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【The China Post Thursday, July 6, 2000 By Winnie Ku】
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　 TASKCO, a leading builder and operator of business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce company in the Asia Pacific Region, announced today the launch of HealthTrade.com.tw, its first vertical marketplace, three months after TASKCO's own inauguration.

　 "HealthTrade is the first comprehensive B2B marketplace for the healthcare industry in the Asia Pacific region." TASKCO's chairman Dr. K. T. Huang said, "As TASKCO sees the Internet as the ultimate key to providing e-commerce solutions, we've incubated HealthTrade and tailor-made it in a mere three-month time."

　 Joint-ventured by TASKCO, Taiwan's reputed 24-year-old healthcare product provider and manufacturer, Maywufa Group, and other industry leaders, HealthTrade is a web-based marketplace designed to streamline the trading process and to increase marketing opportunities for members. "The launch of HealthTrade reflects our desire to embrace web-based platforms in servicing our customers, healthcare organizations and suppliers alike," said Chairman C. C. Lee of Maywufa Group. "We are committed to supporting and building on our existing business by taking full advantage of the leading Internet products and technology provided by TASKCO."

　 The new company will be an independent entity with its own management team and board of directors. According to HealthTrade's CEO Sylvia Lien, the company has an initial capital of NT$260 million with a target revenue of NT$1 billion for the first year of its operation, which is to come from monthly membership fee and a fixed percentage from each successful transaction. Advertising revenue is expected to rise significantly after the trading community reaches its critical mass.

　 Pictured here are the guests attended the opening ceremony, from left: Sylvia P.Y. Lien, CEO of Health Trade; K.T. Huang, chairman of TASKCO; Shi-chien Yang, former minister without portfolio, Cheng-chia Lee, chairman of Maywufa Group; Tina Chiang, vice president of MasterCard and country manager for Taiwan.