AU Optronics expects growth in H2UPBEAT OUTLOOK: With more companies investing heavily in information technology and demand for high-end TVs growing, the company said it expects prices to increaseBy Lisa Wang / Staff reporterAU Optronics Corp (AUO, 友達光電) expects growth momentum to extend into the second half of this year on strong demand for commercial laptops and premium TVs, after yesterday posting 65 percent sequential growth in net profit last quarter. Net profit expanded to NT$19.53 billion (US$698.87 million) in the second quarter, compared with NT$11.83 billion in the previous quarter and losses of NT$2.96 billion in the second quarter of last year. The company attributed the growth to quarter-on-quarter price increases of 16 percent last quarter. AUO expects panel supply and demand to reach a balance, as a key components shortage would cap the growth of new production. Shipments of the company’s 85-inch panels are to grow by a double-digit percentage year-on-year this quarter, after surging 50 percent annually last quarter, AUO forecast.

ASE eyes revenue growth of 20 percent for this yearBy Lisa Wang / Staff reporterASE Technology Holding Co (ASE, 日月光投控), the world’s biggest chip assembler and tester, yesterday issued an optimistic outlook in expectation that its core business revenue would grow more than 20 percent this year on stronger customer demand and limited capacity. Earlier this year, ASE projected that revenue from its chip assembly and testing services would this year be double the estimated revenue growth of the semiconductor industry. “We are seeing stronger assembly and testing manufacturing demand than our previous target,” ASE chief operating officer Tien Wu (吳田玉) told an online investors’ conference. In this quarter, ASE expects assembly and testing manufacturing shipments to expand 12 percent from the second quarter, while average selling prices are to hold steady at last quarter’s level, it said. ASE yesterday posted 49 percent annual growth in net profit to NT$10.34 billion (US$370 million) during the second quarter, compared with NT$6.94 billion.

Kee Tai to auction off complex near Taipei Railway Station in OctoberBy Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterKee Tai Properties Co (基泰建設) is in October to auction off its mixed-use complex near Taipei Railway Station for what many believe would be the biggest deal this year. The exterior of Kee Tai Properties Co’s mixed-use building, second right, on Zhongxiao W Road in Taipei is pictured on Wednesday. Photo: Hsu Yi-ping, Taipei TimesBuilt in 2019, the complex has occupants on 16 floors. Kee Tai said it is willing to sell or lease unsold houses from previous projects in Taipei to take a profit. The complex near Taipei Railway Station could generate NT$12 billion to US$15 billion (US$429.41 million to US$536.77 million) in revenue, real-estate brokers said.

Ministry rejects China’s claims on status of TaiwanBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday rejected the claim Beijing has been making about Taiwan’s status, while thanking US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman for raising concerns about Taiwan during her meeting with Chinese officials. Sherman met with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) on a visit to Tianjin on Sunday and Monday, with Wang urging Washington not to infringe on China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thanked the US for voicing its concerns about Taiwan. Taiwan and the US have maintained close communications regarding Sherman’s visit to China, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said in a statement yesterday. The Republic of China (Taiwan) is a democratic nation with independent sovereignty, with the sovereignty belonging to its 23.5 million people, she said.

She won gold in the women’s under-59kg weight class. Photo: EPA-EFE“I am very happy that I put all the pieces together now, adding in the Olympic gold medal today,” she said. Taiwan’s Kuo Hsing-chun displays her gold medal after winning the Tokyo Olympic Games women’s under-59kg final yesterday. She was beaten by Canada’s Maude Charron, who took gold with a combined lift of 236kg, and Italy’s Giorgia Bordignon, who lifted 232kg. Taiwan now has had one gold, two silver and three bronze medals in Tokyo.

TPP pushes for ‘vaccine passports’By Chen Yun and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerTaiwan People’s Party (TPP) legislators yesterday urged the government to negotiate a reciprocal “vaccine passport” with other nations and to set clear standards for reopening after the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that preparations can be made early, even while the vaccination rate remains low. The appeal came a day after the party caucus donated NT$1 million (US$35,644) of needles to remote medical centers to help their vaccination efforts. Many nations have been proposing so-called “vaccine passports” as part of plans to reopen borders, and restart travel and the economy, TPP deputy caucus convener Ann Kao (高虹安) told a news conference. Holders of the certificate can travel between EU nations without any restrictions or additional testing, she added. Although the COVID-19 alert has been lowered to level 2, many confusing and awkward regulations remain, TPP caucus convener Chiu Chen-yuan (邱臣遠) said.

COVID-19: What caused COVID-19 outbreak? While Taiwan has seen fewer than 800 COVID-19 deaths in total, 500 of them occurred last month alone, amid its biggest virus wave to date. As Taiwan’s outbreak finally abates and restrictions are slowly lifted, with curbs on larger social gatherings and tourist sites easing this week, attention is turning to what went wrong. However, Taiwan appears not to have done enough to ramp up testing capabilities, medical system readiness or vaccine supply. “Taiwan, like many other countries, couldn’t quickly adjust medical capacity when the outbreak happened, which led to a high fatality rate in Taiwan and globally,” Chuang said.

COVID-19: Risk level in most cities, counties has dropped, CECC saysBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterExcept for Taipei and New Taipei City, the COVID-19 situation in cities and counties has dropped to a medium-to-low risk level, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday, as it reported 16 locally transmitted COVID-19 infections and one death. “Recent case reports have been limited to a few cities and counties, and their sources of infection are mostly clear, so the COVID-19 situation is under control,” he said. Local governments should ensure they have sufficient medical capacity to respond to possible outbreaks of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, he added. Other than Taipei and New Taipei City, the COVID-19 situation has dropped to a medium-to-low risk level in other cities and counties, he said. Asked about health and medical capacity for treating COVID-19 patients, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC’s medical response division, said that about 420 COVID-19 patients are still in hospital.

