Talking Taiwan

This past Sunday, May 26th we stopped by the annual Passport to Taiwan that's held in New York City's Union Square Park. The first Passport to Taiwan was held in 2002 and it's become the largest outdoor Taiwanese American event in the entire United States. Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/passport-to-taiwan-2025-ben-hedges-a-laowais-view-of-china-and-ambassador-lee-of-teco-ep-313/ While there I spoke with the Taiwanese American Arts Council's (TAAC's) Executive Director Luchia Meihua Lee, Ambassador Tom Lee of TECO-NY, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, and Ben Hedges, host of Lao Wai Kan Zhongguo also known as the A Laowai's View of China & Taiwan YouTube channel. Passport to Taiwan is a celebration of Taiwanese art, culture, music, community, and of course food. Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: · The Taiwanese American Arts Council's (TAAC's) house on Governors Island, House 17 is twice the size of last year's house · The theme of the Taiwanese American Arts Council's (TAAC's) House 17 on Governors Island is Eco Art on Island · How the Taiwanese American Arts Council's (TAAC's) House 17 on Governors Island will be open from May 17 to November 2 · Ambassador Tom Lee mentioned this is the first time that TECO-NY (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York) has had a booth at Passport to Taiwan · Ben Hedges, host of the YouTube channel, Lao Wai Kan Zhongguo has emceed Hello Taiwan events · How 7-11 stores in Taiwan sponsored travel videos on Lao Wai Kan Zhongguo's YouTube channel · How Ben will be relaunching the Lao Wai Kan Zhongguo's YouTube channel Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/passport-to-taiwan-2025-ben-hedges-a-laowais-view-of-china-and-ambassador-lee-of-teco-ep-313/

Jane W. Wang, a self-actualization coach from Taipei, helps multicultural individuals discover their core values. In a heartfelt discussion, she opens up about her struggles with depression and the healing power of reconnecting with her Taiwanese roots. As a third culture kid, Jane shares her journey of identity and purpose, outlining the differences between coaching, counseling, and therapy. She emphasizes the importance of understanding one's cultural background and offers insights on finding empowerment through personal challenges.

Join Dr. Jerome Keating, an expert on Taiwan with over 30 years of experience, as he delves into Taiwan's rich history and its journey toward democracy. He discusses his latest book, shedding light on Taiwan's changing identity and challenges in international recognition. Hear insights on Taiwan's constitutional dilemmas, its precarious relationship with China, and the role of literature in shaping national identity. Dr. Keating's perspectives reveal the complexities of Taiwan's past and present, offering a compelling narrative on its geopolitical struggles.

Cathy Erway, a James Beard Award-winning food writer and author, dives into the richness of Taiwanese cuisine. She shares her journey from food blogging to writing her groundbreaking cookbook, which highlights the authenticity of home-style and street food dishes. The conversation explores the evolution of Taiwanese restaurants in the U.S., personal culinary anecdotes, and the balance between tradition and innovation. Cathy also discusses challenges in publishing while fostering community connections in Taiwanese-American culinary culture.

