Explore every episode of the podcast Talking Taiwan
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep 336 | Dr. Linda Gail Arrigo: Taiwan Democracy Fighter Talks About Events Leading Up to the Kaohsiung Incident (Classic) | 14 Dec 2025 | 01:00:07 | |
To commemorate its anniversary on December 10th, we thought this would be a great time to reshare one of our most popular CLASSIC episodes, an interview we did with Taiwan Democracy fighter Dr. Linda Gail Arrigo, Ai Linda (艾琳達) in 2024 about events leading up to the HISTORIC Kaohsiung Incident. Related Links: Last year when we were in Taiwan in January for the presidential election, we were privileged to meet Dr. Linda Gail Arrigo, Ai Linda (艾琳達) in Taipei and sat down for a one-on-one interview. Few have experienced such historic events first-hand in the way Linda has, as she speaks from the doorstep of history. Linda talked about the era and events that precipitated the Kaohsiung incident, also known as the Formosa Incident, which is widely considered the watershed moment in history that led to Taiwan's democratization. The Kaohsiung Incident happened in December of 1979 During this interview Linda talked about how, in 1975 she had been sent to observe a trial that had been stated to be an open trial but when she arrived there, she saw that it wasn't. In the face of intimidation by the Taiwan Garrison Command officers, she chose to speak up about the injustice she saw, and reported it to Amnesty International. To me, Linda's self-directed action was a moment of historic defiant courage. Thank you Linda Gail Arrigo, Ai Linda (艾琳達) for sharing your story and for advocating for the people of Taiwan. Related Links: | |||
| Ep 335 | What Taiwan Can Learn from Ukraine: A Panel Discussion Hosted by FAPA - Part 2 | 14 Dec 2025 | 00:40:25 | |
Earlier this year, on March 30, at the Taiwan Center in Flushing NY, FAPA (Formosan Association for Public Affairs) hosted a panel discussion, Lessons from the Battlefield: What Taiwan Can Learn From Ukraine. Representatives from the Ukrainian community, Razom for Ukraine and Dignitas Ukraine and FAPA discussed how NGOs can strengthen advocacy, humanitarian aid, and international collaboration.
Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/what-taiwan-can-learn-from-ukraine-a-panel-hosted-by-fapa-part-2-ep-335/
It was a very substantive discussion that we wanted to record and share with FAPA's permission to our listeners. This episode part two is the second half of the panel discussion. To listen to the first half of the panel discussion listen to the previous episode, episode 334.
Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/what-taiwan-can-learn-from-ukraine-a-panel-hosted-by-fapa-part-2-ep-335/ | |||
| Ep 326 | Working in the Intersection of Ceramics Sound and History: Taiwanese American Maker Eugenie Chao | 29 Aug 2025 | 00:30:12 | |
In this episode of Talking Taiwan we sat down to speak with Eugenie Chao who describes herself as Taiwanese American maker, educator, and musician who works in the intersection of ceramics, sound, and history. Her exhibit at the Taiwanese American Arts Council House 17 on Governors Island aptly named Listening Vessels, features ceramic objects turned musical instruments created by Chao and is on display until September 7th.
Related Links:
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: | |||
| Ep 236 | TaiwanFest NYC 2023: Talking Taiwan's Live Stream Coverage in the Rain | 05 May 2023 | 00:09:44 | |
This past Saturday, April 29th was the first TaiwanFest of the year in New York City. So we decided to go check it out and see what businesses and community organizations were there. Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: For this episode we tried out something different by livestreaming and talking to people on location. It was a test run for May when Talking Taiwan will be at this year's Passport to Taiwan on Sunday, May 28th from 12-5pm in New York City's Union Square Park. This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
1. to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, 2. to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, 3. to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, 4. to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, 5. to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Related Links:
TaiwanFest.NYC: https://taiwanfest.nyc/
Sweeeet NYC: https://www.instagram.com/sweeeetnyc/
Passport to Taiwan: https://p2tw.org/
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| Ep 235 | Tim Chng and Borcheng Hsu: The Day President Tsai Ing-Wen Met Protesters from the People's Republic of China | 25 Apr 2023 | 01:01:52 | |
This episode is a follow up on episode 233 that covered Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen's 48-hour transit through New York from March 29-31 en route to Central America.
When Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen left Taiwan to go on a ten-day state trip to Central America to meet with Taiwan's diplomatic allies Guatemala and Belize. She first transited through New York from March 29-31 en route to Central America. At the end of her trip she transited through Los Angeles from April 4-5th, where she met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below:
In this episode of Talking Taiwan I started off speaking with Tim Chng (who was previously on Talking Taiwan in episode 159) and Borcheng Hsu (a community organizer based in New York City) about how Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen was met with protestors representing the PRC, People's Republic of China on the first day of her arrival in New York City. All three of us were all there that day, on the afternoon of March 29th at the first major site of the protests, the Lotte New York Palace Hotel where President Tsai was staying.
Our discussion raised a lot of questions, like: How organized the PRC protestors were. How did they know President Tsai's itinerary in New York? As you'll hear from our conversation, the protestors seemed to know when and where to show up and make a scene.
On the other hand, how prepared was the Taiwanese American community? What did community do in response? And what can concerned Taiwanese Americans do to be better prepared in the future when a similar situation arises?
After President Tsai's 48-hour transit in New York, she headed to Central America to meet with Taiwan's diplomatic allies Guatemala and Belize.
At the end of her she transited through Los Angeles from April 4 to 5th and met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy before returning to Taiwan. While in L.A. she was once again met with PRC protestors. Tim, Borcheng and I also talked about what happened in L.A.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
1. to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, 2. to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, 3. to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, 4. to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, 5. to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: · How Tim and Borcheng were involved in self-determination and pro-democracy demonstrations for Taiwan in the 1990s, when a thousand people or so could easily be gathered to show support · What motivated Tim to drive up from Baltimore to be in New York in time to welcome Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen when she arrived at the hotel she was staying during her 48-hour transit through New York · Why the bus from DC with Taiwanese American supporters of President Tsai wasn't able to make it to New York in time for President Tsai's arrival at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel where she was staying · What the scene was like and what happened prior to President Tsai Ing-wen's arrival at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel on March 29th · How Tim and Chi Chun Wang, the President of the Taiwanese Association of America Baltimore chapter spoke to some pro-democracy Chinese activists who said that the PRC (People's Republic of China) protestors were being paid $30 an hour · What happened outside of the Lotte New York Palace Hotel on March 29th before and when President Tsai Ing-wen arrived · How the PRC (People's Republic of China) protestors were organized and seemed to know President Tsai's itinerary while she was in New York · How Borcheng worked with TECRO and the NYPD (New York Police Department) on March 29th · How sound permits are required for the use of amplified sound in New York City · The NYPD's handling of the situation on March 29th · What the PRC protesters were saying about President Tsai and Taiwan · How prepared the Taiwanese American community was to respond by organizing counter protests · What happened on March 30th when President Tsai accepted the Global Leadership Award from the Hudson Institute · What happened on March 31st when President Tsai left her hotel in New York to go to Central America · What happened with the protests of President Tsai's visit to New York in 2019 · How one of Tim's tweets about the protests of President Tsai in New York on March 29 was misconstrued by someone · The questions about why pan-green supporters were waving ROC (Republic of China) flags and not green flags or other flags · Former President Ma Ying-jeou's visit to China · The protests during President Tsai's transit in Los Angeles (from April 4-5) · What happened when President Chen Shui-bian visited New York in 2000 and later years · What can concerned Taiwanese Americans, and supporters of Taiwan's democracy do to be better prepared in the future when a similar situation arises · How the NYPD and LAPD handled protests against President Tsai and Taiwan in New York and Los Angeles
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| Ep 234 | T.H. Schee: What Concerns Taiwan Should Have About A.I., ChatGPT, and Baidu's Chatbot Ernie | 14 Apr 2023 | 00:23:50 | |
In part two of our interview with T.H. Schee we talked about what concerns in particular that Taiwan should have about AI, ChatGPT and Baidu's chatbot Ernie.
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI in partnership with Microsoft, which is its largest investor. It was released in November of 2022. And in case you're wondering, GPT stands for: generative pre-trained transformer.
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ChatGBT is quite versatile. It can mimic human conversation, and do a whole range of things from drafting email to writing essays, taking tests and writing and debugging computer programs.
On February 7th Chinese company Baidu announced it would be creating a Chinese language ChatGPT, Ernie Bot. A week later, Taiwan's Science and Technology Minister, Wu Tseng-tsong announced that Taiwan will be developing its own Chinese language chatbot due to fears of bias that could be created by China's chatbot.
And on March 16th the Ernie Bot was publicly unveiled.
