Talking Taiwan

Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/michelle-kuo-and-albert-wu-on-a-broad-and-ample-road-and-the-taiwanese-presbyterian-church-shooting-ep-209/   A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:   In mid-June I spoke with Michelle Kuo and Albert Wu about their weekly newsletter, A Broad and Ample Road. They began writing it in 2020 as a way to keep in touch with people during the pandemic.   We also spoke about the shooting at the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian church in Laguna Woods which had happened a month before on May 15th. We discussed how the shooting sparked debate on the shooter’s identity as Taiwanese or Chinese, and the terms benshengren (本省人) and waishengren (外省人) which are commonly used in Taiwan to differentiate people. Michelle reflected on how the close-knit nature of the Taiwanese community in Laguna. Her parents live five minutes from the church and knew members of the Taiwanese community in Laguna Woods. Albert shared why he felt that in a different life the shooter could have been one of his uncles.   Michelle Kuo is a social activist, lawyer, teacher, and writer. She is an associate professor at the American University of Paris in History, Law, and Society and a visiting associate professor at National Taiwan University.   Albert Wu is a historian and an associate research fellow at the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica.   This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.   NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:   to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.   To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com   Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:   Why Michelle and Albert named their newsletter A Broad and Ample Road Why Michelle and Albert started their newsletter The piece that Michelle and Albert wrote about how Taiwan’s pro-China media depicts Ukraine and Russia How Michelle thinks that writing doesn’t have to be a solidary activity How Michelle and Albert decide what to write together How Michelle and Albert write together What Michelle and Albert’s writing process is How Michelle and Albert deal with disagreements in the writing process How often the newsletter is published One of the most enjoyable things about writing the newsletter How the newsletter had connected them with a variety of people who can relate to the things Michelle and Albert write about Michelle’s piece about moving to Taiwan Michelle and Albert have envisioned the newsletter being bilingual and through a grant from Substack have been able to work with translators Michelle’s book Reading With Patrickhas been translated into Chinese The shooting at Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in May Divisions between the different groups of people who identify as Taiwanese and Chinese in Taiwan The terms benshengren (本省人) and waishengren (外省人) The Chinese character for sheng (省) means province which is how Taiwan was referred to under the Republic of China initially until constitutional amendments were made The term the “49ers” which refers to the Chinese that fled China with the with the Kuomintang to Taiwan in 1949 How the gunman of the shooting at Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church was a son of waishengren Albert and Michelle’s experiences growing up a family that was a mix of bengshengren and waishengren The discrimination that Albert’s waishengren uncles experienced in Taiwan How Michelle was raised by her parents to identify as Chinese American The debate over whether to call the gunman Taiwanese or Chinese The idea that the term Taiwanese can be inclusive, multicultural The waishengren identity as victim vs. privileged The variety of reactions to the Taiwanese Presbyterian Church shooting Michelle’s parents’ connection to the members of the Taiwanese Presbyterian Church How members of the Taiwanese community in Laguna Woods coexist and interact despite their differences in political opinions How the circumstances of the shooter David Chou’s life were unraveling What makes someone become a killer or a hero The types of communities that could contribute to making people in to heroes or killers The brutal impact of authoritarian regimes on all members of its society Activists in the opposition (dangwai) movement have included waishengren, aboriginal, Hakka and other groups   Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/michelle-kuo-and-albert-wu-on-a-broad-and-ample-road-and-the-taiwanese-presbyterian-church-shooting-ep-209/

Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/dr-wilma-welsh-how-the-presbyterian-church-of-taiwan-became-the-voice-of-the-people-in-the-1970s-ep-208/   A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:   When Wilma Welsh left Canada to work with the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) in 1969, she told me that it changed her life.   Little did she know how she’d be a part of the pivotal role that the PCT would play as a voice for the people of Taiwan. During her time in Taiwan, Wilma experienced the Kuomintang’s surveillance and censorship, and felt the lingering impact of the 228 massacre which happened on February 28, 1947.   