Taiwanology

Silva Shih, Senior Managing Editor at CommonWealth Magazine and seasoned China correspondent, discusses Trump's political resurgence and its implications for Taiwan. She contrasts the vibrant atmosphere of Trump rallies with quieter gatherings for Harris, revealing the electorate’s pressing concerns. Silva delves into how Trump’s comments on defense and trade could reshape US-Taiwan relations. With rising conservative sentiments among young voters and tensions with China, she highlights Taiwan's vital role in its defense strategy.

Where can you experience pilotless aircraft, autonomous cars, and service robots all in one place? Surprisingly, it's not the US or Germany, but China. Today, we sit down with Yixuan Lin to dive into China's remarkable technological strides, even amid international sanctions and mounting global pressures. What does this mean for the rest of the world, and what challenges lie ahead for China's ambitious tech future? 04:05 - What's it like to test-drive Huawei's autonomous car? 06:04 - The sci-fi film like robot expo in Beijing 08:51 - What is the "Made in China 2025" strategy? 13:40 - How does China bypass western sanctions on tech goods? 15:00 - What does Huawei's 2012 R&D compound reveal? 19:54 - Can China continue to prosper despite sanctions? 22:10 - Do sanctions work anyway? Host: Kwangyin Liu, Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Yixuan Lin, Senior Reporter of CommonWealth Magazine Producer: Weiru Wang ＊Read about China's tech ambitions 2025: https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=3789 ＊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

Virginia is home to a third of the world’s data centers, serving as a critical backbone of the internet — and a battleground over power and land. CommonWealth's Senior Writer Elaine Huang visited Ashburn’s famed Data Center Alley, where she saw firsthand the mounting tension as locals brace for a showdown over electricity and space. Could Taiwan be next to face these challenges? 09:03 - Who is the key person behind Ashburn's data center boom? 10:20 - Why are locals concerned about the development of data centers in the region? 15:19 - How local residents feel about having data centers as neighbors 17:50 - Could Taiwan face a power shortage because of Generative AI? 22:16 - Why tech giants are investing in their own power sources Host: Kwangyin Liu, Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Elaine Huang, Elaine Huang of CommonWealth Magazine Producer: Weiru Wang ＊Read about Elaine's trip to Virgina and what it means to Taiwan: https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=3782 ＊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

Cybersecurity is emerging as a crucial topic. For Taiwan, the island nation finds itself in a unique position, both as a global tech leader and a target in the changing geopolitical landscape. According to a 2021 estimation, Taiwan undergoes 20 to 40 million cyberattacks a month. What can Taiwan do to strengthen its cybersecurity awareness and skills? We hear from Heather Adkins, Google VP of Security Engineering and a founding member of Google's security team. 9:40 - Can anything be done about ransomeware? 12:00 - What makes Taiwan's cybersecurity situation unique? 17:40 - How can Taiwan's civil society and businesses strengthen their cybersecurity resilience? 23:02 - Critical infrastructure: how can we better stress test? 28:25 - What kind of new threats does Generative Artificial Intelligence bring? Host: Kwangyin Liu, Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Heather Adkins, Google VP of Security Engineering Producer: Weiru Wang ＊Read more about how Taiwan is cracking down on cyberfraud: https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=3572 ＊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

98% of marathon runners use Garmin devices to track their progress. Either you drive a Ford, Toyota or BMW, chances are your car uses Garmin's GPS system. Garmin's wearable devices are also loved by pilots, divers and triathletes. How did this company co-founded by a Taiwanese engineer come to dominate the business of navigation? 05:10 - What was Garmin's founding story? 09:15 - How did Garmin find a niche market in navigation? 14:20 - Why Garmin dominates the car navigation market? 20:00 - How Garmin works with big automakers Host: Kwangyin Liu Guest: Jay Shen, Managing Director of ASIA Automotive OEM Group of the Garmin Group Producer: Weiru Wang ＊Read about Garmin's competitive edge in technology: https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=252 ＊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