T.H. Schee is a digital veteran with twenty years of experience in the private and NGO sectors. He was a founding member of the Taiwan Internet Governance Forum and provided his expertise on digital crisis response to the UN Global Geospatial Information Management group. He has served as an adviser to government agencies and the city of Taipei (2016–18) and is a stalwart writer on the intersection of digital and tech policies.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
1. to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, 2. to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, 3. to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, 4. to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, 5. to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: · Comparing people's concerns about the Internet in 1995-1996 with concerns about AI today · Yams.com the first Chinese language search engine which was created in Taiwan · ChatGPT · Baidu's Chinese chatbot Ernie · Baidu's demo of Ernie · How and open, free Internet is key to the successful development of chatbots like Ernie or ChatGPT · How the government of Taiwan is supporting developing its own Chinese language chatbot · T.H. Schee's thoughts on ChatGPT · How different generations use and access the Internet · How ChatGPT is similar to a search engine · If ChatGPT can produce responses in Chinese should Taiwan be concerned · T.H. estimates that 30-40% of the results written in traditional Chinese characters that show up on page one of a Google search are actually sources from China · Whether or not it's a good idea for Taiwan to try to develop its own version of ChatGPT and if it will reap any benefits from doing so · How to combat bias in ChatGPT or similar chatbots · T.H's thoughts on how Taiwan should approach developing its own version of ChatGPT Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 233 | President Tsai Ing Wen's 48 Hour Transit Through New York En Route to Central America | 05 Apr 2023 | 00:10:25 | |
On March 29th Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen left Taiwan to go on a ten-day state trip to Central America to meet with Taiwan's diplomatic allies Guatemala and Belize. In a pre-departure speech, President Tsai shared that the theme of her trip "Meeting Democratic Partnership, Fostering Shared Prosperity" expresses our determination to foster deeper exchange and cooperation between Taiwan and our allies. Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below:
This episode of Talking Taiwan is about first leg of President Tsai's trip that brought her to New York for a 48-hour transit from March 29-31, 2023. This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
1. to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, 2. to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, 3. to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, 4. to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, 5. to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 232 | T.H. Schee: On Taiwan's Civil Defense Preparedness One Year Later After the War in Ukraine | 30 Mar 2023 | 00:28:53 | |
Last year I spoke with T.H. Schee about Taiwan's civil defense preparedness in episode 178. This was a hot topic of discussion in Taiwan after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February of 2023. It made the military threat that the people of Taiwan face from the People's Republic of China very real. A year has passed since Russia's invasion and I wanted to bring T.H. back for a follow up conversation about this and how the government and people of Taiwan have adjusted and continue to deal with the situation there. We also touched upon some recent news stories in Taiwan that are related to the topic of internet security. Next week we'll be sharing the second part of my interview with T.H. about AI. We'll be talking about ChatGPT, Baidu's chatbot Ernie and what concerns in particular that Taiwan should have about AI. Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below:
T.H. Schee is a digital veteran with twenty years of experience in the private and NGO sectors. He was a founding member of the Taiwan Internet Governance Forum and provided his expertise on digital crisis response to the UN Global Geospatial Information Management group. He has served as an adviser to government agencies and the city of Taipei (2016–18) and is a stalwart writer on the intersection of digital and tech policies.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
1. to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, 2. to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, 3. to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, 4. to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, 5. to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
· The situation in Taiwan since we last spoke to T.H. last year · Thoughts from T.H.'s March 3 talk with New Bloom Magazine "Lessons from Ukraine for Taiwan?" · What the government in Taiwan is doing regarding Taiwan's military preparedness · Proposed changes to Taiwan's Mobilization Act that include the military taking control of the media during wartime and the mobilization of people as young as 16 years old · The importance of allies and partners for Taiwan · The submarine cables that were cut and affected the internet access of people on Matsu · How Vietnam had four out of five of its submarine cables cut which meant that there were no ships available to repair the cables that were cut and affected Matsu, so Matsu was without internet access for two to three months · How the people of Matsu were impacted by the cut submarine cables · The Taiwan government responded by providing a microwave transmission for Matsu · How some people of Matsu purchased SIM cards from China to be able to access the internet, and what is problematic about that · The Taiwan Internet Governance Forum · How/why the submarine cables in the Taiwan Strait have gotten cut 25 times in five years · The hi-resolutions photos from the National Palace Museum got hacked and ended up for sale online
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 231 | Eric Chang: On the Unfolding Situation in the Legislative Yuan during the Sunflower Movement | 20 Mar 2023 | 00:22:32 | |
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The Sunflower Movement in Taiwan, which started in protest to the passage of the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement (CSSTA), happened nine years ago, on the night of March 18, 2014. I was in Taipei when the Legislative Yuan, which is the equivalent of the parliament in Taiwan, was occupied by students and activists in an effort to block the passage of the trade agreement between Taiwan and China. It was the beginning of what became known as the Sunflower Movement. The day before, on March 17, the Kuomintang (KMT) had attempted to force through passage of the CSSTA in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, without giving it a clause-by-clause review.
Several days later at a press conference on March 23rd Taiwan's then President Ma Ying-jeou stated his resolve in passing the trade agreement. That night, students and activists attempted to occupy the Executive Yuan in protest. A few days later, on March 28th I spoke with Eric Chang who joined students and protestors outside of the Executive Yuan on the 23rd. He was there when police started breaking up the students and protestors, himself among them, and he shared what he saw and experienced that night in episode 121.
At the time I spoke to Eric it had been only 10 days since the occupation of the Legislative Yuan, so the situation at the Legislative Yuan and the Sunflower Movement was still unfolding and this of course was before we knew what the outcome would be. It's interesting to look back on it and hear my conversation with Eric in pre-COVID times, and way before the insurrection of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021. We talked about the role of social media in the occupation of the Legislative Yuan, how the Sunflower Movement galvanized young people in Taiwan at the time, and the atmosphere outside the Legislative Yuan while it was occupied; every day there were thousands of people from all walks of life gathered outside in the streets surrounding the Legislative Yuan.
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: · What the occupation of the Legislative Yuan by students and activists means for Taiwan's democracy · What the scene/situation around the occupied Legislative Yuan was like · Comparisons between the occupation of Taiwan's Legislative Yuan with what would happen if people tried to occupy the U.S. Capitol Building · How peaceful and organized the student protestors are; they have set up a variety of stations for supplies, to charge mobile phones, for recycling, first aid · Professors have given lectures outside in the perimeter of the Legislative Yuan · A sausage vendor that's set up outside of the Legislative Yuan and is giving out sausage for free · Medical and legal professionals who have volunteered to help the student protestors · How Eric and his friend Dwagie (Taiwanese hip hop artist/rapper) have visited the Legislative Yuan area since the occupation · The March 30th Rally in support of the Sunflower Movement that took place globally · The Taiwan Voice Facebook page · How people can speak publicly or perform in the area surrounding the occupied Legislative Yuan · Lazy Habits, a jazz hip hop band performed outside of the occupied Legislative Yuan · High school students in Tainan (in southern Taiwan) are speaking out publicly about the occupation of the Legislative Yuan · How the Sunflower Movement has galvanized people across Taiwan · How Eric has seen friends who are KMT supporters come out in support of the Sunflower Movement and occupation of the Legislative Yuan · How young people learn about news through social media, Facebook and PTT, a popular local bulletin board founded by a National Taiwan University student in 1995 · Whether or not the pact (Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement) will get passed · How the Sunflower Movement has made people feel more comfortable to free to speak out publicly
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| Ep 230 | RUR Architecture: What Inspired the Team to Design the Taiwan Music Center and Kaohsiung Port Terminal | 13 Mar 2023 | 01:01:46 | |
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: The Kaohsiung Port Terminal just opened on March 6th and I had a chance to speak with Jesse Reiser AR'81 and Nanako Umemoto AR'83 of Reiser+Umemoto, RUR Architecture, the architects behind its design. They are the team that also designed the Taipei Music Center which opened on September 5, 2020. We spoke about their 35-year-long careers in architecture, how they landed both of these projects in Taiwan, the inspiration behind the design of the projects, and what contributed to delays in completion. Both projects were expected to be completed and in operation by 2014. Also with us when we spoke was Jasmine Lee, the project manager for the Taipei Music Center and Kaohsiung Port Terminal projects at RUR Architecture.We will be bringing back Jesse, Nanako and Jasmine to show us the Kaohsiung Port Terminal, Taipei Music Center and other architecture projects via video. That video will be posted on Talking Taiwan's YouTube channel at a later date. This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association. NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is: 1. to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, 2. to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, 3. to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, 4. to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, 5. to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
· How Jesse, Nanako and Jasmine ended up choosing their careers in architecture · How things have evolved in Jesse and Nanako's 35-year-long careers in architecture · How Jesse and Nanako started teaching and how that has shaped their careers in architecture · How Jesse and Nanako started entering architecture competitions, and things transpired from there · The Dubai tower project that Jesse and Nanako worked on · The AIishan Mountain project that Jesse and Nanako won · The inspiration behind the Taipei Music Center · How and why the Taipei Music Center project changed over time · The purpose/function of the Taipei Music Center · How other projects like the stadium in Taipei aka the Taipei Dome have been delayed and not completed · How Aldo Rossi, Jesse's teacher and employer influenced the design of the Taipei Music Center · The indoor and outdoor performance space of the Taipei Music Center · Why it took over 10 years to complete the Taipei Music Center · The Taipei Music Center opened on September 5, 2020, and on October 3rd the 31st Golden Melody Awards were hosted there · The three functions of the music center: performance, history, production · Social media's impact on the visibility of the Taipei Music Center · What a surprise it was to win the design competition for the Kaohsiung Port Terminal · Why the Kaohsiung Port Terminal project took 13 years to complete and the adjustments that had to be made over time · How the Taipei Music Center and Kaohsiung Port Terminal projects were inspired by Jesse and Nanako's work in New York · Jesse and Nanako's work in New York · How teaching affects their approach to architecture projects · The O-14 tower in Dubai that Jesse and Nanako worked on · What it is like seeing one's architectural projects completed and come to life · Jesse, Nanako and Jasmine's thoughts on being architects and their advice for those interested in going into architecture
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 229 | Robert Tsao Founder of UMC Pledges to Donate USD 100 Million to Taiwan's Military Cause | 27 Feb 2023 | 00:37:56 | |
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In December we spoke with Robert Tsao, founder of UMC, who in August of 2022 pledged to donate 100 million U.S. dollars to help Taiwan defend itself. In 2011 he moved to Singapore and became a citizen there, but in September of last year he renounced his Singaporean citizenship, and reinstated his citizenship in Taiwan.
