Asian Pacific Business Journal - 2014-03-28 Issue

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Asian Pacific Business Journal

Issue Number 0076

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2014 March Issue

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Taiwan Fast-tracks Regional Integration Drive ROC president Ma Ying-jeou reiterated Taiwan’s determination to expand its participation in regional economic integration Feb. 17, calling on the country’s embassies and representative offices to gear up for promotional effort in this regard.

diplomatic policy, as enhanced economic power will sharpen Taiwan’s national competitiveness.

Strait Trade in Services Agreement as soon as possible. This will send a message to the rest of the world concerning Taiwan’s determination to move ahead on this issue, he added.

“The seminar enables all participants to better understand government planning and private sector commitment to boosting the local econoMOEA Minister Chang Chia-juch said in the my by pursuing further trade liberalization,” Ma past year the government has implemented instiReviving Taiwan’s economy is the top policy said tutional reforms and regulatory easing to bring priority for 2014, with joining the Trans-Pacific the country more in line with the world.

Partnership and Regional Comprehensive EcoDescribing the effort as “large formation nomic Partnership a vital part of sustaining na- warfare,” Ma urged all attendees to develop reIn addition, the economic partnership agreetional growth, Ma said. spective roadmaps based on conditions of the ments Taiwan signed with Singapore and New countries in which they are based and engage in Zealand last year span most trade issues covered It is imperative that Taiwan demonstrates to consultations with all relevant parties. by the TPP and RCEP, Chang said, adding that the global community its commitment to develsuch developments show that Taiwan is fully oping into a free trade island, he added.

On the domestic front, other than fast-track- prepared to join major trade blocs. (SFC-JSM) ing FEPZ implementation, Ma said he hopes the The president made the remarks during the ROC Legislature will start reviewing the Cross- Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw opening ceremony of a four-day seminar attended by 17 ROC representatives and 16 economic counselors to TPP and RCEP negotiating partners, including Australia, Chile, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and the U.S. Staged at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs in Taipei City, the event is jointly organized by the MOFA and Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The seminar features presentations by senior officials and panel discussions with business leaders on Taiwan’s preparation for TPP and RCEP bids, as well as visits to Free Economic Pilot Zones. Premier Jiang Yi-huah and former Vice President Vince C. Siew are both scheduled to take part in the activities.

According to Ma, spurring business opportunities for the private sector is a key goal of ROC

ROC Welcomes Positive US Statement on Taiwan’s Interest in TPP Kin Moy, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of statement to the committee. He reiterated the state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said welcome in a response to a question from ChairMarch 14 in Washington that the US welcomes man Ed Royce.

Taiwan’s interest in the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

“Taiwan was the United States’ 12th-largest trading partner in 2013,” he noted in his written The ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs is grati- testimony. The two sides resumed talks under fied by and welcomes Moy’s remarks, which the Trade and Investment Framework Agreecame in both oral and written testimony at a ment (TIFA) last March, and through this platHouse Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on form “have been able to address and resolve U.S. “The Promise of the Taiwan Relations Act.” and Taiwan trade and investment concerns,” he said, adding that issues discussed by the Invest“We are considering Taiwan’s interest in re- ment Working Group have included a Bilateral starting exploratory talks for a Bilateral Invest- Investment Agreement. ment Agreement, and we welcome Taiwan’s interest in the TPP,” Moy said in his written According to his written statement, the U.S.

is also “engaging with Taiwan on the sets of economic liberalization initiatives spurred by President Ma’s New Year Address, as Taiwan evaluates its readiness for and interest in the Trans-Pacific Partnership.”

Moy’s positive comments indicate the importance the U.S. attaches to the ROC government’s determination and preparations to join the TPP. The ROC government firmly believes that economic and trade ties with the U.S. will be further strengthened going forward through cooperation based on mutual trust and benefit, and wide-ranging bilateral relations will continue to develop as a strong, enduring partnership.

Asian Pacific Business Journal

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2014 March Issue

You Can’t Tweet Your Way to the C-Suite: The Irrefutable Laws You MUST Obey to Forge Power Relationships Social media makes us feel “connected” to industry leaders and trendsetters. The problem, says Andrew Sobel, is that these digital relationships are an illusion. Here’s how to move beyond the superficial and build the influential relationships you need to succeed.

(Continued from Feburary issue) The meeting ended up lasting 15 minutes, and I got the sale.”

