MSI, Acer, ASUS responded! Named by Yale University for “ignoring withdrawal request”

The Russian-Ukrainian war set off a boycott in Europe and the United States, and more than 450 companies announced their withdrawal from Russia. According to the latest list compiled by Yale University, there are currently 43 companies that “ignore the withdrawal request”, including Acer, ASUS, MSI and other three Taiwanese brand factories, and after being named, issued statements in response.

On February 28, Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, associate dean of the Yale School of Management (Yale School of Management) and his research team first announced the list of multinational companies that have withdrawn or remained in the Russian market, and ranked them in order of rank. For “exit”, “pause”, “reduce”, “buy time” and “ignore exit request”.

Withdrawal refers to the complete withdrawal from the Russian market and cut off all contacts; suspension is to reduce business and keep the possibility of going back; downsizing is to reduce some business activities while continuing other businesses; buy time is to suspend new development and investment plans; ignore withdrawal Requirements are insisting on staying, refusing to quit or reducing activity requirements.

Companies named by Yale University for “ignoring the withdrawal request” include French sports retailer Decathlon, Credit Suisse, Chinese technology companies Alibaba, Huawei, Tencent, Lenovo, Xiaomi and Didi Chuxing. The Taiwanese companies on the list include Acer, ASUS, and MSI.

Acer recently responded that Acer is closely monitoring the development of the conflict in Russia and Ukraine. At present, Acer’s primary focus is to take care of the safety and resettlement of the affected Acer employees and their families. So far, 5 Acer Ukrainian employees and their families have arrived in Poland, Germany and other places. The local Acer branch is doing its best to assist employees to work and live locally.

Acer pointed out that it maintains close contact with Acer employees still in Ukraine every day, abides by relevant laws and regulations on international trade, and attaches great importance to humanitarian care.

ASUS recently responded that ASUS has always been committed to complying with the norms of the countries where it is located. In addition to the complex challenges formed by supply chain, logistics, banking transactions and other factors, shipments to the Russian market have stagnated. In order to do our part, we decided to donate The Disaster Relief Foundation, a consortium, has NT$30 million for the “Relief Ukrainian Special Account”. We sincerely hope that peace and humanitarian assistance can be given to every affected person immediately.

MSI issued a statement today stating that MSI has always abided by international trade regulations and laws and regulations of various countries. At the time of the outbreak of the humanitarian crisis in Russia and Ukraine, all sales and operations to Russia abide by relevant international laws and resolutions, and attach great importance to humanitarian care and employees. Safety, I hope this incident can end peacefully as soon as possible, thank you for your concern.

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Another semiconductor executive leaves China, and former UMC CEO Sun Shiwei leaves Wuhan Xinxin

Recently, there have been news of retirement and resignation from Taiwan’s semiconductor industry executives Gao Qiquan and Jiang Shangyi who have gone to China to develop, and some heavyweights have left the Chinese semiconductor market. Print media reported that Sun Shiwei, the former vice chairman and CEO of UMC, also recently left Wuhan Xinxin, China, and resigned as the general manager and CEO, ending the five-year development of China’s semiconductor industry.

Sun Shiwei, who had held important positions such as chief operating officer, chief executive officer and vice chairman during UMC’s tenure, announced in 2017 that he would join China Unisplendour Group as the global executive vice president. Until August 2019, he was transferred to Wuhan Xinxin, a subsidiary of Tsinghua Unigroup, and took over as general manager and CEO. Market sources said that Sun Shiwei officially left Wuhan Xinxin two months ago because the contract expired and he did not renew his contract, and he had returned to Taiwan to officially retire.

Market participants further pointed out that although the Chinese semiconductor industry continues to have strong government support, it is actively restricted by the United States, and even imposes sanctions from time to time, and the development space is limited. As a result, the former Taiwanese semiconductor executives who entered China have gradually left the Chinese market in the near future. The attractiveness of China’s semiconductor market to Taiwan’s high-level semiconductor talents is gradually fading.

What is Russia’s “hybrid warfare” that China is learning about?

The situation of the Russian-Ukrainian war was not as good as Moscow’s plan, but the Russian army launched a series of “hybrid warfare” offensives on and off the battlefield since before and after the war. What elements does this new form of modern warfare contain, and how can it create advantages for Russia?

