Written by Brian Hioe. The geopolitical fates diverged significantly in the past decade since the Sunflower and Umbrella Movements broke out ten years ago. Nevertheless, this article analyses the political interactions between Hong Kong and Taiwan in terms of movement activists and electoral politics. The author argues that these exchanges are expected to continue.
Written by Ming-sho Ho. This article examines the commemorative events held to mark the tenth anniversary of the Sunflower Movement in March 2024. It highlights the significance of these events to reassert the core values and demands, give voice to the participants and establish the movement’s contemporary relevance.
Written by Adrian Chiu. This special issue presents a brilliant line-up of scholars and observers of the two movements which provides insights and perspectives to analyse and reflect on the tenth anniversary of the Sunflower and Umbrella Movements. This introductory piece briefly sets the scene for their excellent analysis by reviewing some of the significant political changes both internationally and domestically.
Written by JhuCin Rita Jhang. The year 2022 marked the 20th anniversary of the pride parade in Taiwan. It is a feat worth celebrating, and its theme, “An Unlimited Future,” adumbrates directions we are, or ought to be, heading toward.
The host of the pride parade, Taiwan Rainbow Civil Action Association, explained, “this year’s theme, An Unlimited Future, heralds our long-term goal—to liberate all oppressions against sex and all stereotypes, allowing endless possibilities for everyone’s identity. The ultimate goal is that one day, no one needs to announce their identity in any way but can be anyone they want without judgment.” However, to arrive at the future depicted in this statement, we need first to understand what were, are, and may remain the limits, who put these limits and on whom, what are the consequences of the limits, and more importantly, the results of removal of these limits.
Written by JhuCin Rita Jhang. There are major legal rights not covered by the Act for Implementation of J. Y. Interpretation No. 748. First, it does not allow same-sex couples to co-adopt a child unrelated to either parent by blood. Once a same-sex couple gets married, they lose the right to adopt whatsoever, and they would have to obtain a divorce to be able to adopt as a single person. Even if someone adopts first as a single and then gets married to a same-sex person, the spouse still cannot cross-adopt this child. This bizarre and counterintuitive legal conundrum sends many same-sex couples wishing to co-adopt on a long, winding legal fight. Even though one married same-sex couple had won the lawsuit and became the first-ever same-sex couple to co-adopt a genetically unrelated child in January 2022, this was ruled on a case-by-case basis.
Written by Max Dixon. Therefore, the grievances, tactics and repression of the protest movements outlined here enable a clear foreshadowing of the approaches of Russia and China that would follow. Yet where Ukraine and HK saw their political systems collapse in their post-movement societies, the strength of Taiwan’s democratic institutions and values prevailed. This resulted in negotiating with the Sunflower Movement’s strains and the calls to repress it, which have seen a stronger Taiwan emerge.
