2016年12月26日星期一

Trump expresses hope for ‘freedom’ in post-Castro Cuba

However, his initial reaction to Castro’s death sidestepped whether Trump would make good on a threat made late in his White House campaign to reverse US President Barack Obama’s moves to open relations with the Cold War adversary.

Obama used his executive powers on a series of steps to ease trade, travel and financial restrictions against Cuba, arguing it was time to try diplomacy after the half-century-long economic embargo against Cuba had failed to shake the regime.

Trump’s first statement on Cuba policy since the Nov. 8 election, issued from his Palm Beach, Florida, resort where he and his family were spending the weekend after the Thanksgiving holiday, did not address whether he would roll back Obama’s measures because of concerns about religious and political freedom in Cuba.

“Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty,” Trump said in the statement.

“While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve,” he said.

Trump has just begun to fill out the top ranks of his national security team, and has not yet named his top diplomat — the US secretary of state — who would play a major role in formulating policy on Cuba.

He last week named Mauricio Claver-Carone, a political lobbyist who has strongly criticized Obama’s efforts to normalize relations with Cuba and supports maintaining the US embargo against the island, to his transition team at the US Treasury Department.

The agency is responsible for enforcing US trade and travel restrictions on Cuba. Claver-Carone is director of the US-Cuba Democracy Political Action Committee.

Trump’s initial statement was viewed by some to mark a softening from his rhetoric on Cuba policy late in the campaign, one US intelligence official told reporters, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

“This may be one place where his business interests prod him to take a more pragmatic course, even if that angers the hardcore, anti-Castro elements of both parties,” the official said.

A second US official said that the foreign-policy advisers Trump has named thus far are not known to have any particular interest in Cuba.

That might mean Trump’s economic team will have more sway over Cuba policy, which could lead to a more pragmatic approach, the second official said.

An aggressive policy by Trump would close off lucrative opportunities to US businesses and hand them to European or Asian firms, and would hurt companies like American Airlines, due to start commercial flights to Havana on Monday for the first time in half a century.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2016/11/28/2003660137

who-Obama and Fidel Castro

where-in Cuba

when-Jan. 20

what-Trump expresses hope for ‘freedom’ in post-Castro Cuba

US president-elect Donald Trump on Saturday said that his administration would “do all it can” once he takes office on Jan. 20 to help increase freedom and prosperity for Cuban people after the death of former Cuban president Fidel Castro.However, his initial reaction to Castro’s death sidestepped whether Trump would make good on a threat made late in his White House campaign to reverse US President Barack Obama’s moves to open relations
with the Cold War adversary.

keywords:administration/prosperity/adversary/statement/intelligence/anonymity/particular

2016年12月4日星期日

Taiwan heats up climate change conference

Taiwan’s government representatives may not have been allowed to participate in the negotiation process at the Paris Climate Change Conference, but civic society organizations made their presence felt.

A number of committed climate activists from Taiwan, along with environmental groups and researchers, represented the nation at the 21st UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP 21), which took place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

Because Taiwan is not a member of the UN, activists had to use other means to garner international support in order to gain entrance.

“We represent young people in Taiwan who are concerned about global warming and its effects,” said William Cheng (程泫尹) who spoke on behalf of an environmental organization from Canada.

Cheng’s organization is classified as part of the “Youngo” (Young People’s Organizations) — non-state entities given observer status.

Other non-state entity groupings include “Engo” (Environmental Organizations), “Tungo” (Trade Union Organizations) and“IPO” (Indigenous Peoples Organizations), among others.

Lindsey Wu, an environmental activist from Taiwan, who fell under the “Engo” category, has participated in climate change meetings in the past.

“It has been very difficult for someone from Taiwan to attend these UN climate forums because the Taiwanese government is excluded from the process, and this also precludes effective participation by us NGOs,” she said.

Wu added that at times, it was frustrating to see many small Third World nations entering COP 21 venues and engaging in climate negotiation.

“It’s like the world has invited everyone to a big party, but when mentioning that we are from Taiwan, the door is slammed shut to keep us out in the cold.”

Wu believes Taiwan should forge stronger bonds with its Pacific allies such as Kiribati, the Marshall Islands and the Solomon Islands — all who were well-represented at the COP meetings.

