English

Why Have Some Reacted Against Comparisons Between Catalonia And Taiwan?

Brian Hioe
With the recent independence referendum in Catalonia, a flurry of comparisons have been drawn between what lessons that referendum in Catalonia could draw for Taiwan. At the same time, however, there has been the opposite tendency, to insist that referendum in Catalonia does not offer lessons from Taiwan because of the differences in circumstances between the two areas...
Cross StraitEnglishInternationalOctober 201712 min read

Review: Motherland

Brian Hioe
"Motherland" directed by Ramona S. Diaz, would be an examination of the lives of pregnant women at Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, the so-called “baby factory” of the Philippines. In this sense, the film is a look at the overpopulation crisis of the Philippines at the very human level of the conditions faced by the pregnant women living in conditions of poverty who give birth at the Fabella Memorial Hospital...
Arts and CultureEnglishFilm and TelevisionOctober 20175 min read

Why Did China Kidnap Lee Ming-Che, Anyway?

Brian Hioe
While Taiwanese human rights advocate Lee Ming-Che remains imprisoned in China under murky charges of “subverting state power” and attempting to encourage “multiparty rule” in China, it may be worth considering the question of what exactly China hopes to gain out of Lee’s imprisonment, if at all. Obviously, in all likelihood, China wishes to intimidate Taiwan, but in precisely what way does it wish to intimidate Taiwan?...
Cross StraitEnglishInternationalOctober 20176 min read

Filipino Accusations of Taiwanese Drug Trafficking Complicate Diplomatic Relations

Garrett Dee
Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte made diplomatic waves last month during a speech at a police academy in the Philippines by claiming that Taiwan was a major source of drugs entering the Philippines, listing Taiwan as a primary origin of the drug trade in comparison to China and other neighboring countries. This action provoked a strong reaction from the Taiwanese government, who rebutted the claims and reaffirmed their strong partnership with the Philippines in combatting cross-border crime and drug trafficking...
EnglishInternationalOctober 2017Regional Tensions6 min read