Opening

Xi Jinping's plane landed in Washington today, and Trump broke with precedent to personally greet him at the airport, marking the first state visit to the US by a Chinese leader in eleven years. Just one day before the two sides met, the US, Japan, and South Korea had already staked out their position, writing peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait into a joint statement. Coming up, we'll also tell you what the US and Iran discussed in New York, plus the damage Typhoon Danas caused in Japan.

Today's International Highlights

1. US, Japan, South Korea Joint Statement Backs Peace and Stability in the Taiwan Strait

• What happened: On September 21, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held trilateral talks in New York with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, issuing a joint statement afterward. The statement emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-strait differences, opposed any unilateral attempt to change the status quo, and supported Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations. The three sides also reaffirmed their defense commitments and extended deterrence to Japan and South Korea, along with the goal of North Korea's complete denuclearization.
• Why it matters: The statement was released the day before the Trump-Xi summit, widely seen as the US staking out its position on Taiwan before the bilateral talks began.
• Taiwan's perspective: Taiwan's Presidential Office subsequently expressed public welcome and gratitude, noting this marks the first time an official primary document has written peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait into a US-Japan-South Korea trilateral joint statement.
• Source: U.S. Department of State (https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/09/joint-statement-from-the-trilateral-meeting-of-the-united-states-of-america-japan-and-the-republic-of-korea-in-new-york-city-2/)

2. Trump-Xi Summit Kicks Off, Taiwan Issue Looms in the Background

• What happened: Xi Jinping's plane landed at Joint Base Andrews near Washington on September 23, with Trump making a rare personal appearance to greet him at the airport. The formal summit is scheduled for the following day at the White House, marking the first state visit to the US by a Chinese leader in 11 years, with the White House arranging a state dinner for roughly 100 guests. According to ABC News, the agenda for both sides covers tariffs, artificial intelligence, rare earths, and the war in Iran.
• Why it matters: Beijing has long framed Taiwan as the biggest point of friction in US-China relations, and this summit means the issue is being touched on at the highest level of dialogue between the two sides.
• Taiwan's perspective: Taiwan has no representative present, yet remains one of the subjects being discussed at the negotiating table.
• Source: ABC News (https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/trump-airport-greet-xi-chinas-leader-arrives-us-136577203)

3. Secret US-Iran Talks in New York, Strait of Hormuz Becomes Key Bargaining Chip

• What happened: On September 22, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held three hours of talks with US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at UN headquarters, mediated by Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, marking the first structural face-to-face contact between the two sides since the war broke out. Tehran's condition is for the US to lift the maritime blockade, unfreeze Iranian assets, and halt military action against the "Axis of Resistance" in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Witkoff described the talks afterward as "feeling good," while Trump said the two sides had a very productive conversation and would meet again in the future.
• Why it matters: The Strait of Hormuz is a critical artery for global oil transport, and whether it remains blocked will directly affect international oil price trends.
• Taiwan's perspective: Taiwan relies almost entirely on energy imports, with most Middle Eastern crude oil and natural gas shipped to Asia through this strait, so the outcome of these talks will be directly reflected in Taiwan's fuel and electricity prices.
• Source: Al Jazeera (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/23/us-iran-hold-mediated-unga-talks-on-ending-war-opening-strait-of-hormuz)

4. Guterres's Farewell Address Warns the World Is Being Handed Over to Machines and Powerful States

• What happened: On September 22, UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered his final opening address at the 81st UN General Assembly before he steps down at year's end. He identified three major shifts in power: the world's irreversible move toward multipolarity, the large-scale transfer of government power to a small number of private companies and individuals, and humanity handing over an increasing share of decision-making to machines. He also had a message for powerful states, saying their strength isn't as great as they imagine, and stressed that life-and-death decisions must never be left to machines.
• Why it matters: This was his most direct warning before leaving office about the fragmentation of the multilateral system and AI governance, echoing recent global discussions on AI regulation and power politics.
• Taiwan's perspective: Taiwan is not a UN member, and if the multilateral system continues to be replaced by bilateral negotiations between major powers, Taiwan's space for participating in international organizations may be further constrained; the AI governance rules he discussed will also affect the international norms Taiwan's semiconductor and AI industries will need to follow going forward.
• Source: France 24 (https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20260922-un-secretary-general-guterres-calls-for-interdependence-in-final-general-assembly-address)