“When there’s a downturn, or when clients are under financial pressures, they focus on cutting discretionary expenses,” notes Sobel.

Power Relationships offers other laws that “But they won’t cut an investment that’s proven help you connect. They include Law 25, “Build to help grow revenues or increase profits. And your network before you need it,” and Law 2, you should be such an investment. When you’re “Be unafraid to ask,” which Sobel’s coauthor, working with clients, you have to clearly show Jerry Panas, used to forge a lifelong, personal how you are supporting their growth and profrelationship with one of the greatest retailers of its. A client can replace a commodity ‘expert the 20th century, J.C. Penney himself. for hire’ at any time—perhaps with a cheaper expert. But a provider who is seen as contributCHALLENGE #2: Light the Spark That ing to a client’s most essential programs is not Makes You Relevant easily replaceable. Their cost is framed against a much larger set of benefits.

The second big challenge is showing how you are relevant to the other person. Again, So“To use an analogy, would you debate your bel reveals two laws from Power Relationships doctor’s fee for what you perceive as lifesaving that will help: advice the same way you might ask for a discount from your plumber?” he asks. “Probably • Walk in their shoes. (Law 9) Sobel not!” and Panas tell the story of an investment banker who arrives at his client’s office in the middle To be seen as part of growth and profits, of a large deal. He is so oblivious to his clients’ you have to show how your products and serstate—they’ve been working all weekend in a vices are helping your client achieve his or her small conference room—that he grabs the last highest-level goals. A good starting point is a remaining bacon sandwich on a tray, effectively very simple question: How are you going to be stealing his client’s lunch. That executive be- evaluated at the end of the year? Then, you can came the chief financial officer of his company, ask a second, related question: How do your inand the banker was banned from doing business dividual goals support the organization’s overall with them for over a decade. strategy and key priorities for this year? Once you understand their critical priorities, you can “Our friend the banker could have avoid- begin to demonstrate how you can help further ed 10 years in the wilderness if he had done a them. very simple exercise: to imagine what it’s like to walk in his client’s shoes,” notes Sobel. “BeIncidentally, another law in Power Relaing relevant isn’t always about the big, crucial, tionships—Law 5—leads you to understand exmoney-making ideas. Sometimes it’s about actly what these higher-level growth goals are. showing people that you ‘get’ their needs on the It states, simply: Know the other person’s agenmost fundamental level. You know what pres- da and help them accomplish it. Nothing makes sures they’re under, what they’re feeling, and you more relevant than showing how you are yes, how hungry and tired they are. When you aligned with one or more of the other person’s can walk in their shoes in small ways, you can personal priorities. also do it in bigger ways.”

“Relationships cannot be formed with the • Become part of your clients’ growth snap of your fingers or the click of a mouse,” and profits, and they’ll never get enough of says Sobel. “Building them takes time and efyou. (Law 22) Of course, the flip side of this fort. You have to provide a compelling answer to law is that if clients view you as an expense to the question, Why should I spend my scarce time be managed, they’ll cut you at any time. with you? Once you’ve tackled the challenges

Here Be Dragons A pipefish, known in Chinese as a "sea dragon," is shown swimming about at the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium in Pingtung County in this undated photo. People have shown a strong interest in the relatives of the sea horse, which were recently introduced

to the aquarium. Photo courtesy to National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium March 25, 2014.

of connecting and showing how you’re relevant, you can move on to the other two—resonating and making an impact. But not before. Try to put the cart before the horse, and no one will ever hear you.” ### About the Authors: Andrew Sobel and Jerold Panas are coauthors of Power Relationships: 26 Irrefutable Laws for Building Extraordinary Relationships (Wiley, 2014, ISBN: 978-1-118-58568-9, $25.00) and the accompanying workbook, Power Relationships Personal Planning Guide (available atwww.andrewsobel.com).

Andrew is the leading authority on client relationships and the skills and strategies required to earn enduring client loyalty. He is also the coauthor, with Jerold, of the bestselling Power Questions(Wiley) as well as seven other acclaimed books on building clients for life. He has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, the New York Times, and USA Today. His clients include senior executives at leading companies such as Citigroup, Ernst & Young, Cognizant, and Booz Allen Hamilton.

For more information, please visit www.andrewsobel.com.

