Talking Taiwan

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/  

Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/gerrit-van-der-wees-the-past-and-present-state-of-u-s-taiwan-relations-ep-199/   A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:   In June I spoke with Gerrit van der Wees about an article that he wrote about U.S. President Biden’s remarks about Taiwan when he was in Tokyo in May.   Just last week, Gerrit wrote a very timely article about the controversy over the U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s plans to visit Taiwan.  In April Pelosi had planned to visit Taiwan as part of a tour to the Indo Pacific region but had to cancel because she contracted COVID-19.   Last week Pelosi left with a delegation for Asia, but made no mention of visiting Taiwan. There had been speculation that the Chinese would attack if U.S. fighter jets escorted Pelosi's plane into Taiwan, and in a phone conversation with U.S. president Joe Biden, Chinese president Xi Jinping warned Biden against “playing with fire” over Taiwan.   In his piece for the Taipei Times, Gerrit stated that it is essential that Pelosi stands her ground and pushes through with her plan to visit Taiwan. We’ll share Gerrit’s Taipei Times article and a few others about this situation on our website for this episode.   In my interview with Gerrit I asked him to explain in detail what the Taiwan Relations Act is, and what it tells us about the relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan. We also talked about the so-called U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity, how his work on the Taiwan Communique evolved from 1980 to 2016, and his thoughts on the war in Ukraine, and how it relates to China and Taiwan.   About Gerrit van der Wees   Gerrit van der Wees is a former Dutch diplomat. From 1980 through 2016, he served as chief-editor of “Taiwan Communiqué.” Also, from 2005 through 2016 he was liaison for the Senate and the State Department at FAPA-HQ.  He currently teaches the History of Taiwan at George Mason University and Current issues in East Asia at George Washington University’s Elliott School for International Affairs.   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:   U.S. President Joe Biden’s remarks on the U.S.’s willingness to help defend Taiwan The Taiwan Relations Act, the document that contains US commitments to (help) defend Taiwan, and its first two clauses How U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken referred to the second clause of the Taiwan Relations Act in a speech he made at the end of May What the second clause of the Taiwan Relations Act says and means The background of the Taiwan Relations Act How Harvey Feldman of the East Asia Pacific desk of the U.S. State Department was involved in initially drafting the Taiwan Policy Act How in 1979 the U.S. Congress started drafting the Taiwan Relations Act which had security clauses and a human rights clause embedded within it How Senator Ted Kennedy, Senator Claiborne Pell, and Congressman Jim Leach were instrumental in drafting the Taiwan Relations Act and getting it passed in April 1979 The establishment of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) in January 1979 Mark Chen’s (陳唐山) work with Senators and Congressmen to ensure that the Taiwan Relations Act took into consideration the native Taiwanese perspective The Taiwan Communique and why it was established How news from and about Taiwan while under martial law was obtained, communicated and printed in the Taiwan Communique How dangwai (outside party) magazines: Měilì dǎo aka Formosa Magazine (美麗島) and Bāshí niándài aka 1980s (8十年代) were sources of information for the Taiwan Communique How the George Washington University library has a complete collection of dangwai magazines from Taiwan The censorship of postal mail that was received in and sent out from Taiwan during the martial law era After the Taiwan democratized in the early 1990s the focus of the Taiwan Communique shifted to working to gain more international recognition for Taiwan What the “One China Policy” means from the perspective of the U.S. and China How the “One China Policy” which was based on the 1970s, a time in which Beijing and Taipei that claimed to be the government of China How things have changed since the 1970s, which requires an adjustment in policy to reflect current times What makes the Taiwan Relations Act so unique How Taiwan meets all the requirements of a nation state according to the Montevideo Convention of 1933 How Montevideo Convention states that the existence of an independent state does not depend on the recognition of other states When the United States of America declared independence in 1776 there were no other countries that recognized the new government in Washington D.C. for two years For the first 25 years of the United States of America it was only recognized by seven countries The Taiwan Travel Act Why the U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity toward Taiwan is not a policy How the term “strategic ambiguity” dates back to the mid-1990s Robert Suettinger’s 2003 book, Beyond Tiananmen Gerrit’s thoughts on the war in Ukraine and what China is taking away from the situation Gerrit’s observations on how the war in Ukraine has impacted the people of Taiwan Things that Taiwan need to reconsider about its military strategy   Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/gerrit-van-der-wees-the-past-and-present-state-of-u-s-taiwan-relations-ep-199/  

