Headline News
Taiwan looks forward to working with the new US administration
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement, that Taiwan looks forward to working with the new US administration to strengthen bilateral relations and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. It further stated that Taiwan and the United States share common values such as freedom, democracy and respect for human rights, and have maintained cooperation based on the principles of mutual trust and reciprocity.
President Tsai Ing-wen congratulated Donald Trump and Mike Pence on their inauguration and hopes for stronger ties between Taiwan and the US under the Trump administration.
Taiwan to pursue regional deals in wake of US withdrawal from TPP
Taiwan will continue to pursue and strengthen economic cooperation with its neighbors in the Asia-Pacific following US President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).
The objective now will be to complete the upgrading and transforming of Taiwan’s economy while pursuing other strategic trade partnerships. and continue to push its “5+2 Innovative Industries” project and expanding bilateral and multilateral economic agreements, Presidential Office Spokesman Alex Huang said.
The Foreign Ministry stated that Taiwan's commitment to free trade will continue regardless of the TPP's future. It added that it hopes to pursue deeper economic cooperation with the US with the aim of forging a bilateral free trade agreement.
Economy
The Netherlands biggest importer of Taiwan-made bicycles in Europe
Based on the latest statistics from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Netherlands is the biggest market in Europe for Taiwan made bicycles, followed by Great Britain. The Netherlands comes second in Europe trailing Germany as biggest importer of Taiwan bicycle parts.
Europe is accounting for 50.5 percent of Taiwan’s bicycles and parts exports, North America for 23.4 percent and Asian for 17.5 percent.
For the first nine months of 2016, the biggest market in the EU for bicycles and bicycle parts was Germany with US$257.6 million, followed by the Netherlands with US$211.5 million and the U.K. with US$123.3 million.
Taiwan bicycles and bicycle parts enjoy the biggest market share in all three EU countries of 22 percent, 37.1 percent and 26.1 percent respectively.
TSMC records highest net profit for Q4 2016
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chip maker, reported a record high net profit of US$3.16 billion for the fourth quarter of 2016. Citing strong sales in communications and computer devices in the global market, TSMC termed it the highest in its history.
The net profit represents a 3.6 percent increase from the previous quarter and a 37.6 percent rise from a year earlier. TSMC total net profit for 2016 amounts US$10.55 billion.
Taoyuan Airport breaks 40 million mark in passengers volume
Taiwan’s main airport broke the 40 million mark in 2016 by welcoming 42.3 million passengers, 9.94 percent more than in 2015. The number of flights also recorded a growth of 10.52%, an increase of 23,273 reaching a total of 244,464 flights.
It led to an upgrade of the airport’s service quality rating by the Airport Council International (ACI).
Arts & Culture
Dance Forum x Tan Dun
A combination of Taiwanese dancers with piano music by Tan Dun (Oscar for music) resulted in HUI, an exciting collaboration between Taiwan, the U.K. and the Netherlands that is lauded in the press as “beautifully staged and choreographed” and “visually stunning.”
Commissioned by the National Performing Art Center – National Theater and Concert Hall from Taiwan, HUI will be on stage in The Hague (4 March), Heerlen (8 March), Breda (10 March) and Groningen (13 March). For more info and video clip:
http://epaper.crown.com.tw/dance/2017/dance0123en.html
