Taiwan-US Trade Initiative: A good start, but the beginning of a long road

Written by Chieh-Ting Yeh. In 2005, I understood the FTA to be an aspirational long-shot—something that we can press for but not something we should expect to see in the foreseeable future. Recent developments such as the 21st Century Trade Initiative are milestones for sure, but milestones to mark just the beginning of a long road for a true free trade agreement with the US, as well as meaningful participation in regional trade blocs.

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The Prospect of a US-Taiwan BTA in an Era of Heightened Political Exchanges

Written by Brian Hioe. The US and Taiwan signed the first stage of the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade in June, paving the path for both to streamline customs and taxation procedures between both sides. The trade agreement will also boost economic cooperation regarding small-to-medium-sized enterprises, while implementing anti-corruption measures. Progress on the trade agreement has continued, with the second negotiating round of the agreement starting in August. In particular, an end to double taxation between the US and Taiwan is a concrete outcome that both sides may pursue, long a stumbling block for those that work and do business in both the US and Taiwan. As progress on the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade has continued, legislation to this effect has been introduced in the US Senate.

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Indigenous Post-Disaster Decision-Making Mechanisms and Negotiation Strategies of Traditional Women Leaders 

Written by Valagas Gadeljeman; translated by Yu-Chen Chuang. Since Typhoon Morakot, the government and academia have not thoroughly explored why Indigenous knowledge is fading and why Indigenous adaptation is becoming more difficult for Indigenous communities. Why can’t Indigenous people have the same freedom and right to choose where their tribe lives as they once did? What policies and laws have limited their ability to move freely? In short, there’s a lack of Indigenous perspectives in Taiwan’s post-disaster recovery discussions, especially when it comes to the importance of ancestral traditional territories. In this article, I’ll discuss the traditional decision-making processes and negotiation strategies in Indigenous communities, with a focus on Paiwan women leaders’ insights. 

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Sustainable Traditional Knowledge: Land Ethics and Disaster Resilience in Cinsbu 

Written by Bayis Atung; translated by Yu-Chen Chuang. In recent years, due to climate change, community members have begun to think more about how to minimise the impact of disasters before they occur. When engaging in farming, we have started to think and take action to incorporate traditional land use knowledge from the past. We continuously experiment and face challenges, ultimately returning to traditional land use and cultivation ethics. We have discovered that this approach can be used to adapt to and address climate change, as it helps Cinsbu adapt to the ever-changing challenges posed by disasters. In this article, I share our land ethics and explain how sustainable land use relates to disaster prevention. Even though the intensity of climate change has increased, the Tayal people have not given up on using the land. Instead, there have been even more changes in how we use the land.

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Indigenous Disaster Justice: Reflecting on Typhoon Morakot Recovery 

Written by Yi-Te Yu. In the past two decades, Taiwan has endured two major disasters: the 921 Earthquake in 1999 and Typhoon Morakot in 2009. Both events resulted in immense loss of life and property. The Indigenous regions of Taiwan, in particular, have borne the enduring impact that is yet to see a complete recovery. Taking Typhoon Morakot in 2009 as an example, during its onslaught in Taiwan, it unleashed a record-breaking deluge of rain. This led to a large-scale landslide in Mt. Xiandu(獻肚) in Jiaxian District, Kaohsiung, burying the village Xiaolin beneath a deluge of soil and debris. Moreover, this catastrophe also inflicted the mountainous Indigenous communities in the central and southern regions of Taiwan, including Chiayi, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, and Taitung counties, with the onslaught of floods, landslides, and debris flows. In total, it resulted in 678 fatalities and 33 injuries. 

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Tracing Disaster Injustice: Indigenous Peoples’ Vulnerability and Resilience in Taiwan 

Written by Yu-Chen Chuang. In August 2023, Typhoon Khanun swept across Taiwan, particularly impacting the mountainous regions of central Taiwan. The resultant severe floods and landslides caused significant damage to infrastructure and disrupted the livelihood of local residents. One of the most severely affected areas was Renai Township in Nantou County, which is home to several Indigenous communities. The damages caused by Typhoon Khanun demanded significant labour and financial resources from Indigenous communities to manage the lengthy post-disaster reconstruction. This special issue, titled ‘Indigenous Peoples and Disaster Justice,’ will feature contributions from scholars and practitioners deeply involved in Indigenous-centered disaster management in Taiwan. We hope to foster discussions about the past, present, and future of disaster management, with a particular focus on addressing colonial injustice. 