Jerold is the world’s leading consultant in philanthropy and the CEO of Jerold Panas, Linzy & Partners, the largest consulting firm in the world for advising nonprofit organizations and foundations on fundraising. Jerry is the author of 14 bestselling books on fundraising and nonprofit management. He works directly with CEOs, boards, and development professionals around the world.

About the Book: Power Relationships: 26 Irrefutable Laws for Building Extraordinary Relationships (Wiley, 2014, ISBN: 978-1-118-58568-9, $25.00) is available at bookstores nationwide, from major online booksellers, and direct from the publisher by calling 800-225-5945. In Canada, call 800567-4797. For more information, please visit the book’s page on www.wiley.com.

Asian Pacific Business Journal

2014 March Issue

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Philippines Seeking More Investment from Taiwan Taipei, March 25 (CNA) The Philippines is seeking more investment from Taiwanese companies in an effort to advance bilateral trade relations, a visiting official said in Taipei Tuesday.

At a seminar on investing in the Philippines, Ponciano C. Manalo Jr., undersecretary of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, gave a presentation on the investment environment and business opportunities in the Southeast Asian country.

The Philippines has stable economic growth, steady export growth, an efficient revenue collection mechanism and dynamic people, he told nearly 100 representatives of some 75 Taiwanese companies who at-

tended the seminar.

Among the advantages of investing in the Philippines, he touted robust infrastructure, a strategic location with easy access to other Asian countries, and tax benefits.

The Philippines is looking at Taiwan becoming a major regional supply chain source in industries such as electronics manufacturing, Manalo told CNA in an interview after the seminar.

In an effort to attract foreign investors, "we provide income tax holidays for investors during the first six years of operation in the Philippines for export-oriented companies," said Benedict Uy, a Philippine trade official at the Manila Economic and

Cultural Office (MECO) in Taipei, which organized the seminar.

"We're not against it," he said, when asked if the Philippines supports Although the Philippines does not Taiwan's interest in the Asia-Pacific grant visa-free treatment for Tai- trade agreement. wanese nationals, it is trying to make it "as easy as possible" for The RCEP is being negotiated by Taiwanese businessmen to obtain all 10 members of the Association visas for the country, Uy said. of Southeast Asian Nations, along with China, India, Japan, South KoFreedom of travel is a "good pre- rea, Australia and New Zealand. cursor for business practices," said Manalo, who is on a five-day visit During his visit to Taiwan, Manalo to Taiwan that will wrap up March is also scheduled to visit the central 27. county of Nantou to see first-hand the results of the "one town, one Asked about the Philippines' atti- product" project there and learn tude toward Taiwan's bid to join the from Taiwan's experience of deRegional Comprehensive Econom- veloping small and medium-sized ic Partnership (RCEP), a proposed enterprises. The project is designed trade bloc, Manalo said that "we're to assist the growth of local cultural very much aware of that intention." industries.

7-Eleven Soon to Reach 2015 Goal of Opening 5,000 Outlets in Taiwan Taipei, March 25 (CNA) President stores.

Chain Store Corp (PCSC), which operates the nation's largest conve- The number of outlets around the nience store chain, 7-Eleven, said world will increase from 7,714 last Tuesday that it will achieve its 2015 goal of opening 5,000 outlets in Taiwan a year early.

It will also target establishing larger shops with floor space of more than 30 pings (1 ping is equal to 3.306 square meters), the company's top official said Tuesday.

PCSC President Ray Chen told the media that opening more than 5,000 stores was the mid-term target set for 2015 but said his company will reach this figure by the end of this year.

As the larger outlets generate better store benefits, 7-Eleven, with 61 percent of its stores covering floor space of up to 30 pings, will aim at opening more shops larger than 36 pings, Chen said, adding that it currently has around 1,000 40-ping

year to over 8, 000 in 2014, Chen said.

share of NT$7.73 (US$0.25) last year, also hopes to open more than 100 stores in Shanghai and 1,200 in PCSC, which recorded earnings per the Philippines this year.

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Asian PaciďŹ c Business Journal

2014 March Issue

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Asian Pacific Business Journal

2014 March Issue

University of Denver Receives $17 Million Donation to Establish the Anna and John J. Sie International Relations Complex A permanent, State-of the-art Home for the Josef Korbel School of International Studies DENVER-Mar. 25, 2014-The University of Denver announced today the receipt of a $17 million gift from philanthropists Anna and John J. Sie. The donation will support the University's Josef Korbel School of International Studies<http:// www.du.edu/korbel/> through the construction of a 43,000 square foot building and marks the largest single private gift in the Josef Korbel School's 50-year history.

"Anna and I are both immigrants to the United States and we understand the importance of global education and engagement. It is not only the cornerstone of world peace but also economic advancement," said John J. Sie. "With what Josef Korbel and his family have built, we believe the Korbel School is poised to be one of the top three schools in the world preparing future global leaders. We are proud to be able to support Ambassador Hill in this important endeavor."

"My father, Josef Korbel, was a renowned diplomat and pioneering scholar in the field of international studies. I'm very proud that his legacy lives on in the Josef Korbel School," said former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. "My sister Kathy, brother John and I are very impressed with the direction of the School and we thank Anna and John Sie for honoring our father's legacy with their generous gift, which will greatly benefit students of international affairs for generations to come."

John J. Sie, founder and former chairman of Starz Entertainment Group LLC and former

member of the University of Denver's Board of Trustees, along with his wife Anna, previously donated $5.5 million to the Josef Korbel School to build the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security and Diplomacy<http://www. du.edu/korbel/sie/> in honor of John's father, a distinguished Chinese diplomat.

"The entire Josef Korbel School community is thrilled and humbled by the Sie family's ongoing commitment to our students and the future of the Korbel School," said Ambassador Christopher Hill, dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies. "With their support, we will continue our ascent as a leading school of international affairs and as the epicenter for international studies in the Western U.S." Robert Coombe, chancellor of the University of Denver, echoed Hill's sentiments, "We are truly grateful for Anna and John Sie's commitment to the University of Denver. This gift comes as the University celebrates its sesquicentennial, and their continued leadership and collaboration ensures that the University will widen its international impact and enter the next 150 years preparing students to meet the challenges of our ever-changing world with effective and innovative solutions."

The new building will adjoin the School's existing Cherrington Hall and the Sié Chéou-Kang Center to form the Anna and John J. Sie International Relations Complex. University Architect Mark Rogers and architectural firm Anderson Mason Dale are collaborating on the final de-

sign, with input and guidance from the Sie family. It will feature several signature University of Denver elements including multi-century loadbearing stone masonry and a tower that will become a new landmark on the University's skyline and a prominent feature of Denver's landscape.

Furthermore, the top floor of the building will house preeminent presentation facilities where the University of Denver and the Josef Korbel School will welcome dignitaries from around the globe-bringing world leaders to Denver and the Rocky Mountain West. Ground breaking for the building will take place in late summer of 2014, and construction is scheduled to be completed

by December 2015. The University is in the process of selecting a construction firm.

Aside from providing additional physical space, the new facilities will allow the School to significantly enhance the use of technology across its graduate and undergraduate programs.

"The future Korbel School classroom will be equipped with advanced technology that will add depth and breadth to lessons while also training students on the technological tools they will use in their future careers," said Ambassador Hill.

The donation by the Anna and John J. Sie Foundation is the lead gift in a five-year, $40 million fundraising campaign, The Future of Korbel: An Investment in Global Leadership, that will support endowed student scholarships, additional faculty positions, innovative uses of technology, and program expansions at the Josef Korbel School.

Sabatino Chen’s First Super Basketball League Season Comes to an End

By Fion Wan The first season for Yulon Dinos point guard Sabatino Chen has come to its end. In its final battle, the team was not able to secure its number four ranking, dropping to five and losing their spot in the playoffs. The team holds a final record of 13-17 at the end of the Super Basketball League season.

Although Chen has faced some trials and tribulations in his first season as a professional basketball player, he is proud of his performance overall. With a tough rookie season behind him now, Chen hopes to focus on his 3 point shooting and becoming healthy during the offseason.

“This season I am just proud of the experience,” says Chen, adding, “It was very different getting used to living outside of Colorado and I am proud that I was able to make that adjustment.”

During the offseason, Chen will go travel and explore the Taiwan, especially the southern beaches of the country. He also looks forward to coming home and spending time with his family and friends. As far as the next Super Basket-

ball League season in the fall? “I am not really focusing on that, right now I am just focused on getting healthy so that I can have a shot at making the national team.”