Investment Commission negligent: NPPCONCERN: Kerry TJ Logistics, which controls a firm that provides logistics services at Taiwan’s two main science parks, has filed an equity transaction with a Chinese firmBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterThe New Power Party (NPP) yesterday accused the Investment Commission of negligence for allegedly not investigating whether a firm that controls the logistics services of Taiwan’s two main science parks is funded by Chinese investors. Huang said that Kerry TJ was funded by Chinese investors after it announced an equity transaction with China’s SF Holding Co in February. HCT Logistics in 2018 sold its 55 percent stake in Science Park Logistics to Kerry TJ, he added. Investment Commission Vice Executive Secretary Lu Cheng-hui (呂貞惠) said that Kerry TJ reported its equity transaction in February. “We consulted the Southern Science Park Administration, which told us that Science Park Logistics does not have to be more than 50 percent owned by state-owned corporations,” she said.

The Hsinchu-based chip designer had three months earlier projected a 40 percent growth from NT$322.16 billion (US$11.48 billion) last year. MediaTek expects next year to be another growth year, with a higher 5G penetration rate and accelerating digital transformation during the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. Photo: Vanessa Cho, Taipei TimesWith growth momentum continuing to build up, MediaTek expects revenue to reach US$20 billion within two years, double last year’s figure. “We already have enough growth upsides from our current four major business groups to achieve revenue of US$20 billion,” MediaTek chief executive officer Rick Tsai (蔡力行) told an online investors’ conference yesterday. MediaTek said revenue growth was across the board, with robust demand also from Wi-Fi chips, TV chips and chips used in tablets, Internet of Things devices and power management chips.

A nationwide COVID-19 alert is to be downgraded to level 2 today. “Although the local COVID-19 alert level will be lowered tomorrow [today], I must stress that the border control measures remain the same,” Chen said. “Visitors are also temporarily prohibited from making flight connections in Taiwan,” he said, adding that the policies are subject to change based on the global and local COVID-19 situation, as well as the implementation of disease prevention measures in local communities. After receiving a text message, eligible recipients can book an appointment from 10am today until midday on Thursday, Chen said. The level 3 COVID-19 alert is to be lowered to level 2 today, raising the maximum number of people allowed at indoor gatherings to 50 and at outdoor gatherings to 100.

COVID-19: Ministry mulls increasing flights to outlying islandsStaff writer, with CNAThe Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) would soon discuss with local government officials the possibility of raising the number of flights to the nation’s outlying islands after a nationwide COVID-19 alert is downgraded to level 2 today, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. More than 80 percent of domestic flights have been canceled since the COVID-19 alert was raised to level 3 on May 19. Photo: Chen Hsin-yu, Taipei Times“It has come to our attention that flights to the outlying islands do not meet the demand. The ministry must continue to exercise extreme caution, even though the COVID-19 alert has been downgraded to level 2, he said. “The last thing that officials in the outlying islands want is for there to be a dramatic influx of tourists from Taiwan proper.

TSMC mulls building German plant‘IN ITS INFANCY’: The company’s 12-inch fab in Arizona is to be its first major overseas chip manufacturing site, while the fab in Japan would be its second, if it is constructedBy Lisa Wang / Staff reporterTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is evaluating the feasibility of constructing a semiconductor fabrication plant in Germany as it continues to expand overseas, it said yesterday. “About the German fab, we are seriously looking into it, but it is still in its infancy,” TSMC chairman Mark Liu (劉德音) told the annual general meeting. Photo: Grace Hung, Taipei TimesThe US is to be the first major overseas chip manufacturing site for TSMC, as it started constructing an advanced 12-inch fab in Arizona earlier this year. Japan could be TSMC’s second overseas site, as the chipmaker said that it is carrying out due diligence regarding building a fab there. Liu said that he was not concerned about the countries’ localization plans, as their semiconductor supply chains would be partial.

Taishin Financial again looks to MOF to recoup loss from CHB investmentBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterTaishin Financial Holding Co (台新金控) once again yesterday urged the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to compensate it for a loss incurred when it invested in state-run Chang Hwa Commercial Bank (CHB, 彰化銀行), after the ministry rejected its request last week. Taishin Financial Holding Co chairman Thomas Wu, center, presides over the company’s annual general meeting in Taipei on Friday. “On June 10, Taishin sold 200 million shares of CHB at NT$15.58 per share, lower than the share’s closing price of NT$16.7 that day. It was Taishin that decided to sell its CHB shares at a lower price,” the ministry said in a statement yesterday. Taishin’s share price yesterday edged up 0.29 percent to NT$17.2 in Taipei trading, while CHB’s share price dipped 0.6 percent to NT$16.6, Taiwan Stock Exchange data showed.

COVID-19: DPP accuses TPP of vaccine ‘plotting’DELAYING PRODUCTION: By asking for four reports on Medigen’s emergency use authorization, the TPP contravened the legislature’s rules, the DPP’s Lo Chih-cheng saidBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterDemocratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday accused the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) of attempting to derail production of Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp’s COVID-19 vaccine, most recently by demanding that the Ministry of Health and Welfare and three other agencies issue reports on its authorization process. Lo showed an official document, bearing the TPP legislative caucus letterhead and dated yesterday, which asked four government ministries and agencies to each table a report on the emergency use authorization process for the Medigen vaccine. The TPP asked to be provided with a list of attendees by 10am tomorrow. “The TPP is plotting to derail domestic vaccine production, just like the KMT is doing,” Lo said. Lo said that the KMT has spread misinformation about the Medigen vaccine to mislead the public.