On February 24th, when Russia entered Ukraine, in addition to the offensive of the army, navy and air force, the Russian cyber army also launched a multi-level offensive. Ukrainian political, financial, military, media and many infrastructure network systems have been blocked by DDoS attacks, and international public opinion Russia has also launched a disinformation war with major media.

A photo of information warfare attack and defense
The independent American photographer Wolfgang Schwan went to the suburbs of Kharkov, where the fighting was fierce, and took pictures of Olena Kurilo, a woman who was injured by the Russian bombing and immediately It became the headlines adopted by major international media, and this photo also became the best portrayal of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Russia’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Alexander Alimov, immediately counterattacked through Twitter, calling the woman an actor and posting two other photos of similar-looking women appearing on other occasions in Kyiv. Russian media also reported that Olena’s photo was taken in 2015. A synthesis of old news from the Battle of Bath.

However, The Intercept, an independent news network in the United States, pointed out that in addition to Schwan, Olena was interviewed by two other independent reporters, Justin Yau and Alex Lourie, and the interviews were shot and videotaped directly through the camera, so it can be determined that the photo is from Carl on February 28. In the suburbs of Cove, in addition to the comparison photos proposed by Deputy Ambassador Alimov, there is a considerable gap in appearance with Olena Kurilo herself.

Using fake news to smear the truth, the main goal is not to confuse black and white, but to provide resources for pro-Russian mass war of words, and to win over neutral ethnic groups to create the perception that “the United States and Russia are as bad”. The online pen battles that modern people are accustomed to are actually part of the Russian hybrid war.

What is hybrid warfare?
The term “hybrid warfare” was first proposed by Frank G. Hoffman, a professor at the National Defense University in the United States in 2007. It refers to the integration of traditional, political, cyber and asymmetric warfare, with diplomatic, legal, disinformation or A new mode of warfare that interferes with elections and other means to achieve political goals and avoid subsequent responsibilities and retaliation.

Although hybrid warfare and Grey Zone Conflicts are similar in concept, grey zone conflicts do not include regular warfare methods that are also used in hybrid warfare. Terms such as hybrid warfare, gray zone conflict, and irregular warfare (Irregular Warfare) are often used interchangeably as definitions remain controversial.

“Cognitive control” is the core goal of hybrid warfare
The 2003 Russian annual defense white paper also stated that in the future, Russian military operations will incorporate various non-traditional methods, including the use of disinformation, cyber attacks and proxy forces (Proxy Forces), combined with traditional force, to quickly destroy or control enemy communications, political After the war and the military center, make the opponent’s command incapacitate and complete the goal.

Former Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov explained in detail the framework, state classification and operation methods of Russia’s mixed strategy. This theory has been verified in Estonia, Georgia and Crimea, so Europe and the United States called this strategy For the “Gerasimov Doctrine” (Gerasimov Doctrine).

Greshimov pointed out that the use of various tactics in hybrid warfare is aimed at “perception control”, from international and private channels, to create as much as possible unfavorable cognition to the target country’s government, and then to the country’s leadership. Class pressure, even splitting the cabinet team, ultimately made decisions in Russia’s favor.

At present, the strategic use of Russian hybrid warfare, with special emphasis on the use of non-military means to expand the internal disputes of the target country, in order to implement cognitive control, there are 11 main methods, these cognitive control methods must be adjusted according to the situation during the preparation, execution and completion of the target. Use, and can not be interrupted, otherwise the control effect will soon disappear.

Application of Hybrid Warfare in Russian-Ukrainian War
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in July 2021 that Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are all inseparable parts of the East Slavic nation, that Ukraine has no point in becoming an independent country, and that it has been trying to rewrite history for many years is unacceptable behavior for Moscow.

In a televised speech in February this year, Putin accused Ukraine of becoming a country full of neo-Nazism, carrying out genocide against local Russian residents in the Donbas region, so Russia is obliged to intervene humanitarianly and officially recognize Donetsk and Luhansk Independence of the People’s Republic.

During the process of the army buildup, Russia used a mixed warfare strategy, constantly releasing inconsistent information, and repeatedly denied sending troops to Ukraine. The army buildup was purely for exercises. Putin and cabinet officials have repeatedly ridiculed the West for deliberately exaggerating the Russian threat, just to trigger a war to weaken Russia. .