A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:   Emily Wu Truong is a motivational speaker for mental health awareness. She is affiliated with NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and has been involved with this organization for the last 8.5 years. I’ve invited her on to Talking Taiwan as a guest since July is BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) Mental Health Month. Emily spoke with me about her own struggles with mental health, and suicide. She has a passion for working with youths on mental health related issues. She also shared her thoughts about the oppression and trauma experienced firsthand or as generational trauma by the people of Taiwan, and how it could impact one’s mental health.   About Emily Wu Truong:   Emily Wu Truong is an award-winning mental health advocate, nationally-recognized motivational speaker, catalytic thought leader, community educator, playwright and published author. For over a decade, Emily has worked tirelessly to create more compassionate & accepting communities by bringing mental health education wherever she goes. As a speaker, Emily utilizes her story from depression to self-actualization, inspiring others to find meaning in life struggles. She has spoken to a variety of audiences, including students from elementary school to graduate school students, school administrators, teachers, families, law enforcement, faith-based communities, medical and mental health professionals and many more. Over the years, in recognition of Emily’s efforts to raise awareness on mental health and emotional resilience, she has been featured in the California Mental Health Movement “Each Mind Matters,” Good Morning America, NBC Asian America, LA 18 and World Journal (世界日報). Emily has also been honored with the “2015 Woman of Achievement Award” by former Senator Ed Hernandez. Also in 2015, Emily was honored with the Youth and Young Adult Leadership Award at the 29th Annual National Alternatives Conference in Memphis, Tennessee. In 2017, the Los Angeles County Supervisors honored Emily's request to establish May 10th as "Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day." In 2018, former Assemblyman Ed Chau honored Emily with the 2018 Make A Difference Award. Emily has become a role model for many, sharing her life lessons and delivering her message that helplessness is not hopelessness and that with help, there is hope.   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 she’s been called the lady in green How Emily tries to talk about mental health in a positive light The struggles that Emily felt growing up How the painting “The Potato Eaters” by Van Gogh reminds her of how she felt disconnected from her family in the past How she started asking existential questions about life when she was in junior high Competitiveness in the Asian culture Comparisons made by Asian parents, families and relatives Emily’s passion for the mental health of youth How important it is for kids to have supportive friends How Emily struggled in elementary school and was bullied in junior high Emily’s best friend in high school Enoch who helped her to get through high school How Emily used dating as a coping skill in the past How Emily is a suicide survivor what her to consider suicide and what stopped her from committing suicide Emily’s thoughts on school shootings Her first experience with a therapist and counseling in college How Emily wants to help young people to develop coping skills to deal with their parents and peers so that they don’t need to internalize things How Emily took an interest Taiwan in order to bond with her mother How Emily competed in the Miss Taiwan pageant How Emily discovered that her mother’s cousin is Taiwanese activist Koh Se Kai and that encouraged her to be more outspoken How Emily got involved in the Write in Taiwanese Census Bureau, TACL and FAPA Emily’s thoughts on how the people of Taiwan have been oppressed and how and trauma experienced firsthand or as generational trauma could impact one’s mental health Author Iris Chang who committed suicide Emily’s work with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)   Related Links: To view all related links for this article, click link below: https://talkingtaiwan.com/emily-wu-truong-award-winning-mental-health-speaker-inspires-others-to-find-meaning-in-their-struggles-ep-198/