We talked about what motivated him to decide to make the donation to defend Taiwan, why he's been perceived as pro business investment in China, and about his support for a referendum on unification between Taiwan and China.
We even asked him about his early support in 1993 for the New Party (Xin dang), a political party in Taiwan that had a pro Chinese unification stance.
Mr. Tsao also shared his thoughts on the Chinese Communist party today and why he thinks it's important protect Taiwan from an attack by the Chinese Communist People's Republic of China.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
1. to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, 2. to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, 3. to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, 4. to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, 5. to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
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Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
· Mr. Tsao's thoughts on the November 2022 local elections in Taiwan · Mr. Tsao's thoughts on whether the local elections will impact Taiwan's 2024 presidential election · Mr. Tsao's donation of 100 million U.S. dollars for Taiwan's defense and what it will be spent on · Why Mr. Tsao decided to make the donation of 100 million U.S. dollars · Taiwan's first direct presidential election was in 1996 · How to protect Taiwan's freedom and democracy · President Chen Shui-bian's Task Force on cross-Strait Relations, headed by Academia Sinica President and Nobel prize winner Professor Lee Yuan-tseh · Mr. Tsao's suggestion regarding a referendum on Taiwan's reunification with China in 2001 · Taiwan's independence · How Taiwan is unlike Hong Kong which was returned to China · The July 21, 2019 attacks at the Yuen Long MTR station in Hong Kong · Mr. Tsao's thoughts on the Chinese Communist party · Parallels between Russia's President Vladimir Putin invading Ukraine and the possibility of China' President Xi Jinping attacking Taiwan · Questions about Mr. Tsao's thoughts on investment in China, and his support for a referendum on unification between Taiwan and China · Mr. Tsao's support in 1993of the New party, a political party in Taiwan that had a pro-Chinese unification stance · How Mr. Tsao considers himself Taiwanese · The protests by people in China over strict COVID restrictions · Name rectification and constitutional reform for Taiwan · How much of a deterrent Taiwan's semiconductor industry is to China attacking Taiwan · Military reform in Taiwan · Mr. Tsao's thoughts on the unification of Taiwan and China
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| Ep 228 | Commemorating the 228 Massacre: Taboos, Scars, Stigmas, and an Essential Lesson in Taiwan History | 24 Feb 2023 | 01:34:49 | |
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228, February 28, 1947 is an important date in history for Taiwan. In Taiwan it is a national holiday known as 228 Peace Day, and since 228, which is also known as the 228 Massacre is just around the corner, we thought we'd share the first of 2 special episodes that we did last year for the 75th anniversary of the 228 Massacre.
At the same time, we wanted to share some community announcements for our listeners who might be looking for ways to commemorate 228. If you're in New York, the Taiwan Center in Flushing, NY will be having a 228 Remembrance Memorial Service on Saturday, February 25, 2023 from 2:00-3:30pm. And for those in California, Josephine Pan tells me that annual 228 Commemorative Concert will be held in person again this year on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 7:30pm at the Arcadia Community Church. Both of these events are open and free to the public.
Full details for the 228 commemorative events in New York and California are listed below in the Related Links section.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
1. to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, 2. to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, 3. to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, 4. to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, 5. to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: · How each guest first heard of or learned about 228 · How the 228 was a forbidden topic of discussion · How my guests and their families were personally impacted by 228 · The Formosa Incident aka Kaohsiung Incident · The White Terror and Martial Law era of Taiwan · The writer who was sent to prison because of his Chinese-language translation of a Popeye comic · Why the topic of 228 has been so taboo · Tsuann's grandfather who was a political prisoner during the White Terror era · Post-traumatic stress · What Tsuann's relatives experienced and witnessed about 228 · Why Tsuann decided to try to help 228 victims and their families · Green Island, the place where political prisoners were exiled · The case of a 15-year-old girl who was jailed · How political prisoners, after being released were ostracized by society · How things banned during the Martial Law era included books, music, art or any medium related to communism or that was critical of the Kuomintang · Personal accounts of people persecuted during the Martial Law era · The families whose husbands and fathers disappeared due to 228 · What Josephine's relatives experienced and witnessed about 228 · The privileges and overrepresentation granted to the Chinese vs. local Taiwanese under Kuomintang (KMT) rule · The injustices in Taiwan's society under the initial rule of the KMT · Why it's important to remember and understand 228 · The importance of healing from historic trauma · Canada's residential schools · What Tsuann discovered about 228 survivors through her work with the Transitional Justice Committee · Why Josephine started organizing an annual concert to commemorate 228 · How 228 became a national holiday in 1998 but has almost been cancelled as a holiday twice · Comparisons of 228 Peace Memorial Day with U.S. holidays such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Memorial Day · My guests' thoughts on whether or not 228 remains a national holiday · Indigenous Peoples Day · How to commemorate 228 · What young people in Taiwan know about 228 · What was previously taught to Josephine, Tsuann, and Wei-Wei about Taiwan in their textbooks when they were high school students in Taiwan · How the 228 Massacre has only recently been included in high school textbooks · How the 228 Massacre is being taught in high schools · The Jing-Mei Prison Museum in Taipei · Music that was banned during the White Terror era · Experiential ways to learn about 228
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| Ep 227 | Courtney Donovan Smith of Taiwan Report Shares His Analysis of Taiwan's 2022 Nine-in-One Local Elections | 21 Feb 2023 | 00:42:41 | |
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With Taiwan's next presidential election set for early 2024, what are the implications of Taiwan's 2022 "Nine-in-One" Local Elections that took place back in November? We've invited Courtney Donovan Smith co-founder of Taiwan Report, ICRT's Central Taiwan correspondent, and contributing columnist to Taiwan News to share his insights on the recent elections in Taiwan.
The topic of plagiarism also came up since plagarism scandals have plagued political candidates from all three political parties, the DPP, KMT and TPP. Donovan also shared his analysis on how each of the major political parties in Taiwan fared in the November elections.
While it might be a bit too early to discuss the 2024 presidential candidates, we'll definitely have Donovan back at a later date to discuss Taiwan's 2024 Presidential Race.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
1. to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, 2. to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, 3. to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, 4. to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, 5. to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
· Taiwan's local elections (aka the 9-in-1 elections) that were held in November 2022 · What positions were up for election · 22 positions were up for election · The results of the November 2022 elections in Taiwan · How the DPP, KMT and TPP fared in the elections · What implications the November elections might have for Taiwan's presidential elections in 2024 · Why President Tsai Ing-wen stepped down as the DPP party chair · The DPP and KMT's strategies during the November 2022 local elections · The DPP's missteps during the November 2022 local elections · The plagiarism scandals that have affected Taiwan's 3 major political parties: the DPP, KMT & TPP · The increasing numbers of women being elected as legislators and to other positions in Taiwan · The referendum to lower voting age in Taiwan from 20 to 18 years old · How Donovan got into writing and reporting about Taiwan's politics · Those who write and comment on Taiwan's politics: Michael Turton, Nathan Batto · How Donovan created an RPG (role playing game) · Who will be the KMT presidential candidate for Taiwan's presidential election in 2024
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| Ep 325 | 3 Perspectives in Taiwan Why the Great Recall Failed | 24 Aug 2025 | 00:37:20 | |
When we decided to travel back to Taiwan to cover the vote to recall 24 KMT legislators on July 26th we had no idea how things would turn out. The Great Recall (or da ba mian) as it came to be known in Taiwan, was notable not just because it led to a record number of 31 KMT legislators in total being put up for a recall vote. What was most impressive about is that it was a nationwide effort that started at a grassroots level by everyday people.
Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/3-perspectives-in-taiwan-why-the-great-recall-failed-ep-325/
It's been incredible to watch everything leading up to the Great Recall. Going back to last May in 2024 during what came to be known as the Bluebird Movement when tens of thousands of people and upwards of 100,000 took to the streets of Taiwan in a series of protests against controversial bills proposed in the legislative yuan. What happened during the Bluebird Movement protests is said to be what in part galvanized citizens to organize the recall campaigns.
I can't deny that our hopes were high for the results of the July 26th recall vote and after we learned that none of the KMT legislators were successfully recalled, we did our best during the remaining days of our time in Taiwan to try to make sense of the results by talking to a number of our friends and peers.
What you'll hear in this episode are some sound bites from conversations we had on July 30th with Rath Wang, Safe Spaces Senior Policy Fellow and Dennis Chen, Chairman of Wikimedia Taiwan. They shared their observations and thoughts on why the recalls failed, the recall campaigners and what the results of the recall vote could mean for President Lai.
Later that day I also spoke with Morrison Lee a Taiwanese businessman who went to China on what was supposed to be a 48-hour trip and ended up getting detained and stuck there for nearly 4 years. Morrison talked about his personal involvement in the recall effort also shared his thoughts on why the recall votes failed.
As mentioned, recall campaign groups succeeded in putting up a total of 31 KMT legislators for a recall vote. Another 7 legislators will be up for a recall vote on August 23rd.
Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/3-perspectives-in-taiwan-why-the-great-recall-failed-ep-325/ | |||
| Ep 226 | Ed Hill: Taiwanese Canadian Comedian Talks about his Off Broadway Debut and Comedy Special "Candy and Smiley" | 12 Feb 2023 | 00:47:16 | |
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Ed Hill is a Vancouver based Taiwanese comedian on his first national North American tour. We spoke about his early years in Canada, his connection to TAIWANfest and how his overachieving Asian tendencies came out when he first started doing comedy.
In 2021, Ed became the first comedian of Taiwanese-Canadian descent to release a full one-hour comedy special titled "Candy & Smiley." The special was named "Top 15 Comedy Specials of 2021" by Paste Magazine and "Best of 2021" by NPR Radio. The special is currently streaming worldwide on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
From March 30-April 2 Ed will be doing an off-Broadway show, "Stupid Ed" at the Tank in New York City.
Ed's tweets have also been featured on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon", Buzzfeed, and The Huffington Post.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
1. to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, 2. to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, 3. to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, 4. to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, 5. to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
· Ed's connection to TAIWANfest · Ed's connection to Taiwan · The discrimination he's experienced and how it became a part of his standup routine · How he got into doing standup comedy · How he handles it when he bombs as a comedian in front of an audience · How Ed's training as a therapist informs his comedy · Ed's comedic influences · Ed's mentor the late comedian Louie Anderson · Ed's tweets that have ended up on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and how he comes up with them · Ed's first comedy special Candy and Smiley · How Ed's first comedy special Candy and Smiley was affected by the pandemic · How Ed's parents have reacted to his doing comedy · Ed's upcoming off-Broadway show, Stupid Ed · Through his show Stupid Ed, Ed will be reflecting on his relationships with the female figures in his life · What Ed wants to do with his comedy · Ed's story podcast, the Guide to Quarantine · Ed's advice to others interested in doing standup comedy · What Ed gets out of doing standup comedy
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| Ep 225 | Spark Accel: A Virtual Accelerator for Taiwanese American Entrepreneurs | 31 Jan 2023 | 00:28:47 | |
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SPARK Accel is a personalized 4-week virtual accelerator for Taiwanese American entrepreneurs. At the end of the program there will be a virtual pitch competition and a chance for participants to win up to $15,000. SPARK Accel is an initiative under the Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL). TACL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of Taiwanese Americans.
Stacey Pai, one of the founding team members of SPARK Accel, spoke with me about how SPARK Accel supports entrepreneurs, and what stage of entrepreneurs are eligible to participate in its accelerator program. As SPARK Accel grows, it is looking to recruit a volunteer program manager, fundraising manager, community manager, marketing manager, and startup mentors. This is a great opportunity for budding Taiwanese entrepreneurs. This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
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| Ep 224 | Andrew Klerck: Blindness Later in Life Could Not Stop This Thriving Entrepreneur | 24 Jan 2023 | 00:49:40 | |
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Andrew Klerck is the founder of Taiwan Impact Entrepreneurs, a group that serves foreigners who want to start a business in Taiwan. He spoke with me about how much you need to start a business in Taiwan, and why Taiwan is a great place to do so.
Andrew also talked about how he got started on his own journey as an entrepreneur and lost his eyesight over 15 years ago while running an export company. Today he is a thriving entrepreneur, thanks to the assistive technology of smartphones, screen readers, and smart glasses.
He shared from a foreigner's perspective, good reasons to do business in Taiwan and some of the challenges of doing business in Taiwan.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
1. to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, 2. to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, 3. to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, 4. to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, 5. to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Talking Taiwan has a donor who is willing to make a $5,000 matching donation!
Help us double what we raise to $10,000 by MAKING A CONTRIBUTION to Talking Taiwan at:
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Checks or money orders made payable to Talking Taiwan can be sent to:
Talking Taiwan PO Box 1049 New York, NY 10113
https://talkingtaiwan.com/support/
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
· What brought Andrew to Taiwan · Why Andrew started the Taiwan Impact Entrepreneurs(TIE) group · What the Taiwan Impact Entrepreneurs group does and who they serve · The Taiwan Impact Entrepreneurs mastermind group · The difference between the Taiwan Impact Entrepreneurs Facebook group and the Taiwan Impact Entrepreneurs mastermind group · How the TIE mastermind group is run · Why Taiwan is a good place for foreigners to live · Why Taiwan is a good place for foreigners to start a business · The advantage of doing business in Taiwan · The difficulties and tradeoffs of doing business in Taiwan for foreigners · How to build good credit and get offered credit from banks in Taiwan · How it's difficult for foreigners to get funding in Taiwan · The Taipei Entrepreneur Hub · Abled Minds Taiwan · What prevents disabled people in Taiwan from pursuing entrepreneurship · How Andrew lost his eyesight · How Andrew managed to run a business as he was loosing his eyesight · The technology that helps Andrew as a blind person with his daily life and to do business · Andrew's upbringing in South Africa under apartheid · The entrepreneurial and business mindset of Andrew's parents · How Andrew has run a company that had operations in nearly 60 different countries · Andrew's TIE partner Jamie Rufe was an executive assistant to Foxconn CEO, Terry Gou · Andrew's advice for people who want to start a business in Taiwan but don't have a lot of cash · The importance of street hustling and selling
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| Ep 223 | Graci Kim: From New Zealand Diplomat to New York Times Best Selling Author | 10 Jan 2023 | 00:42:28 | |
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Graci Kim is a New York Times Bestselling author of the Gifted Clans series. In 2012, she was interviewed for Talking Taiwan about her cooking show called Graci in the Kitchen. We've invited her back to give us an update on what she's up do these days.
She's been a New Zealand diplomat, once ran a business that turned children's drawings into cuddly toys, and given a TED Talk in 2018 that still resonates today.
She spoke with us about her Korean roots, how she decided to become a writer, what it was like when her book, The Last Fallen Star hit the New York Times Bestseller list, and her writing process.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Talking Taiwan has a donor who is willing to make a $5,000 matching donation!
