A VCD account of Taiwan during the Dutch colonial period of the 17th century was released yesterday as part of a private foundation's ambitious plan to explain the island's history through images -- instead of text -- in the hopes of kindling the curiosity of the younger generation.
The project is based on the book The General History of Taiwan (
The 48-minute long VCD was put together by a group of historians and specialists funded by the Lien Chentung Foundation (
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
Arlene Hui-hsin Lien (連惠心), the foundation's executive who also is the great-granddaughter of the author and Lien Chan's daughter , said the digital format was chosen because "The General History of Taiwan is not that accessible to [modern] readers because it was written in classical Chinese. So we decided to use images to represent the content of the book."
Taiwan was first colonized by Dutch forces who landed on the island in 1622, followed by the Spanish in 1626. In 1642 the Spanish settlements succumbed to Dutch forces and Taiwan was then ruled by the Dutch East India Company until the 1660s.
"We hope that this method of presenting history will allow people to transgress the barriers of space and time to know more about Taiwan's history," Lien said at a news conference yesterday.
People receiving free copies of the VCD at yesterday's launch said although the timing was "politically sensitive" given Lien Chan's presidential candidacy, they preferred to concentrate on how history was interpreted in the VCD.
"Maybe some people will associate the occasion with the presidential election campaign, but I don't care about it," said a university student surnamed Wang (
"I see the VCD as a reference, one of the many sources through which I can gain knowledge about Taiwan's history," he added.
While refusing to detail costs, Lien told the Taipei Times that a lack of sufficient historical materials in Taiwan had jeopardized the project, forcing the team to look abroad.
"Taiwan has not done a good enough job in conserving historical materials. So we had to use old maps and dramas to represent history ... We also went to Europe to search for materials," she said.
Participants at the news conference had high expectations of the overall project.
"I am looking forward to seeing the completion of other VCDs on Taiwan's history," said Huang Teh-fu (
Lien said the team would start work at the end of this year on the period of immigration in the Ching Dynasty (1644-1911).
The next two projects will focus on Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945) and under KMT rule, she said.
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
TAIWAN IS TAIWAN: US Representative Tom Tiffany said the amendment was not controversial, as ‘Taiwan is not — nor has it ever been — part of Communist China’ The US House of Representatives on Friday passed an amendment banning the US Department of Defense from creating, buying or displaying any map that shows Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The “Honest Maps” amendment was approved in a voice vote on Friday as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for the 2026 fiscal year. The amendment prohibits using any funds from the act to create, buy or display maps that show Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Wuciou (烏坵), Green Island (綠島) or Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) as part of the PRC. The act includes US$831.5 billion in