Author: admin

Posted on

Kevin Shelly Named Strategic Account Manager – Americas’ for Nikkiso ACD

TEMECULA, Calif., Jan. 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nikkiso Cryogenic Industries’ Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group (Group), a subsidiary of Nikkiso Co., Ltd (Japan), is pleased to announce that Kevin Shelly has accepted a new position as Strategic Account Manager for the Nikkiso Cryogenic Pumps Unit – Americas.

This new and vital position to the management team supports the Group’s objectives to further grow their presence and impact within the Industrial Gas market throughout North and South America.

Kevin has an impressive track record in sales development, customer relations, and key account and territory management within his 20-plus years of industry experience. His focus will be to sell prime equipment as well as service and aftermarket for the pump group. Kevin will also play a vital role in the Group’s strategy by facilitating opportunities for the Nikkiso group companies and paving the way to becoming a stronger strategic partner for our customers.

“The Pumps Unit is excited to have Kevin in this new strategic management role,” according to Daryl Lamy, President and CEO of the Group’s Pump Unit. “His years of experience will add to our ability to offer world-class cryogenic pump products, customer service and value-added solutions for our customers.”

Nikkiso Cryogenic Pumps Unit which includes Nikkiso ACD and Nikkiso Cryo is a leading manufacturer of a diverse line of cryogenic pumps – large to small.

ABOUT CRYOGENIC INDUSTRIES
Cryogenic Industries, Inc. (now a member of Nikkiso Co., Ltd.) member companies manufacture engineered cryogenic gas processing equipment and small-scale process plants for the liquefied natural gas (LNG), well services and industrial gas industries. Founded over 50 years ago, Cryogenic Industries is the parent company of ACD, Cosmodyne and Cryoquip and a commonly controlled group of approximately 20 operating entities.

For more information please visit www.nikkisoCEIG.com and www.nikkiso.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Anna Quigley
+1.951.383.3314
aquigley@cryoind.com

Posted on

Transsion and HERE partner to enhance location accuracy experience for smartphone users in emerging markets

  • Businesses and smartphone users in emerging markets will experience precise location fix on their apps and devices, even in challenging indoor and outdoor environments

Beijing and Mumbai – HERE Technologies, the leading location data and technology platform, today announced that Transsion, the leading provider of smart devices and mobile services in global emerging markets, has selected HERE Network Positioning to improve its location accuracy capabilities in emerging markets such as Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Indonesia and Thailand.

The global number of mobile internet users is expected to reach five billion by 2025, a 25% increase from 2020. This figure represents 60% of the world’s population, with much of the forecasted growth coming from emerging digital markets in Asia Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Latin America[i].

By deploying HERE Network Positioning, Transsion will be able to identify accurate positioning of its devices both indoors and outdoors. This works especially when satellite signals of Global Positioning System (GPS) are not available, such as when the device is located indoor or the GPS signals are blocked by objects. As a result, Transsion will enable its smartphone users to locate devices, people, and objects faster, with higher precision and confidence.

Robin Wang, Assistant President at Transsion said, “As a technology company with a focus on global emerging markets, we’ve long been committed to supporting local communities there. We’ve decided to deploy with HERE because they have presented a stand-out, compelling solution for markets that lack advanced infrastructure such as Africa and India.”

One use case that HERE Network Positioning will benefit is ride-hailing or ride-sharing. In Africa, ride-hailing has become increasingly popular over the years, with the number of users expected to grow 16% from 50.3 million in 2021 to 58.4 million by 2025[ii]. Traditional taxi companies are also pivoting their business model to include services that can be booked via mobile applications, making it more transparent for customers than before.

For these urban mobility services to stand out from its competition, a good user experience is key. HERE Network Positioning enables Transsion to gain an edge over its competitors by providing its users with more accurate calculations of estimated times of arrivals (ETA) and precise pick-up and drop-off locations. End users of Transsion will also benefit from more accurate positionings which may otherwise be affected due to the presence of buildings, trees, tunnels, bridges and atmospheric conditions that can put direct drivers to wrong locations.

“For ride-hailing services, being able to identify the exact location for pick-ups and drop-offs – whether it’s the right side of the street or the right entrance/exists within large venues such as airport or stadiums – makes a huge difference in improving user experience. That’s the difference Transsion is here to provide,” added Wang.