It's about a month after 228, an important date in Taiwan's history, marking the 228 Massacre. 228 stands for February 28 1947. February 28th is now commemorated as a national holiday in Taiwan known as the 228 Peace Memorial Day. For this year's 228 episode, we wanted to release my interview with Nâ Sū Phok (藍士博), the Executive Director of the 228 Memorial Foundation in Taiwan. Last July 2024, I sat down with him at the Taiwanese American Conference at West Chester University about his work for the 228 Memorial Foundation. You may be wondering why we are sharing this episode a month later. Since Sū Phok spoke in Taiwanese Hokkien during the interview, it required translation from Taiwanese into English, and that took a bit longer than anticipated. Secondly, 228 is not a single date in history, subsequent events after February 28th lasted beyond and into March leading to what some refer to as the March Massacre. Here's a brief summary for those unfamiliar with the 228 Massacre. The first thing to know is that like most significant events in history, they do not just take place on a single date. There are usually circumstances and other happenings that lead up to the date in history. Two years before the 228 Massacre in 1945, at the end of World War II, the Chinese Nationalists (aka the Kuomintang/KMT) had fled from China to Taiwan bringing with them the Republic of China framework. Since then, tensions had been mounting for quite some time. In the case of the 228 Massacre, there were conflicts and protests that began much earlier, leading up to what happened on the night of February 27th, 1947 when Tobacco Monopoly Bureau agents tried to confiscate contraband cigarettes from a 40-year-old woman and brutally knocked her out. When an angry crowd gathered in protest, one of the agents fired a shot into the crowd killing a bystander. Within 24 hours, by the next day, February 28th, the incident had escalated into bloody violence and massacres. More killings happened in March of 1947, which have led some Taiwanese dissidents to call it the March Massacre. Under the authoritarian Chiang regime, what followed after 228 was 38 years of martial law and the White Terror era. Anyone could be disappeared, executed or worse for just saying or doing the wrong thing, or for what was seemingly wrong in the eyes of the authorities. The people of Taiwan were horrified and terrified. Generations dared not speak of 228. 228 was absent from high school textbooks until relatively recently. Denial, distrust, suppression, and the passage of time have made it hard for many to come to terms with 228. If you'd like to learn more, I invite you to listen to our past episodes about 228 that are listed in the Related Links section below. Special thanks to Mei-Ling Lin for her translation assistance for this episode. This episode is sponsored in part by the Taiwanese American Council of Greater New York. Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: What does 228 refer to and what is its historical significance Sū Phok's background and upbringing How Sū Phok first learned about or heard about 228 If Sū Phok has any family members/relatives that have been impacted by or victimized by 228 Why/How did Sū Phok got involved with the 228 Memorial Foundation Where does Sū Phok's interest in history comes from Why it's important to preserve history What the 228 Memorial Foundation does How what the 228 Memorial Foundation does is different from what the Transitional Justice Commission does What Sū Phok's responsibilities are as the Executive Director of the 228 Memorial Foundation What kind of work Sū Phok was doing before working for the 228 Memorial Foundation How the work of the 228 Memorial Foundation has changed since it was founded in1995 Some of the milestones/major accomplishments of the 228 Memorial Foundation News from early 2024 about how Taiwan's Transitional Justice Commission identified 42 historical sites The 228 Memorial Foundation's opinions on historical sites of injustice related to 228 Current initiatives/projects of the 228 Memorial Foundation? What Sū Phok has learned about 228 since working for the 228 Memorial Foundation that he didn't know before What's on display at the National 228 Memorial Museum Future initiatives/projects of the 228 Memorial Foundation What Sū Phok would like us to consider about 228 and how it might be relevant to the present Related Links:

If you've been following our social media, you might already know that Talking Taiwan is participating in the Podcasthon which is a global movement calling on as many podcasts as possible to dedicate one episode of their show to a cause of their choice. The idea is to release these episodes simultaneously, from March 15-21, 2025 and by doing so this will create a massive and international wave of inspiring audio content. We are proud to represent Taiwan in the Podcasthon and to dedicate this episode to FAPA, The Formosan Association for Public Affairs. FAPA was established in 1982, during Taiwan's 33rd year of martial law. In this episode you'll soon learn about all of the important, hard work that FAPA does in order to advocate for Taiwan in the U.S. For many Taiwanese Americans, friends of Taiwan and supporters of democracy, FAPA's work will probably resonate with you. Here's something that will hit home especially for Taiwanese who have immigrated to the United States. Did you know that before 1994 Taiwanese Americans were forced to list "China" as their place of birth on U.S. passports? I'm old enough to remember this happening to my parents and some of my relatives. This misrepresentation fueled a policy campaign by FAPA advocating to correct this oversight and affirm the rightful identity of Taiwanese Americans. As a result, Taiwan was allowed to be listed and recognized as a place of birth on U.S. passports. This is just one of FAPA's lasting achievements and an example of how FAPA is a leading voice for Taiwan in America. If this is the first time you are hearing about FAPA you might be wondering about FAPA's name and where it comes from. Once upon a time, Taiwan was known as Formosa. The name goes back to the Portuguese who named Taiwan "Iha Formosa!" which means Beautiful Island when they discovered it in the 16th century, back when Portugal was known for its exploration prowess. But even knowing this, I still wondered why Formosa or Formosan was used instead of Taiwan or Taiwanese, so I asked around and FAPA's current President Dr. Su-Mei Kao shared some stories that Taiwanese Hokkien speakers who are listening to this episode are going to be able to appreciate. The early founders did try to come up with a name that used Taiwan, the Taiwanese Association on Public Affairs, but the acronym, TAOPA or when pronounced in Taiwanese Hokkien "TAOPA" sounds like "help hit" and then a shorter alternative, TAPA, "TAPA" sounds like the word for a Spanish appetizer. It turns out, the acronym for The Formosan Association for Public Affairs, FAPA when pronounced in Taiwanese Hokkien "huapa" sounds like "calling to hit or attack." The name has stuck and has served the organization well. Last July while we were at the Taiwanese American Conference, we sat down to interview FAPA's Executive Director, Anny Hsiao, President Dr. Su-Mei Kao, and Vice-President Chia-chun Chung. Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: Dr. Su-Mei Kao, Vice President Chia-chun Chung's connection to Taiwan How and why Executive Director, Anny Hsiao, President Su-Mei Kao, Vice President Chia-chun Chung each got involved in FAPA The 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis and Taiwan's first direct presidential election FAPA's major accomplishments and achievements FAPA's Passport Place of Birth Campaign (1992-1994) that allowed the Taiwanese to list Taiwan as their place of birth on U.S. passports How has FAPA's work changed since it was founded in 1982 How U.S.-Taiwan relations have changed since FAPA was founded FAPA's programs and initiatives Why it's important to change the name of TECRO (Economic and Cultural Representative Office) Why Taiwan should not have to compete at the Olympics under the name "Chinese Taipei" How Taiwan should be allowed to compete in the Olympics using the flag and anthem of its choice FAPA's mission FAPA's Song Yea Lee Memorial Fund FAPA's most famous intern is Hsiao Bi-Khim, Taiwan's current Vice President What happens during FAPA's annual national advocacy training How overseas Taiwanese are in a unique position to advocate for Taiwan Anny, Su-Mei and Chia-chun's hope and vision for the Taiwan American community How to get involved with FAPA or to donate Related Links:

