Politics and polemic Archive

Li Kuo-Ting: The adaptable strategist behind Taiwan’s success

“Li Kuo-ting’s name,” wrote Hong Kong economist Tony Fu-Lai Yu (余赴禮), “is well-known in Taiwan.” If this were true when Yu penned the words 10 years ago, it certainly isn’t now. Granted, as Yu points out, Li’s name (李國鼎) is enshrined in a foundation that funds scientific endeavor in Taiwan and promotes cross-Strait cooperation in science. An […]
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Dark shadows and new hope: Taiwan and El Salvador

The single shot from a rifle that hit Archbishop Oscar Romero straight in the heart as he was saying mass at San Salvador’s Church of the Divine Providence on the evening of March 24, 1980, was to send shockwaves through El Salvador and the world. Even in a country where murder had become a way […]
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Taipei’s Little Burma and the legacy of the KMT ‘jungle generals’

The distinctive red and yellow paving of Huaxin Street has been uprooted since my last visit. It’s one of those head-scratchers that define local government decision-making in Taiwan. “Why would they do that?” asks my younger son. Why, indeed? The design gave the road a pedestrian-friendly feel, a refreshing contrast with the rest of New […]
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How do Taiwanese Americans feel about Donald Trump now? (SCMP piece)

The Surmaitis family’s dog has become a pawn in a genuinely civil war. “She’s Trumpy Dog,” insists Judy, the matriarch. “Mom, she’s depressed when she’s Trumpy Dog,” her daughter Alison Chan replies. “She’s a Cubs’ fan, which means she’s Obama Dog.” Why not “Hilldog”, à la South Park? [Read the full South China Morning […]
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The Ugly Side of Taiwan’s Olympics

This is the original of my op-ed piece from today’s Taipei Times. I’ve also added stuff that I would have included but, based on experience, guessed wouldn’t make the cut for style and length reasons: Taiwan was overjoyed by weightlifter Hsu Shu-ching’s (許淑淨) gold medal at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro last Monday. […]
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East Asia Forum piece: Taiwan’s friend buying days are over

Forgot to post this up. It’s a pared down, edited version of my Global Asia piece. Actually, it’s really a completely different article, which is why I’m sticking it up separately. I’d like to give the editors at East Asia Forum (based out of the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University) a hearty slap on […]
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Global Asia Feature: Looking Back, Moving Forward: Foreign Policy Challenges for Taiwan’s New Leader

My piece in the summer issue of Global Asia. (The line calling Chiang Kai-shek the “KMT founder” is not mine. It stayed in despite me changing it after the piece was returned to me for a final proof). Taiwan’s newly inaugurated president, Tsai Ing-wen, faces a conundrum when it comes to foreign policy. If she […]
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Taipei’s Vicious Cycle: Snatching Space from Pedestrians is Not the Answer

Below is the original version of my editorial/whinge from today’s Taipei Times: Years ago I was tinkled by a cyclist on the sidewalk outside the student dorms at Shida. In response, I engaged in my version of what soccer goalies call “making yourself big” – deliberately positioning my body to obstruct passage. Why? Well, […]
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George H. Kerr Exhibition at City Hall

My last post featured a man I ran into at the 228 commemoration event in Taipei a few weeks back. In this dipstick’s revisionist version of events, Taiwanese thugs started the whole thing by targetting Mainland Chinese. His placard branded these alleged miscreants rapists and murderers. It’s easy enough to counter such ludicrous claims, but […]
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Of Taiwanese Tolerance

One of the things that makes Taiwan a great country to live and raise a family in is the remarkable tolerance that is shown toward diverging opinions, particularly in the face of provocation. I’m speaking of all aspects of society here, though what I really is have in mind is politics. As I wrote that […]
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