Last week, the U.S. Commerce Department announced a deal with Taiwan related to trade and investment, giving Taiwan partial relief from the U.S. "reciprocal" and other tariffs in exchange for Taiwanese investment commitments in the U.S. semiconductor industry.

Taiwan has ordered a yearlong block on Chinese lifestyle app Xiaohongshu, citing a surge in fraud cases and serious data‑security risks. The move has ignited a fierce debate over digital rights, free speech, and national security, and triggered criticism from Beijing.

In a decision issued in July, a U.S. court rejected a claim by several persons from Taiwan asking the U.S. government "to address their alleged statelessness."

Taiwan last week lifted its ban on Japanese food imports, a restriction that had been in place since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The move comes as diplomatic relations between Beijing and Tokyo sour over comments by Japanese officials regarding Taiwan's status.

Taiwan issued its first-ever nationwide export controls in late September, which were then swiftly reversed. Nonetheless, the move is still significant, as it signals an effort by Taipei to leverage its dominance in the semiconductor industry for political aims.

In a new action related to forced labor concerns, the Trump administration has blocked imports from Giant, a Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer. Giant's response indicates that it will contest the findings.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has revoked the general license for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to export controlled items to its China facilities, following a similar move targeting two Korean companies and one American company.