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Taiwan Seeks to Expand Tech Cooperation with Saudi Arabia

Taiwan looks to increase cooperation with Saudi Arabia in several economic fields. In the photo, Taipei 101, one of the tallest towers in the world at 508 meters, is shown in the capital city of Taipei (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Taiwan looks to increase cooperation with Saudi Arabia in several economic fields. In the photo, Taipei 101, one of the tallest towers in the world at 508 meters, is shown in the capital city of Taipei (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Taiwan Seeks to Expand Tech Cooperation with Saudi Arabia

Taiwan looks to increase cooperation with Saudi Arabia in several economic fields. In the photo, Taipei 101, one of the tallest towers in the world at 508 meters, is shown in the capital city of Taipei (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Taiwan looks to increase cooperation with Saudi Arabia in several economic fields. In the photo, Taipei 101, one of the tallest towers in the world at 508 meters, is shown in the capital city of Taipei (Asharq Al-Awsat)

A Taiwanese diplomat has emphasized the strategic relations between Saudi Arabia and Taiwan as the latter aims to expand bilateral cooperation in new value-added technologies.
“Since the 1970s, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan have shared a deep and significant partnership. Taiwan has reiterated its support for Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, led by King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman,” said Teng Cheng Ping, head of Taiwan’s mission in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Taiwanese representative noted that Taiwan holds the fourth-largest foreign exchange reserves globally, highlighting the saving habits of its consumers.
He pointed out that the entry of Saudi National Bank into Taiwan’s Formosa market as the first Saudi bank reflects the uniqueness of bilateral relations and the mutual desire to forge a strategic partnership for a better future, enhancing comprehensive bilateral cooperation, friendship, and cultural understanding between the two peoples.
“Saudi Arabia has requested Citibank and Goldman Sachs to issue $500 million in unsecured floating-rate bonds for five years. In the future, Taiwan will continue to invest in the Kingdom and support the country’s efforts to advance Vision 2030,” said Ping.
He also mentioned that Foxconn is still discussing high-tech collaboration projects with the Saudi government.
The company’s operations in the Kingdom focus on electric vehicle technologies, a key aspect of industrial technological cooperation that adds value to the industrial economy.
According to Ping, Taiwan leads the world in high-tech industries such as semiconductors, chip manufacturing, and design.
These sectors are crucial components of artificial intelligence technology, making them vital areas for collaboration with Saudi Arabia in shaping the new industrial future.
“Currently, Taiwan has built semiconductor plants in the United States, Japan, and Germany, with these countries also investing in Taiwan,” Ping said.
“Therefore, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia can enhance cooperation in these fields in the future,” he added.
Ping emphasized that Foxconn’s investment in Saudi Arabia, as the world’s largest manufacturer and provider of technical services, in the field of electric vehicle technologies, will bolster the Kingdom’s strategy to empower promising sectors, including the automotive industry.
This move contributes to diversifying Saudi Arabia’s economy, reducing carbon emissions, and preserving the environment, alongside promoting sustainable development, attracting investments, and creating new job opportunities.

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Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
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Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)

Severe wildfire seasons are increasingly hurting western Canada's lucrative tourism industry, with some visitors beginning to avoid the busy late-summer months due to concerns about uncontrolled blazes, smoke-filled skies and road closures.

After a scorching start to July, nearly 600 wildfires are now ablaze across British Columbia and Alberta, including a huge fire that this week devastated the picturesque tourist town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies.

Dozens of communities, including popular holiday spots in British Columbia's Kootenay region, are under evacuation orders and several highways are closed.

This year's surge in wildfire activity comes after Canada endured its worst-ever year for wildfires in 2023, when more than 15 million hectares (37 million acres) burned, including parts of the city of West Kelowna in the heart of British Columbia's wine region.

Ellen Walker-Matthews, head of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, said the industry was seeing a lot more last-minute travel decisions instead of booking in advance.

"It's a huge blow. July and August are traditionally the busiest months in the region," said Walker-Matthews, adding that while her region has been relatively unscathed by wildfires this summer, some visitors are choosing to avoid interior British Columbia altogether.

The members of the British Columbia Lodging and Campgrounds Association are reporting a 5-15% drop in bookings from a year ago, with the biggest declines coming from the hotter Okanagan and Cariboo regions, said Joss Penny, who heads the association.

"The concern is that this is something we have to live with and we have it every year now," said Penny.

Although wildfires in Canada's forests are natural and common, scientists say drier, hotter conditions fueled by climate change are leading to more volatile and frequent blazes.

'SMOKEY SKIES'

Some events, like the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, usually held in August, have now been rescheduled to earlier in the summer to avoid what is now seen as peak smoke season. The festival, which was cancelled last year due to nearby wildfires, was this year moved to July to benefit from "less smokey skies."

Wildfires and extreme climatic events are prompting tourists to "change their plans not just temporarily, but permanently," said Elizabeth Halpenny, a tourism researcher and professor at the University of Alberta, noting that seasonal workers in the sector are often the hardest hit as they have few protections during a bad season or amid a cataclysmic fire.

Tourism contributed C$7.2 billion to the British Columbia economy in 2022, and C$9.9 billion to Alberta in 2023, according to the latest government data.

Jasper National Park is one of Canada's premier tourist destinations, with more than 2 million visitors a year flocking to see its pristine mountain landscapes and abundant wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose and elk.

Kelly Torrens, vice-president of product at international tour company Kensington Tours, described western Canada as a bucket-list destination. But the company now has 49 trips that were supposed to pass through Jasper this season in limbo. Six others were forced to evacuate the park when the fire hit.

Parks Canada has cancelled all camping reservations within Jasper National Park until Aug. 6 and with potentially 50% of the town's structures destroyed by fire, the cleanup and rebuild could take years.

Halpenny is among those hedging their bets.

"I've booked a campsite stay in the mountain parks but at the same time, I booked a campsite out on the prairie somewhere and that's my backup plan because I don't want to miss out on my vacation with my family."