Taiwanology

Is Taiwan’s biggest ally still reliable? For years, the U.S. and Taiwan were "best friends" because of democracy. But now, the conversation has changed to "protection fees" and business deals. This shift is creating a wave of U.S. skepticism across the island. We look at why people in Taiwan feel anxious and what happens to Taiwan’s security when friendship becomes a transaction. [00:34] Why Taiwan’s mood is a global warning sign. [01:43] The "might makes right" dynamic at Davos. [07:33] The shift from "shared values" to "protection fees." [11:43] Understanding the gap between anxiety and trust. [18:24] Is moving chip capacity to the U.S. a dangerous move? [34:47] The U.S. warning: Pay more to be "worth defending." Host: Kwangyin Liu, Senior Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: William Yang, Senior Analyst of the International Crisis Group Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read more: https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

There is historic shift in Europe-Taiwan ties. From Ukraine war to the "Trump factor," we examine why Brussels is looking past old constraints of its One China policy. A new paper asks if Taiwan can turn symbolic support into economic substance Europe now needs for resilience. 01:50 - The explosion in Taiwan-EU interactions 04:00 - How global instability sobered up EU policy toward Taiwan 17:20 - Mapping 30 nations' attitudes 23:30 - Why EU leaders are vocal about Taiwan 28:10 - The shift from symbolism to economic security 34:10 - Why Taiwan must move from a subject of debate to an active partner Host: Kwangyin Liu, Senior Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guests: Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Visiting Fellow at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies Matej Šimalčík, Executive Director of Central European Institute of Asian Studies Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read more: https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=4394 ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

COP30 wrapped in Belém after two weeks, and the final deal landed with a weak punch. No fossil-fuel phaseout, no major breakthrough. So what does this outcome mean? And with Taiwan hosting an unprecedented pavilion in the Green Zone, what role is Taiwan carving out in global climate politics? In this episode, I speak with climate scientist Rachel Cleetus and NGO worker Jack Huang to break it down. 3:08 — Is clean energy development on track for 1.5°C? 8:10 — Why doesn’t Taiwan have a country pavilion? 11:38 — How did Taiwan secure a presence in the Green Zone? 15:10 — Why should Taiwan care about COP at all? 22:15 — Why the climate crisis isn’t a zero-sum game Host: Kwangyin Liu, Senior Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Rachel Cleetus, Union of Concerned Scientists and Jack Huang, Project Coordinator of United Nations OICT Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read our COP30 coverage： https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=4446 ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

In September, U.S. Customs hit Taiwan's Giant with a Withhold Release Order—the first ever against a Taiwanese company—blocking its bikes from entering the U.S. over alleged forced labor. The move puts over US$1 billion in exports at risk and exposes gaps between Taiwan’s labor laws and global standards. What must Taiwan do to rebuild trust in its supply chains? 3:30 – Why is the broker system a high-risk factor for forced labor? 6:28 – What steps can Giant take to resume U.S. exports? 10:55 – Why is there a gap between Taiwan’s labor laws and global standards? 12:50 – What actions should Taiwanese companies take to improve? 20:50 – Story of an employer who covers recruitment fees for her worker. Host: Kwangyin Liu, Senior Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: CC Wu, trade compliance consultant of PwC Taiwan Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read about Taiwan's migrant workers：https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=3597 ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

As the world marks two years since the October 7 conflict, peace feels more distant than ever. Israeli peace educator Roi Silberberg and Palestinian scholar Hazem Almassry share deeply personal stories—from childhood in Gaza to life in a shared Jewish-Arab village. They reflect on Gaza’s devastation, Israel’s militarized “normal,” and Taiwan’s own security, arguing that peace begins not with agreements, but with dialogue. 03:00 — Hazem’s childhood in Gaza and path to Taiwan 09:50 — Roi’s journey into peace education 20:15 — Family under siege: Hazem's life and loss in Gaza 30:56 — The fellows' Kinmen visit and Taiwan’s “front line” identity 35:00 — The power in the choice of word "genocide" Host: Kwangyin Liu, Senior Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guests: Hazem Almassry, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Academia Sinica Roi Silberberg, Director of School for Peace     Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read about Taiwan： https://english.cw.com.tw  ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

