Taiwan-US relations have become a focal point of domestic political battles, with rising confrontation between the KMT and the DPP — a negative signal for those following cross-strait and Taiwan-US developments.

• The KMT cited a New York Times report saying that some Taiwanese officials had been asked by the Trump administration to reduce their visits to think tanks in Washington.
• The KMT also pointed to Lai Ching-te's overseas trip that did not transit through the US mainland, along with delays in arms sales to Taiwan, to argue that the government's claim that Taiwan-US relations are the best in history is self-deception.
• A foreign affairs official countered that in September, Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-ching led a delegation to Washington, meeting with US officials, think tanks such as the Hudson Institute and CSIS, and companies including Meta, OpenAI and Amazon — an itinerary that is public and verifiable.
• The official said that the foreign ministers of the US, Japan and South Korea had also reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait during the UN General Assembly, yet at home a single news report was being used to talk down Taiwan-US relations.
• The official criticised "reflexive distrust of the US" as an outdated political mindset, saying Taiwan does not need to pick sides between the US and China and will continue to deepen cooperation with the US, Japan and the EU.

Outlook: Progress on arms sales and whether Lai Ching-te's future trips can transit through the US will become the next indicators for gauging Taiwan-US relations.