TSMC says three workers test positive for COVID-19
TSMC says three workers test positive for COVID-19By Lisa Wang / Staff reporterTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, yesterday said three of its employees had tested positive for COVID-19, and more than 100 workers who came into close contact with them are quarantining at home and are to undergo rapid and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. It has also provided them with COVID-19 home test kits and arranged for further PCR tests. The PCR tests will be completed in two days, the chipmaker said. More than 200 workers have tested negative in initial tests, TSMC said in a filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange. The chipmaker plans to launch several rounds of rapid tests this week for employees to safeguard their health, it said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 12, 2021 15:56 UTC
Chiang, Cho spar over ‘consensus’
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang, center, speaks to reporters on the sidelines of an event outside Tucheng Hospital in New Taipei City yesterday. Chiang said that he made the KMT’s discourse on cross-strait relations “very clear” at the congress. The party advocates “a 1992 consensus based on the Constitution of the Republic of China,” Chiang added. Elections for the KMT chairperson and delegates to the party’s 21st national congress had been scheduled to take place on Saturday next week. Cho’s announcement made him the fourth candidate to run for KMT chairperson.
Source:Taipei Times
July 12, 2021 15:56 UTC
TSMC, Hon Hai to donate 10m shots
TSMC, Hon Hai to donate 10m shotsPRIVATE EFFORT: The shots are to arrive by the end of September and the firms have not mentioned reserving doses for their employees, the minister of health saidStaff writer, with CNATaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) and the Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密)-affiliated Yonglin Foundation yesterday said they would each donate 5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the government. TSMC and Hon Hai yesterday said that the doses they are buying would be shipped directly from the manufacturer in Germany. Hon Hai in a statement said that it would spend up to US$105 million and the foundation would spend up to US$70 million on the vaccine deal. Taiwan has signed contracts to buy about 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from abroad: 5.05 million doses of Moderna, 10 million doses of AstraZeneca and 4.76 million doses of unspecified brands through the COVAX program. As of yesterday, only about 2.15 million doses have been delivered, but Taiwan has also received donations of 4.86 million doses from the US and Japan.
Source:Taipei Times
July 12, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Easing urged for cram schools
Starting today, the Central Epidemic Command Center is to ease some COVID-19 restrictions on a conditional basis, although the nation remains under a level 3 COVID-19 alert through July 26. Unlike night markets and other places for whom restrictions have been relaxed, after-school education facilities have fixed clients, he said. If the nationwide level 3 alert is lowered after July 27, there would be no reason to keep cram schools closed, he said. He urged the government to finish vaccinating cram school teachers against COVID-19 before the end of this month so that they can resume classes. Summertime is peak season for cram schools, he said, adding that many elementary and junior-high school students are sent to cram schools during summer break.
Source:Taipei Times
July 12, 2021 15:56 UTC
Taipei censured over lax response to nursing home
Taipei censured over lax response to nursing homeCURSORY RESPONSE: Reports of an illegal nursing home in Neihu District were mired in bureaucracy and not thoroughly followed up on, leading to a deadly fireBy Hsieh Chun-lin and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Control Yuan yesterday censured the Taipei City Government for its cursory response to reports of an unregistered nursing home, saying that its negligence resulted in a missed opportunity to prevent a fire that killed three residents last year. The owner, surnamed Ting (丁), took three physically disabled people under her care, despite not having a nursing license, they said. The Control Yuan building is pictured in Taipei on June 3. Based on their investigation and Huang’s statement, Wang said that the Control Yuan found Taipei’s process for handling reports of unlicensed facilities insufficient. In addition, two of the residents formerly received welfare payments when living in another private care facility in the district, Wang said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 11, 2021 16:03 UTC
Hon Hai, US state in EV car talks
Hon Hai, US state in EV car talksTO BE FINALIZED: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co said it has engaged the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp to discuss its plans for EV manufacturing thereStaff writer, with CNA and BloombergHon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密), known internationally as Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團), on Friday announced that it had been holding talks on building electric vehicles (EVs) in Wisconsin, but said that plans had yet to be finalized. “Foxconn has engaged the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp (WEDC) to discuss the company’s plans for electric vehicle manufacturing,” the company said in a statement. The frame of an electric vehicle based on Hon Hai Precision Industry Co’s MIH Open Platform is displayed in Taipei on Oct. 16 last year. Many have speculated that the project would be based in Wisconsin, where Hon Hai had previously planned a US$10 billion factory to make flat panels, before massively scaling it back earlier this year. The spokesperson added that “core stakeholder” FAW and “partner” Foxconn would collaborate in sending executives to Byton to support production and operations.
