June 21: The solar eclipse was observed in central, southern, and eastern Taiwan as well as Kinmen. The astronomical spectacle was visible for 60 seconds from many locations, awing many spectators. The next solar eclipse in Taiwan will not appear for another 195 years.
June 22: The first locally-manufactured advanced jet trainer (AJT) Brave Eagle made its first successful flight for 12 minutes. President Tsai Ing-wen stated that this is the first Taiwan-manufactured jet since the AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo from 31 years ago.
June 22: The Ishigaki City Council of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, approved changing the administrative name of the Diaoyutai Islands (referred by Japan as Senkaku Islands) to Tonoshiro Senkaku effective October 1, viewed as a belligerent gesture. The Office of the President stated that the Diaoyutai Islands are territory of the Republic of China, and their sovereignty belongs to the R.O.C. Any unilateral action cannot change this fact.
Ambassador Frank Hsieh, Taiwan's representative in Japan, said that the United States handed over the administration of the Diaoyutai Islands and Ryukyu to Japan in 1971. Since the following year, Japan began to exercise de facto jurisdiction over the islands, but the R.O.C. government never protested. An official video on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contradicts Hsieh, however. It cites that the government did express disapproval and serious concern. At the time, the United States replied that while the U.S. handed over the islands to Japan, the transfer would not affect the R.O.C.'s sovereignty claim.
June 23: The Kuomintang (KMT) announced that it would draft 41-year-old Kaohsiung City Councilwoman Li Mei-jhen as the party's mayoral candidate to challenge the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Chen Chi-mai in the upcoming by-election. Some observers have called the election a showdown between a princess and prince. The Taiwan People's Party (TPP) also announced that it would draft People First Party (PFP) City Councilor Wu Yi-cheng as its mayor candidate. The Kaohsiung mayoral by-election on August 15 will be a three-way contest among the KMT, DPP, and TPP.
June 26: A Japanese student in her 20s studying in Taiwan returned to Japan on June 20 and was tested positive with coronavirus (COVID-19). Japan indicated Taiwan as the source of infection. Beginning June 24, Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) closely tested individuals who were in close contact with the Japanese woman. The CECC announced that all 123 individuals tested negative and will test their serum antibodies the following Monday to clarify the source of the infection.
June 26: The European Union is planning to re-open its borders on July 1. The first wave of safe countries includes Canada, Japan, Australia, and South Korea but not Taiwan. Because of the pandemic's severity, the United States, Russia, and Brazil were not included in the list of countries.
Taiwan is reopening its Taoyuan International Airport to international transit flights but excluding mainland China. Transit flights are restricted to the same airline, and the maximum transit time is limited to eight hours.