Help us double what we raise to $10,000 by MAKING A CONTRIBUTION to Talking Taiwan at:
http://gofundme.com/building-talking-taiwans-legacy
https://www.patreon.com/talkingtaiwan
PayPal using: talkingtaiwanpodcast@gmail.com
Zelle using: talkingtaiwanpodcast@gmail.com
Checks or money orders made payable to Talking Taiwan can be sent to:
Talking Taiwan PO Box 1049 New York, NY 10113
https://talkingtaiwan.com/support/
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
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| Ep 222 | LOST Episode | Graci in the Kitchen | 05 Jan 2023 | 00:11:49 | |
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/ep-222-lost-episodes-graci-in-the-kitchen/
Here's a Lost Episode of Talking Taiwan from 2012 featuring Graci Kim. At the time she had a YouTube show called Graci in the Kitchen, and she talked about some of the episodes that were in the works. Next week we'll be sharing our follow up interview with Graci to find out what she's been up to since then.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
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| Ep 221 | Talking Taiwan Top 5 2022 End of Year Review | 01 Jan 2023 | 00:13:02 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
It's that time of year again… time to reveal the top 5 Talking Taiwan episodes of the year.
As we were preparing for this last episode of the year I reflected on this past year and, I realize that there is a lot to be grateful for. Talking Taiwan has had 3 different sponsors throughout the year: The Taiwan Elite Alliance, The Taiwanese United Fund, and NATWA the North America Taiwanese Women's Association. We are grateful for our many individual donors and the generosity of Guy Gilchrist who donated 10 of his drawings that helped to raise money for Talking Taiwan.
And we're also grateful to all of our amazing guests and want to thank each and every one of you for being a part of the Talking Taiwan podcast.
Our New Year's wish is for there to be more peace, love and happiness in the world.
We're really excited about the guests we've lined up to interview and topics to cover. We look forward to continuing to break new ground in the new year. For links to the top 5 episodes of 2022 visit our website TalkingTaiwan.com. Wishing you a wonderful rest of 2022 and a Happy New Year!
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| Ep 220 | What Caused the Cancellation of WorldPride Taiwan 2025? Our Discussion with David Yu | 29 Dec 2022 | 00:37:41 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
In August the news broke that WorldPride 2025 was no longer going to be hosted by Taiwan.
Less than a year ago, InterPride and Taiwan had celebrated the selection of Kaohsiung Pride's bid over the Capital Pride Alliance of Washington D.C. to host WorldPride 2025 in Taiwan. The announcement about WorldPride Taiwan 2025 was hugely significant since Taiwan was the first country in Asia to legalize same sex marriage in 2019 and It would be the first ever WorldPride event to be held in East Asia.
My listeners will recall that we did an episode about this news last December with Darien Chen in episode 162.
What had happened to make Kaohsiung Pride and the Taiwan Preparation Committee decide to withdraw from hosting WorldPride Taiwan 2025?
In August I came across a tweet about the cancellation by Bi-Khim Hsiao, Taiwan's Representative to the United States. She had tweeted an article written by David Yu, Don't Sacrifice Taiwan in the Fight for LGBT Rights. The article had been published in Foreign Policy.
I reached out David and I invited him to come onto Talking Taiwan as a guest to discuss and reflect on what happened. David is Contractor CTO of an LA-based life sciences startup.
I also reached out to the Kaohsiung Pride committee, and InterPride for comment but have not received any responses to date.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association. NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
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| Ep 219 | Dr. Karen Chung Shares Secrets of Language Learning and Challenges Taiwanese Students Face Learning English | 24 Dec 2022 | 00:49:45 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
Dr. Karen Chung is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures of National Taiwan University. She talked about something called the echo method when she was previously interviewed for Talking Taiwan in 2012 and we've invited her back to give us an update.
In this interview she shared some additional tips on how to use the echo method and her thoughts on the challenges that Taiwanese students face in learning English. We also spoke about Taiwan's Bilingual 2030 Plan.
Professor Chung has a TEDx talk with over 1.5 million views and an online Open Course Ware course in phonetics on the Taiwan University site which has received over 1.3 million views.
A lifelong learner herself, she talked about when she first started learning Chinese, and how to this day, she continues improving her Chinese.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association. NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
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| Ep 218 | Dr. Mark Chen Talks About His Years of Service in Taiwan | 16 Dec 2022 | 01:15:32 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
In part one of my interview with Dr. Mark Chen (episode 212) we talked about his advocacy work for Taiwan in the U.S. and the impact of the Kaohsiung Incident on Taiwan's democratization. Several of the people who were tried and sentenced in connection with the Kaohsiung Incident later became prominent leaders in Taiwan's first opposition party, the Democratic Progressive Party. The incident happened 43 years ago in 1979 on December 10th, which just passed, making it a good time to share part two of my interview with Dr. Chen.
In the second half of my interview with Dr. Mark Chen, we talked about his work in Taiwan as an elected official and public servant. He became a member of the Legislative Yuan in 1992; that year was the first time that elections were held for all 161 seats of the Legislative Yuan in Taiwan. Dr. Chen has also been elected Magistrate of Tainan County, and served in that position from 1993-2001. He was the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2004-2006, the Secretary General in the Office of the President from 2006-2007, the Secretary General of the National Security Council from 2007-2008 and a Legislator in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan from 2001-2004 and 2012-2016. Currently he is the chairman of the Prospect Foundation.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/dr-mark-chen-talks-about-his-years-of-service-in-taiwan-ep-217/ | |||
| Ep 217 | Karen Chung LOST Episodes | The Echo Method | 16 Dec 2022 | 00:09:37 | |
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A Note from the Host Felicia Lin Here's another one of the lost episodes of Talking Taiwan that we discovered were recorded back around 2012. Yes that's 10 years ago when Talking Taiwan was just being created. Next week we'll be bringing this guest back for a follow up interview to find out what they're up to these days. This lost episode of Talking Taiwan from 2012 features Karen Chung, an associate professor of English at National Taiwan University, she's talking about something called the "Echo Method." Next week we'll be sharing our follow up interview with Karen to find out what she's been up to since then.
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/ep-217-lost-episodes-karen-chung-on-the-echo-method/ | |||
| Ep 324 | A-Mei: The Great Recall Crusader | 14 Aug 2025 | 00:36:22 | |
As part of our great recall coverage in Taiwan, on July 25th the day before the vote to recall 24 Kuomintang (KMT) legislators, we sat down to interview A-Mei the spokesperson for the Shān chú wēi hài (山除薇害) recall group. We talked about why she got involved in the recall effort, how she got doxed by the Kuomintang (KMT) and how the recall effort was supported by overseas Taiwanese in over 38 cities from over 20 different countries. We previously interviewed three recall campaigners from this group- Carol, Eric and Acho in episode 316. We were also with A-Mei and the recall group on the day of the recall vote July 26th to watch the results of the recall vote.
Special thanks to Mei-Ling Lin for her translation assistance.
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| Ep 216 | J.W. Henley Author of Migrante Reveals the Plight of Migrant Workers in Taiwan | 05 Dec 2022 | 01:07:55 | |
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:J.W. Henley , author of Migante discusses how the plight of migrant workers in Taiwan came to him, and all the research that was involved. Joe Henley is Freelance Writer and Author. The last time we had Joe on Talking Taiwan (in episode 64) we spoke about his book Bu San Bu Si. In this episode I spoke with him about his latest book, Migrante, which has recently been translated into Chinese. Joe shared how the idea for this book about the plight of migrant workers in Taiwan came to him, all the research that was involved, why he's donating all of his proceeds from the sales of Migrante, and how his band nearly got arrested when they were performing in the Philippines. This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association. NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
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| Ep 215 | Dr. Bonny Ling Discusses the Challenges Taiwan Faces Dealing with Migrant Workers | 29 Nov 2022 | 01:13:49 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
Dr. Bonny Ling is a scholar and practitioner who works on international human rights and development. She is Executive Director of Work Better Innovations, a research consultancy with a community service mission working on new ideas for a responsible economy. We spoke about her work with migrant workers, the challenges that Taiwan has faced in dealing with migrant workers, why it is important for Taiwan to address the wider challenges of combatting human trafficking and modern slavery. She also spoke about her forced labor project that is going to take her back to Taiwan to work with SMEs (small medium enterprises) in December. In Taiwan 98 percent of all businesses are small medium enterprises and they employ close to 80 percent of the total domestic workforce. The European Union (EU) defines a small enterprise as one with less than 50 employees and a medium enterprise as one with less than 250 employees.