The Asian Pacific Business Journal holds exclusive rights to reporting on Sabatino Chen’s basketball endeavors in Taiwan. APBJ will host a meet and greet with Chen when he returns home. Please stay tuned for the date of the event and RSVP at fion.wan8@gmail.com

Yulon Dinos fighting for their spot in the playoffs in one of their final SBL games of the

Chen greeting fans during a SBL game.

Photo captured by Sabatino Chen while he explores the country of Taiwan.

2014 March Issue

Asian Pacific Business Journal

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Samsung, LG Bring New Flagship Phones to Taiwan Taipei, March 19 (CNA) Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. launched their new flagship smartphones in Taiwan Wednesday, intensifying the competition in a market where consumers prefer handsets larger than 5 inches.

In comparison, the LG G Pro 2 comes with a 5.9-inch full-HD IPS display with an extra slim bezel of 3.3mm, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 2.26GHz quad-core processor and a 13-megapixel camera.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is waterproof and features a 5.1-inch 1080p display, a quad-core 2.5GHz processor, a 16-megapixel main camera, a fingerprint scanner embedded in its home button and 4G LTE connectivity.

The phone-tablet hybrid's newest feature, called "Knock Code", allows users to power on and unlock their G Pro 2 smartphones in one step by tapping their screens, according to LG.

The S5 will start at NT$22,900 (US$753) for a 16GB model and NT$23,900 for a 32GB model when it hits Taiwan stores on April 11.

The G Pro 2 will go on sale Thursday at a price of NT$20,900 for a 16GB model and NT$21,900 for a 32GB model.

Moon Sung-hyun, managing director of Samsung Taiwan, said worldwide sales of the Galaxy S series phones have reached a milestone of 200 million units since the first generation model was unveiled in 2010.

Kim Byung-hyung, president and chief executive of LG's Taiwan branch, said at the launch of the G Pro 2 that his company aims to sell 15,000 units of the phone per month starting April and a total of 100,000 units by the end of the year.

"We are very grateful. And we know that we only succeed when customers choose us.

We know that we must continue to earn that choice," Moon said at the product launch event.

"The Samsung Galaxy S5 is the perfect combination of all great practical features and allows you to have a smarter and more convenient mobile life," he said.

The South Korean firm has set a sales target in Taiwan of 450,000 mobile phones this year, up 50 percent from 300,000 units last year, touting a full range of products and a low comparison base, according to Kim.

to be favored by Taiwanese consumers, accounting for 42 percent of the country's overall smartphone sales in the fourth quarter of 2013, up from 35 percent in the third quarter.

For the whole of 2013, 35 percent of the smartphones sold in Taiwan had a 5-inch or larger screen, a sharp increase from only 7 percent in 2012, the research firm said.

The high penetration rate put Taiwan in third place behind Hong Kong and Singapore among countries that favor smartphones larger than 5 inches, IDC said.

Data from the research company IDC showed that 5-inch and larger smartphones continued

Acer TravelMate P645 Wins Red Dot Award

Taipei, March 25 (CNA) Acer's commercial notebook, the TravelMate P645, has won a Red Dot award in the category of product design after bagging an iF Product Design Award in Germany last month, Taiwan-based Acer Inc. announced Tuesday.

"Winning two of the world's two prominent design competitions demonstrates that the Acer TravelMate P645 has clearly impressed the international expert panels with its durable design and security features," Acer Chief Marketing Officer Michael Birkin said in a press release.

A jury of 40 design professionals from 25 nations, including popular fashion designer Jimmy Choo, selected a list of Red Dot winners in product design Monday from among 4,815 entries.

This year, a total of 1,816 manufacturers, designers and architects from 53 countries competed in 23 categories for the Red Dot product design awards. The TravelMate P645 was awarded in the computers and information technology category, Acer said.

On its Facebook website, the multinational hardware and electronics maker touted the Trav-

elMate P645, which is equipped with a 14-inch full HD IPS anti-glare screen, as a product that offers "superior performance plus an array of reliability features and long battery life."

Tech HTC Unveils Competitor to Samsung Galaxy S5 Taipei, March 25 (CNA) Taiwan's HTC Corp. unveiled Tuesday in London and the United States the successor to its well-received One flagship phone, codenamed M8 within the company, to challenge leading players like Samsung Electronics Co. The M8 comes with a 5-inch 1080p display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core 2.3GHz processor, on-screen buttons, a twin-sensor camera with dual-LED flash, dual speakers on the front, the Sense 6.0 user interface and longer battery life.

