Taiwan Insight

From Poppies to Tea Gardens: How Taiwan’s Tea Took Root on Thailand’s Northern Borderland

13 July 2026 NGA Shi Yeu

Written by Po-Yi Hung. Taiwan’s tea is often associated with its mountain landscapes, but its influence extends far beyond the island. This article traces how Taiwanese tea varieties, cultivation techniques, and agricultural expertise transformed the former opium-growing borderlands of northern Thailand. It reveals tea as more than an agricultural commodity, as a vehicle of diplomacy, territorial governance, and cross-border mobility that quietly reshaped the Golden Triangle.

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When Tea Becomes Everything (Part 2)

10 July 2026 NGA Shi Yeu

Written by Gawin Tiansuwan. In Part 2, the author follows a deeper immersion into tea culture, spanning Canada, Thailand, and Taiwan. A life-changing move to Taipei to study Mandarin leads to a deep connection with Taiwan’s tea community, historic neighbourhoods, and a young master in Pinglin. Using these Taiwanese tea-making insights, he returns to Northern Thailand to help revitalising local wild tea traditions.

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When Tea Becomes Everything (Part 1)

9 July 2026 NGA Shi Yeu

Written by Gawin Tiansuwan. In Part 1, the author traces a personal journey of self-discovery through tea. Moving from Western blends in the UK to traditional gongfu cha in Hong Kong, the author explores how tea provided stability during burnout. Crucially, an inspiring trip to Taiwan’s iconic teahouses sparked a lifelong passion, prompting the purchase of his first Yixing teapot and ultimately bridging a connection to his ethnic heritage.

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Cross-Strait Relations in 2018

28 December 2017

Written by Chun-Yi Lee. 2017 has been a quiet year for cross-Strait relations between China and Taiwan. The constant silence between Beijing and Taipei since

The New Anti-Air Pollution Movement: Social Construction in Taiwan

21 December 2017

Written by Ming-sho Ho. Social constructionism is a theory which ascertains how people perceive reality because it is through this process which we are able

China is still angry over the last Taiwan crisis

20 December 2017

Written by J. Michael Cole. Twenty-one years ago, as Taiwanese were readying to hold their country’s first direct presidential election later in March, China flexed its

Tourism in Taiwan: The Need for Environmentally Responsible Behaviour

18 December 2017

Written by Tsung Hung Lee and Fen-Hauh Jan. Tourism can result in adverse environmental effects, particularly as greenhouse gas emissions are associated with travelling and

The State of National Parks in Taiwan

13 December 2017

Written by Bin-Min Sung. The concept of national parks was established by the United States in the 19th century. Today, national parks around the world are

Would China go to war over U.S. Navy port calls in Taiwan?

12 December 2017

Written by J. Michael Cole. Li Kexin, speaking at the embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Washington last week told hundreds of people assembled at

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