1. U.S.: Alaskan Natural Gas Purchase, Fighter Jet Delivery Ceremony and $870 Million in Unfrozen Security Assistance Programs
Amid the Trump administration’s widespread freezing of USAID funding and other forms of U.S. spending outside of its own borders, the U.S. government unfroze around $870 million in security assistance programs for Taiwan at the end of February. Trump ordered a 90-day pause on all foreign aid on January 20, with few exemptions. But Reuters obtained a list of further exemptions at the end of February which included the security assistance programs for Taiwan.
After President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Taiwan would look to increase investment and procurement in the U.S. to facilitate balanced trade, Taiwan’s state-run CPC Corporation signed a letter of intent to purchase 6,000,000 tons per year of natural gas from Alaska. Mike Dunleavy, Alaska’s governor, said on X: “I am looking forward to the fast tracking of final agreements with CPC of Taiwan and Alaska LNG as we begin work on this great project. Thank you to CPC, the President of Taiwan Lai Ching-te, and the Taiwanese people.”
Taiwan’s pledge to increase investment in the U.S. was included in a list of accomplishments by the Trump administration published on February 20.
On March 29, Taiwan’s Vice Defense Minister Po Horng-huei (柏鴻輝) attended a delivery ceremony for the first F-16 C/D block 70 fighter jet Taiwan bought from the U.S.
2. Japan: Destroyer Passes Through Taiwan Strait and former head of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces Appointed Advisor to Taiwan Government
Last week, Japan’s government released evacuation plans for its islets near Taiwan. The plan would see military vessels, private ferries and aeroplanes mobilized to help transport 120,000 people off the islets within six days.
In the same week, Taiwan’s government appointed Shigeru Iwasaki, the former head of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, as an advisor.
Kazuyuki Katayama, head of the Taipei office of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, has said Taiwan and Japan need to work closely to respond to security and economic challenges brought about by the U.S. President Donald Trump’s new administration.
After Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company agreed to invest a further $100 billion into U.S.-based projects last month, the company has denied it will scale back projects in Japan. The company told Taiwan’s Central News Agency that its Japan and Taiwan projects are going forward as scheduled. Its first fab in Kumamoto began mass production at the end of 2024, and a second is set to begin construction in 2025.
Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Akizuki passed through the Taiwan Strait for the second time in early February before participating in a joint exercise with U.S., Australian and Philippine forces in the South China Sea.
3. Europe: Supportive EU White Paper and Yushan Forum Statements
The European Union’s “White Paper for European Defence — Readiness 2030,” published March 23, said that a shifting status quo in the Taiwan Strait combined with Beijing’s increasing military activities could raise the “risk of a major disruption,” with economic and strategic consequences for Europe and its Indo-Pacific region partners.
In response, Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) called for enhanced cooperation with the EU. He also thanked Belgium’s Chamber of Representatives and Italy’s Chamber of Deputies for their recent shows of support. The former passed a resolution urging its government to condemn China’s aggression toward Taiwan. The latter published a report that emphasized the Italian government’s support for cross-strait peace and Taiwan’s involvement in the global community.
Days earlier, Chairman of the Czech Republic’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security Pavel Fischer, told Nikkei Asia that the EU should work with Taiwan on its defense supply chain. In Taiwan for the Yushan Forum, Fischer said cooperation between small and medium-sized democracies like Taiwan and the Czech Republic could inspire others to follow their lead.
Fischer was speaking days after an endangered pygmy slow loris arrived from the Czech Republic at Taipei Zoo — a mammal native to rainforests in Vietnam, Laos, and eastern Cambodia.
Speaking at the same forum as Fischer, the former prime minister of Denmark, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said on March 17 that Europe should forge closer relations with Taiwan on all fronts, particularly following the “America First” policy of the Trump administration. In addition, former Lithuania deputy foreign minister Mantas Adomenas said Taiwan had a “rightful place” among sovereign states.
The latest 2024-25 British Business Survey results found British businesses are optimistic about trade with Taiwan, with 64% of respondents anticipating business revenue to grow in 2025.
4. India: Free Trade Deal Encouragement, Airpod Manufacturing Plans and International Technology and Industrial Park Set Up in Telangana
Taiwan’s Deputy National Security Advisor Hsu Szu-Chien (徐斯儉) told the Press Trust of India that Taiwan can help India reduce imports of electronics from China and via a free trade deal.
Taiwan’s Allegiance Group, made up of eleven firms specialising in electronics, solar energy, and advanced manufacturing, signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government of Telangana on March 21. The memorandum committed the firms to establishing an international technology and industrial park, and is expected to bring in around $231.2 million in foreign direct investment from Taiwan.
Apple plans to begin manufacturing Airpods at Hon Hai’s (鴻海精密工業股份有限公司) factory in Hyderbad. The company is also known as Foxconn.
A delegation from the Taiwan Industrial Biotechnology Association visited Hyderabad during the BioAsia 2025 event in February to look for investment opportunities.
5. Diplomatic Allies: Palau Complains About Chinese Organized Crime and Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Says Focus on Haiti and Vatican
At the start of March, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said Taiwan should pay special attention to its relations with Haiti and the Vatican. Haiti’s political situation is unstable, and Pope Francis has made overtures to China.
Lin also said Taiwan’s government was interested in exploring the possibility of acquiring new diplomatic allies, though new partnerships should develop naturally.
Denzil Douglas, the foreign minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, visited Taiwan on March 17, meeting President Lai and Foreign Minister Lin as part of a five-day stay.
Palau President Surangel Whipps Junior has said organized crime by Chinese nationals is being used as part of a pressure campaign to intimidate the Pacific Island into switching allegiances to China.
6. Additional Developments: Amnesty Criticizes Execution
Amnesty International called Taiwan’s first execution since April 2020 a “shocking and cruel development.” Huang Lin-kai (黃麟凱), who was convicted of rape and two murders, was executed on January 16.
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