Source:Taipei Times
July 11, 2021 15:56 UTC
Realtek to build NT$7bn facilities at science parks
The company’s investment is also a demonstration of the robust demand for semiconductors in the post-COVID-19 era, the ministry said in a statement. Realtek, founded in 1987 at the Hsinchu Science Park (新竹科學園區), is a fabless semiconductor firm that focuses on chips used in products for communication networks, computer peripherals, and devices for multimedia and ultra-wideband communications. Realtek Semiconductor Corp’s logo is displayed outside its headquarters at the Hsinchu Science Park in an undated photograph. Photo: Grace Hung, Taipei TimesThe company plans to build a new office building at the Hsinchu Science Park and another at the Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park (新竹生醫園區) in Hsinchu County’s Jhubei City (竹北) to accommodate IC designers, software and hardware researchers, laboratories and small-scale trial production bases, the ministry said. Last month, memorychip packaging and testing service provider Powertech Technology Inc (力成科技) said it would invest NT$20 billion in a second production facility at the Hsinchu Science Park.
Source:Taipei Times
July 11, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Taichung friends form group to disinfect district
COVID-19: Taichung friends form group to disinfect districtBy Chang Jui-chen and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerStaff reporter, with staff writerFour volunteers in Taichung’s Nantun District (南屯) have helped disinfect half the district in less than a month. From left, disinfection volunteers Hung Hsin-jen, Chiang Ming-che, Chen Chun-hua and Huang Mao-chieh pose with spray equipment in Taichung’s Nantun District in an undated photo. Volunteers disinfect a statue in a garden in Taichung’s Nantun District in an undated photo. Photo copied by Chang Jui-chen, Taipei TimesHung, 33, who works in the automotive industry, said on Wednesday that encouragement from community residents helped fuel their motivation. The group said they hope to disinfect the rest of the district by the end of this month, before disinfecting nearby tourist spots.
Source:Taipei Times
July 10, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Tzu Chi takes next step to buy vaccines
COVID-19: Tzu Chi takes next step to buy vaccinesPRIVATE AID: Tzu Chi joins Yonglin and TSMC in working to purchase vaccines for the government, although the Executive Yuan had initially not approved the dealsBy Lee Hsin-fangand Wang Chun-chi / Staff reportersThe Executive Yuan yesterday confirmed that it had given the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation the necessary documents for it to procure 5 million doses of the BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The confirmation came after the foundation earlier said in a news release that it had signed documents with the government on Friday. The foundation also thanked the government for its help, allowing it to hasten the process of acquiring vaccines and donating them back to the government. Protest organizers urged the government to import more vaccines instead of waiting for locally developed shots to become available. Tzu Chi on June 23 submitted its vaccine purchase plan to the Food and Drug Administration, but Executive Yuan spokesman Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) said the following day that it would not approve it.
Source:Taipei Times
July 10, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Tainan only city to allow dining in as regulations ease
COVID-19: Tainan only city to allow dining in as regulations easeBy Cheng Ming-hsiang, Ho Yu-hua and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, with staff writerTainan is the only city that will conditionally allow dining at restaurants, while other local governments yesterday said that dine-in restrictions would remain in place, despite a relaxation of a nationwide ban announced by the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Thursday. Taoyuan, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Keelung, Hsinchu City, and Yilan, Hsinchu and Miaoli counties are not to repeal dine-in bans. The Taipei City Government yesterday said it would continue to allow only takeouts at restaurants as long as the city is under the level 3 alert. A worker walks past empty tables in a Taipei department store food court yesterday after the city government said it would extend a ban on dining in. The Tainan City Government said that it would from Tuesday allow dining at restaurants, making Tainan the only one among the six special municipalities to lift the ban.
