Taipei - Taiwan's export orders in August rose nearly six per cent owing to increased orders for information products, the Economics Ministry said Tuesday.

Taiwan's August export orders totaled 32.1 billion US dollars, up 1.64 billion or 5.38 per cent, year on year.

The surge was led by a 12 per cent cent increase in orders for information products, especially new brands of notebook computers, as well as chemicals, the ministry said.

Orders for information products in August hit 750 million US dollars, up 12 per cent year on year, while orders for chemicals reached 350 million dollars, up 24.23 per cent year on year.

Taipei - Typhoon Hagupit skirted Taiwan Tuesday on its way to China.

After leaving at least one dead and three people missing in the Philippines, the eye of Hagupit churned into the Bashih Strait separating Taiwan and the Philippines. It brought strong winds and heavy rain across Taiwan but no damage or injuries were reported.

The Central Weather Bureau lifted the land warning for Hagupit early Tuesday as the storm was heading toward China's Guangong coast - the area between Hong Kong and the Hainan Island.

By 5:30 am Tuesday (2130 GMT Monday), the centre of Hagupit was 360 kilometres south-west of Taiwan's southern tip Erlunpi, and the typhoon circle, with a radius of 280 km, had already entered the South China Sea.

Taipei - Typhoon Hagupit is coming towards Taiwan on the heels of Typhoon Sinlaku which left at least 11 dead and 11 missing on the island, the Central Weather Bureau said Sunday.

Having formed over the Philippine Sea over the weekend, Hagupit is charging towards Taiwan and China's east coast, the bureau said.

By 17:30 pm (0930 GMT) Sunday, the centre of Hagupit was 710 kilometres south-east of Taiwan's southern tip Erlunpi.

Moving in a north-westerly direction at 21 kilometres per hour, Hagupit packs centre winds of 119 kph and gusts of 155 kph.

Taipei- The Ninth China Book Exhibition opened in Taipei on Saturday, amid expanding economic and cultural ties between Taipei and Beijing.

Some 400 Chinese publishing companies are taking part in the book fair at the Taipei World Trade Centre, which displays some 120,000 book and magazine titles from China.

Relations between China and Taiwan have warmed following the inauguration of Taiwan's China-friendly president Ma Ying-jeou.

Taipei- Lawrence Ho, son of Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho, on Friday expressed interest in building casinos in Taiwan.

"If the Taiwan government lifts the ban on gambling, I am interested in making investments in Taiwan," he said while attending a seminar in Taipei on Taiwan, Hong Kong and China business opportunities.

Ho said Taiwan has a ideal geographical location, being near South-East Asia and China.

Taipei - Taiwan stocks rose nearly six per cent in mid- morning trading Friday, boosted by Wall Street gains and an across- the-board rebound on major Asian stock markets.

One hour into trading, the TAIEX index surged 318.28 points, or 5.64 per cent, to 5,960.23 points.