Taiwan film production firms numbered 326 as of the end of 2011, up 24.4 percent year on year, according to the ROC Ministry of Finance Nov. 19. Movie industry sales hit NT$18.13 billion (US$625 million) in 2011, up 27.3 percent from 2010. Figures from the Ministry of Culture showed that last year 493 movies were licensed for screening. Domestic films accounted for 65, an increase of 30 percent, grossing NT$710 million at Taipei City box offices for a gain of 10.2 percent over 2010.
The 2013 Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index report by the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd. Global Manufacturing Industry group and U.S. Council on Competitiveness ranked Taiwan the sixth most competitive nation out of 38 countries studied, citing its competitive edge in corporate taxes, trade, infrastructure and human resources, as well as manufacturing capacity and economic freedom.
The 2012 Taiwan Green Industry Trade Mission to Japan, headed by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), has created business opportunities worth US$352.7 billion. The mission, composed of 22 Taiwan manufacturers, staged trade fairs in Osaka, Fukuoka and Tokyo Nov. 14-16. Statistics from the ROC Ministry of Finance showed that Taiwan’s exports dropped 3.7 percent in the first 10 months of 2012. However, exports to Japan increased 1.3 percent, indicating the Asian neighbor is currently one of Taiwan’s best export markets.
Taiwan badminton player Chou Tien-chen won the men’s singles championship at the Norwegian International 2012, beating Malaysia’s Chun Seang Tan 21-17, 21-12 Nov. 19. Chou, currently ranked No. 31 by the Badminton World Federation, is coming off wins earlier this month at the Iceland International and Germany Bitburger Open Grand Prix Gold. (THN)
Write to Grace Kuo at mlkuo@mofa.gov.tw