Taiwan Insight

Bridging Taiwan’s Blue-Green Divide: The Twentieth Anniversary of the 2005 Chen-Soong Meeting (扁宋會)

27 March 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Jasper Roctus. This article revisits a rare moment of bipartisanship from two decades ago when the DPP’s incumbent president Chen Shui-bian met with the PFP leader James Soong. The meeting offers insights into the possibilities and limits of political reconciliation in Taiwan in 2025. Even politically opposed figures can agree to embrace greater tolerance and goodwill.

Unpacking Taiwan’s 2025 Budget Cuts: Justifiable or Unjustifiable Reductions?

26 March 2025 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Wei-Jie Liao. This article questions the justification and methods of the unprecedented budget cuts passed by Taiwan’s opposition in 2025, noting flawed reasoning behind many proposals. The author advocates for the importance of transparency and accountability in the budget process for both the executive and legislative branches.

Heads-up to the KMT: Why the botched budgeting compilation and political impasse in the Legislative Yuan may be more costly for the Kuomintang?

25 March 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Dr Chieh-chi Hsieh. This article argues that the KMT will suffer more substantial political backlash than the TPP both in the short term and long term. The KMT legislators will face the nationwide recall motions, while the TPP will not lose any of their legislators. The KMT is also going to bear the electoral cost of the internalisation of the cross-Strait confrontation.

Who Are the Victims of Taiwan’s Cultural Budget Disputes? The Invisible Right to Cultural Participation for People with Disabilities

24 March 2025 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Hsin-Yi Chao. This article discusses cultural equity and the rights of persons with disabilities in Taiwan. It examines cultural equity subsidies since 2016, noting that despite overall budget growth, cultural equity funding remains unstable. The author highlights a case where budget cuts led to the suspension of sign language interpretation services and proposes policy recommendations to strengthen cultural equity implementation.

Lai Ching-te’s Leadership on the Line in Taiwan’s Budget Standoff

21 March 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Meng Kit Tang. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te faces a critical leadership test amid a budget standoff with an opposition-controlled legislature. Key defence cuts, including Taiwan’s submarine program, raise security concerns. Lai must balance strong leadership and negotiation to avoid political paralysis. Lessons from Taiwan’s political history offer guidance for effective crisis management.

Love is Impossible, but Justice will not Suffice.

20 March 2025 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Patricia Huang. This article analyses the budget cuts to Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture, including the freezing of funds for museums and the possible impacts of under-budgeting. It explores the debate around subsidising culture and the concept of “Cultural Exception”. The author also examines alternative funding sources for culture, taking examples from other countries, such as lotteries and TV licensing fees.

Chen Shui-bian Redux?: The Struggle for Dominance of the Taiwanese Government System

19 March 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Brian Hioe. This article examines the similarities and differences of the partisan contestation in the Legislative Yuan between the recent crisis and the Chen Shui-bian era. It highlights the long-term structural weakness of the Pan-Blue camp that is working against its attempt to reshape Taiwan’s political system.

Cultural Ecology at Risk Due to Parliament’s Budget Cuts

18 March 2025 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Wu Chieh-Hsiang. This article discusses the potential consequences of budget cuts to Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture. It explores concerns about censorship and repression due to these cuts, as well as the impact on cultural institutions and freedom of expression.

Taiwan’s Looming Budget Crisis: A Stress Test for Democracy and National Security

17 March 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by YouHao Lai and Gahon Chiang. This article explores the procedural and substantive controversies of the unprecedented budget cuts and their impact on Taiwan’s government and national security, ad what might come next. The cuts disrupt the core government’s functions and policy implementation and efforts to strengthen its self-defence. It is a test of national will to ensure Taiwan’s long-term security.

The Death Penalty in Taiwan: An Overview and the Impact of 113-Hsien-Pan-8

14 March 2025 Yu-Chen

Written by Szu-Yu (Suzy) Chen. This article provides an overview of Taiwan’s legal landscape of the death penalty, focusing on the Constitutional Court’s Judgment 113-Hsien-Pan-8 (2024), which upheld the constitutionality of the death penalty while imposing strict procedural restrictions. It examines the historical context, legal shifts, and the current impact of 113-Hsien-Pan-8, highlighting its influence on Taiwan’s death penalty practices and the ongoing debate.

Black Cat and Black Dog: Gendered Modernity and Youth Identity in Colonial Taiwan

13 March 2025 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Wei-chi Chen. This article explores the terms “Black Cat” and “Black Dog” in colonial Taiwan during the 1920s and 30s. These terms, originating from a Taiwanese opera song, were used to translate the Japanese “moga” and “mobo,” describing emerging gender identities and a new social identity in modern urban culture. They also reflected a shift towards liberation and a contrast with existing gender norms at that time.

An act of erasure – DeepSeek and the disappearance of Taiwan

12 March 2025 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Max Dixon. This article examines the AI model DeepSeek’s perspective on Taiwan, which essentially undermines Taiwan’s sovereignty and distinct history. DeepSeek adheres strictly to Chinese Communist Party’s views, undermining historical complexities and potentially influencing international understanding of Taiwan’s status, posing risks for future discourse.

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