5. Takaichi Sanae's First UN General Assembly Speech Calls for Removing Japan's "Enemy State" Clause

• What happened: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivered her first speech at the UN General Assembly since taking office on September 22, calling for the removal of the "enemy state" clause written into the UN Charter in the 1940s, which designates Japan as an enemy state and is precisely the clause China has repeatedly invoked in disputes with Japan. Marking the 70th anniversary of Japan's UN membership, she reaffirmed her commitment to multilateralism and pledged to push for Security Council reform, disarmament, non-proliferation, and climate action. She also listed North Korea's nuclear and missile advances, cyberattack activity, and its cooperation with Russia as major global security concerns.
• Why it matters: This marks the first time a Japanese prime minister has directly challenged this historical clause on the UN stage, stirring up the long-running diplomatic tug-of-war between Japan and China.
• Taiwan's perspective: Japan is Taiwan's most important neighbor without formal diplomatic ties, and shifts in Japan's stance on the Taiwan Strait and Security Council reform will directly affect Taiwan's position within the regional security architecture.
• Source: The Japan Times (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/09/23/japan/politics/japan-takaichi-un-speech-china/)

6. Typhoon Danas Devastates Japan's Kanto Region, at Least 4 Dead and 6 Missing

• What happened: Typhoon Danas brought heavy rain along Japan's Pacific coast, triggering landslides in the Kanto region that left at least 4 people dead and 6 missing, with victims ranging in age from their 50s to their 80s. About 45,000 households in Kanagawa Prefecture lost power, Shinkansen service between Tokyo and Osaka was partially suspended, and Japan Airlines canceled 135 flights while All Nippon Airways canceled 140. On Oshima Island, roughly 120 kilometers south of Tokyo, cumulative rainfall over 48 hours reached 832 millimeters, more than twice the area's average rainfall for the entire month of September.
• Why it matters: The typhoon hit right during Japan's Silver Week holiday, amplifying the impact of the transportation and power disruptions.
• Taiwan's perspective: The transportation chaos in Kanto directly affects flights and itineraries for Taiwanese independent travelers heading to Japan, so anyone traveling to Japan soon should watch for flight changes.
• Source: Euronews (https://www.euronews.com/2026/09/22/at-least-four-dead-and-six-missing-in-japan-day-after-typhoon-dujuan-made-landfall)

7. Russia Launches Heavy Strikes on Ukraine's Energy Infrastructure, Zelensky Seeks Support in New York

• What happened: In the early hours of September 22, Russian forces launched large-scale attacks on industrial facilities and energy infrastructure across multiple locations in Ukraine, with several cities in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast hit simultaneously, killing at least 3 people and cutting power to nearly 100,000 households. Ukraine reported that Russia deployed 161 attack drones and 3 cruise missiles, intercepting 119 drones and all of the missiles. Zelensky was in New York at the same time attending the UN General Assembly, first meeting with French President Macron and expected to meet with Trump next, saying he already has a concrete security and de-escalation plan; the Kremlin responded that the conditions for peace talks have not yet been met.
• Why it matters: Energy infrastructure remains a priority target in the war, and there is still a clear gap between the two sides on whether peace talks are feasible.
• Taiwan's perspective: This war has put a spotlight on the vulnerability of energy infrastructure, offering a direct reference point for Taiwan to examine the resilience of its own power grid and undersea cables.
• Source: Al Jazeera (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/22/russian-strikes-on-ukraine-kill-three-as-zelenskyy-in-us-for-un-summit)

Closing

The most important takeaway today is that this is the first time the Taiwan Strait has been explicitly written into a joint US-Japan-South Korea statement, and it happened just one day before the Trump-Xi summit began. In the days ahead, keep an eye on the concrete outcomes of the White House talks, the follow-up to the Iran-Strait of Hormuz negotiations, and the search-and-rescue progress in Japan's typhoon-hit areas. See you tomorrow.