Source:Taipei Times
July 09, 2021 15:56 UTC
Adimmune signs an MOU with an eye on Indonesia
Adimmune signs an MOU with an eye on IndonesiaBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterAdimmune Corp (國光生技) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Indonesia-based industrial-estate developer PT Berkah Kawasan Manyar Sejahtera (BKMS) as it eyes a new factory in Indonesia. BKMS, a subsidiary of AKR Corporindo Tbk PT, helps foreign companies invest in Java Integrated Industrial Ports and Estate, which has been designated a special economic zone, Adimmune said. “The zone is a strong candidate for overseas expansion, due to its infrastructure and advantageous policies, in addition to the large consumer base in Indonesia,” Pan said. It would focus on contract development and manufacturing to help clients develop their own vaccines, Pan said. Adimmune has conducted phase 1 trials in Taiwan and is considering phase 2 human trials in Indonesia, Pan said, adding that talks are ongoing with Indonesian regulators.
Source:Taipei Times
July 09, 2021 15:56 UTC
Housing insanity needs attention
Housing insanity needs attentionBy James Lee 李牮斯“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”This popular quote is often attributed to Albert Einstein. To get to the root of the problem, we must ask what drives the insatiable demand for properties. “Owning property is saving wealth” would be a more accurate translation for most Taiwanese house seekers. When people purchase properties to save wealth (not to speculate), they typically do not intend to sell in the foreseeable future. Ordinary Taiwanese need policy guidance to channel their life savings into existing pure-use SoVs that have few real-world applications, such as gold and bitcoin.
Source:Taipei Times
July 08, 2021 16:07 UTC
Alert extended, some restrictions eased
Alert extended, some restrictions easedSANCTIONED ACTIVITIES: Officials said libraries would open, some exercise activities would be allowed at schools and film crews could work, with some provisosBy Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporterThe Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday extended a nationwide level 3 COVID-19 alert to July 26, although some measures are to be relaxed on Tuesday next week. The alert was first issued on May 15 in Taipei and New Taipei City, before being expanded nationwide four days later. It was to expire on Monday next week, but was extended for a fourth time yesterday. Although the alert would remain in effect, restrictions are to be eased moderately and on a conditional basis, he said. The goal is to lower the COVID-19 alert level after July 26, he said, urging the nation to work together to achieve the goal.
Source:Taipei Times
July 08, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: KMT calls for teens to be included in vaccine plan
Failing to purchase vaccines today would be tomorrow’s regret, he added. Chinese Nationalist Party Chairman Johnny Chiang speaks at a virtual news conference held by the party’s Youth Department in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Shih Hsiao-kuang, Taipei TimesIn addition, Chiang raised concerns about rising joblessness and limited stimulus for younger age groups. Meanwhile, the Economic Democracy Union yesterday released a statement urging the private sector not to cross the “red line” dividing generosity and collusion when procuring vaccines on behalf of the government. To ensure vaccine quality and prevent China from taking the opportunity to belittle Taiwan, the union recommended four additional requirements.
Source:Taipei Times
July 08, 2021 15:56 UTC
COVID-19: Timeline proves mayor not ‘set up,’ CECC says
COVID-19: Timeline proves mayor not ‘set up,’ CECC saysRUNNING IN 2024? Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung, left, accompanied by Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je at the Huannan Market in Taipei on July 2, outlines measures to control a cluster of COVID-19 cases. At 9:45am, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, called Taipei Deputy Mayor Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) about the event, it said. After Chen Chi-chung invited Huang to attend, she said Ko would also be attending, the CECC said. The news conference was held to explain response measures to market vendors, workers and residents, not to “set a trap,” it said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 08, 2021 15:56 UTC