US President Trump delivered a speech at the UN General Assembly accusing Iran of funding terrorism, stating that it will never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons and faces a choice between reaching an agreement or total destruction.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially announced that, at the invitation of US President Trump, President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25.
Ahead of the US-China leaders' summit, several bipartisan lawmakers told Voice of America that US policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged, supporting Taiwan in maintaining its self-defense capabilities continues to be an important issue for Washington, and emphasizing the maintenance of the cross-strait status quo.
Ukrainian officials said on September 22 that Russia bombed Ukraine overnight using missiles and drones, killing 5 people.
Taiwan Executive Yuan Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han visited Nanjing, China from September 20 to 22 to attend the Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting. After returning to Taiwan, he stated that he was not belittled.
On the evening of September 20, Taiwanese Labor Minister Hung Sun-han arrived in Nanjing to attend the APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting held on the 21st. This is the first ministerial-level official to visit mainland China since the Lai Ching-te administration took office. The Mainland Affairs Council stated that he entered using the meeting invitation letter and did not need a Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents.
On the morning of September 18, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te visited Pingtung to inspect the joint precision missile live-fire exercise of the three armed forces. The three-day drill covers both domestically produced and U.S.-made missiles and rockets, and for the first time, includes attack drones. During this period, China dispatched military aircraft, drones, and naval vessels to operate around Taiwan.
According to a Reuters report on September 17, Japan and Taiwan are stepping up communication with the U.S. amid concerns that Trump might sacrifice Taiwan's interests for economic and trade commitments during the anticipated September 24 meeting with Xi Jinping. Japan has already dispatched officials to the U.S. to secure a meeting between Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Trump, and Taiwan has also expressed its position to the U.S. side.
On September 15, a netizen reported on social media that a pothole had appeared on Gongyuan Road in Xinzhuang District, New Taipei City. Councilor Chen Shih-hsun responded within three hours and completed the repair four days later, sparking discussions among Chinese netizens about the communication mechanisms and efficiency of officials on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
On September 15, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung confirmed in an exclusive interview that Taiwan is preparing to establish an additional office in Cebu, Philippines, and that the preparatory work is progressing smoothly. He stated that Taiwan and the Philippines are both located in the first island chain and are both oppressed by China; the new office will serve more people, promote a Taiwan-Philippines economic corridor, and deepen economic, trade, and personnel exchanges between the two sides.
Xie Weiyaxing, wife of US scholar Mingen who is illegally detained by China, revealed that US consular officials visited Mingen for the fourth time on September 15. He was in good spirits and earnestly requested President Trump to raise this case at the summit.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast and Select Committee Chairman Moolenaar sent a letter to the Department of the Treasury and the Secretary of State, calling for stronger sanctions on foreign personnel associated with Southeast Asian cyber scam centers.
The first two MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones sold by the United States to Taiwan conducted their maiden test flights in Taiwan's eastern airspace on September 14. This model possesses real-time search and patrol capabilities both above and below the sea surface, with a monitoring radius of approximately 360 kilometers.
The video mentions that mainland China will tighten entry and exit management on September 15, 2026. This move is seen as synchronized with the previously introduced “Anti-National Unity Bill”, aiming to provide authorities with legal grounds to control and detain individuals at entry and exit points, especially those deemed to have “insulted China or the CCP”.
The US think tank Defense Priorities has released a report concerning Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, suggesting that the US shift its military strategic center from the first island chain to the second island chain and withdraw approximately 90,000 troops stationed in first island chain countries to the second island chain. The report also advocates for the US to shift its stance on Taiwan from strategic ambiguity to a policy of non-intervention, meaning the US military would not intervene in the event of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait. The report argues that China is already the hegemon in the Indo-Pacific region, that the US should no longer bear security responsibilities for allies in the region, and advocates for relevant countries to accept China's regional dominance.