November 10:
CNN reported that on November 7, during a dinner with Taiwan's representative to the United States Ambassador Alexander Yui, former White House National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien received a congratulatory letter from the Taiwan government, which he then passed on to President-elect Donald Trump's team. The report noted that this low-key congratulatory letter contrasts sharply with the controversial Trump-Tsai phone call in 2016. Both the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative in the United States and O'Brien declined to comment.
November 10:
According to Reuters, United States Department of Commerce has ordered the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to stop shipping advanced process chips to Chinese customers effective immediately. TSMC has notified several affected customers that chip shipments will be suspended from November 11. These chips are mostly used in AI applications. Trend Force estimates that this will impact 5 to 8 percent of TSMC's revenue.
November 10:
TaiwanPlus, the English-language channel of the Public Television Service, reported on the American presidential election, describing President-elect Trump as a "convicted felon," sparing controversy. Minister of Culture Lee Yuan stated that the matter is very serious. The video has been taken down, and the Public Television Service Foundation will convene a self-discipline committee to review the incident.
November 13:
According to the Financial Times, Taiwan is considering purchasing over $15 billion worth of American arms, including aegis destroyers and F-35 fighter jets, to demonstrate its commitment to self-defense to the incoming Trump administration. This arms purchase led by Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and Secretary-General Joseph Wu of the National Security Council. During interpellation at the Legislative Yuan, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo denied this stating that Taiwan has not submitted such a list and indicating that the defense budget cannot be set to reach 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Minister Koo does not rule out the possibility of allocating a special budget for procuring equipment after 2027.
November 13:
Governor Yang Chin-long of the Central Bank reported to the Legislative Yuan that Taiwan's being listed as a currency manipulator may become a norm in the future. He noted that new U.S. trade policies are highly uncertain and may exacerbate volatility in Taiwan's financial markets. He suggested expanding purchases of energy, agricultural products, and military goods from the United States to reduce the trade surplus with the United States. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's semi-annual currency policy report continues to name Taiwan on the watch list.
November 14:
Director-General Tsai Ming-yen of the National Security Bureau stated in the Legislative Yuan that based on personnel arrangements, "America First" and "containing China" will become the main axis of the new axes of the new American administration. To contain China, the U.S. may propose a comprehensive strategy, including geo-political, economic decoupling, supply chain security, and export controls. Taiwan will also maximize shared interests and promote strategic cooperation with the United States.
November 15:
Bo Guagua, son of former Chongqing municipal secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, is set to marry the granddaughter of Hsu Wen-cheng, founder of the Luodong Poh-Ai Hospital in Yilan, next week. The senior Bo was once a political rival of Chinse President XI Jinping, so the junior Bo's becoming a son-in-law of Taiwan has also alarmed national security authorities.
November 15:
The U.S. Department of Commerce has finalized a $6.6 billion subsidy for TSMC's Arizona plant. The Department announced this before Trump takes office, clearly highlighting that the project was accomplished during the Biden administration and that the administration promoted the investment of advanced process wafer fabs like TSMC in the United States.
