2024 elections

Beyond Mayday’s Lip-Synching Investigation: Taiwan’s Music Freedom Questioned Under PRC Influences

Chen-yu Lin
On December 28, 2023, Reuters and CNN​ reported a disconcerting incident involving Mayday, a Taiwanese rock band, who found themselves entangled in a request from Chinese authorities to make pro-Beijing statements. As reported by CNN, the authorities demanded a public statement affirming the unity of China and Taiwan as a single nation. The band’s refusal to comply resulted in consequences related to alleged lip-synching, which is referred to as “deceptive singing (假唱)” in Chinese. This accusation carries the potential for fines or even performance bans under Chinese law. These developments stemmed from their December concert in Shanghai and are potentially connected to Taiwan’s presidential election in January 2024, prompting an ongoing investigation....
EnglishFebruary 2024Politics6 min read

KMT Party Congress Reaffirms Hou’s Nomination, But In-Fighting Continues

Brian Hioe
The KMT party congress took place yesterday at the Banqiao Stadium in New Taipei. There were few surprises at the party congress, with KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih officially confirmed as the party’s candidate. There has been speculation for some weeks that Hou could potentially face being replaced as the KMT party candidate, due to Hou’s weak performance in polls so far. This was the scenario that took place in the 2016 presidential elections, with Hung Hsiu-chu being swapped out in favor of current party chair Eric Chu...
EnglishJuly 2023Politics6 min read

Is Hou You-yi Leaning Into Nuclear Advocacy to Pacify the KMT?

Brian Hioe
KMT presidential candidate Hou You-yi has begun to lean into advocacy of nuclear power in the course of campaigning at a time of flagging ratings. Hou currently polls worse than former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je, who is the presidential candidate of the TPP and KMT chair Eric Chu has had to fend off rumors that the KMT is considering replacing Hou as its candidate. Hou is calling for restarts of nuclear plants in Shihmen and Guosheng, the highly controversial No. 4 nuclear reactor, and extending the lifespan of the Ma-anshan plant...
EnglishJune 2023Politics5 min read

Lin Fei-fan Announces His Withdrawal from Elections

Brian Hioe
DPP legislative candidate Lin Fei-fan, best known as one of the student leaders of the 2014 Sunflower Movement, announced his withdrawal from the 2024 legislative elections yesterday in a surprise move. This was to take responsibility for the current wave of controversies faced by the DPP regarding issues of sexual harassment within the party, seeing as Lin was seen as responsible through overseeing the DPP’s Gender Equality Committee during his period as a deputy secretary-general of the party–even if he did not commit any acts of wrongdoing...
EnglishJune 2023Politics6 min read

What Will Domestic and International Reactions to Chinese Drills After the Tsai-McCarthy Meeting Be?

Brian Hioe
China has once again begun carrying out military exercises in response to a meeting between a Taiwanese president and a US Speaker of the House. In this case, on Saturday, China announced three days of military exercises following the meeting that took place between US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday in California...
April 2023EnglishInternationalRegional Tensions9 min read