
For Beijing, the crucial question is no longer only what Trump wants on Taiwan but whether he can still compel Republicans to follow him
AI-generated summary
The Democratic Party won control of both the House and Senate in the recent midterm elections. A US$14 billion arms package for Taiwan is currently pending legislative approval.
The Democratic sweep of the US midterm elections has transformed the political balance in Washington, but it has not transferred control of foreign policy from the White House to Congress.
When the new Congress convenes in January, Democrats will control both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Their victories reflected widespread frustration with the Iran war, rising living costs and US President Donald Trump’s leadership. Reuters reported that 70 per cent of voters wanted Congress to check presidential power.
The delayed US$14 billion arms package for Taiwan will provide an early test of how far that check can extend. The package reportedly includes hundreds of Patriot interceptors, nine National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and an Integrated Battle Command System.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The new Congress will debate the US$14 billion Taiwan arms package in January.
Very likely · Within months

Comedian Huang Yihao was hired by China to stage a fake car accident. Kuomintang legislator Weng Xiaoling questioned the definition of "foreign hostile forces" and the prosecutor's burden of proof during the Legislative Yuan inquiry. Liang Wenjie, deputy chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, responded by saying, "Who are the foreign hostile forces that need to be discussed?", which aroused public attention.
The State Council issued a decision to amend 14 administrative regulations and abolish 4 administrative regulations in order to streamline grassroots planning, rectify formalism, and integrate new laws, which will be effective from the date of promulgation.

Senior media person Huang Weihan analyzed the Taipei mayoral election and pointed out that the KMT's attack on Shen Boyang was exactly the same as Zhao Shaokang's attack on Chen Shui-bian. He believes that by wearing a jersey with a national flag armband and Tsai Ing-wen's blessing, Shen Boyang showed his "warmth and breaking the circle" strategy and tried to replicate the key to Chen Shui-bian's victory that year.

The revision of the "Gender Equality Work Act" related to support for raising families has been delayed due to the popular group's back-and-forth positions and frequent new demands during negotiations, resulting in the delay in finalizing the bill. Although the Blue and Green parties have reached a consensus on relaxing the applicable age of parental leave to 8 years old, the People's Party's "additional" behavior has been questioned by all walks of life and delayed the progress of the law revision.

KMT Tainan mayoral candidate Hsieh Long-chie held a press conference on the launch of his political website, integrating policies such as marriage and childcare, childcare allowances and elderly welfare, and providing daily itineraries and interactive functions. He emphasized that he would respond to the needs of citizens with clean governance and a "get it done right away" spirit, and promised to serve only one four-year term.

The Legislative Yuan passed the amendment to the law on elderly health insurance premium subsidies, and the Executive Yuan faces a deadline for reconsideration. People's Party legislator Chen Qinglong accused Health and Welfare Minister Shi Chongliang of putting pressure on medical groups to oppose the law revision, criticized the DPP for adopting double standards on local and central subsidy policies, and asked the Executive Yuan to clarify its position.