Join host Joey Chou as he dives into socio-economic issues faced by Taiwan, and their broader impact beyond the reefs of this island nation.

Singapore is often held up as the poster child of bilingual success. Since the 1960s, Singapore has implemented a strict bilingual education policy where students learn English as the main language of instruction, while also studying their designated “mother tongue” — Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil. English is the language of business, science, and international affairs — while the mother tongue is tied to cultural identity.

It sounds ideal, but even there, challenges exist. Many students — especially those from English-speaking households — struggle with their mother tongue. The government has had to reform curricula and support lower-performing students to make sure bilingualism doesn’t come at the cost of confidence or self-esteem.

Meanwhile in Hong Kong, bilingual education is about balancing Chinese and English — specifically Cantonese, Mandarin, and English, all under one educational roof. Some schools are labeled as English Medium Instruction (EMI) schools and are highly sought after by parents hoping to give their kids an edge in global careers. But again, there’s tension: can you raise English fluency without weakening Chinese literacy? Does EMI unintentionally create a system of academic inequality?

These are questions Taiwan is now facing head-on.

Joining us is someone right at the front lines of this transformation — the CEO and founder of Hope English, one of Taiwan’s fastest-growing English learning platforms. His name is Charlie Tseng.