If you've listened to our most recent episode of Talking Taiwan, you'll know that the sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women or CSW69 is now taking place at United Nations Headquarters in New York. It began on March 10th and runs until March 21st. Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/taiwan-on-the-margins-of-csw-69-celebrating-womens-resilience-progress-at-taiwan-main-stage-ep-307/ On March 12th the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York (TECO-NY) hosted an event called "Taiwan Main Stage: Celebrating Women's Resilience & Progress on the margins of CSW 69." This smartly worded event title is undoubtedly a soft reference the fact that Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, and therefore on the margins of CSW69. We were there at TECO-NY's fully packed event on the 12th where we heard from Po-Chun Sophiyah Liu and Chia-Hui Lu. Sophiyah is Ambassador-at-Large for Sports Diplomacy of Taiwan, and she is Taiwan's first female umpire. Chia-Hui Lu is a classical musician, cross disciplinary artist and an associate professor at National Taiwan University of Arts. Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: · How Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations · Sophiyah Liu's remarks at TECO-NY's event called "Taiwan Main Stage: Celebrating Women's Resilience & Progress on the margins of CSW 69" · How the Global Sports Mentoring Program that set Sophiyah on the path to sports diplomacy · How when Sophiyah won the IOC and UN Women: Women and Sport World trophy in 2019, a special arrangement was made for her to enter the UN building to receive the award · When Sophiyah was invited to attend the UN Global Sport Program working group which met in a conference room in the United Nations building but when it came time to attend the meeting, she was told she couldn't enter the UN building because she has a passport from Taiwan · Sophiyah's thoughts on the controversy over questions about the gender eligibility of female boxer Lin Yu-ting at the Paris Olympics · Sophiyah's thoughts on gender eligibility testing in sports · Chia-Hui Lu's remarks at TECO-NY's event called "Taiwan Main Stage: Celebrating Women's Resilience & Progress on the margins of CSW 69 · The technology, AI training and experimentation involved in creating the real-time music recognition system that captures melodies from Chia-Hui's piano playing and transforms it into a surreal visual story · The mission and past projects of the Egret Cultural and Education Foundation · How the Egret Cultural and Education Foundation's cross art productions combine theater, music, dance, technology, culture, and history · How the Egret Cultural and Education Foundation was published books about Taiwan's history, nature, music, and art Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/taiwan-on-the-margins-of-csw-69-celebrating-womens-resilience-progress-at-taiwan-main-stage-ep-307/

