The Tai-Ex opened down 24-points this morning from yesterday's close, at

16,416 on turnover of 3.5-billion N-T.

The market tumbled 200-points on Wednesday as the bellwether electronics

sector led the losses after the the Biden administration cut off shipments of

chips designed by Nvidia and other American semiconductor designers to China.

Investors also remained cautious about Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing

stock ahead of an investor conference later today, at which the company will

release its third quarterly results and give guidance for the fourth quarter.

Visiting Belgian parliamentarian Els Van Hoof is expressing concern over

China's increasing military sorties near Taiwan.

Speaking during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, Van Hoof said Belgium

is concerned of the growing crossing of Taiwan's air defense identification

zone and also the medium line by military vessels and jets" by the Chinese

military.

According to Van Hoof, who chairs the Belgian Chamber of Representatives

Foreign Affairs Committee, "the importance of this week's parliamentarian

visit cannot be underestimated (被低估)" as it shows that "Taiwan is not

standing alone against these threats."

Van Hoof arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a six-day visit heading a delegation

that includes seven other members of the Belgian parliament.

Migrant Workers

Labor Minister Hsu Ming-chun is denying recent reports that the government is

seeking to opening the island's hotel industry to overseas migrant workers.

According to Hsu, the government currently has "no timetable" for such a move

and her ministry's top priority remains the welfare of Taiwanese workers.

The statement comes after it was reported the Cabinet is planning to approve

a plan to allow the hiring of migrant workers in the hotel sector, possibly

beginning next year, in order address an ongoing (正在進行的) labor shortage.

Government data shows the hotel industry is currently facing a shortage of

more than 1,000 workers.

Japan and Saudi Arabia are agreeing to work together to address the

humanitarian crisis (人道危機) facing Palestinians in Gaza.

Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo.

Liberia’s presidential election appears headed for a run-off, with the top

candidates neck and neck (不相上下，旗鼓相當) and the votes nearly fully

counted.

President George Weah, who is seeking a second term, had 44% of the vote

Wednesday with his main challenger Joseph Boakai at 43%, according to the

National Elections Commission.

A candidate needs more than 50% of the vote to win.

Once the votes from this round are finalized, the run-off will take place

within 15 days.

The Oct. 10-th election is the tightest in the nearly two decades since the

end of the West African country’s civil war that killed some 250-thousand

people.

That was the I.C.R.T. news,

Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded

every day in the afternoon.

Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

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