-Pacific region
ALL TOGETHER: Only by including Taiwan can the WHA fully exemplify its commitment to ‘One World for Health,’ the representative offices of eight nations in Taiwan said The representative offices in Taiwan of eight nations yesterday issued a joint statement reiterating their support for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement with the WHO and for Taipei’s participation as an observer at the World Health Assembly (WHA). The joint statement came as Taiwan has not received an invitation to this year’s WHA, which started yesterday and runs until Tuesday next week. This year’s meeting of the decisionmaking body of the WHO in Geneva, Switzerland, would be the ninth consecutive year Taiwan has been excluded. The eight offices, which reaffirmed their support for Taiwan, are the British Office Taipei, the Australian Office Taipei, the
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