The novel coronavirus outbreak is set to do damage to Taiwan’s tech hardware exports, but the severity of the blow will depend on the length of the crisis. Taiwan has undeniably reaped some benefits from the U.S.-China trade dispute as local manufacturers repatriate supply chains from across the Taiwan Strait. Exports to the U.S. have…
LABOR LAW AMENDED During an 18-hour overnight session, the Legislative Yuan approved amendments to the highly controversial Labor Standards Act that the government promises will provide greater flexibility for both workers and employers but which labor activists argue will lead to abuse of labor rights. The amendments include changes to the overtime calculation, with overtime…
Hon Hai Ends 2016 on High Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (also known as Foxconn) reported its full-year results on April 1, disclosing that the world’s largest contract manufacture of electronics saw record high earnings in 2016 of NT$148.66 billion (US$4.9 billion), up 1.22% from last year. Mirroring Taiwan’s overall exports, Hon Hai had been…
Restrictions on Chinese investment in the semiconductor sector have failed to stymie budding ties among chipmakers on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. In January, Powertech Technology announced it would annul a share agreement with Tsinghua Unigroup that would have given the Chinese chipmaker a 25% stake in one of Taiwan’s top semiconductor packaging and…
Allowing Chinese investment in the sector could give Beijing immoderate influence over Taiwan’s most prized industry, yet shunning it could undermine competitiveness. The semiconductor sector is one of the last areas of the global consumer electronics supply chain where Taiwanese firms retain an edge over their Chinese competitors. Taiwanese integrated circuit (IC) makers have…
TSMC China Plant Gets Green Light Taiwan’s Investment Commission on February 3 approved plans by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) to build a US$3-billion 12-inch wafer plant in Nanjing, the largest investment by a Taiwanese chipmaker since the government eased restrictions on wholly owned semiconductor production facilities in China last August. The move by the…