Dr. Bonny Ling has worked in the UN system and in international civil society. Bonny is a Senior Non-Resident Fellow with the University of Nottingham Taiwan Studies Programme; Research Fellow with the Institute for Human Rights and Business; and Advisory Board Member of the INGO Human Rights at Sea. Bonny wrote her PhD in Law on human trafficking and China at the Irish Centre of Human Rights and is an expert on human trafficking and modern slavery. She graduated from Cambridge University (criminology) and the Fletcher School, Tufts University (law and diplomacy). Bonny has served as an international election observer in East Timor and for the OSCE. Previously at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, she writes on human rights, migrants, business responsibilities and international development and is a contributing writer for Ketagalan Media, New Bloom, Taipei Times, Taiwan Insight and The News Lens.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
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| Ep 214 | A Master Class in Art and Life by Guy Gilchrist Famous Cartoonist for the Muppets | 26 Nov 2022 | 00:49:47 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
On November 5th we hosted a special live online event for people to experience the artistry of Master Cartoonist Guy Gilchrist. Guy's artwork is enshrined in the Smithsonian Museum and first lady Nancy Reagan has declared him a national treasure. In this episode we share highlights from the event. HURRY! LAST CHANCE! YOU CAN WIN ALL OF GUY'S DRAWINGS FROM THIS PODCAST BY DONATING $25 OR MORE TO TALKING TAIWAN! Guy has generously donated all 10 of the drawings he did that night of various Muppets and classic cartoon characters. You own Guy's artwork! Just enter to win his drawings by simply by making a donation of $25 or more to TalkingTaiwan.com/support by 11:59 EST on November 30.
Deadlines to Enter th Contest for our fans abroad are as follows:
Great Britain: December 1 4:59am GMT Taiwan: December 1 12:59pm CST
To Donate, the EASIEST WAY IS TO click this link and go to the Talking Taiwan Support Page Alternatively, you can go directly on PayPal and use talkingtaiwanpodcast@gmail.com *Note: When donating with PayPal or with a credit or debit card, be sure to select the option "Sending to a friend" to avoid withheld commissions
To see Guy in action and draw along with his tutorials visit our YouTube channel and watch A Master Class In Art and Life with Guy Gilchrist: Famous Cartoonist for The Muppets.
A full replay of the event (which is over two hours long) is also available on our YouTube channel. Guy Gilchrist: The Muppets Master Cartoonist Main Event REPLAY
We want to thank Guy Gilchrist and his cameraman Rich for sharing his amazing talent with us. Aside from being a talented artist, Guy really knows how to bring happiness to others through his art, as you'll see if you watch any of the recordings of the event that we've posted on our YouTube channel.
A portion of the money raised will benefit Guy's favorite charity World Central Kitchen.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here are the highlights from this episode:
[Timestamps for topics covered during the episode are on YouTube]
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| Ep 213 | Formosa Files: John Ross and Eryk Michael Smith are on a Mission to Share the History of Taiwan | 21 Nov 2022 | 00:54:22 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin: John Ross and Eryk Michael Smith are the co-hosts of the Formosa Files podcast. Together John and Eryk tell stories from the history of Taiwan (formerly known as Formosa) in a nonchronological order. They spoke with me about where the idea for the podcast came from, their love of history and where they find inspiration for their podcast episodes. They are on a mission to share the history of Taiwan far and wide. Now in their second season, John and Eryk also shared what we can expect from season three. John Ross is an author and co-founder of publisher Camphor Press, which specializes in books on Taiwan and China in English, while Eryk Michael Smith has worked as a writer and journalist for multiple media outlets in Taiwan, including the island's only English-language radio station ICRT (FM 100.7). Both Ross and Smith have lived in Taiwan for well over 20 years and call the island home. This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
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| Ep 212 | Dr. Mark Chen: Advocate for Taiwan in Both the U.S. and Taiwan Part 1 | 13 Nov 2022 | 00:49:35 | |
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/dr-mark-chen-advocate-for-taiwan-in-both-the-u-s-and-taiwan-ep-212/
A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
1979 was a crucial year for Taiwan. In January of that year the United States changed its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing and in December of that same year the Kaohsiung Incident happened. Speaking with my guest, Dr. Mark Chen, for this episode made me realize that there are many people to thank for the important work that they did back then to safeguard Taiwan and the people of Taiwan.
Dr. Mark Chen (陳唐山 ) has spent much of his life dedicated to doing advocacy work for Taiwan both in the U.S. and in Taiwan. Listeners of this podcast may recall his name being mentioned in episode 199 when I spoke with Gerrit van der Wees about the Taiwan Relations Act.
When the United States formally recognized the communist People's Republic of China and severed its diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979, Mark Chen and others reached out to U.S. congressmen and senators to express the concerns of the people of Taiwan. As a result, he and several others were invited to testify in front of the U.S Congress as the Taiwan Relations Act was being drafted. The act passed in April of 1979. Later that same year when the Kaohsiung Incident happened on December 10th Dr. Chen and overseas Taiwanese were galvanized to call for further investigation into the matter and to put international pressure on the Kuomintang government to release those charged and arrested in connection with the Kaohsiung Incident.
Dr. Chen also shared how the advocacy work being done for Taiwan at the time led to the formation of FAPA (the Formosan Association for Public Affairs) in 1982. This year marks the 40th anniversary of FAPA.
In part one of my interview with him we focus on the work he's done for Taiwan in the U.S.- which started when he was a student at the University of Oklahoma.
Dr. Chen has been the president of the Taiwanese Association of America, World Federation of Taiwanese Associations, and the Formosan Association of Public Affairs.
In part two of my interview with Mark Chen, we'll talk about his work in Taiwan as an elected official and public servant, and his current work as the chairman of the Prospect Foundation.
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/dr-mark-chen-advocate-for-taiwan-in-both-the-u-s-and-taiwan-ep-212/ | |||
| Ep 211 | Guy Gilchrist: On Dealing with Setbacks and How Dr. Seuss Influenced His Life | 31 Oct 2022 | 00:39:25 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
In this episode of Talking Taiwan, we share the second half of my interview with illustrator and cartoonist Guy Gilchrist, picking up after part one in episode 207. In the second half of my interview with Guy, he talked about how Dr. Seuss has been an influence in his life. Guy also talked about how he had to deal with chronic pain and back surgery.
These days Guy can be seen on social media and at Comicons around the country doing what he loves most drawing cartoon character live for his fans. Guy is best known as the cartoonist of Jim Henson and The Muppets. He's also had his hand in notable cartoons such as The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry, Tiny Toons, Pink Panther, and Disney, among others. He was declared a national treasure by former First Lady, Nancy Reagan and his artwork has been enshrined in the Smithsonian.
Since one thing we can't do on this podcast is to show the magic of Guy's cartooning, we decided to host a LIVE online event where you can meet Guy this Saturday, November 5th at 6:30pm EST.
At the event you'll have a chance to see him drawing live. Guy will also show you how to draw cartoon characters yourself. The best part of all this is that Guy has generously offered to donate all of the drawings he does that night and you can enter to win them by simply making a donation of $25 or more to Talking Taiwan's GoFundMe page: http://gofundme.com/building-talking-taiwans-legacy
If you'd like to attend the event just Register at: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qcuippj0oGNFuyKrRnUTpoPMCFSBcWEqP#/registration
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 210 | Emma Choi: Youngest NPR Host Talks About Her Comedy Podcast "Everyone and Their Mom" | 27 Oct 2022 | 00:20:57 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
Emma Choi is the host of the NPR weekly short-form comedy podcast Everyone & Their Mom. She is the youngest host at NPR and currently in her final year at Harvard University. In January of 2021, she was an intern for the NPR show Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me! Initially she was told that she couldn't be hired since she was a college student but apparently her PowerPoint prowess led to her working with the Wait Wait team to create Everyone & Their Mom, which began airing in February 2022. She's a second generation Korean American. Emma is definitely a trailblazer with a quirky sense of humor. I especially enjoyed the episodes of Everyone & Their Mom that she did about the job of a grizzly bear conflict manager, and the one about how her grandmother's kimchi could be improved. She spoke to me about what it's been like working at NPR and why she did a satanic Tickle Me Elmo impression during her internship interview.
On Mon, Oct 24, 2022 at 11:32 PM Felicia Lin A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
Emma Choi is the host of the NPR weekly short-form comedy podcast Everyone & Their Mom. In 2021, she was an intern for the NPR show Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me! Apparently, it was her PowerPoint prowess led to her working with the Wait Wait team to create Everyone & Their Mom, which began airing in February 2022. She's a second generation Korean American. We talked about that it's been like working at NPR and being NPR's youngest host, what why she did a satanic Tickle Me Elmo impression during her internship interview.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 209 | Michelle Kuo and Albert Wu: On a Broad and Ample Road and the Taiwanese Presbyterian Church Shooting | 21 Oct 2022 | 01:07:19 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
In mid-June I spoke with Michelle Kuo and Albert Wu about their weekly newsletter, A Broad and Ample Road. They began writing it in 2020 as a way to keep in touch with people during the pandemic.
We also spoke about the shooting at the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian church in Laguna Woods which had happened a month before on May 15th. We discussed how the shooting sparked debate on the shooter's identity as Taiwanese or Chinese, and the terms benshengren (本省人) and waishengren (外省人) which are commonly used in Taiwan to differentiate people. Michelle reflected on how the close-knit nature of the Taiwanese community in Laguna. Her parents live five minutes from the church and knew members of the Taiwanese community in Laguna Woods. Albert shared why he felt that in a different life the shooter could have been one of his uncles.