The phone's highlighted "Duo" camera enables effects like post-capture focusing and clipping objects from one image to another, as well as high-definition recording and playback for slow motion, HTC said in a press release.

The M8 will hit Taiwan stores March 28 at NT$21,900 (US$716) for a 16GB model, less expensive than Samsung's Galaxy S5 at NT$22,900 and Sony Mobile's Xperia Z2 at NT$23,900.

fourth quarter of 2013.

The 4G LTE-enabled HTC smartphone will go on sale in North America April 10 and hit stores belonging to 230 global telecom operators and retail partners, a faster pace than the company's roll-out schedule for last year's HTC One.

But HTC Chairwoman Cher Wang has forecast that HTC will return to profitability in the second quarter of this year when its new products go on sale.

In late February, HTC took an aggressive position against rival Samsung, saying that consumers who intend to buy the Samsung Galaxy S5 will soon regret their choice when HTC unveils its next flagship phone.

Deutsche Bank predicted in early March that HTC will ship 2.5 million units of the M8 and 1.5 million units of its new mid-range Desire 816 in the second quarter of 2014, which could lead to a quarterly revenue growth of 70 percent.

The S5 is waterproof and features a 5.1-inch 1080p display, a Qualcomm quad-core 2.5GHz processor, a 16-megapixel main camera, a fingerprint scanner embedded in its home button and 4G LTE connectivity.

BNP Paribas said in a March 18 research note that HTC is emerging from the most difficult time in the company's history and that its new models are expected to boost its second-quarter consolidated sales by 51.9 percent from the previous quarter.

In an investor conference held in February, HTC said it anticipated that its consolidated sales for the first quarter will range between NT$34 billion and NT$36 billion, down 16-21 percent from the NT$42.9 billion in sales posted in the

HTC shares closed down 0.65 percent at NT$152.5 Tuesday in Taipei prior to the M8 announcement.

(By Jeffrey Wu)

Asian Pacific Business Journal

2014 March Issue

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Talk of the Day -- Environmental Efforts Result in Better Tea Taking its cue from the United States, the management of Taipei's main reservoir has found a way to slow down the aging process of the dam and at the same time help local farmers grow better-tasting tea.

The United Daily News carried a special report Sunday on the collaboration among the reservoir administration, a major producer of fertilizers and a tea research institution.

The following are excerpts from the report: In addition to encouraging local farmers to use organic fertilizers, Taipei and neighboring New Taipei began a campaign in 2012 to promote more reasonable use of all fertilizers by the farmers who cultivate tea in the hills surrounding the Feitsui Reservoir. The reservoir is located in New Taipei but is the major source of water for the residents of Taipei, the capital city of 2.68 million residents.

During that year, Liu Ming-lung, director of the reservoir administration, went to the United States on a fact-finding mission. There, he found that properties within a certain distance of a water source are banned from using herbicides or any kind of fertilizer containing phosphorus, which is one of the three main ingredients of most fertilizers.

Upon his return to Taiwan, Liu went to the Taiwan Fertilizer Company, a privatized former state-run enterprise, for help. Its chairman, Lee Fu-hsing, agreed that his company would produce Taiwan's first known low-phosphate fertil-

izer, in which the phosphorus content is halved.

With the new fertilizer in hand, the Feitsui Reservoir Administration contacted the Tea Research and Extension Station under the Council of Agriculture.

Together, they asked tea farmer Huang Shu-huang to try the fertilizer on his farm, which is located near a river that feeds the reservoir.

They hoped for less phosphorus to be leached into the soil and less pollution in the water but the results were beyond their imagination.

Tea tasters found that the tea produced with the low-phosphorus fertilizer was sweeter than another sample -- also from Huang's farm -- that had been grown using normal fertilizer, according to Hu Chih-yi, a tea research expert. This was confirmed by an instrument test that found the first tea contained a slightly higher level of L-theanine, an amino acid that gives tea its pleasant flavor.

After a year-long experiment, the topsoil of the part of Huang's tea farm in which the low-phosphorus fertilizer was used contained 19 percent less phosphorus than the other part, according

to Hu. This means that less phosphorus was washed into the reservoir by rainwater.

Phosphorus-rich fertilizers are the main cause of eutrophication, which can cut short the life of a reservoir.