She was the English secretary to Reverend Kao Chun-ming, the General Secretary of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. When Taiwan’s international status and the fate Taiwan’s people came in to question Reverend Kao and others wrote the Public Statement on Our National Fate, Wilma typed it up and took it out of Taiwan to Hong Kong where it could be safely mailed out. She also recounted how she was working at the Bible Society in Taipei in 1975 when the Kuomintang arrived to confiscate Taiwanese Hoklo language versions of the Bible and ended up smuggling out 2 copies of the Bible.   In 2006 she became the Moderator of the 132nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. She was the first lay person to ever hold this position. In 2010 she was by the bestowing of a Doctor of Divinity Degree (DD) from Knox College, the University of Toronto.  During her year as Moderator she received three additional honors, a life membership in the Women’s Missionary Society, the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Medal, and an honorary membership in the World Taiwanese Christian Association.   This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.   NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:   to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.   To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com     Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:   Wilma’s early involvement with the Presbyterian Church What brought Wilma to Formosa (as Taiwan was known then) to work with the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan Wilma’s parents’ reaction to her going to Taiwan What Wilma was doing before she went to Taiwan What Wilma knew about Taiwan before she went there The language training that Wilma did before going to Taiwan Wilma’s first impressions of Taiwan How Wilma first worked with M.C. Chong How Wilma work for Dr. Kao (Reverend Kao Chun-ming) How Taiwan was under martial law and Wilma had to beware of informers The censorship of postal mail coming from Taiwan Wilma’s work with Dr. Kao How she worked half a day on Wednesdays at the Bible Society How it was not safe for Dr. Kao to speak with Wilma about certain things in the office because there were planted informants in the office How the Taiwanese were afraid of the Kuomintang since the 228 Massacre had happened How she burned documents that Dr. Kao didn’t want people to read How the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan was pressured to cancel its membership in the World Council of Churches The letter that was written by Presbyterian Church in Taiwan stating that it was not their wish to withdraw from the World Council of Churches How Wilma hid this letter when she left Taiwan for Hong Kong where she mailed the letter out to partner churches The letter was also taken to the American embassy (AIT) to be sent out to the U.S. How the Republic of China’s United Nations seat was transferred to the People’s Republic of China in 1971 when UN Resolution 2758 recognized the PRC as the legitimate representative of China and what that meant for the fate of Taiwan and the people of Taiwan What prompted the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) to issue the Statement on Our National Fate How Wilma secretly took copies of the PCT’s Statement on Our National Fate with her to Hong Hong to be mailed out How the PCT’s Statement on Our National Fate stated: How the PCT’s Statement was perceived as a challenge to the Kuomintang’s authority What happened when the Kuomintang sent police to confiscate Hoklo (Taiwanese) language bible from the Bible Society in 1975 How Wilma was asked to intervene and smuggle copies of the Bible out of Taiwan How Wilma smuggled the Bibles out of Taiwan to Canada How Wilma knew that despite the things she did, she was protected by the Canadian government How there were informants in the office of the PCT Wilma reflects on how the time she spent in Taiwan changed her Wilma’s thoughts on current events related to Taiwan, such as the church shooting in Irvine and the visit of Nancy Pelosi   Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/dr-wilma-welsh-how-the-presbyterian-church-of-taiwan-became-the-voice-of-the-people-in-the-1970s-ep-208/

Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/guy-gilchrist-cartoonist-for-the-muppets-talks-about-how-to-achieve-your-dreams-ep-207/   A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:   I first learned about illustrator and cartoonist Guy Gilchrist, when I interviewed Dr. Karen Tsai (in episode 120) about how she spearheaded the creation of Monster Dance, a children’s book created to help children deal with and understand the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Guy is best known as the cartoonist of Jim Henson’s Muppets comic strip that was printed worldwide in 660-plus newspapers daily in 80 different languages. Guy spoke with me about his humble beginnings, and how he made his childhood dreams of becoming a cartoonist a reality.   Guy has had a lead role on the creative team for the Muppet Babies, Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock, and other Henson creations. Throughout the years, Guy has also had his hand in notable cartoons such as The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry, Tiny Toons, The Pink Panther, and Disney, among others.   