Michelle Kuo is a social activist, lawyer, teacher, and writer. She is an associate professor at the American University of Paris in History, Law, and Society and a visiting associate professor at National Taiwan University.
Albert Wu is a historian and an associate research fellow at the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 208 | Dr. Wilma Welsh: How the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan Became the Voice of the People in the 1970s | 09 Oct 2022 | 00:41:08 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
When Wilma Welsh left Canada to work with the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) in 1969, she told me that it changed her life.
Little did she know how she'd be a part of the pivotal role that the PCT would play as a voice for the people of Taiwan. During her time in Taiwan, Wilma experienced the Kuomintang's surveillance and censorship, and felt the lingering impact of the 228 massacre which happened on February 28, 1947.
She was the English secretary to Reverend Kao Chun-ming, the General Secretary of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. When Taiwan's international status and the fate Taiwan's people came in to question Reverend Kao and others wrote the Public Statement on Our National Fate, Wilma typed it up and took it out of Taiwan to Hong Kong where it could be safely mailed out. She also recounted how she was working at the Bible Society in Taipei in 1975 when the Kuomintang arrived to confiscate Taiwanese Hoklo language versions of the Bible and ended up smuggling out 2 copies of the Bible.
In 2006 she became the Moderator of the 132nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. She was the first lay person to ever hold this position. In 2010 she was by the bestowing of a Doctor of Divinity Degree (DD) from Knox College, the University of Toronto. During her year as Moderator she received three additional honors, a life membership in the Women's Missionary Society, the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Medal, and an honorary membership in the World Taiwanese Christian Association.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 207 | Guy Gilchrist Cartoonist for the Muppets Talks About How to Achieve Your Dreams | 29 Sep 2022 | 01:11:32 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
I first learned about illustrator and cartoonist Guy Gilchrist, when I interviewed Dr. Karen Tsai (in episode 120) about how she spearheaded the creation of Monster Dance, a children's book created to help children deal with and understand the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Guy is best known as the cartoonist of Jim Henson's Muppets comic strip that was printed worldwide in 660-plus newspapers daily in 80 different languages. Guy spoke with me about his humble beginnings, and how he made his childhood dreams of becoming a cartoonist a reality.
Guy has had a lead role on the creative team for the Muppet Babies, Jim Henson's Fraggle Rock, and other Henson creations. Throughout the years, Guy has also had his hand in notable cartoons such as The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry, Tiny Toons, The Pink Panther, and Disney, among others.
Since we can't showcase or share all of Guy's talents on the podcast, we are excited to announce that on November 5th, we'll be hosting a live online event where you can meet Guy and see him draw your favorite cartoon characters live. Guy has agreed do a special live online event to help raise some money for Talking Taiwan on November 5th. To get invited to this special event to meet Guy online just make a donation to Talking Taiwan's GoFundMe campaign: http://gofundme.com/building-talking-taiwans-legacy.
We'll be sharing more information about the fun things planned for this event in the upcoming weeks.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 323 | Jiho Chang: Why Did the Recall Fail and How Can the DPP Do Better? | 03 Aug 2025 | 00:35:11 | |
This is a part of our continued coverage of Taiwan's Great Recall. On July 26th, the people of Taiwan voted on whether or not to recall 24 Kuomintang KMT legislators from all across the island. None of the 24 KMT legislators were recalled. This was a blow to the Democratic Progressive Party that could have benefited from a rebalancing of the legislative yuan since it only has 51 of the 113 seats in the legislative yuan or congress.
Among the concerns that motivated these civil society recall groups to take action were the unchecked visits of KMT legislators with high level officials in China. In April of 2024 KMT caucus convener Fu Kun-chi led a delegation of 17 KMT legislators to China where they met with the head of China's United Front. When asked the delegation has not been transparent about what was discussed in the meetings with Chinese officials.
Two days after the recall vote, on July 28th , I sat down with Jiho Chang, Keelung City Councilor who shared how he faced a retaliatory recall by the KMT. He discussed his thoughts on the outcome of the July 26th recall vote and what this means for the DPP.
On August 23 another 7 KMT legislators will be put up for a recall vote.
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| Ep 206 | Eric Chan Discusses What Led the Taiwan Military to Shoot Down a Chinese Civilian Drone | 19 Sep 2022 | 00:27:15 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
On September first, the Taiwan military shot down a Chinese civilian drone that flew near Kimen. In this episode of Talking Taiwan. I speak with Eric Chan about what led up the incident, China's increased gray zone tactics toward Taiwan since U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in early August, and other news related to Taiwan's military, such as the Taiwan Policy Act and UMC founder, Robert Tsao's donation for civil defense in Taiwan.
Eric Chan is a non-resident research fellow at the Global Taiwan Institute, a Washington DC-based think tank dedicated to policy research on Taiwan and its people. He is also a senior airpower strategist with the U.S. Air Force, where he provides USAF with expertise on People's Republic of China military capabilities, political leadership, and strategic culture.
Mr. Chan was previously the China, Korea, Philippines, and Vietnam Country Director with the Air Force. In this role, Mr. Chan was responsible for USAF engagement with the Chinese Air Force, and for managing security cooperation with key allies and partners.
Mr. Chan has published widely on Chinese influence operations and gray zone warfare, Taiwan military reform, and military diplomacy with the People's Liberation Army. He has written for publications including the Global Taiwan Brief, the USAF Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs, The Diplomat, and War on the Rocks.
Mr. Chan holds a Master's degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science/History from the University of California, San Diego.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 205 | Rev. Michael Stainton Working with Indigenous People in Taiwan Before and After Martial Law | 16 Sep 2022 | 01:13:10 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
In this episode of Talking Taiwan, I welcome back Reverend Michael Stainton to talk about his time in Taiwan and work with the indigenous people of Taiwan. Much of the time he spent in Taiwan was during the martial law era (before 1987) and he gives an interesting account of what Taiwan was like at the time.
Reverend Stainton is the President of the Taiwanese Human Rights Association of Canada and the Founder and Director of the Canadian Mackay Committee. We had Reverend Stainton on as a guest previously (in episode 173) to talk about Canadian missionary George Leslie Mackay's contributions to Taiwan.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 204 | Eduoard Roquette Talks About his Life-Changing Scooter Accident and Playing Tiger Man | 07 Sep 2022 | 00:44:19 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
Edouard Roquette is the founder of Rooms.Taipei a co-living business. In episode 192 he spoke to me about his experiences as an entrepreneur and the challenges facing foreign entrepreneurs in Taiwan. I've invited him back on to talk about the life-changing scooter accident that happened to him in 2012. It landed him in a wheelchair for six months, and on crutches for eight years. With physical therapy and treatment Edouard has been able to walk and hike again. To this day he continues to consult with physical therapists about his condition. We also spoke about how he took on the role of playing Tiger Man at the annual festivities in Beigang celebrating the birthday of Mazu, the goddess of the sea, and his fascination with Taiwan's religious festivals and ceremonies.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below:
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| Ep 203 | John Eastwood: Discusses Areas in Need of Legal Reform in Taiwan | 30 Aug 2022 | 00:22:45 | |
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/john-eastwood-discusses-areas-in-need-of-legal-reform-in-taiwan-ep-203/
A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
John Eastwood is a partner at the Taipei office of the law firm Eiger. I spoke with John previously in episode 195 about some of the changes he's seen in Taiwan from a legal perspective, in the 20 years that he's resided in Taiwan. In this second half of our interview, John and I spoke about other issues and areas in need of legal reform in Taiwan. This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/john-eastwood-discusses-areas-in-need-of-legal-reform-in-taiwan-ep-203/ | |||
| Ep 202 | The History of Mets Taiwan Day with Diana Lee from Hello Taiwan | 22 Aug 2022 | 00:18:25 | |
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-history-of-mets-taiwan-day-with-diana-lee-of-hello-taiwan-ep-202/
A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
On this episode of Talking Taiwan I'm speaking with Diana Lee, one of the founders and organizers of Hello Taiwan about Mets Taiwan Day which is in its 17th year. It's coming up soon on August 28th. We talked about how the event got started, some of the celebrities and notable people who have appeared at Mets Taiwan Day in the past and what sorts of activities and things people will experience at the event. Among the most exciting news for Taiwanese baseball fans is who will be throwing the first pitch of the game, and how to get a limited edition MetsTaiwan No. 1 jersey. Hello Taiwan also sponsors other sporting and cultural events throughout the year.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-history-of-mets-taiwan-day-with-diana-lee-of-hello-taiwan-ep-202/ | |||
| Ep 201 | Shu-Ying Chung Talks About Filmmaking and her Award-Winning Short | 17 Aug 2022 | 01:03:26 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
Shu-Ying Chung is a filmmaker based in New York. Her short film Removable has been making the rounds at film festivals. It's won several awards for best story, best short, best actress, and best director, to name a few. I spoke with Shu-Ying about what motivated her to write, direct and produce the film and how she can identify with the subject matter of the film due to her own past immigration status issues. She also talked about some of the highlights of her career in film and offered some advice for those interested in filmmaking.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/shui-ying-chung-talks-about-filmmaking-and-her-award-winning-short-ep-201/ | |||
| Ep 200 | Charlie Wu Talks About the Annual Event TaiwanFest | 11 Aug 2022 | 01:12:06 | |
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/charlie-wu-talks-about-the-annual-event-taiwanfest-ep-200/
A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
Today Talking Taiwan hits a major milestone with episode 200! We think it's especially meaningful that the topic of this interview is TAIWANfest, an annual Taiwanese Canadian event that dates back to 1990.
