Migrant workers are an integral part of the workforce in Taiwan, so why are they met with discrimination, exploitation, and even abuse? In today's episode, I am joined again by Filipino youth activist Julia Mariano, who is the spokesperson for Migrante International – Taiwan Chapter, a rights organization for Filipino migrant workers. In this episode, Julia sheds light on the appalling working conditions migrant workers often endure, including some of the more shocking cases of abuse that they have encountered. Julia also addresses how Taiwan, as a supposed proponent of human rights, needs to do better in its treatment of migrant workers.

In the latter part of this interview, Julia delves into another important part of their activism work - supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people. Julia highlights how Palestinian and Filipino struggles for national liberation are interconnected, and why it is important to emphasize this in the resistance effort.

You can read more about the Da Wang incident here.

Recommended resources:

According to the American think tank, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, there are currently around 700,000 migrant laborers in Taiwan, making up about 80 percent of the foreign residents in Taiwan. Approximately a quarter million are in domestic care roles, and the remainder work in industries such as agriculture, fishing, and semiconductor factories. Many are at risk of discrimination, exploitation, and abuse.

Today’s guest on Hot Stuff is Filipino youth activist Julia Mariano. Julia is the spokesperson for Migrante International – Taiwan Chapter, a rights organization for Filipino migrant workers. Their engagement in activism started when they were a high school student in the Philippines, despite the dangers and social ostracization that came with it. Julia, who came to Taiwan to attend university, has now been here for four years and has been active in defending and promoting the rights of Filipino migrant workers through workers’ rights campaigns and union building. 

In this episode, we discuss how Julia first got involved in activism, the detrimental aftermath of the US colonization of the Philippines, and why there are so many Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Julia will also share their own father’s experience of being a migrant worker in Taiwan, and how migrant workers here are at risk of exploitation and abuse.

On today's episode of Hot Stuff, I am joined again by ⁠The Sandbox⁠ COO and Co-founder, Sebastien Borget. If you missed part one, and aren't too sure what The Sandbox is all about, go and check that out now! For our second part today, we're going to be getting into some of the concerns and moral debates surrounding crypto, gaming, and the metaverse. Can humans really make connections and forge relationships in virtual worlds that are comparable to those in real life? How do you prevent virtual harassment? Why should people still want to use The Sandbox given the instability of crypto? Sebastien will give his thoughts on all these topics and more. 

Sebastien was recently in Taipei for The Sandbox Creator Meet-up which was part of Taipei’s Blockchain Week in mid-December 2023. This interview was recorded then.

Today's guest on Hot Stuff is The Sandbox COO and Co-founder, Sebastien Borget. The Sandbox is a virtual world where players can build, own, and monetize their gaming experiences with the game's very own cryptocurrency SAND, an Ethereum-based utility token.

Sebastien has 14 years of experience working in Blockchain and mobile gaming, and in 2022, Sebastien was placed number four in the top 100 most influential people in crypto by Coin Telegraph. The Sandbox has also been featured in TIME magazine’s 100 Top Most Influential Companies of 2022.

If you’re already a big gamer and a fan of Sandbox then what are you waiting for - get listening! But if you're like me, and not hugely into gaming - don't be dissuaded. In this episode, we'll learn more about how The Sandbox developed, what makes it unique, and why so many big brands want to be part of it. What is Web3? What role does user-generated content play in The Sandbox? All will be answered, so hit play now!

Sebastien was recently in Taipei for The Sandbox Creator Meet-up which was part of Taipei’s Blockchain Week in mid-December 2023. This interview was recorded then.

Today I will be bringing you the final part of my interview with Rex How. Rex has had a very successful career in publishing, founding Locus Publishing in 1996 and Net and Books in 2001. In 2009 he was a national policy advisor to former president Ma Ying-jeou but then resigned in 2013 due to the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement with China. This agreement would have forced Taiwan to open up sixty-four industrial sectors, accounting for a staggering 70% of its GDP and encompassing five million workers. The outcry and protests that followed would lead to the movement known as the Sunflower Student Movement in 2014. 

Rex has recently come out with his latest book ‘Taiwan Unbound: A New Chapter, in which he discusses Taiwan’s current political parties, the candidates that ran for the 2024 presidential election, his own experience in politics, and some of Taiwan’s pressing social issues drawing on numerous interviews with academics and politicians. 

On the last two episodes of Hot Stuff, we discussed the 2024 presidential candidates, Rex’s journey and resignation as a national policy advisor, and today we will be discussing Taiwan’s social issues including wealth disparity, housing issues, wages, and the prospects for young people currently in Taiwan.

In today's episode of Hot Stuff, I am joined again by the publisher and former national policy advisor Rex How (郝明義). After hearing his take on Taiwan's 2024 presidential election last week, today we'll hear how Rex, born in Busan, South Korea, with parents from China, decided to make Taiwan his home. From selling his green card to founding two of his own publishing companies, Rex not only saw success in the publishing industry but also in politics as he was appointed a national policy advisor to former President Ma Ying-jeou in 2009. In this episode, Rex takes us on this journey and shares why he resigned from the advisory role in 2013 following the emergence of the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement (CSSTA). Stay tuned for our final part of the interview next week, where we will be discussing some of Taiwan's social issues, like wealth disparity and housing. 

Rex's latest book 'Taiwan Unbound: A New Chapter,' is available in both Mandarin, Chinese, and English. 

We're back with Hot Stuff's first episode of 2024, and it's an insightful one! Founder of Locus Publishing in 1996, and Net and Books in 2001, Rex How (郝明義) has made a name for himself in Taiwan's publishing industry. In 2009 he became a  National Policy Advisor to President Ma Ying-jeou, and in the run-up to Taiwan's 2024 presidential election, Rex has come out with his most recent book 'Taiwan Unbound: A New Chapter'.

In this book, Rex argues that the generational conflict between the younger generations of 'ocean thinkers' and the older 'terrestrial thinkers' is even more intense than that between Taiwan and China. In this episode of Hot Stuff, we get deep into the 2024 presidential candidates, how they're attracting (or repelling) the youth, what their stance is on China, and how Rex would address some of these pressing issues if he were running for president.

If you have any questions or want to get in touch, please email our host: [email protected] , also go and check out our Instagram @rtienglish for the latest updates and extra video content!

Today's guest on Hot Stuff is Ivy Chen ( 陳淑娥), the co-writer and recipe developer of the Taiwanese cookbook 'Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation.' Ivy along with journalist Clarissa Wei, created a book that contains a plethora of mouth-watering recipes and thoroughly researched essays, showcasing just why Taiwanese cuisine is deserving of its own category.

In this episode, Ivy takes us back to her childhood memories growing up in Tainan and how her passion for cooking developed. Ivy also tells us why it was important for her to write an English-language Taiwanese cookbook, her favorite recipes from the book, and what dish to start with if you're a beginner to cooking Taiwanese cuisine. Warning: this episode might make your mouth water!

Stay tuned for part two, out next Tuesday.

You can check out Ivy's website here and her Instagram here.

On this week's episode of Hot Stuff, I am joined again by Taiwan Digital Diplomacy Association (TDDA) Founder and President Kuo Chia-yo (郭家佑). In this episode, we discuss the work TDDA is doing to combat disinformation, how concerned you should be about cybersecurity, whether soft power is the way forward for Taiwan, and how digital diplomacy is being leveraged worldwide.

You can follow TDDA on Twitter/X here and on Facebook here.