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Hong Kong’s National Security Law 3 years on – Taiwan should build a defence

Written by Michael MO. Hong Kong’s pro-democracy struggle was a hot-button issue in 2020’s Taiwan presidential election campaign. Both President Tsai and former head of Executive Yuan Su Tseng-chang took the city as a case in their speeches to remind the Taiwanese to defend the island and not turn Taiwan into another Hong Kong. Three years on, specific policies to guard the country against the potential legal and political harassment from the extraterritorial application of the NSL remain non-existent. While the issues of Hong Kong may no longer be a concern in the presidential race, the need to build a robust defence to protect Taiwanese interests in Hong Kong should still be on the political agenda of the island.

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Under The Radar: How Taiwan Compares to Sexism in the East

Written by Zoe Parrott. There is no doubt that, as three examples of major developed East Asian countries, Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong are able to boast of countless laudable achievements. Furthermore, compared to other countries, all of these nations have impressive Human Development Indexes, ranking higher than the United States. However, there is one aspect of each of these nations that often flies under the radar – the infamous gender inequity these nations are characterised by. For concrete examples, look no further than DJSoda, who was sexually assaulted during her show in Osaka, Johnny Kitagawa, who, for decades, dangled “the price of stardom” as an explanation for his sexual abuse, and the four undergraduates who were sexually harassed and/or raped by their older 28-year-old peer at the Education University of Hong Kong.  However, there seems to be one outlier among its peers – Taiwan, otherwise known as the Republic of China.

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Taiwan and Europe – Partners of choice, not obligation

Written by Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy. In January 2024, Taiwan will elect a new president. Facing an existential threat from China, for Taiwan cooperation with the EU as a partner is essential to strengthen its democratic resilience. To expand the partnership however, a better understanding of the complex nature of the EU and developing a greater sense of clarity about what Taiwan wants will be indispensable. 

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The Democratic Progressive Party’s Nuclear Policy Dilemma: An Unwavering Anti-Nuclear Stance Amidst Self-Contradictory Policies

Written by Minfan Yu. On May 28th, the DPP-affiliated presidential campaign candidate William Lai Ching-Te (賴清德) stirred controversy by responding to a question about whether the cross-strait tensions faced by Taiwan had resulted in a shortage of natural gas for electricity production. Despite being a staunch advocate for green energy and consistently promoting an anti-nuclear stance, Lai’s answer suggesting the potential reactivation of nuclear power plants in emergency situations appeared contradictory to the DPP’s anti-nuclear policy.

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An Unconventional Networking Workshop: Self-care, Wellness and Community 

Written by Yung-Ying Chang. In 2021, amid the global pandemic and the sheer transformation of lives that followed, the North American Taiwan Studies Association’s (NATSA) annual conference launched its first-ever mental health-centred networking session, “Networking? Or Working on Your Net: Care Companions & Love Objects for Mental Health.” The unconventional session invited participants to use the time during an academic conference to work on something that was not purely academic: participants shared their life setbacks and frustrations not only in academia as scholars but also in life as the various roles they have assumed in response to various expectations.

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Indigenous Taiwan through Critical Lenses: Comparative and Place-Based Perspectives 

Written by Yi-Yang Cheng, Ssu-Chieh Jessica Fan and Susan Hou. Centring on Indigeneity in Taiwan, the interdisciplinary roundtable “Indigenous Taiwan through Critical Lenses: Comparative and Place-Based Perspectives” conceptualized Taiwan as a grounding point for multiple geographical perspectives. Instead of positioning Taiwan as a boundary object between the East and the West, it prompted a fresh envisioning and repositioning of Taiwan as a liminal space of unbounded and interconnected possibilities. Put differently, the roundtable discussions explored alternative ways of positioning Taiwan in/and the world, including perspectives which might have previously been marginalized or eluded consideration.

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