In particular, after Bloomberg accidentally reported the fake news of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 4, although it immediately withdrew and issued an apology statement, it also caused the Russian state media to ridicule and make many signs of the Russian military’s pre-war preparations covered by other information.

At the same time, the Russian army gathered in the border city of Belgorod and pressed against the second largest city in Ukraine, Kharkiv. In addition to putting pressure on the Kyiv authorities, it also misled the public to believe that if the Russian army wanted to send troops, the goal would be to Complete control of the Donbas region, replicating the Crimean model.

Therefore, from the end of 2021 to mid-February 2022, Ukraine has always been hesitant about whether a war will break out. President Zelensky still publicly refuted the war warnings of Europe and the United States until early February, saying that Ukrainian intelligence showed that there was no immediate threat of war. Russia and Russia are still conducting diplomatic negotiations, which shows that Russia’s mixed warfare strategy successfully delayed Kyiv’s reaction time in the preparation stage for the war.

After the United States announced for the first time that the Russian military would launch a full-scale offensive on February 16, Russia, in order to confuse international audiences, announced on February 15 that some of the exercise troops were withdrawing from their original locations, and released videos of the withdrawal of troops through state media, making most international media believe that the crisis or will end.

On February 21, Putin suddenly announced that he would carry out “special operations” in the Donbas region, and once again stated that he had no intention of occupying Ukrainian territory, deepening the view that this was a recurrence of the Crimean model. The United States did not even identify Russia for the first time. The military dispatch was an act of aggression. It was not until the Russian army attacked Kyiv through Belarus that the world confirmed that Russia’s real intention was to overthrow the Zelensky regime.

Taiwan must learn to deal with hybrid warfare
As far as the current situation is concerned, if the Russian army had locked its strategic target in the Donbas region, it would not have been too difficult to press the situation with nearly 200,000 troops. As Saifanburg performed beheading tactics, the scale far exceeded the sum of Russia’s past mixed warfare experience.

Therefore, the Russian army is currently in a quagmire, and the tactics are returned to the traditional tactics of the Chechnya period, and the army is occupied after the carpet bombing.

Although the Russian army’s preparations were quite successful, Putin made a wrong assessment of Ukrainian high-level officials and the will of military and civilian resistance, which made the decapitation tactic fail. The prolonged war made logistics scheduling unable to keep up with the demand, and also lost the cognitive control effect of Greshimov Doctrine.

Although the Russian hybrid warfare is not as successful as in the past, the hybrid warfare technology developed in the past 20 years has become a reference target for the PLA’s full development. Taiwan can observe the new application of hybrid warfare technology in this conflict and develop complete countermeasures as soon as possible. , including information security protection, rapid response to false information, and more in-depth intelligence analysis and public opinion control. After all, what Taiwan is facing is not just a “little pink”, but a real “Internet army.”

Nano Black Technology saves the earth! Laundry, soil washing and air washing were adopted by the leading wafer foundry Kaohsiung plant

Nano-KY released “Nano-ionized water and nano-hydrogen microbubbles” today. It is the world’s leading black technology. It has been used in laundry and has created the world’s first washing machine that does not require laundry detergent. It can be used in washing air to separate oil in the air and help Home and restaurant kitchens are used to purify the air, as well as vacuum distillation and microbial bacteria for soil washing, which can restore heavy oil-contaminated land, and has been adopted by the leading wafer foundry factory in Kaohsiung.

Lv Hongtu, chairman of Nano, said that “nano-ionized water and nano-hydrogen microbubbles” are nano-processed water molecules by the patented electrolysis technology to a water mass of 4-6 water molecules, and then the water molecules ( The hydrogen bond of H2O) is cut off, leaving a high concentration of negatively charged “hydroxide ions”, that is, nano-ion water. , positive ions or hydrogen ions of oil stains and odor factors, will carry out cleaning functions such as structural destruction, coating, detachment, etc., coupled with hydrogen micro-bubble technology, will maximize the cleaning power, through the negative charge on the surface of nano-micro-bubble Absorbing dirt and particles, the two technologies maximize the cleaning performance, achieving a cleaning effect without adding chemicals.