Nowadays, TAIWANfest is held annually in Toronto and Vancouver. And my guest on this episode is Charlie Wu, the Managing Director of Asian-Canadian Special Events Association , which organizes TAIWANfest and LunarFest. You may recall that we had Charlie on earlier this year (in episode 167) to talk about LunarFest.
TAIWANfest will be held in Toronto later this month from August 26-28 and in Vancouver from September 3-5. This year's theme is: The Stories of Independence Indulge in Indonesia, Discover Malaysia.
The programming will feature the indigenous band, Kanatal, which is a sort of experiment, that breaks the mold. They are a newly formed band of 4 experienced musicians, that have performing on tour without even having an album released. Other programs at TAIWANfest include a standup comedian, film screenings discussions, and events both in-person and virtual with topics covering: literature, social activism, food and culture.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/charlie-wu-talks-about-the-annual-event-taiwanfest-ep-200/
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| Ep 199 | Gerrit van der Wees: The Past and Present State of US Taiwan Relations | 02 Aug 2022 | 00:51:39 | |
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A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
In June I spoke with Gerrit van der Wees about an article that he wrote about U.S. President Biden's remarks about Taiwan when he was in Tokyo in May.
Just last week, Gerrit wrote a very timely article about the controversy over the U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's plans to visit Taiwan. In April Pelosi had planned to visit Taiwan as part of a tour to the Indo Pacific region but had to cancel because she contracted COVID-19.
Last week Pelosi left with a delegation for Asia, but made no mention of visiting Taiwan. There had been speculation that the Chinese would attack if U.S. fighter jets escorted Pelosi's plane into Taiwan, and in a phone conversation with U.S. president Joe Biden, Chinese president Xi Jinping warned Biden against "playing with fire" over Taiwan.
In his piece for the Taipei Times, Gerrit stated that it is essential that Pelosi stands her ground and pushes through with her plan to visit Taiwan. We'll share Gerrit's Taipei Times article and a few others about this situation on our website for this episode.
In my interview with Gerrit I asked him to explain in detail what the Taiwan Relations Act is, and what it tells us about the relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan. We also talked about the so-called U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity, how his work on the Taiwan Communique evolved from 1980 to 2016, and his thoughts on the war in Ukraine, and how it relates to China and Taiwan.
About Gerrit van der Wees
Gerrit van der Wees is a former Dutch diplomat. From 1980 through 2016, he served as chief-editor of "Taiwan Communiqué." Also, from 2005 through 2016 he was liaison for the Senate and the State Department at FAPA-HQ. He currently teaches the History of Taiwan at George Mason University and Current issues in East Asia at George Washington University's Elliott School for International Affairs.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below:
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| Ep 198 | Emily Wu Truong: Award-Winning Mental Health Speaker Inspires Others to Find Meaning in Their Struggles | 28 Jul 2022 | 01:27:02 | |
A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
Emily Wu Truong is a motivational speaker for mental health awareness. She is affiliated with NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and has been involved with this organization for the last 8.5 years. I've invited her on to Talking Taiwan as a guest since July is BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) Mental Health Month. Emily spoke with me about her own struggles with mental health, and suicide. She has a passion for working with youths on mental health related issues. She also shared her thoughts about the oppression and trauma experienced firsthand or as generational trauma by the people of Taiwan, and how it could impact one's mental health.
About Emily Wu Truong:
Emily Wu Truong is an award-winning mental health advocate, nationally-recognized motivational speaker, catalytic thought leader, community educator, playwright and published author. For over a decade, Emily has worked tirelessly to create more compassionate & accepting communities by bringing mental health education wherever she goes. As a speaker, Emily utilizes her story from depression to self-actualization, inspiring others to find meaning in life struggles. She has spoken to a variety of audiences, including students from elementary school to graduate school students, school administrators, teachers, families, law enforcement, faith-based communities, medical and mental health professionals and many more. Over the years, in recognition of Emily's efforts to raise awareness on mental health and emotional resilience, she has been featured in the California Mental Health Movement "Each Mind Matters," Good Morning America, NBC Asian America, LA 18 and World Journal (世界日報). Emily has also been honored with the "2015 Woman of Achievement Award" by former Senator Ed Hernandez. Also in 2015, Emily was honored with the Youth and Young Adult Leadership Award at the 29th Annual National Alternatives Conference in Memphis, Tennessee. In 2017, the Los Angeles County Supervisors honored Emily's request to establish May 10th as "Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day." In 2018, former Assemblyman Ed Chau honored Emily with the 2018 Make A Difference Award. Emily has become a role model for many, sharing her life lessons and delivering her message that helplessness is not hopelessness and that with help, there is hope.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 197 | Ed Lin: Winner of Three Asian American Literary Awards Talks About his New Book "Death Doesn't Forget" | 19 Jul 2022 | 00:53:16 | |
A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
Ed Lin is a native New Yorker of Taiwanese and Chinese descent. He is the first writer to win three Asian American Literary Awards. The last time we had Ed on Talking Taiwan (in 2014) we spoke about "Ghost Month" his first book in the Taipei Night Market Series of mysteries. Since then, he's written a YA novel and now four books in the Taipei Night Market Series. "Death Doesn't Forget," Is the latest book in the series and it will be published in July.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 322 | Day After Analysis of the Great Recall with Dr Linda Gail Arrigo | 30 Jul 2025 | 00:14:05 | |
On July 27th the day after Taiwan's island wide historic recall vote of 24 Chinese Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) legislators, I sat down with Linda Gail Arrigo, Ai Linda (艾琳達) to reflect on the results of the recall vote, and the impact of the civic mobilization behind the recall effort. Related Links: | |||
| Ep 196 | Susan Chung: Talks About her Career in Mental Health and BIPOC Mental Health Month | 12 Jul 2022 | 01:05:31 | |
A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
July is BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) Mental Health Month, which is also known as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, named for the mental health advocate who brought awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face in regard to mental illness in the US.
I've invited Susan Chung on to Talking Taiwan to talk about her career in mental health, and BIPOC Mental Health Month. Susan is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, who provides psychotherapy specifically to BIPOC students. We also spoke about key statistics and research findings that inform us about the mental health of Asians, some of the unique challenges facing BIPOC communities and individuals, the racism that Susan has experienced as a mental health professional, and the importance of managing our own mental health.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 195 | John Eastwood: Talks About the Legal Changes in Taiwan Over the Past 20 Years | 05 Jul 2022 | 01:05:13 | |
A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
John Eastwood is a partner at the law firm Eiger. He was previously interviewed for Talking Taiwan in 2012 and we've invited John back on to Talking Taiwan to talk about some of the changes he's seen in Taiwan from a legal perspective, in the 20 years that he has resided in Taiwan.
We touched upon how Taiwan's WTO accession improved the protection of intellectual property rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, migrant worker rights, and laws that should be reformed like the Parade an Assembly law.
This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.
NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:
To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: | |||
| Ep 194 | John Eastwood | Lost Episodes | 30 Jun 2022 | 00:09:56 | |
A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:
This lost episode of Talking Taiwan features John Eastwood, co-managing partner at Eiger Law. In the original interview with John which was recorded October 2012, John talks about attending the Democratic National Convention of 2012, his involvement with the Democratic National Committee and Democrats Abroad, and the significance of the Japanese Taihoku prison wall in Taipei.
Stay tuned for my follow up interview with John next week as we check in with him 10 years later to get an update from him.
For the month of June we'll be slowing things down by sharing lost episodes every other week, and in July we'll be taking a break from the lost episodes. We've got a lot of great new content planned and we just can't fit it all into our weekly publication schedule.
Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/ep-194-lost-episodes-john-eastwood/ | |||