Written By Paula Perez. This article analyses the promises and positions of Cheng Li-wun. It argues that Cheng offers nothing new in terms of its identity claims and the 1992 Consensus and questions who is the audience Cheng is speaking to. However, she brings something other leadership candidates did not, personifying the redemption of a generation who she claims is misled by de-Sinicised education.
Written by Meng Kit Tang. This article reflects on Taiwan’s remarkable civic response to the 2025 Hualien floods, where thousands of volunteers, faith groups, and ordinary citizens mobilised overnight. The essay ultimately suggests that Taiwan’s story offers lessons not just for its own politics, but also for neighbours and rivals alike: that true strength and attraction emerge not from control, but from authenticity.
Written by Ana Paloma Martínez Gómez. This article explores how Indigenous identity is portrayed on screen and how film supports cultural revitalisation and self-representation through a decolonial and gendered lens. As a new Taiwanese national identity emerges, the gap between official recognition and ongoing cultural marginalisation reveals the complex space Indigenous communities occupy.
Written by Meng Kit Tang. This commentary explores how Bruce Lee’s legacy offers a compelling, non-political model for redefining Chinese identity in Taiwan. By reframing Chinese identity as values-based, Lee serves as a bridge across generations, borders, and political divides. The article proposes civic and youth-centred initiatives that leverage Lee’s enduring appeal to foster intergenerational confidence, cross-cultural empathy, and peaceful dialogue in the Taiwan Strait.
Written by Meng Kit Tang. In an era where Chinese identity is increasingly politicised and weaponised by state actors, this article argues for a re-centring of Chineseness around civic virtue, cultural continuity, and ethical striving. Taiwan, by embracing freedom and cultural plurality, emerges as a living laboratory for a more inclusive, moral, and modern understanding of what it means to be Chinese today.
Written by Mark Gerard Murphy. This article reflects on the intersection of Chinese martial arts and nationalism in both Taiwan and Mainland China. It demonstrates how martial arts were closely tied to nationalist sentiments in different periods of history of both, but each followed distinct paths of development that reflected their respective cultural pride and national identity.
