Eye On Taiwan

Realizing Smart Healthcare with Infortrend Future-Proof HPC Storage Solutions Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:44 PM PDT Taiwan News Date: 2020/03/24 By:  prnasia.com TAIPEI, March 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Infortrend® Technology, Inc. (TWSE: 2495), the industry-leading enterprise storage provider, announces that its high performance and high availability storage solutions are designed to address the ever-growing demands for HPC (high performance computing) applications, including smart healthcare that requires super-fast data transfer for medical file sharing and archive. As the demand for a more efficient and dynamic medical system is increasing rapidly, people urge for a reliable HIS (hospital information system) that facilitates remote EHR (electronic health records) sharing and diagnosis, or even precise genetic tests. To address this demand, a powerful storage system is essential for medical institutions to streamline data management. "Smart healthcare and many other heavy-duty applications are what we call HPC applications because they require high-speed processing to support real-time data transfer or data analysis. Both the storage performance and capacity need to deliver the highest level of capabilities. In light of this, Infortrend has introduced EonStor CS scale-out NAS to provide a highly scalable and future-proof storage solutions for HPC," mentioned Frank Lee, Senior Manager of Product Planning. [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan shares soar, end above 9,200 points Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:41 PM PDT Focus Taiwan Date:\ 03/24/2020 By: Frances Huang Taipei, March 24 (CNA) Shares in Taiwan staged a strong rebound Tuesday from a plunge the previous session, with market sentiment boosted by the U.S. Federal Reserve launching limitless quantitative easing and the hope that a massive stimulus package to combat the coronavirus COVID contagion will pass the U.S. Senate, dealers said. Buying in large cap stocks increased across the board as bargain hunters turned active, while government-led funds apparently took advantage of the improved mood to enter the market, helping the main board close up almost 400 points to pass the 9,200 point level, they said. The weighted index on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) or the Taiex ended up 395.59 points, or 4.45 percent, at 9,285.62, after moving between 9,083.78 and 9,415.64, on turnover of NT$153.39 billion (US$5.06 billion). The market opened up 2.18 percent in a reaction to significant gains posted by Dow Jones Industrial Average futures, which soared more than 4 percent at one point, on the back of the Fed's announcement of unlimited purchases of bonds and mortgage-backed securities from the market, which is expected to pump large funds into the equity markets, dealers said.   [FULL  STORY]

TSMC initiates remote working Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:36 PM PDT STEPPING UP: The firm has also asked employees to work in split shifts from this week and to halt all but essential overseas business travel from next month Taipei Times Date:\ Mar 25, 2020 By: Lisa Wang / Staff reporter Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) has implemented a remote work policy for employees not on production lines in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19, the world’s largest contract chipmaker said yesterday. This is the first time in the Hsinchu-based company’s history that it has launched a large-scale remote work policy, joining global technology companies, such as Apple Inc and Google, that encourage employees to work from home. The chipmaker has also asked employees to work in split shifts from this week, it said. As the number of virus infections continues to climb worldwide, TSMC has urged employees to halt unnecessary overseas business travel by April 12, it added.    [FULL  STORY]

Hualien County postpones meetings through May to prevent outbreak Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:33 PM PDT The Hualien County Council has decided to suspend all scheduled meetings through May in order to reduce the chances of spreading the new coronavirus. There is currently no confirmed case of COVID-19 infection in Hualien. At an ad hoc meeting on Tuesday, councilor and DPP Lawmaker Chuang Chih-tsai proposed to postpone all scheduled meetings in order to avoid community infection. More than half voted in favor of the proposal and the county has since forwarded the decision to the interior ministry for approval. The official in charge of the council’s logistics said that suspending meetings from March through May will not affect its budget.    [FULL  STORY]

How Taiwan is keeping its coronavirus numbers low Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:28 PM PDT Fox News Date: Mar. 24, 2020 Watch the latest video at foxnews.com Taiwan Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushie Joseph Wu discusses how Taiwan is managing the coronavirus spread.    [S9URCE]

Taiwan’s Tsing Hua University cancels 20 classes due to coronavirus case Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:18 PM PDT 900 students affected by class cancelations at Taiwan's National Tsing Hua University after coronavirus case confirmed Taiwan News Date: 2020/03/24 By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer (nthu.edu.tw photo) TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — After someone at National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) was diagnosed with Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), 20 classes have been suspended, affecting nearly 1,000 students and instructors. On Tuesday (March 24), NTHU President Hong Hocheng (賀陳弘) announced on Facebook that because 26 students and faculty had come in contact with a confirmed case, they will need to begin a 14-day quarantine. In addition, Hong announced that 20 classes would be suspended, affecting over 900 people.    [FULL  STORY]

Government unveils further COVID-19 response measures Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:15 PM PDT Focus Taiwan Date: 03/24/2020 By: Ku Chuan, Ye Su-ping and Evelyn Kao CNA file photo Taipei, March 24 (CNA) The government has been rolling out a slew of measures to counter the economic impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, including providing compensation, subsidies and tax breaks for businesses, individuals and organizations affected by the disease. As part of the relief measures, government banks will cut interest rates on loans for self-use homes valued at NT$10 million or less by 0.5 percentage points for six months, Minister without Portfolio Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said Tuesday. Furthermore, individual income taxpayers will be allowed to apply to postpone their deadlines for income tax payments by up to one year or paying by installment for up to three years, according to Kung. For small businesses that do not need to issue invoices but which are severely affected by COVID-19, the government will lower their corporate-tax rates to as low as zero, he added. [FULL  STORY]

Cross-strait exchanges questioned Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:11 PM PDT INTERPELLATION SESSION: The premier and Mainland Affairs Council minister were grilled yesterday at the legislature by Taiwan Statebuilding Party Legislator Chen Po-wei Taipei Times Date: Mar 25, 2020 By: Sean Lin / Staff reporter Premier Su Tseng-chang, center, answers a question at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday, accompanied by Veterans Affairs Council Minister Feng Shih-kuan, left, and Vice Minister of National Defense Chang Che-ping. Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times Taiwan and China are two separate nations, and cross-strait exchanges can be beneficial and should not be completely cut off, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) told lawmakers yesterday amid questions about the role of the Mainland Affairs Council and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Taiwan Statebuilding Party Legislator Chen Po-wei (陳柏惟) said COVID-19 has put the safety of Taiwanese at risk and could tarnish the nation’s reputation, as foreigners often confuse Chinese with Taiwanese “since they all have black hair and yellow skin.” He asked Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chen Ming-tong (陳明通) what the council’s responsibilities were, adding that the council should not be promoting cross-strait exchanges, which China could use to assimilate Taiwanese. The council works to ensure that protocols for cross-strait exchanges are observed, the nation’s sovereignty is respected and the safety needs of Taiwanese are met, the minister said. [FULL  STORY]

0VIDEO: Borough chief buys onions to help neighbors stay healthy Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:06 PM PDT Radio Taiwan International Date:\ 24 March, 2020 By: Jake Chen Borough chief buys onions to help neighbors stay healthy. (CNA Photo) Borough chief buys onions to help neighbors stay healthy. (CNA Photo)[/caption] There is currently no vaccine for the new coronavirus COVID-19. A borough chief in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, recently gave away a large quantity of onions to help his neighbors maintain their immune systems. An older gentleman is calling for his neighbors to help unload the truck. His name is Tsai Chuan-shih and he’s a borough chief in Kaohsiung’s Qianzhen Township. As it turns out, he has paid close to NT$100,000 (US$3,300) out of his own pocket to purchase 1,000 bags of onions for his fellow neighbors.     [FULL  STORY]

Macau hits back with quarantine tit-for-tat Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:01 PM PDT The Standard Date: 25 Mar 2020 By: Maisy Mok  Ho Lat-seng announced more travel restrictions yesterday as imported cases rise. Hongkongers face restrictions on their last and only travel destination as Macau today implemented a mandatory 14-day quarantine for anyone arriving from Hong Kong. Visitors who have been to Hong Kong and Taiwan within 14 days before entering Macau must undergo a fortnight of medical observation at designated venues arranged by the health bureau, Macau Chief Executive Ho Lat-seng announced yesterday – one day after Hong Kong announced visitors from Macau would need to undergo a 14-day quarantine. Visitors from Hong Kong and Taiwan were previously allowed to enter Macau without any health restrictions from February 26. The Macau government has also rented eight hotels for use as quarantine centers. [FULL  STORY]