Category: September 2023 | Page 2

July Bulletproof Armor Controversy Revealing About Civilian-Military Relations

Brian Hioe09/17/2023

A controversy in July involving the strength of the bulletproof armor that the ROC military uses proves instructive with regards to the dynamics of political controversy in Taiwan. To this extent, the case is instructive about the dynamics of interactions between Taiwan’s civilian government, voices from the public, and the military...

EnglishPoliticsSeptember 20234 min read

Ann Kao Again Embroiled in Controversy

Brian Hioe09/15/2023

Hsinchu mayor Ann Kao of the TPP has come under fire with a fresh wave of corruption allegations...

EnglishPoliticsSeptember 20235 min read

Life Continues to Imitate Art Imitating Life with Gou’s Choice of Running Mate

Brian Hioe09/14/2023

Foxconn founder Terry Gou announced his running mate today in a press conference held this morning. It was generally anticipated that Gou would announce a female running mate...

EnglishPoliticsSeptember 20236 min read

Gou’s Notion of a Peace Treaty Between Taiwan and China Revives Longstanding KMT Proposal

Brian Hioe09/13/2023

DPP presidential candidate William Lai hit out at Terry Gou’s proposal of a peace treaty between Taiwan and China earlier this week. Gou is running for president as a pan-Blue independent, with the KMT having declined to nominate him in favor of New Taipei mayor Hou You-yi earlier this year...

Cross StraitEnglishInternationalPoliticsSeptember 20235 min read

KMT and DPP Trade Barbs Over Eggs

Brian Hioe09/11/2023

The KMT has begun to lean into attacks on the Tsai administration over efforts to alleviate egg shortages in Taiwan. The egg shortages have resulted in price hikes, with egg prices increasing earlier this month by 3 NT per catty...

EnglishPoliticsSeptember 20235 min read

Dazhi Building Collapse Likely Caused by Familiar Issues

Brian Hioe09/10/2023

A recent incident in Dazhi, Taipei raises questions about corporate negligence in the construction industry. Specifically, 197 households consisting of 367 people in Dazhi had to be evacuated last week after several apartment buildings began tilting. It is thought that this was due to nearby construction by the Kee Tai Properties Company...

EnglishPoliticsSeptember 20236 min read

Incidents in Kaohsiung Reveal Continued Prevalence of Corporal Punishment

Brian Hioe09/08/2023

Several July incidents in Kaohsiung indicate how punitive attitudes toward children remain deeply rooted in Taiwanese society. This particularly proves to be an issue with regard to how educational institutions in Taiwan continue to retain teachers who are willing to violently punish students...

EnglishSeptember 2023Social MovementsYouth Movements5 min read

#MeToo Cases in Taiwan Spark Discussion of Deepfakes

Brian Hioe09/07/2023

In August, legal changes to the “Three Gender Equality” laws were passed by the legislature. This was in response to the wave of #MeToo cases that Taiwan has been swept by since late May. Nevertheless, though few of the high-profile cases touched on the issue directly, there has also been increased discussion of “deepfake” images, “revenge porn”, and digitally altered images, as they target women in particular...

EnglishGender/SexualitySeptember 2023Social Movements4 min read

Housing Inequality Looms Large in Elections

Brian Hioe09/06/2023

Calls to address housing inequality have become increasingly important ahead of elections, with plans by the Tsai administration to raise taxes on individuals that own more than one home to between two and 4.6 percent. This would be an increase from the current 1.2 to 3.6 percent...

EnglishSeptember 2023Social MovementsYouth Movements4 min read

KMT Energy Policy for 2024 Elections Leans Into Traditional Stances

Brian Hioe09/04/2023

The KMT unveiled its energy policy in August. In particular, the plan calls for lowering the percentage of energy from natural gas-fired power plants to 45% by 2030. Hou You-yi, the KMT’s presidential candidate, claims that coal-fired power plants will be phased out by 2040, when 34% of energy will be produced by gas-fired plants. By 2050, renewable energy will be 57% of Taiwan’s energy according to this plant...

EnglishEnvironmentalPoliticsSeptember 2023Social Movements6 min read

Arts/Culture

Calling For a Return to Sinocentrism in the Name of Opposing It: Responding to ‘Reconsidering Sinophone Studies’

Re/writing COVID-19 in China: Solidarity as Metonym for Historical Truth?

How Taipei Became the Home of Live Comedy During the Pandemic

International

Fu Kun-chi Returns from Trip to China, Touts Dividends

China Aims to Frame DPP as Reluctant to Open Up Tours with Partial Resumption

TSMC’s Development of Arizona Semiconductor Plant Could Have Implications for Taiwan’s Security

Interviews

“Trying to Gain More Autonomy in Our Narrative”: An Interview with René Hà on Stamped

Reflecting on an Ongoing Genocide: A Conversation with the Interviewees of All Static & Noise

Interview: David Novack and Janice Engelhart on All Static & Noise

Politics

Israel/Palestine Conflict: Over 100 Americans in Taiwan Send Letter to AIT

NCC Chair Appointment Becomes Firestorm Between Pan-Blue and Pan-Green Camps

Fu Kun-chi Returns from Trip to China, Touts Dividends

Social Movements

September 2023

July Bulletproof Armor Controversy Revealing About Civilian-Military Relations

Ann Kao Again Embroiled in Controversy

Life Continues to Imitate Art Imitating Life with Gou’s Choice of Running Mate

Gou’s Notion of a Peace Treaty Between Taiwan and China Revives Longstanding KMT Proposal

KMT and DPP Trade Barbs Over Eggs

Dazhi Building Collapse Likely Caused by Familiar Issues

Israel/Palestine Conflict: Over 100 Americans in Taiwan Send Letter to AIT

NCC Chair Appointment Becomes Firestorm Between Pan-Blue and Pan-Green Camps

Unions Mark International Workers’ Day with March

Fu Kun-chi Returns from Trip to China, Touts Dividends

Israel/Palestine Conflict: Over 100 Americans in Taiwan Send Letter to AIT

NCC Chair Appointment Becomes Firestorm Between Pan-Blue and Pan-Green Camps

Fu Kun-chi Returns from Trip to China, Touts Dividends

China Aims to Frame DPP as Reluctant to Open Up Tours with Partial Resumption