Taiwan is at an energy crossroads. After decades of debate, a recent referendum revealed that over 70% favor restarting its last nuclear power plant. What does this shift mean for Taiwan’s energy security? We sit down with Danny Chang, former chairman of Star Buck Power Corp, to unpack Taiwan’s nuclear dilemma and why the island is rethinking its position on nuclear power. 0:00 – How Taiwan’s latest referendum sparks debate on nuclear power 6:00 – Why Taiwan’s anti-nuclear stance is rooted in history 10:30 – Shifting opinions: costs, climate change, and rising power demand 17:04 – Japan and the U.S. show how nuclear comebacks happen 24:27 – Can renewables meet Taiwan’s ambitious energy goals? Host: Kwangyin Liu, Senior Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Kuor hsin Chang, former Chairman of Star Buck Power     Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Tracking Taiwan's nuclear debates：https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=4287  ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

Taiwan’s largest military exercise, the Han Kuang drills, now includes a supermarket chain helping with evacuation plans. With China’s military pressure near-constant, Taiwan is expanding its defense strategy to include asymmetric warfare, civil defense, and psychological readiness. Silva Shih, CommonWealth Magazine's defense reporter, joins us to explain how Taiwan is preparing—and what could still be missing. - 3:10 Why does Taiwan’s defense conversation feel more urgent this year? - 8:08 The major trends observed through a PLA activities dashboard - 14:20 What's new with this year's Han Kuang military drills? - 19:45 Taiwan’s largest supermarket chain joined the drills. What does that tell us? - 22:16 How worried should Taiwan be about a blockade or gray-zone harassments? Host: Kwangyin Liu, Senior Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Silva Shih, Senior Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine   Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Check out CommonWealth's PLA activities dashboard: https://www.cw.com.tw/graphics/pla-activities-around-taiwan-en/  ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

In 2025, Taiwan is witnessing an unprecedented wave of citizen-led recall campaigns targeting lawmakers—mostly from the opposition Kuomintang. Branded the “mass recall” movement, it raises a question: is this a genuine expression of civic outrage, or a politically driven power play? To unpack the roots and implications of this political upheaval, we speak with Nathan Batto, political scientist and author of the Frozen Garlic blog. - 8:10 How does the Sunflower Movement connect to today’s recall wave? - 12:02 What sparked this massive recall push? Perspectives from both sides - 18:45 Is the movement truly grassroots—or party-driven? - 21:50 Why hasn’t the KMT been able to mobilize as effectively? - 30:55 Is mass recall Taiwan’s only option for breaking political deadlock? - 34:01 How might the results affect Taiwan’s geopolitical position? Host: Kwangyin Liu, Senior Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Nathan Batto, Associate Research Fellow at Academia Sinica,   Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read CommonWealth's explainer on the mass recall and its implications：https://english.cw.com.tw  ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw 留言告訴我你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cledx9shs004801v3cmkogc7e/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

As global powers pour billions into the hydrogen economy, Taiwan is just getting started. In this episode, we ask: Is Taiwan ready for the hydrogen economy? Could hydrogen be Taiwan’s next move for energy security and net-zero goals? We explore what it will take for Taiwan to catch up, from industrial policy to infrastructure. - 03:30 From flour to fuel: How Linde LienHwa evolved into a hydrogen leader - 07:40 Why hydrogen? What makes it a game-changer in energy - 10:02 Hydrogen on the move: Its role in decarbonizing transportation - 16:00 Taiwan’s challenge: Building up hydrogen infrastructure - 22:00 Rethinking energy: What must change in Taiwan’s infrastructure to go net-zero Host: Kwangyin Liu, Senior Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guests: Christine Miao, Vice President of Corp. Communications & Head of Hydrogen Mobility, Linde LienHwa & Toby Collins, Managing Director of Lien Hwa New Energy  Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Learn what’s holding back Taiwan’s renewable energy ambitions — and what it will take to overcome. https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=3689  ＊Share your thoughts: bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

With Trump's return, the push for tariffs, reshoring, and a "great manufacturing renaissance" is gaining momentum. But what does reindustrialization actually look like—and where does Taiwan fit into this vision? Our guest, Jack Hou, COO of Universal Cement, shares insights from both sides of the Pacific, including how he helped turn around his family business and what it would take to rebuild manufacturing in the U.S. - The mood in Boston and New York about a second Trump term [05:40] - Can high tariffs bring manufacturing back to the U.S.? [13:14] - A case study from Taiwan: How Universal Cement engineered a turnaround [18:17] - What it takes to spark a manufacturing renaissance in America [23:17] - The opportunities for Taiwan to play a role in America's reindustrialization [28:00] Host: Kwangyin Liu, Senior Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Jack Hou, COO, Universal Cement Corporation Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read more about Taiwan's manufacturers are rethinking their strategies going forward: https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=4068 ＊Share your thoughts: bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting