. Earth Science News .
TRADE WARS
China on a shopping spree to boost Taiwan economy

Chip sales down 25 pct in April: SIA
Global semiconductor sales declined 25 percent in April compared with a year ago but rose 6.4 percent over the previous month, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported Monday. Worldwide sales of semiconductors totaled 15.6 billion dollars in April compared with 20.9 billion dollars in April 2008 and 14.7 billion dollars last month, the SIA said. March sales of 14.7 billion dollars were a 3.3 percent improvement on February sales of 14.2 billion dollars. "Two consecutive months of sequential sales growth may be an indication of a return to more normal seasonal sales patterns in some market sectors, albeit at lower sales levels than last year," SIA president George Scalise said. "The better-than-expected 6.4 percent sequential increase in April sales was driven by moderate improvements in a number of end-demand drivers and inventory replenishment," he said. "The PC market -- a major consumer of semiconductors -- has been stronger than predicted earlier in the year." The SIA said PC unit sales were projected to decline by six percent compared with earlier forecasts of a 12-percent fall while cell phone unit sales were projected to fall seven percent instead of the previously forecast 15 percent. PCs and cell phones account for nearly 60 percent of all semiconductor consumption, according to the SIA. The SIA said the automotive market, which accounts for about seven percent of total semiconductor sales, remains weak. It said that year-on-year, semiconductor sales were down 21.6 percent in the Americas in April, 35 percent lower in Europe, 39 percent lower in Japan and 17 percent lower in the rest of the Asia Pacific region. Market research firm Gartner reported last week that worldwide semiconductor revenue was expected to decline by 22 percent this year to 198 billion dollars.
by Staff Writers
 Taipei (AFP) June 1, 2009
 China is sending teams to Taiwan to buy billions of dollars of goods ranging from food to television screens in a gesture aimed at boosting the island's sagging economy, officials said Monday.

The first of three Chinese procurement delegations arrived Sunday, with two further groups arriving late June and next month, officials said.

The unusual plan launched by China's authorities -- for the first time in nearly six decades -- is a further sign of improvement in ties between Taipei and Beijing after the China-friendly administration of President Ma Ying-jeou was inaugurated in May last year.

"The mainland will buy anything we need from Taiwan, we won't buy from any other places," Li Shuilin, head of China's Mainland Association for Cross-Strait Economic and Trade Exchanges, told reporters.

Li would not specify the value of the orders to be placed by the first procurement team, but Taiwanese trade officials estimated this would be worth around two billion US dollars.

The delegation consists of 77 members representing 40 mainland enterprises, including home appliance and information technology makers Haier, Lenovo and Changhong.

"The two sides should expand exchanges while the world is being threatened by an international financial crisis," Li said, adding that his group planned to buy flat-panel TV screens, IT products, petrochemicals and food.

Taiwan's export orders fell 20.90 percent year on year to 25.13 billion US dollars in April on continued weakness in global demand for its key products, with information and communication product-makers worst affected.

Taiwan also reported a record economic contraction of 10.24 percent in the first quarter of this year, after an 8.61 percent dive in the previous three months on dwindling overseas demand.

China still regards Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary, although the island has been self-governing since the end of their civil war in 1949.

Relations have warmed since Ma took office, with the two sides signing agreements that have led to regular direct flights, increased investment opportunities and a tourist boom.

Share This Article With Planet Earth
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit
YahooMyWebYahooMyWeb GoogleGoogle FacebookFacebook



Related Links
 Global Trade News


Memory Foam Mattress Review
SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS
 Solar Energy Solutions
Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ...
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


TRADE WARS
Chinese steel makers reject Rio-Nippon iron ore price cut
 Beijing (AFP) June 1, 2009
 Chinese steel mills have rejected a cut in the price of iron ore agreed by Rio Tinto and Japan's Nippon Steel, in a bid to force producers to offer a deeper discount, an industry association said. The country's steel companies said the deal between the Anglo-Australian mining giant and the Japanese mill cutting iron ore prices by between 33 and 44 percent did not go far enough. "It will ... read more






The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2009 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement