The Taiwan Take

This was the first Academy Awards nomination for a documentary from Taiwan. “Island in Between”《金門》was a nominee for Best Documentary Short at the 2024 Academy Awards.

In this 19-minute documentary, we see Kinmen (Quemoy) through the lens of filmmaker S. Leo Chiang (江松長) and the diverse cast of characters he meets there. Kinmen - made of a set of islands - is governed by Taiwan but sits just 2 miles across from China. Here Chiang portrays an “uneasy peace on the frontline between Taiwan and China.”

We talk about Kinmen, the making of the film, the path to the Oscars, and Chiang’s personal journey from being a parachute kid to the U.S., and his evolving identity as a Chinese, Taiwanese, American, and everything in between. 

Chiang is co-founder of the Asian American Documentary Network (A-Doc). In 2009, Chiang was nominated for an Emmy for the documentary “A Village Called Versailles.”

“Island in Between” is produced by CNEX, and distributed by the New York Times Op-Docs. Producer, Jean Tsien. Watch: https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000009146242/island-in-between.html

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Alex Khomenko is the organizer of Taiwan Stands with Ukraine 台灣烏克蘭陣線. We talk about conducting citizen diplomacy at a time of war, Taiwan’s humanitarian aid to Ukraine and public donations that amounted to the sending of power generators and ambulances, Taiwan and Ukraine relations, and the internal politics the Ukrainian government may be facing at home. 

Ukraine has no representatives based in Taiwan. When the war broke out on February 24, 2022, there were around 250 Ukrainians living in Taiwan. Many have had to do the difficult job of citizen diplomacy at a time of war.

They have formed groups to rally support from the Taiwanese public, the Taiwanese government, and foreign offices based in Taiwan. They have held fundraiser events, cultural days, demonstrations near the Moscow office, exhibitions at the National Human Rights Museum, and the two-year anniversary march.

They are the best example of citizen diplomacy, but at the worst of times. 

Ukrainian Food day in Taipei (More info)
1-7pm on Sunday, March 10
Location: Bar FEST 台北市汀州路三段149號 - (Google Map)

For our previous interviews on Ukraine -
Olek Shyn on Game Changers with Emily Y. Wu - Watch Video
Dmytro Burtsev on Five Star Nation (Mandarin) - Listen

Follow and tag us on social media:
Ghost Island Media | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Emily Y. Wu | Twitter @emilyywu

Support us by donating on Patreon http://patreon.com/taiwan 

A Ghost Island Media production: www.ghostisland.media

Support the show: https://patreon.com/Taiwan

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Reinhard Bütikofer is a familiar name in Europe and Taiwan relations. He has been a Member of European Parliament since 2009, where he is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, chairperson of the Delegation for Relations with China, and an alternate member of the Committee on International Trade. Reinhard also co-chairs IPAC, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. 

(This conversation was recorded prior to the 2024 January 13 election in Taiwan.)

We discuss the history of Europe-Taiwan relations, how 2016 and 2019 paved the way for an increased level of engagement with Taiwan, and how Bütikofer stays hopeful (“pessimism of the intellect, and optimism of the will.”)

Plus, a quote of hope from Hong Kong pro-democracy politician, Martin Lee.

Bütikofer is the organizer of the annual Berlin Taiwan Conference. See archive video here: 

2022 - “Opportunities and Challenges in Times of Geopolitical Change” (Dec 5, 6)
Day 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeDzUT7EpB0
Day 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTrFoRWu8ow

2023 - “Taiwan before the Presidential Elections” (Nov 13,14)
Day 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG4s_6Q_zoc
Day 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTKynM7SURs

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EPISODE CREDIT
Host / Emily Y. Wu @emilyywu
Editing / Gerald Williams
Researcher / Min Chao @wordsfromtaiwan
A Ghost Island Media production / @ghostislandme

www.ghostisland.media

Support the show: https://patreon.com/Taiwan

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This 5-episode limited series delves into policy debates within Taiwan that could have implications for the region and beyond. Each episode features Taiwanese local experts and voices weighing in on social, economic and defense issues as they discusses how Taiwanese society is responding to these challenges.

From Ghost Island Media in Taipei and U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C, this is "Dispatch from Taiwan." 

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Apple Podcasts: https://gimpod.me/usip-taiwan-apple
Spotify: https://gimpod.me/usip-taiwan-spotify
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Episode 1: Defense — Rising Awareness and Preparation

Taiwan elects a new president on January 13, 2024. Peace across the Taiwan Strait is on people’s minds, but where the candidates and their political parties differ is how to maintain it. All three presidential candidates have indicated they would continue Taiwan’s current foreign policies, though they have different views of what shape relations with China and with the United States should take, as well as different priorities for Taiwan’s defense preparedness.