Since we can’t showcase or share all of Guy’s talents on the podcast, we are excited to announce that on November 5th, we’ll be hosting a live online event where you can meet Guy and see him draw your favorite cartoon characters live. Guy has agreed do a special live online event to help raise some money for Talking Taiwan on November 5th. To get invited to this special event to meet Guy online just make a donation to Talking Taiwan’s GoFundMe campaign: http://gofundme.com/building-talking-taiwans-legacy.   We'll be sharing more information about the fun things planned for this event in the upcoming weeks.   This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.   NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:   to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.   To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com   Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:   How Guy got involved with the children's book Monster Dance How Guy met Dr. Karen Tsai who spearheaded the creation of Monster Dance Dr. Karen Tsai's nonprofit organization Donate PPE  How Guy helped Donate PPE’s efforts by drawing comic book characters with masks for kids and to thank frontline health care workers How they went from the idea to create a coloring book to a children’s book Madeleine Editions, the publisher they worked with to create the children’s book Monster Dance The Walt Disney quote that inspired Guy to put out the book in record time How the team working on the book worked via Zoom and from locations all around the world and Eva Lou the founder of Madeleine Editions How the book got done in record time during the pandemic Guy's childhood and how his mother nurtured his artistic talent Since childhood Guy always imagined that he'd be a famous cartoonist How Guy did not have a television when he grew up, so he often watched television in an appliance store near the diner where his mother worked How he was inspired by watching cartoonist Walter Lantz draw Woody Woodpecker on television  Why at the age of 10 Guy sent in his artwork to Walter Lantz How as a kid Guy imagined that he'd get to Los Angeles or New York to find work The first time Guy went to a Comic Convention, now known as ComiCon The letter that Walter Lantz sent in response to Guy How at age 16 Guy landed his first job drawing for a Disney coloring book  How Guy became the cartoonist who drew the Muppets comic strip, which debuted in September 1981 The first time that Guy met Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets How the Muppets comic strip was the only one to appear daily in 80 different languages around the world because Jim Henson wanted the Muppets How Guy ended up being a guest of honor at the Whitehouse, declared a national treasure and having his work enshrined in the Smithsonian Which Muppet Guy identifies with the most Guy’s advice for illustrators who are struggling with their career or creativity   Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/guy-gilchrist-cartoonist-for-the-muppets-talks-about-how-to-achieve-your-dreams-ep-207/

Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/eric-chan-discusses-what-led-the-taiwan-military-to-shoot-down-a-chinese-civilian-drone-ep-206/   A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:   On September first, the Taiwan military shot down a Chinese civilian drone that flew near Kimen. In this episode of Talking Taiwan. I speak with Eric Chan about what led up the incident, China’s increased gray zone tactics toward Taiwan since U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in early August, and other news related to Taiwan’s military, such as the Taiwan Policy Act and UMC founder, Robert Tsao’s donation for civil defense in Taiwan.   Eric Chan is a non-resident research fellow at the Global Taiwan Institute, a Washington DC-based think tank dedicated to policy research on Taiwan and its people. He is also a senior airpower strategist with the U.S. Air Force, where he provides USAF with expertise on People’s Republic of China military capabilities, political leadership, and strategic culture.   Mr. Chan was previously the China, Korea, Philippines, and Vietnam Country Director with the Air Force. In this role, Mr. Chan was responsible for USAF engagement with the Chinese Air Force, and for managing security cooperation with key allies and partners.   Mr. Chan has published widely on Chinese influence operations and gray zone warfare, Taiwan military reform, and military diplomacy with the People’s Liberation Army. He has written for publications including the Global Taiwan Brief, the USAF Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs, The Diplomat, and War on the Rocks.   Mr. Chan holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science/History from the University of California, San Diego.   This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.   NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:   to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.   