The Tai-Ex opened up 106-points this morning from Friday's close, at 28,662

on turnover of 4.6-billion N-T.

The market closed out last week higher, as investors continued to pick up

tech heavyweights, while turnover remained moderate, despite many foreign

institutional investors being away for the holidays.

Analysts say then lack of foreign institutional investors saw local investors

dominating the trading day, and they tended to buy large cap electronics

stocks, in particular Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing.

President Lai Ching-te says his administration will continue to raise the

cost of aggression and strengthen the island's indigenous defense

capabilities to deter China.

Speaking in a an exclusive interview with Sanlih E-Television News, that

aired on Sunday, Lai repeated previous comments that peace can only be

secured (保護，使…穩固) through strength.

Lai also reiterated that his administration will not provoke China and

remains "firmly committed to maintaining the status quo."

And he stressed that peace "must be backed by real strength," rather than

relying on an agreement or the goodwill of an aggressor.

And,

A man who rode a horse in Wuling in the Hehuanshan area has been fined by

police on Sunday for violating traffic regulations.

While national park authorities says that are reviewing whether additional

penalties will apply.

Police say the man was riding his horse on public road at Wuling in an

apparent (明顯的) attempt to see snowfall and was issued fine for violating

the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act.

The incident drew widespread public attention after the man and his horse

were spotted in a parking lot in the Hehuanshan area.

North Korea says it fired long-range strategic cruise missiles into the sea

to test the country’s nuclear deterrence.

The official Korean Central News Agency reports that the missile launches

occurred off the country’s west coast on Sunday in the presence of leader

Kim Jong Un.

The launches were the latest weapons display by North Korea ahead of its

planned ruling Workers's Party congress early next year.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was aware of several cruise

missile launches made from North Korea's capital region on Sunday morning.

It said South Korea maintains a readiness to repel any potential North Korean

provocations (激怒, 挑撥) through its alliance (聯盟) with the United States.

Last week, North Korea test-launched new anti-air missiles off its east coast

and unveiled apparent progress in the construction of its first

nuclear-powered submarine.

US President Donald Trump said a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia

was "a lot closer" after he met with Ukrainian leader Volodomyr Zelensky in

Florida.

However, the meeting didn't appear to yield (產生) any major breakthroughs on

key sticking points.

Ira Spitzer reports.

That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____.

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