As China continues its military aggression in the region, many in Taiwan are thinking of how best to defend their home. In 2024, Taiwan will see a record-high national defense budget of 19.4 billion USD. Military conscription also was extended to one year.

In his New Year’s speech, Chinese leader Xi Jinping renewed the Chinese Communist Party’s threats to take over Taiwan, which China considers its own but has never ruled.

This episode includes expert views from Ying-Yu LIN from Tamkang University and CHIEH Chung from the National Policy Foundation, as well as the civilian voices of Robin HSU from the TaiwanADIZ club and Tsung-lin TSAI.

Ghost Island Media: https://dispatchfromtaiwan.com/
USIP: https://www.usip.org/dispatch-taiwan

Support the show: https://patreon.com/Taiwan

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Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Prior to moving to Taiwan, Louis Heng had spent time in Singapore, Germany, Malta, and Scotland. Louis’ first time in Taiwan was with the Singaporian military. He then worked briefly as an airline pilot before entering a career in life insurance. In this episode, Louis and Emily talk about relocation with your family, managing and navigating multi-cultural teams, and Germany’s famous Oktoberfest.

This episode is a sponsored collaboration with the Taiwan Gold Card Office.

Interested in moving to Taiwan? Find out more about this open work-permit and residency visa at https://goldcard.nat.gov.tw

EPISODE CREDIT
Host / Emily Y. Wu @emilyywu
Project Manager / Serena Pai
Editing / Gerald Williams

Support the show: https://patreon.com/Taiwan

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As global attention on Taiwan intensifies, so does the significance of the work undertaken by domestic journalists. Today we speak with Taipei-based journalists as Taiwan gears up for its presidential and legislative election on January 13th, 2024.

This is a collaboration with the NüVoices Podcast.  Many thanks to the team at NüVoices partnering with us for this collaborative episode.  Today's guests are: 

Silva Shih -  Head of data journalism at CommonWealth Magazine (天下雜誌) in Taiwan, where she’s also a managing editor. Silva had previously spent five years at the Financial Times Chinese in Beijing where she oversaw data-driven stories, graphics and cross-strait relations coverage.

Wen-Yee Lee - A tech reporter with Business Weekly Magazine (商業周刊) in Taiwan, covering Taiwan’s semiconductor supply chain. She has been covering the semiconductor industry since 2018. 

Afore Hsieh -  A local fixer for the Asia bureau of the French-language network of CBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Prior to being a news assistant, Hsieh was a digital project manager at United Daily News in Taiwan. 

Taiwan’s upcoming election has become one of the most closely monitored events in decades, drawing the attention of foreign press members, international scholars, and think-tanks. This heightened interest is reflected not only in the increased number of books published about Taiwan, spanning countries such as Denmark, Germany, and the U.S., but also in the creation of numerous high-quality newsletters dedicated to Taiwan this year. 

Links to stories mentioned in the discussion:

“The Direst Straits : Why the Chinese Military Has Increased Activity Near Taiwan” by Silva Shih (Commonwealth Magazine, 2021)

“Uncovering the US-China Tech War: The Chip Rush in 21st Century America” by Wen-Yee Lee (Business Weekly, 2022)

“Un musée pour combattre le tabou des menstruations à Taïwan” by Philippe Leblanc with Afore Hsieh (CBC/Radio-Canada, 2022)

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Host - Emily Y. Wu @emilyywu
Research - Khera Ganongo
Editing, Music - NüVoices

Support the show: https://patreon.com/Taiwan

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“Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation” includes over 130 recipes and stories of the food in Taiwan, its history, and its people. It’s been named a Best Cookbook of Fall 2023 by Bon Appetitit, Forbes, Food & Wine, New York Magazine, Eater, and Tasting Table. It was published by Simon & Schuster in September, 2023.

Clarissa Wei has been a food journalist for a decade - writing about Asian cuisine in the L.A Times, about Nicaragua for VICE, on China for Goldthread of the SCMP. Her writings on the intersection of food and politics appear regularly in the New York Times, the Guardian, and The New Yorker. She’s based in Taipei.

Support the show by donating on patreon.com/taiwan

Tag and follow us on social media: 
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Produced by Ghost Island Media 

Producer, Host - Emily Y. Wu @emilyywu
Research / Khera Ganongo
Production - www.ghostisland.media

Support the show: https://patreon.com/Taiwan

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winner of 2023 Golden Melody Award in Best Arrangement, Jen-Ting Chien 簡任廷 and Jen-Yu Chien 簡任佑 are the two pieces of Twincussion 雙子二重奏.

Jen-Ting and Jen-Yu trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. In 2018 they played in Carnegie Hall. In 2023 they were selected for Center Stage, a cultural-exchange program from the U.S. Department of State. The brothers are versatile in Western classical music, Taiwanese folk, and new works by contemporary composers. This episode is fun to listen to, but it’s even more fun to watch!

This is the podcast edition of Game Changers with Emily Y. Wu - where we speak with emerging leaders. These are the fresh faces of Taiwan you must get to know. Watch the video edit of this conversation on TaiwanPlus - https://gimpod.me/gamechangers-twincussion-music

Get in touch with Ghost Island Media

Facebook - https://fb.com/ghostislandme
Instagram - @ghostislandme  
Twitter - @ghostislandme

Produced by Ghost Island Media

Producer, Host - Emily Y. Wu 
Associate Producer, Co-Writer - Ting Yeh
Researcher - Min Chao 
Podcast Editor - Dino Lin
Production Assistance - Teresa Yen, Gerald Williams
Director for Video - Laticia Fan 
Post-Production Supervisor - Kaley Emerson
Video Editor - Emma Chou, Vivi Wang

Copyright by, and First Broadcasted on TaiwanPlus

Executive Producer - Shirley Keng, Kelly Kuo    
Supervisor - Eric Yang    
Production Coordinator - Jenny Luo

Support the show: https://patreon.com/Taiwan

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weining Hung 洪維寧 founded LUCfest, a music showcase festival, in 2017 with KK Yeh 葉宛青 (White Wabbit Records). Taiwanese bands first played there before they went international, bands like Outlet Drift, The Fur, Go Go Machine Orchestra, Lücy, and Trout Fresh. 

When Weining’s not managing the festival, she’s managing Asian talents like Phum Viphurit from Thailand. We talk about her love for music, the “it” factor for a superstar-to-be, and how the live music industry is changing post-COVID.

Weining’s advice for emerging musicians? “Get yourself a manager, a team. Then get yourself an agent, a publicist, some business managers. Organise your team. Then you have a possibility to grow.”

This is the podcast edition of Game Changers with Emily Y. Wu - where we speak with emerging leaders. These are the fresh faces of Taiwan you must get to know. Watch the video edit of this conversation on TaiwanPlus - https://gimpod.me/gamechangers-weining-hung-music-lucfest

Get in touch with Ghost Island Media

Facebook - https://fb.com/ghostislandme
Instagram - @ghostislandme  
Twitter - @ghostislandme

Produced by Ghost Island Media

Producer, Host - Emily Y. Wu 
Associate Producer, Co-Writer - Ting Yeh
Researcher - Min Chao 
Podcast Editor - Dino Lin
Production Assistance - Teresa Yen, Gerald Williams
Director for Video - Laticia Fan 
Post-Production Supervisor - Kaley Emerson
Video Editor - Emma Chou, Vivi Wang

Copyright by, and First Broadcasted on TaiwanPlus

Executive Producer - Shirley Keng, Kelly Kuo    
Supervisor - Eric Yang    
Production Coordinator - Jenny Luo

Support the show: https://patreon.com/Taiwan

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She's a “21 Women Who Defined 2021” (VOGUE magazine Australia), a “Change Maker” (Australian Women in Music Award), and a “25 Trailblazers Reshaping Australia” (Sydney Morning Herald, 2022), Jaguar Jonze is a rockstar.

The Taiwanese-Australian is also an advocate for mental health, trauma awareness, and MeToo against sexual harassment. 

“If I can change one person's life and make it all worthwhile, that's what I'm holding on to,” she said about her decision to speak up against sexual assault.

Tickets to Jaguar Jonze’s show in Taiwan this week: 
Nov 1 in Taipei: https://www.indievox.com/activity/detail/23_iv026456f#notice-note
Nov 4 in Tainan (LUCfest): https://www.lucfest.com/

This is the podcast edition of Game Changers with Emily Y. Wu - where we speak with emerging leaders. These are the fresh faces of Taiwan you must get to know. Watch the video edit of this conversation on TaiwanPlus - https://gimpod.me/gamechangers-jaguar-jonze-metoo

Get in touch with Ghost Island Media

Facebook - https://fb.com/ghostislandme
Instagram - @ghostislandme  
Twitter - @ghostislandme

Produced by Ghost Island Media

Producer, Host - Emily Y. Wu 
Associate Producer, Co-Writer - Ting Yeh
Researcher - Min Chao 
Podcast Editor - Dino Lin
Production Assistance - Teresa Yen, Gerald Williams
Director for Video - Laticia Fan 
Post-Production Supervisor - Kaley Emerson
Video Editor - Emma Chou, Vivi Wang

Copyright by, and First Broadcasted on TaiwanPlus

Executive Producer - Shirley Keng, Kelly Kuo    
Supervisor - Eric Yang    
Production Coordinator - Jenny Luo

Support the show: https://patreon.com/Taiwan

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.