PC sector reports worst decline in two decadesRATTLED GIANTS: Apple Inc was the only PC vendor among the top five to post an annual increase in unit shipments last quarter, while HP reported a 27.9% dropBloombergThe global PC market saw its steepest decline on record as economic uncertainty and a glut of unsold inventory dented shipments for the fourth quarter in a row. Lenovo Group Ltd (聯想) remained the top global PC maker in the third quarter, although its shipments fell 15.3 percent year-on-year to 17.11 million units, Gartner said. Among the top five vendors, ranking second place, HP Inc saw the largest decline in the third quarter with a 27.9 percent drop to 12.71 million units, Gartner added. Acer Inc (宏碁) dropped out of the top five PC vendors last quarter in the latest statistics tracked by Gartner, Canalys and IDC. IDC — which categorizes PCs as desktops, notebooks and workstations — said global shipments totaled 74.25 million units last quarter, down 15 percent year-on-year due to cooling demand.

EDITORIAL: National Day message of resilienceAmid yesterday’s performances and martial arts displays, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took to the stage, as she has every year during her tenure, to deliver her Double Ten National Day address. Instead of last year’s missiles and soldiers, the highlight was the delightful Kyoto Tachibana Senior High School marching band and a delegation from the Taiwan-Japan Parliamentary Amity Association, marking the first time foreign groups have been invited to participate in the National Day parade. Her segment on social resilience emphasized economic equality and touched on her administration’s efforts to address the declining birthrate, housing issues, wages, and physical and mental health. “Resilience” is the perfect word to encapsulate Taiwan’s response to the challenges ahead. Whether in economic, defensive or social spheres, Taiwan continually demonstrates its ability to forge ahead, even against immense odds.

Japan eager to welcome back tourists from abroad as yen hits record lowsAP, TOKYOIt is hard to tell from his serious demeanor, but Akky International Corp CEO Hideyuki Abe can barely contain his excitement. A person is surrounded by deer in Nara, Japan, on Oct. 15, 2005. Meanwhile, the yen has weakened sharply against the dollar, giving some visitors heftier buying power and making Japan nearly irresistible to bargain hunters. The city of Nara, famous for its temples, shrines and sake breweries, is banking on the return of tourists from other parts of Japan, along with those from abroad. Japan’s major carriers All Nippon Airways Co (ANA) and Japan Airlines Ltd are increasing flights for expected higher demand.

Former admiral calls for citizen defense forceFIGHTING SPIRIT: People must overcome ideological differences and show a willingness to defend the nation, which could deter China, Lee Hsi-ming saidBy Aaron Tu and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerTaiwanese must develop the resolve to work together to defend the nation, former chief of the general staff admiral Lee Hsi-ming (李喜明) said, while proposing a “homeland defense force” to provide small-arms training to the public. The strategy would help discourage the Chinese Communist Party from attempting to invade Taiwan, Lee told the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper) in an interview published on Saturday. Former chief of the general staff admiral Lee Hsi-ming speaks to the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) in an interview published online on Saturday. “Taiwanese must overcome their ideological differences and show a willingness to unite in the defense of the country,” he added. Despite the huge gap in defense resources across the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan could effectively defend itself if it aims not for air and sea control, but air and sea denial, he said.

Mandatory service key to bolstering the militaryBy Yao Chung-yuan 姚中原The Ministry of National Defense has reached an initial consensus on the extension of mandatory military service, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) told legislators on Sept. 27, calling the extension a major issue. The possible defense policy U-turn deserves public attention and support, because extending military service meets not only the nation’s needs amid the current cross-strait situation, but also the expectations of the international community. That period is shorter than in Israel and South Korea — countries that are facing formidable enemies and thus have more than a year of compulsory military service. Taiwan should adopt an “all-out defense” strategy, extend mandatory military service to at least one year and extend conscription to women, Esper said. In the face of the heightened and normalized military threats from the CCP, Taiwan’s military service system must be adjusted to become more flexible.

“After night missile attack on Zaporizhzhia, at least 20 houses and about 50 multistory buildings were damaged. Seventeen people died, as of now,” Zaporizhzhia City Council Secretary Anatoliy Kurtev wrote on Telegram. Residents look at the damage caused by a Russian missile strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, yesterday. At least 17 people including a child died when seven Russian missiles hit Zaporizhzhia before dawn on Thursday, Ukrainian authorities announced in an upwardly revised toll on Saturday. Russian General Sergei Surovikin is to take over its forces in Ukraine.

The international community must respond to the irresponsible and deliberate actions undertaken by Beijing to disrupt aviation safety, the ministry said. Countries friendly to Taiwan should therefore call for the nation’s participation in ICAO events, it said. Taiwanese officials had bilateral discussions with ICAO members on the sidelines of the assembly, highlighting the nation’s commitment to bolster global aviation safety, it said. Taiwan’s bid was also supported by France, Japan and New Zealand, it said. It would have a positive effect on aviation safety, the ministry said.

Culture and language should be celebratedBy Ng Siu-lin 黃修仁To consolidate the nation’s culture, Taiwanese should recognize the languages and cultures of Taiwan’s various ethnic groups, learn about local customs and understand the nation’s history. Only then will Taiwan be able to become a normal nation, and “Taiwan Culture Day,” observed on Oct. 17, would become truly meaningful. In the past few years, the Ministry of Culture has devoted itself to governing and nation-building through culture. It makes every effort to preserve and recreate Taiwanese culture, and promotes it to the international community. Participants can discover the diversity of Taiwanese culture and be artistically inspired about how to think about being Taiwanese with dignity.

