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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》Growth of more than 5％ still possible: NDC’s Kung
National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin speaks to reporters in Taipei on Wednesday last week. Photo: CNA
OUTPUT DISRUPTIONS? National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin said many firms are rotating shifts, so a team can take over if another is infected
By Crystal Hsu / Staff reporter
Taiwan can still achieve GDP growth of more than 5 percent this year if it can maintain smooth manufacturing operations to meet export needs and bring the COVID-19 outbreak under control by next month, National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin （龔明鑫） said yesterday, while briefing reporters on the government’s campaign to beat the virus.
“Taiwan is pressing ahead with efforts to be the world’s critical electronics supplier and has adopted measures to achieve that aim,” Kung told an online news conference.
Major tech firms have since last year introduced strict safety protocols to protect the health of employees and to maintain smooth manufacturing, Kung said, dismissing concerns over potential output disruptions.
All companies at the nation’s science parks require their employees to wear masks, take daily temperature readings and prohibit non-critical visitors, Kung said.
The government is in close contact with all of the companies and can help any of them resume normal operations soon after detecting confirmed cases, he said.
To lower the risk of cross infections, many firms have introduced rotating shifts or asked employees to work from different locations, Kung said, adding that if one team is infected, another team can take over the responsibility of ensuring smooth operations.
Taiwan is home to the world’s largest contract chipmakers and an ongoing global shortage of chips has forced major automakers to cut or put off production, he said.
Still, the virus outbreak is weakening private consumption as people stay home, Kung said.
Eroded GDP growth from diminished consumer activity could be limited to 0.16 percentage points if the government can bring the virus situation under control this month, he said.
The negative effects would widen to 0.53 percentage points if the outbreak extends into next quarter, he added.
The lull in private consumption could be remedied through relief and subsidy offers, Kung said.
The Cabinet has approved NT$210 billion （US$7.51 billion） in extra relief funds to ease the financial losses resulting from tightening social-distancing requirements, the minister said.
“The impact on consumption is obvious, as restaurants and the service sector have been required to observe stricter social-distancing,” Fubon Financial Holding Co （富邦金控） chief economist Rick Lo （羅瑋） said. “Manufacturing is still safe for now — but if the situation worsens, people might not be able to work at the factories. The downside risk is increasing and it really depends on how quickly the outbreak is controlled.”
Kung added that private and public investment plans should emerge unaffected, allowing the government to focus on protecting production vitality.
Exports grew 30 to 40 percent year-on-year in the first four months of this year, suggesting that the key economic bellwether is healthy and sound, he said.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