For laundry, Nano released the world’s first washing machine that does not require laundry detergent. Lv Hongtu said that this black technology can save water and electricity, and it is also very protective to the earth, so that every family does not need to buy laundry. It also eliminates the need to clean the tub of the washing machine, reduces the production of packaging materials, shipping costs and waste water, and allows global environmental protection to start from the household appliances needed by thousands of households.

It is used to wash the air, Lv Hongtu said, this black technology has a wide range of applications. It has been introduced into dishwashers to reduce the discharge of detergents and waste water. It can also wash vegetables and fruits, remove pesticide residues, and prolong the preservation period of food. It can also be washed. Clean air, that is, applied to the range hood, separates oil pollution in the air, and assists household and restaurant kitchens to achieve air purification. At present, restaurant operators have been negotiating to introduce it.

Used to wash soil, Lv Hongtu said that Nano’s important black technologies also include vacuum distillation and microbial bacteria, which are used in the remediation of heavy oil-contaminated soil and can assist in the restoration of land contaminated by heavy oil, such as the leading wafer foundry in Kaohsiung. Located in the base of the CNPC High Refinery Area, the project is contracted by ZTE Engineering, of which Nano is responsible for soil remediation of 20 hectares.

Lv Hongtu explained that in the process of soil remediation, it is necessary to avoid secondary pollution of the air and water quality, because when the soil is carried out of the site, it will not only raise ash, but also escape with organic gases and bad odors, causing serious air pollution. Nano has three exclusive technologies, including nano-micro-bubble ionized water, microbial restoration technology, and vacuum distillation method, to complete this task.

When excavating the soil first, volatile organic compounds and benzene are released into the air due to disturbance. Nano-micro-bubble ionized water can be used for atomization and spraying, which can effectively control the overflow of odor during the operation and decompose the toxicity of benzene. Reduce the risk of inhalation of construction workers and air pollution.

The polluted soil after screening is transported into the cavity designed by Nano, and the waste oil in the soil is separated from the oil and soil by the mature vacuum distillation method, and the waste oil is recovered without burning, which directly avoids air pollutants. For the discharge problem, the soil generated during the remediation process will be very clean and can be directly used for plant construction, while the recovered oil can be re-refined, and the remaining wastewater can be recycled after micro-bubble oxidation treatment.

Lv Hongtu added that the “microbial restoration technology” in the remediation process is a biological agent introduced from Russia, because Russia has the most forest coverage in the world, and local oil companies use this microorganism to deal with many oil well pollution and marine pollution. Bacteria directly convert oil pollution into nitrogen and phosphorus, which are the nutrients most needed by soil. The actual application and test results are very successful.

In addition, Lv Hongtu said that Nano’s soil remediation technology has also been adopted by Sinopec, and has received an order to remediate oily waste soil. This year, 2,000 tons of soil will be rehabilitated in Tianjin Dagang Oilfield, with a revenue contribution of about RMB 1.5 million. Opportunity to get Qinghai Sinopec’s soil remediation plan, about 200,000 tons, and future business opportunities will be 200 billion yuan.

South Korea’s GDP per capita is faster than Japan’s, Nikkei: South Koreans don’t feel it

A few days ago, the Japanese media heavily reported data from the Japan Economic Research Center, which suggested that the per capita GDP of South Korea and Taiwan will surpass Japan in a few years. Beating Japan in 2018, the gap will only widen in the future. But South Korean economic experts say the data doesn’t necessarily capture the full picture, with most South Koreans not enjoying the economic fruits.

According to the latest research by the Japan Center for Economic Research (JCER), by 2028, Taiwan’s per capita wealth will surpass Japan’s, which has also attracted a lot of media coverage in Taiwan. Exports rebounded rapidly after the epidemic, and Taiwanese people have a feeling that everyone is rich or is on the way to becoming rich, and that Taiwan will return to the head of the four little dragons in a few years.

Overtaking Japan, South Korea will be one step ahead of Taiwan. The Japan Economic Research Center expects South Korea to surpass Japan in nominal GDP per capita in 2027, and the South Korean media also made headlines, but South Korea and Taiwan reacted differently, and it seems that few South Koreans discuss the issue. The Nikkei Review noted that South Koreans’ lack of interest in the issue appears to reflect South Korea’s grim economic reality that “ordinary workers are not feeling the benefits of the country’s economic progress.”

The analysis pointed out that South Korea is known for its long working hours in terms of hourly productivity, and South Korea remains at the bottom of the OECD rankings in terms of hourly productivity. And while South Korea’s average salary exceeds Japan’s, income inequality is also rising rapidly.

The reason is that big company unions have huge influence in South Korea, and under political pressure, chaebol family conglomerates and other big companies are often forced to agree to aggressive wage increases demanded by unions. Widening the pay gap between large companies and small businesses, which make up the majority of South Korean employers.

To live a stable and comfortable life, South Korean graduates know that they must squeeze into big companies or enter the government to take full-time jobs. This has led to an employment crisis for South Korean youth. The youth unemployment rate is about 25%. Many people simply give up looking for jobs, and the employment rate has also declined.

In order to protect the wages of young people, President Moon Jae-in has raised the minimum wage by 42% within five years since he took office in 2017. Now the minimum wage in South Korea is US$7.66 an hour, which is not far from Japan, but it has the opposite effect. Many independent companies simply ignore part-time jobs. staff.

Furthermore, using PPP to calculate GDP per capita ignores real estate prices. Since Moon Jae-in took office, apartment prices in Seoul have more than doubled in less than five years, making it impossible to buy a house in Seoul without parental support.

South Korea’s fertility rate in 2020 is only 0.84, half that of Japan and lower than Taiwan’s 0.99. Young South Koreans say the reasons for not having children are huge debt and high housing prices, the poverty rate of the elderly is about twice that of Japan, and the suicide rate among the younger generation has recently increased by 30%. In recent years, the world-famous Spanish pilgrimage route has frequently seen young South Koreans, which reflects the resolute will of the South Koreans, and perhaps how strong the uncertainty in their hearts. Economic data is out of touch with reality, and South Koreans don’t feel that life has actually improved, so surpassing Japan’s numbers is nothing to celebrate.

China Customs suspends acceptance of Lithuanian beef import declarations

According to the “List of Meat Products from Countries or Regions Exporting to China that Meet the Requirements for Evaluation and Review” published on the official website of the General Administration of Customs of China, the acceptance of Lithuanian beef import declarations for shipments starting after February 9 (including February 9) is suspended.

It is reported that the only Lithuanian meat allowed by China is beef, and only one company is listed in the customs access list.

Disputes erupted with China after Lithuania allowed the establishment of a Taiwan representative office in Vilnius. China has downgraded diplomatic relations with Lithuania.

In response to the EU’s indication that it would initiate a trade lawsuit against China over the Lithuania issue, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at the end of January that China has always acted in accordance with the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The problem between China and Lithuania is a political one, not an economic one.

Blinken speaks with Wang Yi | U.S. Statement Addresses Three Directions for U.S.-China Cooperation

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on January 27. According to a U.S. statement, the two sides exchanged views on how to advance U.S.-China cooperation after the November 2021 “Xi-Bai meeting,” including managing strategic risks, health and security, and climate change.

State Department spokesman Ned Price issued a statement on Jan. 26 saying that during his call with Wang Yi, Blinken emphasized the global security and economic risks posed by Russia’s further aggression against Ukraine and said that de-escalating tensions and diplomacy is the responsible way forward.

The statement also said the U.S. and China also exchanged views on how to advance U.S.-China cooperation, including managing strategic risks, health and security, and climate change, following a November 15, 2021, video meeting between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s press release made no mention of Blinken’s allegations of “Russian aggression against Ukraine” or the direction of U.S.-China cooperation after the two sides spoke.

According to the press release issued by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Blinken stressed that Biden’s position as stated in the meeting between the two heads of state has not changed, and that the U.S. and China have both convergent interests and differences, and that the U.S. side is willing to manage differences in a responsible manner.

Blinken said the U.S. one-China policy has not changed. The U.S. will cheer on U.S. athletes participating in the Beijing Winter Olympics and wishes the Chinese people a happy New Year.

Blinken briefed on the U.S. position on Ukraine and other issues. Wang Yi said that the solution to the Ukraine issue must come back to the original point of the new Minsk agreement. The company’s main goal is to provide the best possible service to its customers. Russia’s legitimate security concerns should be taken seriously and addressed.

The U.S. statement did not mention Wang Yi’s demand that the U.S. side stop interfering with the Beijing Winter Olympics, stop playing with fire on the Taiwan issue, or Blinken’s promise that the U.S. one-China policy has not changed.