Taiwanese politicians and media personalities love to overreact, especially when a foreigner says something that touches a nerve and which they can use to elevate their name in the international mediasphere.
That is exactly what happened when Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇) called Americans “chicken-hearted” after a US food blogger in Texas wrote about his bad experience with century eggs, called pi dan in Taiwan, on CNN’s iReport.
Completely missing the point, which is normal on the legislative floor, Tien said Westerners should be “more courageous and willing to try new things.”
Is that not precisely what Danny Holwerda did when he went to an Asian market in Texas and picked up a strange-looking egg that he had no idea how to prepare?
The fact is, Holwerda went further than many Americans would be willing to go in trying new things; he just did not happen to like it. Maybe if he had tried pi dan prepared on tofu with green onion and soy paste, the way Taiwanese like it, he would have had a different experience.
Or maybe he would not have liked it regardless. Is it a crime for an American not to like something that many Taiwanese like?
Here is a suggestion: Maybe Tien should visit the US and try some of its wonderful delicacies, like pickled pigs’ feet, Rocky Mountain oysters, or any of the assortment of salty bean dishes that fly in the face of everything red bean paste stands for.
Instead of condemning Holwerda, Tien should praise the Texan for putting pi dan on CNN’s map. After all, probably thousands more people know about pi dan now than before his report and just might be willing to give it a try — if it is prepared correctly.
In a heartfelt letter to the Taipei Times, Holwerda apologized profusely for causing any offense, saying he had not intended to anger Taiwanese and adding that if he gets the chance, he would love to visit Taiwan and sample its wonderful cuisine.
Does that sound chicken-hearted?
This entire episode brings to mind another example of legislative overreaction after a CNN report ostensibly promoting the benefits of a trip to Taiwan — the case of the “gluttonous city.” An article on CNN in early May called Taipei the best city for gluttony in Asia, prompting all manner of misinterpretation in the legislature.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiang Nai-shin (蔣乃辛) asked: “What’s wrong with eating?”
Government Information Office Minister Philip Yang (楊永明) said the article had “damaged” the nation’s image.
What they completely failed to understand was that the article was directed at people who like to eat and that it could well attract people to visit Taiwan and spend their hard-earned tourist dollars.
Taiwan unquestionably offers great food and dining, and pi dan is a wonderful dish when prepared properly.
However, Holwerda might want to carry his earplugs with his chopsticks if he does come to Taiwan — that way he will be able to eat in peace.
There has been much catastrophizing in Taiwan recently about America becoming more unreliable as a bulwark against Chinese pressure. Some of this has been sparked by debates in Washington about whether the United States should defend Taiwan in event of conflict. There also were understandable anxieties about whether President Trump would sacrifice Taiwan’s interests for a trade deal when he sat down with President Xi (習近平) in late October. On top of that, Taiwan’s opposition political leaders have sought to score political points by attacking the Lai (賴清德) administration for mishandling relations with the United States. Part of this budding anxiety
The diplomatic dispute between China and Japan over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments in the Japanese Diet continues to escalate. In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong (傅聰) wrote that, “if Japan dares to attempt an armed intervention in the cross-Strait situation, it would be an act of aggression.” There was no indication that Fu was aware of the irony implicit in the complaint. Until this point, Beijing had limited its remonstrations to diplomatic summonses and weaponization of economic levers, such as banning Japanese seafood imports, discouraging Chinese from traveling to Japan or issuing
On Nov. 8, newly elected Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) and Vice Chairman Chi Lin-len (季麟連) attended a memorial for White Terror era victims, during which convicted Chinese Communist Party (CCP) spies such as Wu Shi (吳石) were also honored. Cheng’s participation in the ceremony, which she said was part of her efforts to promote cross-strait reconciliation, has trapped herself and her party into the KMT’s dark past, and risks putting the party back on its old disastrous road. Wu, a lieutenant general who was the Ministry of National Defense’s deputy chief of the general staff, was recruited
Tokyo-Beijing relations have been rapidly deteriorating over the past two weeks as China tries to punish Japan over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks about Taiwan earlier this month, and the off-ramp to this conflict is yet to be seen. Takaichi saying that a “Taiwan contingency” could cause a “situation threatening Japan’s survival” — which would allow Japan to act in self-defense — has drawn Beijing’s ire and sparked retaliatory measures. Her remark did not gain public attention until Chinese Consul General in Osaka Xue Jian (薛劍) made an apparent threat to behead her. The two sides lodged protests against each
RSS