The Feitsui Reservoir Administration is seeking to create a new brand of environmentally friendly Paochong tea if the success in Huang's farm is reproduced elsewhere in the reservoir's surrounding hills in the Shiding and Pinglin districts. Paochong is a kind of lightly fermented tea mainly produced in those areas.

Controversial Role of Electronic Cigarettes A motorcyclist was pulled over by police in downtown Taipei in early January because of what was described as the exceptionally strong smell of the cigarette he was smoking.

The following are excerpts from the newspaper's coverage of the issue:

"It's an aid to quit smoking," the man, surnamed Wen, told the police officers, displaying his electronic cigarette (e-cigarette).

The 37-year-old Wen told police that he had bought the apple-flavored e-cigarette on a Chinese shopping website earlier this month in the hope that it would help him to quit smoking, as advertised.

However, after running a portable narcotics test on the device, police found traces of methamphetamine in the 30 ml of nicotine solution contained in the e-cigarette.

"How's it possible that I would be taking drugs while trying to quit smoking! And in the middle of the road!" Wen cried in apparent distress.

E-cigarettes have sparked debates online in Taiwan, where such products are categorized as medicine, instead of as a tobacco product, which means they cannot be sold without approval by the relevant authority.

However, the device can be purchased online quite easily as some traders categorize them as "vaporizers" to avoid inspections, the Chineselanguage United Daily News reported Jan. 19.

and in night markets around the country, the ministry said.

Anti-smoking activists have been urging the government to include e-cigarettes in the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act, but Kung Hsien-lan, deputy director-general of the MOHW's Health Promotion Administration, pointed out that e-

After using the device for a week, he found that he no longer had an urge to smoke cigarettes and he felt increasingly well, Wen said. He had no suspicions about the device until he was told it contained methamphetamine, he said.

Tu En-nien, a physician in the Department of Psychiatry at National Taiwan University Hospital, said methamphetamine is water-soluble.

He speculated that the makers of Wen's e-cigarette may have added the banned drug to the nicotine solution to spur addiction to the product.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) said sales of e-cigarettes are prohibited in Taiwan. Greater efforts are being made to crack down on illegal marketing of the product online

cigarettes could be easily purchased if they were categorized as a tobacco product.

More stringent regulations can be applied if ecigarettes remain classified as medicine, she said.

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Asian Pacific Business Journal

2014 March Issue

Tang Prize will Encourage Sustainable Development: Russian Scholar Taipei, March 25 (CNA) The Taiwan-backed Tang Prize will not be awarded until later this year, but a visiting Russian academic said Tuesday that he is already confident it will contribute to research in sustainable development.

Gusev singled out the sustainable development category as "very meaningful," predicting that its encouragement of innovation in engineering, energy and environmental studies will help improve the quality of life worldwide.

"I believe the Tang Prize's 'sustainable development' category has filled a vacancy left by the Nobel Prize," said Boris Vladimirovich Gusev, President of the Moscow-based International Academy of Engineering and the Russian Academy of Engineering.

The cross-disciplinary nature of the field will bring together academics from different fields to tackle pressing issues, he said, citing examples of harmful pesticide use and "space littering" by astronauts.

Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), a period considered the height of ancient Chinese civilization and characterized by liberal policies and robust cultural activity.

Dear Readers,

Sustainable development research will also Gusev, who is familiar with the newly found- encourage solving problems in a way that is ed Tang Prize, spoke to CNA through a translator good for the planet, he said, citing building material technology -- an area in which he specialduring his visit. izes -- and the search for energy-efficient materiThe Nobel Prize puts emphasis on basic sci- als that are not harmful to human health, unlike ence, explained the 77-year-old, such as physics polystyrene. and chemistry, while overlooking engineering The challenge for the Tang Prize will be dedisciplines which have a more direct effect on termining which is the most important of the human beings and their surroundings. wealth of research in "one of the most important Established in 2012 by Taiwanese entrepre- fields for human beings over the next century," neur Samuel Yin, the Tang Prize seeks to honor he said. top researchers in sustainable development, bioThe winners of the Tang Prize will be anpharmaceutical science, sinology and rule of law. While it has been dubbed the Asian Nobel nounced June 18, with an award ceremony takPrize, the first batch of laureates will be selected ing place three months later on Sept. 18. Up to June 18 based on the originality and impact of three winners in each category will share a cash their research, irrespective of their nationality prize of NT$50 million (US$1.64 million). and ethnicity.

The biennial prize takes its name from the

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