February 15:
Chairman Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) resigned after being detained for corruption charges. In the by-election for party chairman, TPP caucus whip Legislator Huang Kuo-chang won 8,903 votes, or 96 percent. The party held the by-election via online voting, with a voter turnout of 47.95 percent.
February 16:
The United States Department of State updated the web page on U.S.-Taiwan relations, removing phrases like "does not support Taiwan independence" and adding language such as "cross-strait differences should be resolved peacefully without coercion, in a manner acceptable to people on both sides of the Strait." However, the Department stated that its stance on Taiwan remains unchanged. Mainland China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized this move as a serious regression in U.S. policy on Taiwan.
In May 2022, the Department of State briefly made similar changes on its website but reverted them within a month.
February 18:
President Lai Ching-te announced plans to increase Taiwan's defense budget to over 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). According to Reuters, Taiwan is considering purchasing between $7 billion and $10 billion worth of weapons from the United States, including coastal defense cruise missiles and the HIMARS rocket system, to seek support from the Trump administration. The Ministry of National Defense only responded that it will adjust force-building plans based on hostile threats. Procuring arms is not the only option, and the most suitable method will be chosen according to need.
February 18:
In response to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies, Taiwanese manufacturers are launching major investments in the United States. According to Chairman Lee Shih-chin of the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (TEEMA), seven major AI server manufacturers have recently visited Texas for assessments. They plan to announce investment plans in the United States before May 10, within President Trump's first hundred days in office. The seven firms include Foxconn, Quanta, Wistron, Wiwynn, Inventec, Compal, and Pegatron. The total investment could be substantial if all companies establish presence in the United States.
February 18:
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced the resumption of proposing amendments to the Act Governing Relations between People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, including regulations on applying for mainland Chinese residence permits. The MAC criticized Beijing for attempting to change the current distinction in the identity and household registration status of people on both sides, creating a false impression of jurisdiction over Taiwan. Taiwanese business people responded that residence permits make it more convenient to live and be protected in the mainland, and that politicizing the regulations hinders normal cross-strait interactions.
February 20:
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin Tai-hua was implicated in controversies over political donations and fraudulent claims of assistant salaries. When Lin was taken to the Investigation Bureau, Ministry of Justice, she held up a placard shouting "Political interference in justice, justice interference in primaries." Lin's leading polls for the next Kaohsiung mayoral election has led to internal whispers within the DPP that "non-Lai factions" might encounter "issues" if they want to rise to power.
On the same day, Taipei City Councilor Chen Yi-chun, a member of the DPP's "Taiwan Normal Country Promotion Association" like Lin, was also detained for charges of fraudulently claiming assistant salaries.
February 20:
The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced a ban on cooperation or exchanges between Taiwan universities and mainland Chinese schools affiliated with the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party. The MOE will not recognize the academic credentials from these schools, effectively immediately. This ban includes Huaqiao University, Jinan University, and Beijing Chinese Language and Culture College.
This move shocked the academic community in Taiwan. Academician Chen Pei-che of Academia Sinica stated that academic matters should be viewed from an academic perspective. Several university presidents also expressed that, from an academic viewpoint, they still hope for more exchanges between young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
February 20:
Professor Zheng Yongnian, director of the Global and Contemporary China Advanced Research Institute at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, published a special article analyzing the 10 major opportunities for U.S.-China relations after Trump's inauguration. Zheng suggested that they could move from decoupling towards integration, achieving joint governance and management in international affairs and the South China Sea. Regarding cross-strait relations, Zheng proposed reaching a new consensus through negotiation and transactions, dubbed the "Fourth Communiqué."
