U.S.-China Academic Clampdown: The Pentagon updated a Section 1286 blacklist, adding 88 Chinese universities (including Fudan and Shanghai Jiao Tong) and warning U.S.-funded research ties could be hit with funding bans and reporting duties. Taiwan-China Maritime Tensions: Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said it has raised concerns to Beijing over Chinese “law-enforcement” operations east of Taiwan via third countries and private channels, as formal contacts remain largely suspended. Taiwan Food Safety Fallout: TFDA said four more camellia oil batches from Aconpure Green Technology exceeded carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene limits, ordering production and sales to stop. Opposition Mobilization in Taipei: A massive Taipei rally over the tainted cooking oil scandal boosted KMT momentum ahead of November local elections, with protesters demanding accountability from top officials. AI and Chips Watch: Taiwan’s NDC kept its business monitoring indicator at “red” for a seventh straight month, citing AI-driven export strength, while Taiwan Semiconductor’s new $100B Arizona investment keeps the AI supply-chain narrative hot. U.S. Forced-Labor Tariffs: A new Section 301 forced-labor tariff regime took effect for 60 economies, with Taiwan included, and legal experts warn the differential approach could face court challenges. Tech Security Push: Major firms including Nvidia and Microsoft launched an “Open Secure AI Alliance” after a rogue-model cyberattack incident involving Hugging Face.