To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com   Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:   How China’s gray zone tactics towards Taiwan have changed over the years and since U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August Should there be concerns about these changes and China’s use of drones in their gray zone tactics towards Taiwan What kind of intelligence can drones collect and damage they can do When China started sending drones over to Taiwan To date about 30 drones have flown over Kimen What led up to Taiwan’s military shooting down a drone from China on September 1 How Taiwan’s military is considering installing anti-drone systems The difference between civilian and miliary drones How Ukraine has rigged civilian drones with grenades in the war with Russia The impact of China’s military actions in response to Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and was it a blockade How some have called China’s recent military actions against Taiwan the fourth straits crisis What would constitute a military blockade of Taiwan Based on China’s recent military actions, what do we know about China’s military capability How Beijing’s recent white paper “One China, Two Systems” does not include promises made in a previous 1993 paper that Taiwan could have its own administrative, legislative, and judicial institutions, run its own democratic system, have its own military and economic affairs How Beijing will use Taiwan’s rejection of the white paper to justify harsher tactics against Taiwan How has China’s’ recent military actions and white paper affected public perception of people in China UMC (United Microelectronics Corporation) founder, Robert Tsao’s sizeable donation for civil defense of Taiwan The Taiwan Policy Act which has been passed through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee What the Taiwan Policy Act would mean for Taiwan and the Taiwan Relations Act The message that the Taiwan Policy Act would send to China   Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/eric-chan-discusses-what-led-the-taiwan-military-to-shoot-down-a-chinese-civilian-drone-ep-206/

Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/rev-michael-stainton-working-with-indigenous-people-in-taiwan-before-and-after-martial-law-ep-205/   A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:   In this episode of Talking Taiwan, I welcome back Reverend Michael Stainton to talk about his time in Taiwan and work with the indigenous people of Taiwan. Much of the time he spent in Taiwan was during the martial law era (before 1987) and he gives an interesting account of what Taiwan was like at the time.   Reverend Stainton is the President of the Taiwanese Human Rights Association of Canada and the Founder and Director of the Canadian Mackay Committee. We had Reverend Stainton on as a guest previously (in episode 173) to talk about Canadian missionary George Leslie Mackay’s contributions to Taiwan.   This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.   NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:   to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.   To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com   Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:   In the 1970s, while Chiang Kai-shek was President of Taiwan Chinese Communist materials and materials from China were labeled “banditry materials” at the Stanford Center’s library Students could access the “banditry materials” but were required to sign out and promptly return them because the materials had to remain on premises The Garrison Command would periodically stop by the library to check to make sure none of the “banditry materials” was missing How the death of Chiang Kai-shek was covered by the three television stations in Taiwan How Taiwan was a totalitarian police state in the 1970s What happened when Reverend Stainton was sent to Taiwan as a missionary in 1980 to work with the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan Reverend Stainton’s work as the Director of the Taipei Aboriginal University Student Center How students of the Taipei Aboriginal University Student Center were required to report to the political commissary what Reverend Stainton was teaching them How Reverend Stainton tried to encourage the aborigine students to think about their identity and history by inviting various speakers such as local politicians and an academic who had critiqued the myth of Wu Feng (who was beheaded by the Tsou aborigine tribe) How the police were always watching and Reverend Stainton’s mail was opened and censored (during Taiwan’s martial law era) What happened when the police and garrison command arrived to break up a birthday party that students were having at the Taipei Aboriginal University Student Center How Reverend Stainton knew that his phone was being tapped Some students from the Taipei Aborigine University Student Center went on to become leaders and politicians including Icyang Parod who is the Minister of the Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP) In 1982 Reverend Stainton switched to doing work in a rural aboriginal development in Wulai How Reverend Stainton helped to uncover embezzlement by the director of the Taipei Presbytery’s community development center in Wulai How Reverend Stainton discovered that he was disinvited from continuing to stay in Taiwan and sent back to Canada The Atayal people began to request that they run the aboriginal development in Wulai be under the Atayal Presbytery church instead of the Taipei Presbytery How Reverend Stainton studied at the Coady Institute after returning to Canada in 1983 and learned methods of community of development How Reverend Stainton was invited to return to Taiwan How Reverend Stainton was invited to work at community development centers in Taidong and Hualien How the president of a cooperative ran for and was elected township mayor, but the KMT found a way to oust