Far Eastern Department Stores plans to open new stores in Taiwan and China in the second half of this year to boost sales as the retail industries in both countries have shown signs of slowing growth. The company plans to launch a new department store in Taipei’s Xinyi District in October. It would be a “smart” shopping centre that aims to make consumers’ shopping experience more enjoyable and convenient. A new Far Eastern Department Store is expected to open in Hsinchu County’s Jhubei next year, while the size of the Kaohsiung Top City department store would double from its current size.