Ghazali Ohorella, an executive of Pacific Island Youth Network, said: “Taiwan is part of the global community, and they are suffering from the effects of global warming, just like other nations; Taiwan and its NGO representatives should be allowed to participate as an equal member in the COP 21 process.”

Instead, Taiwan’s government was only allowed to send a delegation of 50 people headed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to Paris. However, they tried to make the most out of the circumstances. On Dec. 10, a press conference was held at the Representative Office of Taiwan to discuss future goals such as gaining observer status at upcoming COP 21 events.

In addition, the government delegation has co-sponsored programs and seminar talks at venues of the official COP 21 site.

While smaller NGOs fought tooth and nail to participate at COP 21, larger organizations, by contrast, filled up most of the booths at COP 21’s NGO halls; they included the Tzu Chi Foundation, the Tang Prize Foundation and Delta Electronics Inc.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2015/12/20/2003635208

who-Taiwan’s government

what-may not have been allowed to participate in the negotiation process at the Paris Climate Change Conference

when- Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

keywords-government representatives participate negotiation global warming effects organizations

Topics for Week five

HTC, Syntrend to launch VR arcade

HTC Corp (宏達電) and Syntrend Creative Park (三創園區) have jointly invested NT$10million (US$316,086) in building a virtual reality (VR) arcade in Taipei, that is set to open tomorrow, in an effort to expand HTC’s VR business and attract more consumers to the park.

“Our plan is to establish a new business model and generate NT$2 million in revenue per month at the Viveland in Syntrend,” HTC vice president of virtual reality Raymond Pao (鮑永哲) told a news conference in Taipei.

This is HTC’s first direct investment in a VR theme arcade since the company launched its Vive headsets worldwide in April.

The company invested between NT$4 million and NT$5 million, and Syntrend funded the rest for the project, Pao said.

HTC is in talks with large electronics store operators in the US, China and Japan to build similar VR theme parks there, he said.

The ticket prices for different zones and booths within Vivland range from NT$150 to NT$400 for 15 minute to 30 minute sessions.

Viveland could become profitable in one year after its launch, said Syntrend business vice president Ray Wang (王國瑞), who estimated the arcade could attract 500 to 700 consumers per day during weekdays and 1,000 to 1,500 per day on weekends.

Yuanta Securities Investment Consulting Co (元大投顧) said running a VR arcade is a positive strategy for HTC to directly introduce its devices to more consumers.

However, Yuanta analyst Jeff Pu (蒲得宇) said he remains conservative about the sales momentum of HTC Vive this quarter, due to its high price tag and complicated installment.

“We forecast Vive shipments this quarter will only grow slightly from last quarter on seasonal demand during the Christmas holidays,” Pu said by telephone.

Despite the company’s continuous investments in the VR business, smartphones remain a major revenue driver for HTC, accounting for more than 90 percent of the company’s total revenues last quarter, according to Yuanta’s estimates.

Pu said he expects HTC’s smartphone shipments this quarter to decline from last quarter, as HTC’s new models are not competitive enough.

Pu forecast HTC’s revenues could climb 13.2 percent to NT$25.16 billion from last quarter’s NT$22.23 billion, supported by VR shipments and contributions from Google’s Pixel smartphones, which are manufactured solely by HTC.

HTC on Tuesday posted a smaller-than-expected net loss of NT$1.8 billion, or NT$2.18 per share, for last quarter, and the company’s president of smartphone and connected devices business Chang Chia-lin (張嘉臨) expressed optimism over this quarter on holiday demand.

Macquarie Capital Ltd still holds agenerate view on HTC.

In a note to clients on Tuesday, Macquarie said HTC could report continuous operating losses through 2018, citing smartphone market challenges and further investment in expanding VR developers and the forming of an ecosystem, which tends to drag operational profitability.

Shares of HTC yesterday dropped 1.28 percent to NT$92.5 in Taipei trading, underperforming the TAIEX, which fell 0.67 percent.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2016/10/28/2003658046

who-HTC

when- HTC could report continuous operating losses through 2018

where-Taipei.

how-HTC Corp (宏達電) and Syntrend Creative Park (三創園區) have jointly invested NT$10million (US$316,086) in building a virtual reality (VR) arcade in Taipei,

keywords-establish business model generate installment operational manufactured

2016年12月26日 星期一