him People who planned to participate in the Aboriginal return our land movement demonstration march in Taipei on August 25,1988 were harassed by the police and warned not to participate, busloads of people en route to the demonstration were also stopped In this era Cheng Wen Chen’s murder at Taida happened in 1981 and in 1989, Deng Nylon (Cheng Nan-jung) committed suicide by self-immolation rather than be arrested Reverend Stainton and his wife returned to Canada in 1991 How Reverend Stainton’s observation of the variations in behavior of different aborigine groups at the Taipei Aborigine University Student Center made him interested in anthropology How Columbus Leo challenged the blacklist after martial law had been lifted Reverend Stainton was sent by the United Church of Canada to be an observer at Columbus Leo’s trial Observers at Columbus Leo’s trial included David Mulroney The Columbus Leo Support Committee was renamed and continued as the Taiwanese Human Rights Association of Canada (THRAC) The Taiwanese Human Rights Association of Canada organized the first nongovernment sponsored delegation (that included three members of Parliament) to observe the 1992 legislative elections in Taiwan The 1992 delegation included: Jim Peterson (Liberal), Bill Blaikie (NDP) and Mary Clancy (Liberal) In 1996 the THRAC organized a visit of indigenous leaders from Taiwan to Canada, the group included Icyang Parod, some clergy, legislators (two KMT and one DPP) The group traveled to various parts of Canada learning about the different approaches to self- government that indigenous people had taken and met Ovide Mercredi The Nisga’a Treaty What is currently happening with indigenous peoples’ rights in Taiwan The “return our land movement” in Taiwan   Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/rev-michael-stainton-working-with-indigenous-people-in-taiwan-before-and-after-martial-law-ep-205/

Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/eduordo-roquette-talks-about-his-life-changing-scooter-accident-and-playing-tiger-man-ep-204/   A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:   Edouard Roquette is the founder of Rooms.Taipei a co-living business. In episode 192 he spoke to me about his experiences as an entrepreneur and the challenges facing foreign entrepreneurs in Taiwan. I’ve invited him back on to talk about the life-changing scooter accident that happened to him in 2012. It landed him in a wheelchair for six months, and on crutches for eight years. With physical therapy and treatment Edouard has been able to walk and hike again. To this day he continues to consult with physical therapists about his condition. We also spoke about how he took on the role of playing Tiger Man at the annual festivities in Beigang celebrating the birthday of Mazu, the goddess of the sea, and his fascination with Taiwan’s religious festivals and ceremonies.   This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.   NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:   to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.   To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com   Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:   How Edouard recovered enough from his scooter accident to be able to walk How Edouard’s accident happened three days before his visa for Taiwan expired The approach that hospitals in Taiwan take with pain management As a result of overstaying his visa Edouard had to leave Taiwan for a year How Edouard has been able to go from not being able to stand for more than a few minutes to being able to walk and hike Edouard’s physical therapist in Taipei JJ. Physio How Edouard had to advocate for himself to get physical therapy As a result of Edouard’s accident he lost his company, money, health, and relationship How it took eight years for Edouard to walk again and how he got through it How it was important for Edouard to feel a sense of normalcy as he was dealing with his injury and recovering How he dealt with the way that people treated him at various stages of his recovery How Edouard has been open trying all different types of treatments The lessons that Edouard has learned throughout this journey to recover from his accident The importance of connecting with support groups or people who have had similar experiences Edouard’s advice to others who have visa issues in Taiwan How Edouard ended up playing the role of Tiger man for Mazu’s birthday Taiwan’s dense religious practices The Mazu festival in Beigang (北港) attracts 200,000 people The Mazu festival in Dajia (大甲) attracts 2 million people The Wanjin (aka Wanchin) Catholic Basilica in Pingtung, Taiwan Obscure religious festivals in Taiwan Edouard has posted videos of Mazu birthday festivities on Facebook How Edouard has been involved with the Mazu birthday festivities in Beigang for 14 years Edouard’s recommendations for people interested in attending religious festivals in Taiwan Being a tourist in your own country and constantly discovering things about the place you live The Taiwan Gods website   Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/eduordo-roquette-talks-about-his-life-changing-scooter-accident-and-playing-tiger-man-ep-204/  

Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/john-eastwood-discusses-areas-in-need-of-legal-reform-in-taiwan-ep-203/   A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:   John Eastwood is a partner at the Taipei office of the law firm Eiger. I spoke with John previously in episode 195 about some of the changes he’s seen in Taiwan from a legal perspective, in the 20 years that he’s resided in Taiwan. In this second half of our interview, John and I spoke about other issues and areas in need of legal reform in Taiwan. This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.     NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:   to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.   To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com   Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: Legal reforms that John has seen happen in Taiwan Issues that are in need of legal reform The Anti-banditry Act (aka The Act for the Control and Punishment of Banditry) The case of a man who decapitated a child in Taiwan What does it mean to be not guilty by reason of insanity The need for increased awareness and understanding of mental health and mental illness when it comes to making judgments on criminal cases Cases of elder abuse fraud in Taiwan and conservatorship How John’s firm has helped to safeguard their elderly clients’ assets How elder fraud is not just an “old person’s” issue but also a “young person’s” issue How difficult it is to undo things once fraud had been committed   Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/john-eastwood-discusses-areas-in-need-of-legal-reform-in-taiwan-ep-203/

Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-history-of-mets-taiwan-day-with-diana-lee-of-hello-taiwan-ep-202/   A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:   On this episode of Talking Taiwan I’m speaking with Diana Lee, one of the founders and organizers of Hello Taiwan about Mets Taiwan Day which is in its 17th year. It’s coming up soon on August 28th. We talked about how the event got started, some of the celebrities and notable people who have appeared at Mets Taiwan Day in the past and what sorts of activities and things people will experience at the event. Among the most exciting news for Taiwanese baseball fans is who will be throwing the first pitch of the game, and how to get a limited edition MetsTaiwan No. 1 jersey. Hello Taiwan also sponsors other sporting and cultural events throughout the year.   This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.   NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:   to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.   To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com   Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:   How and when Mets Taiwan Day started How the NY Mets have several celebration of different culture events in the month of August Activities at Mets Taiwan Day include the Formosan Black Bear mascot, Third Prince, diabolo performance Peng Cheng-min (aka Chia Chia) former Taiwanese baseball player and coach will be throwing the first pitch at this year’s Mets Taiwan Day The Mets Taiwan No. 1 jersey and how to get one How the Mets Taiwan No. 1 jersey will be available in kids sizes for the first time this year Celebrities and famous, notable Taiwanese who have made appearances or thrown the first pitch at past Mets Taiwan Day events Other sports events sponsored by Hello Taiwan include: Rhode Island Dragon Boat Festival, Hello Taiwan Night at Dodgers’ Stadium, Hello Taiwan Night Lunar New Year event with the Long Island Nets Other events that Hello Taiwan has planned throughout the year for Halloween, a Taiwanese night market, Easter, Christmas   Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-history-of-mets-taiwan-day-with-diana-lee-of-hello-taiwan-ep-202/

Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/shui-ying-chung-talks-about-filmmaking-and-her-award-winning-short-ep-201/   A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:   Shu-Ying Chung is a filmmaker based in New York. Her short film Removable has been making the rounds at film festivals. It’s won several awards for best story, best short, best actress, and best director, to name a few. I spoke with Shu-Ying about what motivated her to write, direct and produce the film and how she can identify with the subject matter of the film due to her own past immigration status issues. She also talked about some of the highlights of her career in film and offered some advice for those interested in filmmaking.   This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.   NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:   to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.   To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com   Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:   What it was like growing up in Taiwan for Shu-Ying Her interest in music, television and film and her parents’ reaction Her short film Removable that is currently making the rounds at several film festivals, which has earned many awards for best short, best actress, and best director, to name a few What inspired her to write, produce and direct her short film Removable Shu-Ying’s own experience with being forced to leave the U.S. due to work visa issues What happened when Shu-Ying had to leave the U.S. to return to Taiwan due to a visa issue and ended up staying there for 1.5 years How she wrote the script for Removable with her husband The research involved in writing the script for Removable How Shu-Ying and