Sammie Xi, Director and Head of Business for Greater China at HERE Technologies said, “Transsion is taking a big step forward in enhancing the quality of data within emerging economies. This is truly meaningful and inspiring. We’ve seen how the pandemic has profoundly impacted our lives, economies, and the global digital landscape. We are immensely proud to support Transsion in providing a more inclusive connected world for consumers. ”

Media contacts
HERE Technologies
Camy Cheng
+65 9088 4127
Camy.cheng@here.com

About HERE Technologies
HERE, the leading location data and technology platform, moves people, businesses and cities forward by harnessing the power of location. By leveraging our open platform, we empower our customers to achieve better outcomes – from helping a city manage its infrastructure or a business optimize its assets to guiding drivers to their destination safely. To learn more about HERE, please visit www.here.com and www.360.here.com.

About Transsion
TRANSSION Holdings is committed to becoming the most popular provider of smart devices and mobile services for consumers in global emerging markets. The company is best known for its high-quality multi-brand smart devices. Mobile phones are its core products, while it also offers mobile Internet services based on a self-developed operating system. To learn more about TRANSSION, please visit www.transsion.com.

[i] The Mobile Economy 2021, GSM Association
[ii] https://www.statista.com/outlook/mmo/mobility-services/ride-hailing-taxi/africa#analyst-opinion

Attachment

Posted on

New Report Calls for Global Action Plan to Address Nursing Workforce Crisis and Prevent an Avoidable Healthcare Disaster

Featured Image for The International Centre on Nurse Migration

Featured Image for The International Centre on Nurse Migration

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new report, published today by the International Centre for Nurse Migration (ICNM) in partnership with CGFNS International, Inc. and ICN titled Sustain and Retain in 2022 and Beyond, has revealed how the COVID-19 pandemic has made the fragile state of the global nursing workforce much worse, putting the World Health Organization’s (WHO) aim of Universal Health Coverage at serious risk. It suggests up to 13 million more nurses will be required over the next decade, the equivalent of almost half of the world’s current 28 million-strong workforce.

The report provides a blueprint for what needs to be done at the national and international level to guide nursing workforce planning globally. It says countries should commit to prioritising nurses for vaccinations, provide safe staffing levels, expand their domestic nurse education systems, increase the attractiveness of nursing careers for women and men, adhere to ethical international recruitment standards, and monitor countries’ ability to be self-sufficient to meet their nursing workforce requirements.

International Council of Nurses (ICN) Chief Executive Officer Howard Catton, who co-authored the report, said:

“The WHO’s International Year of the Nurse and Midwife in 2020 and last year’s International Year of the Health Care Worker were an important starting point in recognising the true value of nurses and other health workers, but it simply was not enough. This is a global health crisis, and it requires a fully funded and actionable 10-year plan to support and strengthen nurses and the health and care workforce to deliver health for all.”

CGFNS President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Franklin A. Shaffer, another co-author of the report, added:

“We can anticipate that there will be a migration tsunami as more than ever before, countries around the world turn to the international nursing supply to meet their workforce needs. The pre-existing unequal distribution of nurses around the world will be exacerbated by large-scale international recruitment to high-income countries as they look for a ‘quick fix’ solution to solving their nursing shortages, which will only widen inequalities in access to healthcare globally.”

Lead author of the report, Professor James Buchan of the University of Technology Sydney, (UTS) and the University of Edinburgh, said:

“COVID-19 has had a terrible impact on the nursing workforce in terms of the personal effect it has had on individual nurses, and the problems it has exposed within many healthcare systems. Pre-existing shortages exacerbated the impact of the pandemic, and burned-out nurses are leaving because they cannot carry on any longer. Governments have not reacted effectively to the growing worldwide shortage of nurses, and now they must respond to the pandemic, which is an alarming game-changer that requires immediate action.”

The report says a long-term plan is needed to stem the tide of those leaving nursing because of the additional stresses resulting from COVID-19 and to create a new generation of nurses to grow the profession to meet increased future demands of an aging global population.

ICN President Pamela Cipriano said:

“Nurses have been on the front lines of the pandemic for two years now. The influence they have had on the survival and health of the people they serve has been enormous. Despite enduring heavy emotional and physical burdens of providing care for their patients and communities, they have shown great resilience. But resiliency has its limits.”

According to Dr. Shaffer: “Ethical and properly monitored international migration will always provide individual nurses with an opportunity to develop their careers and follow their dreams. But as this report shows, governments must act quickly to ensure that people everywhere have access to nursing expertise whenever they need it. CGFNS and the ICNM can help governments to ensure that international recruitment is ethical and that both the recruiting countries and the nurses involved can benefit from the process.”

