The rise of China has brought tremendous pressure on Taiwan’s competitiveness, worrying our next generation about future competition between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
However, I am more confident of the nation’s future after attending a conference in Taipei City on Sept. 6, on the establishment of a cross-strait network on domestic violence prevention. What I really want to say is: Cheer up, my fellow Taiwanese! China is nothing to be afraid of.
The conference was organized by a well-known non-governmental organization, the Garden of Hope Foundation, and sponsored by the Ministry of the Interior’s Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Committee. Chinese and Hong Kong elites were invited to share their experiences on the subject.
Originally, I had great expectations for their presentations when I came to Taipei. After the presentations and exchange of opinions, I believe that, despite China’s sudden wealth after becoming a world factory in recent years, Taiwan’s potential strength far surpasses China’s.
Here are three examples:
Scientific Training
First, scientific training in Taiwan is solid.
China does have outstanding talent at the top of the pyramid, thanks to its huge population, but its scientific training is far less widespread than in Taiwan. The academic papers published by Chinese academics are mostly long articles filled with cliches and they lack an academic framework.
However, Taiwanese have a sophisticated and strict scientific approach to scholastics and their methodology, while such training still is insufficient in China.
Legal System
Second, Taiwan’s legal system is complete.
Taiwan has passed the test of democracy and the rule of law, and although it is not perfect in all areas, the laws are detailed and accurate, the government system is in order and people’s legal understanding is sufficient.
In China, however, the legal framework and concepts still need time to develop, something that hardly will take place overnight.
Sensitivities
Third, Taiwan’s cultural sensitivities are excellent.
The island has been subject to Dutch and Japanese colonial rule, US aid and the relocation of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) government. So many foreign powers have plowed this land. Influenced by such cultural diversity, Taiwan has developed a unique culture.
This social strength and vitality is the nation’s specific advantages. Culture, which can be called a deep-lying soft power, is likely to be a core competitive arena on the world’s stage in the near future. However, in China, it is unlikely to take shape in the short term, despite the fact that some Chinese people are becoming rich.
Path To Victory
As the Chinese saying goes: “Knowing both one’s own and the enemy’s strength is a sure way to victory.”
Before I began to closely observe the performance of the Chinese elite in person, I felt pressured, as if I were dealing with a giant. However, after comparing the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, I am more aware of Taiwan’s greatest advantages and strengths. I hope I can spread this awareness to all Taiwanese.
Hsu Su-jean is the director of National Cheng Kung University Hospital’s Department of Social Work.
TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG
President William Lai (賴清德) attended a dinner held by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) when representatives from the group visited Taiwan in October. In a speech at the event, Lai highlighted similarities in the geopolitical challenges faced by Israel and Taiwan, saying that the two countries “stand on the front line against authoritarianism.” Lai noted how Taiwan had “immediately condemned” the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas and had provided humanitarian aid. Lai was heavily criticized from some quarters for standing with AIPAC and Israel. On Nov. 4, the Taipei Times published an opinion article (“Speak out on the
The image was oddly quiet. No speeches, no flags, no dramatic announcements — just a Chinese cargo ship cutting through arctic ice and arriving in Britain in October. The Istanbul Bridge completed a journey that once existed only in theory, shaving weeks off traditional shipping routes. On paper, it was a story about efficiency. In strategic terms, it was about timing. Much like politics, arriving early matters. Especially when the route, the rules and the traffic are still undefined. For years, global politics has trained us to watch the loud moments: warships in the Taiwan Strait, sanctions announced at news conferences, leaders trading
Eighty-seven percent of Taiwan’s energy supply this year came from burning fossil fuels, with more than 47 percent of that from gas-fired power generation. The figures attracted international attention since they were in October published in a Reuters report, which highlighted the fragility and structural challenges of Taiwan’s energy sector, accumulated through long-standing policy choices. The nation’s overreliance on natural gas is proving unstable and inadequate. The rising use of natural gas does not project an image of a Taiwan committed to a green energy transition; rather, it seems that Taiwan is attempting to patch up structural gaps in lieu of
News about expanding security cooperation between Israel and Taiwan, including the visits of Deputy Minister of National Defense Po Horng-huei (柏鴻輝) in September and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) this month, as well as growing ties in areas such as missile defense and cybersecurity, should not be viewed as isolated events. The emphasis on missile defense, including Taiwan’s newly introduced T-Dome project, is simply the most visible sign of a deeper trend that has been taking shape quietly over the past two to three years. Taipei is seeking to expand security and defense cooperation with Israel, something officials
RSS