Ann Kao continues to dodge questions: DPP caucus whipBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterTaiwan People’s Party (TPP) Hsinchu mayoral candidate Ann Kao (高虹安) continues to dodge questions about plagiarism allegations and financial irregularities, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said yesterday. Taiwan People’s Party Hsinchu mayoral candidate Ann Kao, center, speaks to reporters in the city on Friday. Ker said Kao and TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) should know that “politicians, including legislators and mayoral candidates, must stand up to public scrutiny. “Is Kao running for herself or for Hsinchu City mayor?” he asked, questioning Kao’s passion for the job. Kao, who yesterday inspected Hsinchu City’s main fruit and vegetable distribution and retail depot as part of her campaign, denies the allegations.

EDITORIAL: Plan needed to live with COVID-19The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that borders would reopen on Thursday next week, but Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) on Tuesday warned that reopening does not mean the COVID-19 pandemic has ended. “We have finally reached the last mile before the COVID-19 pandemic ends,” Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said last month. Some urged that the mask mandate be lifted and called for home isolation rules to be eased, while others called for continued vigilance, maintaining the mask mandate, as they expect COVID-19 cases and other respiratory diseases to increase in the winter. In this transition as the COVID-19 pandemic becomes endemic, there could be some confusion over rapidly changing policies. Preparations such as knowing the COVID-19 regulations and how to use emergency services in their destination, as well as having travel insurance, should be encouraged.

Decades-old murder conviction raises stakes in KMT election feud in MiaoliBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterTwo county commissioner candidates affiliated with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in Miaoli County have each demanded that the other withdraw from the race, after a decades-old murder conviction came to light, and a poll indicated that the two are creating an opening for their Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rival. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Miaoli County Commissioner Hsu Yao-chang, center, campaigns for independent commissioner candidate Chung Tung-chin, third left, in the county on Sunday. Chung is backed by incumbent KMT Miaoli County Commissioner Hsu Yao-chang (徐耀昌), who made several appearances at campaign events to rally support. Meanwhile, Hsieh is backed by two former KMT county commissioners, Liu Cheng-hung (劉政鴻) and Fu Hsueh-peng (傅學鵬). New Power Party (NPP) candidate Sung Kuo-ting (宋國鼎) trailed in a distant fourth spot.

Production starts at new Foxsemicon fab in MiaoliBy Lisa Wang / Staff reporterFoxsemicon Integrated Technology Inc (京鼎) yesterday said its new factory had entered operation and would generate NT$3 billion (US$95.15 million) in production value at full utilization. The semiconductor equipment component manufacturing arm of Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團) in January invested NT$2.4 billion to build the fab in Miaoli County’s Jhunan Township (竹南) amid a thriving semiconductor industry worldwide. Foxsemicon Integrated Technology Inc president Chiu Yao-chan, center, raises a torch during a ceremony to mark the start of operations at the company’s new factory in Miaoli County yesterday. “The semiconductor equipment supply chain has not felt the chill of winter yet,” Chen said. SEMI also forecast that global spending on semiconductor equipment next year would remain in high gear at about US$97 billion.

Registering for scooter license exam difficultBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterLawmakers on the legislature’s Transportation Committee yesterday asked the Directorate-General of Highways (DGH) to address issues that prevent people from securing a spot to take a scooter license exam. However, it is very difficult to secure a spot to take the scooter license exam these days, the legislator from Tainan said. Lin added that the DGH’s requirement that people take an online cognitive test before registering for a scooter license exam “was completely lost on him.”“I am sure that the requirement was made with good intentions, but even if test-takers score zero on the online cognitive test, they can still register for a license exam,” he said. The cognitive test only slows them down and prevents them from quickly obtaining a spot for a license exam, he said. “There should be either a passing grade for the online cognitive test, or the cognitive test should be made part of the scooter license exam,” he said.

What visitors should know about updated entry rulesTaiwan from Thursday is to reinstate visa exemptions for passport holders from 65 countries. The following is a list of answers to common questions regarding how the new regulations are to affect inbound international visitors Which passports will have visa-free entry privileges? Eleven more countries on Thursday are to join 54 countries that were given visa-free privileges on Sept. 12. Passport holders from Thailand, Brunei and the Philippines are to be allowed to stay in Taiwan for 14 days visa-free. Taiwan on Sept. 12 resumed 90-day visa-free entry for passport holders from the US, the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New

TSMC remains world’s largest contract chipmakerSAMSUNG DISTANT SECOND: Top local chip fims served nearly two-thirds of the global market in Q2, while Samsung kept South Korea competitive with its 16.5 percent share Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) remained the world’s largest contract chipmaker in the second quarter of the year with a 53.4 percent share of the global pure-play foundry market, the Taipei-based market information advisory firm TrendForce Corp (集邦科技) said in a research report on Tuesday. Despite TSMC’s market share dipping slightly from 53.6 percent in the first quarter, it was still far ahead of its rivals, TrendForce said. TSMC continued to benefit from emerging technologies, such as high-performance computing devices, the Internet of Things and automotive electronics, as it posted US$18.15 billion in sales in the second quarter, up 3.5 percent