March is Women's History Month and in this episode of Talking Taiwan I'll be speaking with the Angela Feng, the organizer of the Empowering Women Through Education and Community Action panel, a UN CSW69 Parallel Event that's going to be held here in New York City on Friday, March 14th from 4:30pm-6:00pm. CSW69 stands for the 69th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Also with me in this interview are the other two panelists Cindy Wu who's been a previous guest on Talking Taiwan and Dr. Remi Duyile. There are quite a few acronyms tossed around in this conversation so I thought I'd mention them upfront here like SDG goals, which stands for Sustainable Development Goals which were adopted by United Nations Member States. There are 17 SDGs because ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. The other acronym you'll hear is BPW which stands for Business and Professional Women. The theme of the panel is how education and community initiatives equal empowerment. The session will dive into how education and grassroots programs can transform lives. Angela, Cindy and Dr. Remi not only talked about the panel, and work of their respective organizations, but I ask each of the women who were their earliest role models who helped to shape who they are today, and to share about challenges that they've had to overcome in their careers thus far. If you'd like to know how you can attend the Empowering Women Through Education and Community Action panel visit TalkingTaiwan.com where we'll share a link to register for it on Eventbrite. Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: · Angela Feng, Cindy Wu, and Dr. Remi Duyile are the organizers and panelists for the Empowering Women Through Education and Community Action Panel. · The panel's theme is "How Education and Community Initiatives Equal Empowerment." · The session will explore how education and grassroots programs can significantly transform lives, particularly for women and girls. · Angela Feng is the president of Soroptimist Taipei International, Girls Power, a female non-profit organization recognized by the UN and Taiwan. · Cindy Wu is a trilingual financial management professional, singer-songwriter, and motivational speaker, involved with the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW). · Dr. Remi Duyile is a Nigerian-American, a UN ambassador of peace, and the founder of Legacy Premier Foundation, a global developmental non-profit. · The discussion will delve into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how these goals relate to women's empowerment · Angela, Cindy and Dr. Remi the work that they have done with each of their respective organizations · Angela, Cindy and Dr. Remi talked about their early role models and the challenges they have overcome in their careers. · The panel aims to provide practical insights and inspire action, moving beyond abstract concepts of women's empowerment. · The women want to provide action steps, and resources to the audience · Soroptimist International of Taipei Girls Power focuses on education for young women, from elementary school through college. · The Legacy Premier Foundation focuses on financial literacy, and providing access to resources to underserved communities, and teaches skills that are needed in the market place. · The International Federation of Business and Professional Women works to create opportunities for women through promoting employment, and protecting rights. Related Links:

In July of 2024, we brought Talking Taiwan to the Taiwanese American Conference at West Chester University and I sat down to interview Sherry Chou, the Director of Dr. Chen Wen-chen Memorial Foundation. Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/dr-sherry-chou-remembers-dr-chen-wen-chen-and-circumstances-surrounding-his-mysterious-death-ep-305/ Dr. Chen Wen-chen was an assistant professor of statistics at Carnegie Mellon University when he and his family returned to his native Taiwan for a vacation in the summer of 1981. Dr. Chen's permit to leave the country to return to the U.S. was rejected and so the Taiwan Garrison Command called in Dr. Chen for questioning regarding his political beliefs and activities in the United States. They questioned him on June 30th and July 2nd, but then on July 3, 1981, Chen's body was found on the campus of National Taiwan University (NTU) in Taipei. At the time the autopsy reported that his death was due to a fall. Chen's mysterious death shed light on how the work of Chinese Nationalist Kuomintang spies on U.S. campuses led to Chen's interrogation by the Garrison Command. Sherry and I talked about how and why it took 10 years to establish the Dr. Chen Wen-chen Incident Memorial Square at National Taiwan University (NTU), and the Rainbow Taiwan Independence Flag. Sherry also shared some memories of the Sunflower Movement, which you'll hear Sherry refer to as sān yī ba, which is three one eight in mandarin Chinese, and a reference to March 18, 2014, the date that activists and students occupied Taiwan's legislative yuan which became known as the Sunflower Movement. Dr. Chen Wen-chen's memory was honored at Taiwanese American Conference's 2024 memorial concert. This episode is sponsored in part by the Taiwanese American Council of Greater New York. Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: Who Dr. Chen Wen-chen was The events leading up to the mysterious death of Dr. Chen Dr. Chen's body was found on July 3, 1981, on the ground at National Taiwan University Initial autopsy reported his death as a fall, but circumstances were suspicious His death shed light on the activities of Kuomintang (KMT) spies on U.S. campuses Why it took 10 years to establish the Dr. Chen Wen-chen Incident Memorial Square at National Taiwan University Sherry also talked about the Rainbow Taiwan independence flag project Sherry discussed her memories of the Sunflower Movement Dr. Chen Wen-chen was honored at the Taiwanese American Conference's 2024 Memorial Concert Dr. Chen fundraised for Formosa Magazine, which drew the attention of KMT agents Formosa Magazine is linked to the Formosa Incident, also known as the Kaohsiung Incident Recent findings by the Transitional Justice Commission revealed that Dr. Chen had been under surveillance since 1979 Forensic evidence confirmed that Dr. Chen died before falling from a building The Lin family murders occurred on February 28, 1980; Lin Yi-hsiung's mother and his twin daughters were stabbed and killed and his oldest daughter survived The death of Chen Wen-chen angered both local and overseas Taiwanese people Sherry talked about a photo of protestors in the 1980s wearing paper bags over their heads to disguise their identities The idea for the memorial started in 2011 with professors and students co-signing a petition The initial proposal was just to place a sign on campus, not a square, but the university didn't want even a sign The social atmosphere in 2011 was different, with Taiwan moving closer to China under President Ma Ying-jeou There were many ridiculous objections to the sign The turning point came in 2014 when Dr. Yang Pan-chyr, a more progressive president, agreed to set up the memorial square There was uncertainty about whether the university would change its stance after Dr. Yang left and Kuan Chung-ming became president Kuan Chung-ming was unpopular, especially among the DPP and progressive community, due to his conservative views and ties to China Dr. Yang tried to push for the sign before he left After Kuan Chung-ming became president, he withdrew support for funding, and the Dr. Chen Wen-chen Foundation covered the costs The public contributed to fundraising efforts through social media Around 2016, there was a surge in advocacy for gender equality in Taiwan and its connection to Taiwanese sovereignty and identity In 2016, Taiwan's marriage equality movement gained attention with people protesting on the streets On May 24, 2017, Taiwan's Constitutional Court ruled that same-sex couples had the right to marry Someone used photoshop to combine the rainbow flag and Taiwanese independence flags Funds were raised through social media and distributed 1300 flags at events The flags allowed people to express support for both marriage equality and national issues 2016 marked the beginning of more people expressing concern for both gender equality and national issues LGBTQ individuals were more actively engaged in the Bluebird Movement, possibly due to increased mobilization since 2016 Sherry was previously the marketing director for Watchout, a media company Watchout started at the end of 2013, around the time of the Sunflower Movement, capturing many photos from then The company shifted focus to issues related to Taiwan's independence and civil defense Watchout published two books: Civil Defense Guide (covering disasters and war) and Active Civil Defense Guide (focused on war) How Sherry got interest in feminism She admires figures like Professor Fan Yun and Liu Wen for their feminist contributions Sherry emphasized the importance of efforts from both Taiwanese communities in Taiwan and those outside of Taiwan in order to make significant change happen Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/dr-sherry-chou-remembers-dr-chen-wen-chen-and-circumstances-surrounding-his-mysterious-death-ep-305/

Grace Loh Prasad's debut memoir, is The Translator's Daughter. I spoke with her about how she started off writing it and how it evolved over the two decades it took to write it. Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/a-conversation-on-the-translators-daughter-a-debut-memoir-by-author-grace-loh-prasad-ep-304/ A lot can happen in two decades. One by one Grace started losing her family members- her brother, mother and father. Her memoir is very much about loss, not just the loss that Grace experienced of her family members, but also her lost connection to Taiwan. When Grace was just two years old her family left Taiwan and moved to the U.S. and then Hong Kong. Her parents didn't return to Taiwan until Grace was in college in California. I found the book moving and appreciated how Grace was able to take her grief and personal experiences and put them into this beautifully written book. If you'd like to hear Grace reading an excerpt from The Translator's Daughter, check out the episode right before this one, episode 303. Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: · What motivated Grace to start writing her memoir · How the memoir evolved and changed over the twenty years it took to write and complete it · What changed in her life during those two decades · How Grace lost her brother to cancer, her mother to Alzheimer's and father to Parkinson's · The challenge of maintaining a connection with Taiwan and relatives there due to language barriers · The unconventional style of the book which is a mix of narrative chapters and essays · Grace's writing process and how she put the book together · What Grace learned in the process of writing the book · How her family's migrations due to her father's work affected Grace and her brother Ted · How to find belonging in a place that you don't intend to stay · How Grace feels about being a third culture kid · How much of the writing in the book comes from Grace's diary entries · What Grace left out of the book · People who have reached out to Grace about her book because they knew her father and his work translating the Bible · Grace reflects on her father's education and career compared to her own · How Grace's family's story doesn't fit the typical immigrant or model minority story · The op ed Grace wrote about Taiwan's 2000 presidential election · How important Taiwanese Americans have been in highlighting issues in Taiwan · How Taiwan is excluded from international organizations and events like the UN, WHO, Olympics · The authors and books that have influenced Grace · How her book touches on mythology, film, music, and art · Her family's connection to the Thornberries and Milo Thornberry who wrote Fireproof Moth: A Missionary in Taiwan's White Terror · Grace's advice for someone struggling with writing their first book · Feedback and reactions that Grace has gotten to the book · How it's worthwhile to make the effort to pass on specific things from one's culture or family to children or the next generation Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/a-conversation-on-the-translators-daughter-a-debut-memoir-by-author-grace-loh-prasad-ep-304/