Taiwan’s premier has refused to sign a fiscal bill passed by the opposition-controlled legislature. US officials say new members may be added to the Pax Silica Initiative in early 2026, after Taiwan was named only a “guest contributor” despite being the world’s top AI chip supplier. And a global reaction to Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai’s conviction is intensifying, as his family raises health concerns and China defends the verdict. Plus: - Taiwan's High Court has overturned a corruption conviction for suspended Hsinchu Mayor Kao Hung-an and reduced a separate sentence to a commutable fine. - A Taiwan security report says the US and its allies are building up deterrence against China in the Indo-Pacific through deeper cooperation along the first island chain. - The US says progress has been made in Ukraine peace talks in Berlin, though differences over security guarantees and territory remain unresolved.