To download the report, please click here.

The International Centre on Nurse Migration (ICNM) serves as a comprehensive knowledge resource created by CGFNS International Inc. (CGFNS) in partnership with the International Council of Nurses (ICN).

For more information, please contact Frank Mortimer, Director, Marketing & Communication: fmortimer@cgfns.org

Websites:
www.intlnursemigration.org
www.icn.ch
www.cgfns.org

Related Images

Image 1

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment

Posted on

Constellation Brands Announces Jim Sabia as President, Beer Division

Paul Hetterich assumes role of Chair, Beer Division as part of leadership transition

VICTOR, N.Y., Jan. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B), a leading beverage alcohol company, today announced new responsibilities for two members of its Executive Management Committee, effective immediately. Jim Sabia, who has served as Constellation’s Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Beer Division, since February 2021, will assume the role of Executive Vice President and President, Beer Division with day-to-day general management responsibilities for all U.S. commercial and operations functions related to the company’s beer business. Paul Hetterich will transition from his current responsibilities as Executive Vice President and President, Beer Division to assume the role of Executive Vice President and Chair, Beer Division. In this role, Paul will continue to have responsibility for Constellation’s Beer Operations in Mexico, including ongoing capital projects designed to ensure that the company’s long-term production capacity keeps pace with the growing consumer demand for Constellation’s iconic beer brands.

“Constellation’s beer business has driven unparalleled growth in the industry, and we have bold ambitions to continue to deliver more well into the future,” said Bill Newlands, Constellation’s president and CEO. “A driving force behind this success has been the quality and strength of our overall team, and our strength and continuity of leadership. I look forward to both Jim’s and Paul’s continued partnership with our Executive Management Committee to deliver on our longer-term goals.”

Hetterich added, “I am incredibly proud of what our beer business has achieved over the last several years and I’m confident that together with Jim’s leadership we will continue to guide the strength of our business and the entire beer leadership team though our next phase of growth.”

Sabia joined Constellation Brands in 2007 as Vice President, Marketing for the company’s spirits business. He was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer of Constellation’s Beer Division in 2009 and to Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer for Constellation’s full portfolio across beer, wine, and spirits in 2018. Under Sabia’s leadership, growth trends for the company’s beer portfolio significantly outpaced the U.S. beer market and, upon the assumption of responsibilities for Constellation’s total beverage alcohol portfolio, he played an instrumental role in transforming the company’s wine & spirits business, working to build consumer affinity for its premium portfolio of powerhouse wine and spirits brands. During his tenure as Managing Director, Beer Division, Constellation’s beer brands continued their strong growth trajectory with, most notably, Modelo Especial securing the position of #2 beer brand by dollar sales in the U.S.* (*IRI, Total U.S. – Multi-Outlet + Convenience, 52 weeks ending 1/02/22).

“We have some of the most iconic, consumer-loved brands delivering stellar industry-leading performance,” said Sabia. “I look forward to continuing to work with our best-in-class teams and our executive team to build on our momentum in the marketplace, drive growth within the high-end beer category, and deliver our long-term growth aspirations.”

ABOUT CONSTELLATION BRANDS
At Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B), our mission is to build brands that people love because we believe sharing a toast, unwinding after a day, celebrating milestones, and helping people connect, are Worth Reaching For. It’s worth our dedication, hard work, and the bold calculated risks we take to deliver more for our consumers, trade partners, shareholders, and communities in which we live and work. It’s what has made us one of the fastest-growing large CPG companies in the U.S. at retail, and it drives our pursuit to deliver what’s next.

Today, we are a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine, and spirits with operations in the U.S., Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. Every day, people reach for our high-end, iconic imported beer brands such as Corona Extra, Corona Light, Corona Premier, Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra, and Pacifico, and our high-quality premium wine and spirits brands, including the Robert Mondavi Brand Family, Kim Crawford, Meiomi, The Prisoner Brand Family, SVEDKA Vodka, Casa Noble Tequila, and High West Whiskey.

But we won’t stop here. Our visionary leadership team and passionate employees from barrel room to boardroom are reaching for the next level, to explore the boundaries of the beverage alcohol industry and beyond. Join us in discovering what’s Worth Reaching For.