her husband did everything required for pre-production of the film in four weeks and a five-day shoot to make the short film, Removable How Removable was self-funded by Shu-Ying and her husband If Shu-Ying has plans to expand Removable into a full-length film Shu-Ying’s career path in film so far and her work at Hearst Magazines How Shu-Ying’s immigrant/work status has been a barrier in her career path How English language proficiency can be a barrier for foreigners to overcome in the U.S. Shu-Ying’s dream of being able to direct full length films full-time What it takes to be a good film director Shu-Ying’s approach to filmmaking The most memorable film/video projects (shown on Shu-Ying’s website) that she has worked on Shu-Ying’s first experience shooting with 35 mm film The difference between shooting on film vs. digitally Shu-Ying’s work on the Artists’ Den documentary series What Shu-Ying misses about Taiwan Some of Shu-Ying’s favorite films One of the films that influenced her short film Removable What Shu-Ying thinks she would be doing if she wasn’t a filmmaker The dream film project that Shu-Ying would like to make about her grandmother How Shu-Ying would like to be remembered What advice Shu-Ying has for others interested in being a filmmaker   Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/shui-ying-chung-talks-about-filmmaking-and-her-award-winning-short-ep-201/

Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/charlie-wu-talks-about-the-annual-event-taiwanfest-ep-200/   A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:   Today Talking Taiwan hits a major milestone with episode 200! We think it’s especially meaningful that the topic of this interview is TAIWANfest, an annual Taiwanese Canadian event that dates back to 1990.   Nowadays, TAIWANfest is held annually in Toronto and Vancouver. And my guest on this episode is Charlie Wu, the Managing Director of Asian-Canadian Special Events Association , which organizes TAIWANfest and LunarFest. You may recall that we had Charlie on earlier this year (in episode 167) to talk about LunarFest. TAIWANfest will be held in Toronto later this month from August 26-28 and in Vancouver from September 3-5. This year’s theme is: The Stories of Independence Indulge in Indonesia, Discover Malaysia.   The programming will feature the indigenous band, Kanatal, which is a sort of experiment, that breaks the mold. They are a newly formed band of 4 experienced musicians, that have performing on tour without even having an album released. Other programs at TAIWANfest include a standup comedian, film screenings discussions, and events both in-person and virtual with topics covering: literature, social activism, food and culture.   This episode of Talking Taiwan has been sponsored by NATWA, the North America Taiwanese Women's Association.   NATWA was founded in 1988, and its mission is:   to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.   To learn more about NATWA visit their website: www.natwa.com   Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:   TAIWANfest will be taking place in Toronto from August 26-28 and in Vancouver from September 3-5 The theme of TAIWANfest 2022: The Stories of Independence Indulge in Indonesia, Discover Malaysia The independence of nations vs. people The newly formed band, Kanatal [ga-na-dal], which means “island” in the Amis language, referring to the small island of Taiwan How Kanatal is touring and will perform at TAIWANfest The opening concert for TAIWANfest Toronto will be performed by an orchestra led by Maestro Ken Hsieh TAIWANfest Vancouver’s closing concert will be performed by a string orchestra Comedian Ed Hill who will be performing at TAIWANfest Toronto and Vancouver TAIWANfest’s virtual programming The Let Taiwan Be Taiwan program Connections between Indonesia and Taiwan There are 300,000 Indonesians living in Taiwan Indonesian migrant workers and their cultural impact on Taiwan Films, performances and food presented at TAIWANfest The “Taiwan Bookstore” concept at TAIWANfest Vancouver The food known in Taiwan, Indonesia and the Philippines, as “lumpia”; “run-bing” in Mandarin Chinese;  and “popiah” in Malaysia The discussion on “Making Taiwan Relevant in Cansda” about the book Charlie wrote with two others about his experiences running TAIWANfest How Indonesian culture will be represented at TAIWANfest How TAIWANfest Vancouveris working with the Brilliant Time Bookstore in Taiwan to collect donated books in Southeast Asian languages for migrant workers in Taiwan The graphic image that represents TAIWANfest 2022 was inspired by batik culture from Malaysia and Indonesia How Charlie and his team decides and curates the content of TAIWANfest Some of the films that will be part of Cinematic Taiwan, such as The Road Forward, a musical documentary by Marie Clements, which will be subtitled in Chinese Kanatal’s song Peace The documentary being made about Kanatal The story of how Kanatal was formed Suana·Emuy·Cilangasay, who assembled the musicians to form Kanatal Eden Liu’s social activism in Indonesia Due to capacity limitations at the Harbourfront Center in Toronto and the pandemic, TAIWANfest in Toronto will be scaled down while TAIWANfest in Vancouver will be at full scale Future plans for the Jade Music Festival   Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/charlie-wu-talks-about-the-annual-event-taiwanfest-ep-200/