Taiwan's trade performance has been at its strongest. The share of Taiwan’s exports going to the U.S. has steadily risen from 12% in 2016 to 22.3% in the first quarter of this year. For the first time in 20 years, The US became Taiwan’s largest export market. However, if forTrump comes back in November, Taiwan will face a US president who sees trade deficits as the enemy. He has been gloating ideas about increasing tariffs and taking back chip manufacturing. What would all this mean for Taiwan and is there anything we could do about it? 07:25 - How has Taiwan's economy benefited from trade? 16:16 - Taiwan's responsie to the US re-shoring strategy 18:10 - What would Trump's second term mean for Taiwan's economy? 21:15 - When things become more expensive because of tariffs, who will pay? Host: Kwangyin Liu Guest: Daniel Liu, Director of Regional Development Study Center, Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research Producer: Weiru Wang ＊Read about Taiwan's ventures in Southeast Asia as a result of the "friendshoring" strategy: https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=3542 ＊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

Why would dozens of German students stay in Taiwan for half a year to learn about the chip industry? Because Taiwan is where over 90% of advanced semiconductor chips are made. In this episode, we dive into the future of European semiconductor manufacturing as it gains momentum, just as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's first European fab breaks ground in Saxony, Germany Aug 20. Joining us is Max Paulenz, a participant in the '2024 Semiconductor Talent Incubation Program Taiwan'. He is part of the first group of German students trained in Taiwan, ready to bring cutting-edge expertise back home. There will be more similar projects to come. We explore his journey, the skills he's acquired, and the role these talents will play in Europe's semiconductor ambitions. Host: Kwangyin Liu Guests: Max Paulenz, student of Dresden Technische Universität Producers: Weiru Wang, Billy Wu ＊Read about TSMC's overseas ventures: https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=3566 ＊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

From Tesla, VW to BYD, it seems all automakers want more of electric vehicles. But, how are they going to be powered? Today we're diving into the electrifying world of electric vehicles. With 80% of lithium batteries currently made in China, the West is seeking alternatives to diversify away. In May, CommonWealth's Kwangyin Liu visited AMG Lithium in Germany, Europe's first battery-grade lithium refinery. In this episode, we will explore Europe's ambitious plan to create its own battery supply chain, the steps involved, and the challenges ahead. We will also hear from experts in Berlin and Taiwan on how companies are planning to tap into this growing market. Join us as we uncover the efforts to power the future of transportation, amidst uncertainties brought by growing geopolitical tensions. Host: Kwangyin Liu Guests: Sabine Kraus, Andre Majdalani, Jacob Gunter and Mark Lu Producers: Weiru Wang, Billy Wu ＊Read about Taiwan's scramble for lithium: https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=3398 ＊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 the CrowdStrike glitch caused a global IT meltdown, cyber infrastructure security has emerged as a critical issue. This raises a question about Taiwan's defense capabilities: Is Taiwan's digital infrastructure robust enough to withstand hostile breaches or hacking attempts? We speak with Taiwan's Digital Minister, Yen-nun Huang, the man at the forefront of bolstering Taiwan's digital resilience. However, before he can address these larger threats, he must first confront the immediate challenge of rampant cyber scams. 07:11 - Why does Taiwan need a "digital highway"? 10:34 - What does digital resilience mean? 15:34 - How can Taiwan use technology to combat cyber scamming? 22:00 - Are there better solutions for outlying islands communication than undersea cables? Host: Kwangyin Liu Guest: Yen-nun Huang 黃彥男, Minister of Digital Affairs, Taiwan Producers: Weiru Wang, Billy Wu ＊Read about Taiwan's battle against online fraud: https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=3572 ＊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

27 years ago, the world witnessed Hong Kong’s handover from the UK to China. The city is now under a different kind of spotlight. The introduction of the National Security Law in 2020 and the passing of Article 23 sparked controversies. While lots of western money and expats have left, Russian and Middle Eastern wealth seems to be taking their place. 09:30 - Why is money flowing back to Hong Kong? 12:40 - Who are the people who continue to fight for freedom of speech in Hong Kong? 16:05 - Where do Hong Kongers go on the weekends? 24:40 - What does Hong Kong mean for Taiwan and China? Host: Kwangyin Liu Guest: Silva Shih, China Editor, CommonWealth Magazine Producers: Weiru Wang, Billy Wu ＊Read about how Hong Kong has evolved under the draconian rule: 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