To learn more, follow us on Twitter @cbrands and visit www.cbrands.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACTS
Mike McGrew 773-251-4934 / michael.mcgrew@cbrands.com
Amy Martin 585-678-7141 / amy.martin@cbrands.com		 Patty Yahn-Urlaub 585-678-7483 / patty.yahn-urlaub@cbrands.com
Joseph Suarez 773-551-4397 / joseph.suarez@cbrands.com

A downloadable PDF copy of this news release can be found here http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/91d72ee4-2b32-40d2-8dd6-f4c00749179d

Posted on

ITA Airways received an Expression of Interest from MSC and Lufthansa

ITA Airways received an Expression of Interest from MSC and Lufthansa

ITA Airways received an Expression of Interest from MSC and Lufthansa. Rome, 24 January 2022 – The Company announces that today it has received an Expression of Interest from the MSC Group and Lufthansa to acquire the majority of ITA Airways. The MSC Group has agreed with Lufthansa its participation in the partnership on terms to be defined during the Due Diligence.

ROME, Jan. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Company announces that today it has received an Expression of Interest from the MSC Group and Lufthansa to acquire the majority of ITA Airways. The MSC Group has agreed with Lufthansa its participation in the partnership on terms to be defined during the Due Diligence.

Both the MSC Group and Lufthansa have expressed the wish that the Italian Government maintains a minority stake in the Company. Furthermore, the MSC Group and Lufthansa have requested 90 days of exclusivity to work on this Expression of Interest.

ITA Airways is satisfied that the work carried out in recent months to offer the best prospects to the company is starting to have the expected results, providing for a company recognised as viable for partners of international reputation both in passenger and cargo transport. The Board of Directors will examine the details of the Expression of Interest in an upcoming meeting.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d1bb54f3-c09b-4540-8063-af892d7b0181

The photo is also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress.

LaPresse SpA Communication and Press Office Director
Barbara Sanicola – barbara.sanicola@lapresse.it +39 02 26305578 M +39 333 3905243

Posted on

Bombardier Announces New Sales Team Appointments

MONTREAL, Jan. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bombardier today announced strategic changes to its international sales leadership team. The changes, which take effect immediately, are designed to further optimize Bombardier’s worldwide sales experience and capitalize on robust demand for its market-leading, smooth-flying business jets.

Following his decision to leave the company to pursue personal opportunities, Christophe Degoumois, Vice President, Sales, International has transitioned leadership to multiple Sales team members. An accomplished sales leader, Christophe leaves behind a solid foundation on which Bombardier has built its customer-centric values.

“We are grateful for Christophe’s 17 years of dedicated service at Bombardier, as well as the team he has built, now ready to take on broader responsibilities,” said Peter Likoray, Senior Vice President, Sales, New Aircraft. “Christophe played an important role in creating a positive experience for our customers and instilling a sales culture where customers’ needs are central to what we do. We thank him for his stellar leadership and wish him all the best in his new venture.”

Ensuring a smooth transition, Emmanuel Bornand will take on the role of Vice President, Sales, Europe, Russia, CIS, Middle East and Africa. Since joining Bombardier in 2008, Emmanuel has established a strong track record. From his base in Europe, he will continue to leverage his extensive experience in different leadership roles to further strengthen relationships with clients and expand Bombardier’s activity in the region.

Stéphane Leroy will take over responsibility for sales in Asia Pacific and China in addition to his current role of Vice President, Sales, Specialized Aircraft. A 20-year veteran with Bombardier, Stéphane’s knowledge and industry expertise will allow him to continue to deliver strong results in his new expanded mandate. Stéphane has spent eight years in Asia and cumulates over 30 years of experience in government-related sales activities.

Michael Anckner will add responsibility for sales in Latin America to his current responsibilities of fleet and corporate sales in his new role as Vice President, Sales, US Corporate Fleets, Specialized Aircraft & Latin America. Michael, who has been with Bombardier for 11 years and was previously a sales director in Latin America, will continue to leverage his extensive fleet experience and knowledge of the region to further grow sales in Latin America and expand customer relationships worldwide.

About Bombardier
Bombardier is a global leader in aviation, creating innovative and game-changing planes. Our products and services provide world-class experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety.

Headquartered in Montréal, Canada, Bombardier is present in more than 12 countries including its production/engineering sites and its customer support network. The Corporation supports a worldwide fleet of over 4,900 aircraft in service with a wide variety of multinational corporations, charter and fractional ownership providers, governments and private individuals.

News and information is available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.
Visit the Bombardier Business Aircraft website for more information on our industry-leading products and services.

Bombardier is a registered trademark of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

For Information
Tinca Stokojnik Prouvost
Communications Advisor
+1 514 912 1326
tinca.stokojnik.prouvost@aero.bombardier.com
Posted on

With Fed hawkish, Taiwan forecast to raise rates in June at earliest

Taiwan’s central bank is likely to follow the lead of a hawkish U.S. Federal Reserve by raising its key interest rates in June at the earliest, the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER) said Tuesday.

Wu Meng-tao (???), director of the sixth research division at TIER, which is one of the leading economic think tanks in Taiwan, said the time was right for the Fed to tighten monetary policy amid continued economic stability and with unemployment currently below 4 percent.

More importantly, the Fed would likely kick off a rate hike cycle to rein in rising consumer prices, Wu added, as annual inflation in the U.S. hit 7 percent for the last month of 2021.

Earlier this month, U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said at a hearing of the country’s Senate that the Fed would launch a series of interest rate hikes and reduce its balance sheet this year by cutting its bond holdings to take funds back from the market.

In addition, the Fed is under added pressure to raise key interest rates after U.S. President Joe Biden voiced his support for the move.

With Powell presiding over a more hawkish central bank, Wu said it was very likely the Fed would make a decision on raising interest rates at a policymaking meeting scheduled for March.

“The local central bank is likely to make its own move by hiking interest rates by 0.125 percentage points to 0.25 percentage points in June at the earliest,” he added.

During a hearing at the Legislative Yuan in late November 2021, Yang Chin-long (???), the governor of Taiwan’s central bank, said raising interest rates before other economies would result in a surge of incoming funds that could create chaos on Taiwan’s foreign exchange market.

Yang said the local central bank would likely follow the Fed’s lead to avoid volatility in Taiwan’s overheated housing market caused by overseas investment pushing up real estate prices.

At a quarterly policymaking meeting, the central bank decided to leave its key interest rates unchanged for the seventh consecutive quarter. The discount rate remains at 1.125 percent, the lowest in history.

Wu said that a strong recent economic showing was expected to give the central bank leeway to raise interest later this year. Taiwan’s gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow more than 4 percent this year after a strong 6.09 percent increase last year.

TIER on Tuesday announced its decision to leave its forecast of Taiwan’s GDP growth for 2022 unchanged at 4.01 percent from its previous estimate made in November.

TIER President Chang Chien-yi (???) told reporters that the moderate growth forecast for 2022 largely resulted from the relatively low comparison base over the previous year.

The think tank’s latest forecast was in line with the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS), which forecast 2022 GDP growth of 4.15 percent in November.

While TIER remains upbeat about Taiwan’s economy, Chang said 2022 would be a year full of uncertainty.

Gordon Sun (???), director of TIER’s Economic Forecasting Center, said that the think tank had paid close attention to the uncertainty created by the rampant spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

In addition, an upswing in interest rates worldwide is expected to affect the financial markets, in particular after the Fed starts a rate hike cycle at a time as the global economy faces growing inflationary pressure, Sun said.

Sun said China’s economic growth was also moderating and, as it is one of Taiwan’s major markets, the situation could produce uncertainty.

Meanwhile, TIRE released data on Tuesday showing the business sentiment in the both manufacturing and service sectors improved in December.

In December, the composite index for the manufacturing sector’s business sentiment rose 1.55 from a month earlier to 103.91, marking the second consecutive month of an increase, while the composite index for the service sector also rose 0.38 to 98.59, marking the fifth straight month of an increase, TIER said.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

Posted on

CORONAVIRUS/Taiwan reports 38 new COVID-19 cases, including 13 domestic

Taiwan reported 38 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, consisting of 13 domestic and 25 imported cases, with zero deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

Of the new domestic cases, three were linked to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Taoyuan, four were related to a cluster at the Port of Kaohsiung, and one each were connected to two clusters of unknown origin – a family in Taipei and a hotel in Yilan.

There are also three new cases in Taoyuan whose sources of infection are unknown, the CECC said.

Update: Five of 13 new domestic COVID-19 cases of unknown source: CECC

The remaining case is a woman in Tainan who contracted the disease after taking care of her grandchild, who had tested positive after returning from overseas.

Eight of the new domestic cases were classified as breakthrough infections.

Of the other people with domestically transmitted COVID-19 infections, one received a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, three had not received any vaccine jabs, and the vaccination status of one case was still under investigation, according to the CECC.

In addition to the domestic cases, Taiwan also reported 25 imported cases on Tuesday, 12 of which involved passengers who tested positive upon arrival in Taiwan on Monday. The CECC did not release any information regarding the vaccination status of the imported cases.

To date, Taiwan has confirmed 18,411 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in early 2020, including 14,928 domestically transmitted infections.

With no deaths reported on Tuesday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths in the country remained at 851.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

Posted on

Taiwan in position to advance at Women’s Asian Cup 2022

Taiwan moved into second place in Group A at the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup on Monday after India withdrew, setting up a showdown with Iran to qualify for the tournament’s quarterfinals and possible 2023 Women’s World Cup berth.

India, which is hosting the 17-day tournament, was forced to withdraw after its team was hit by an outbreak of COVID-19, making it unable to field the minimum 13 players in a scheduled Group A match against Taiwan Sunday, according to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The host team was responsible for the match not taking place and therefore considered to have withdrawn from the competition according to tournament rules, the AFC said in a statement.

The statement solved what appeared to be a mystery Sunday when the AFC first announced that the match between Taiwan and India was called off but did not say whether the game would be played at a later date or what it meant for future Group A matches.

India’s withdrawal left Taiwan placed second in the three-team Group A behind China and ahead of Iran on goal difference.

China has clinched Group A’s top spot after a 4-0 win over Taiwan and a 7-0 whitewash of Iran, leaving Taiwan and Iran to compete for a spot in the quarterfinals in the group’s final match in Mumbai on Jan. 26.

Under the tournament format, the top two teams in each of the three qualifying groups reach the quarterfinals, along with the two best third-place qualifiers.

Taiwan would take second place and a quarterfinal berth with a draw with Iran, but it could still qualify for the final eight if it loses to Iran by a narrow margin and ends up as one of the top two third-place teams.

The incentive for reaching the final eight is enormous. The 2022 Women’s Asian Cup semifinalists and two top quarterfinalists will automatically qualify for the 2023 Women’s World Cup being hosted in Australia and New Zealand.

Australia, which has already locked up an Asian Cup quarterfinal slot, gets a World Cup berth as its co-host, leaving five other spots open to other teams.

The other two Asian Cup quarterfinalists will still have a final chance to get into the World Cup through an inter-confederation playoff, currently scheduled for February 17-23.

Aside from China and Australia, Japan and South Korea have also punched their ticket into the Asian Cup final eight.

Taiwan has already made strides this year simply by advancing to the Asian Cup, being played for the 20th time. It is making its 14th appearance in the tournament, but its first since 2008.

Taiwan qualified for the first Women’s World Cup in 1991, but has not been back since.

Taiwan’s women’s soccer team is a three-time Asian champion, having won the title in 1977, 1979 and 1981.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

Posted on

KMT to set up U.S. liaison office on Pennsylvania Avenue

Taiwan’s main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) has selected a location on Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, for its liaison office in the United States, a KMT official familiar with the matter said Tuesday.

The KMT has chosen a building located on 601 Pennsylvania Avenue for its liaison office which provides a view of the Capitol, according to Eric Huang (???), KMT deputy director of international affairs.

Huang was sent by the KMT in November 2021 to Washington, D.C. to help re-establish its liaison office so that the party could rebuild its ties with the United States.

A KMT preparatory group has been stationed in the office, Huang said, adding that after completing the registration process in accordance with the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act, the office will begin formal operations.

KMT Chairman Eric Chu (???) will visit the U.S. to unveil a plaque at the building to mark the opening of the office, according to Huang. Chu’s U.S. tour is likely to take place in spring when the COVID-19 situation is expected to improve, Huang said.

Often called “America’s Main Street,” Pennsylvania Avenue connects the corridors of power in the nation’s capital, including the three branches of government and large federal agencies.

The KMT shuttered its representative office in the U.S. in 2008 shortly after the election of Ma Ying-jeou (???) as president. After a hiatus of more than 10 years, the KMT is reopening a liaison office to mend its ties with the U.S.

Speaking about the goals of the U.S. liaison office, Huang said that the short-term goal includes appointing the party’s top representative in the country and establishing communication channels with the U.S.

In the future, emphasis will be placed on strengthening diplomatic relations, expanding channels for interactions with the U.S., and expounding on the KMT’s policies toward the U.S.

Nurturing talents in diplomacy and within the party is also its goal, Huang said, as the office will conduct visits to the U.S. government, Congress, and think tanks, and hold seminars and forums to strengthen relations with the country.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

Proudly powered by WordPress