The Ministry of Education in 2002 established the Native Education Committee to draw up a blueprint and propose the development of a policy to implement native cultural education.
The proposal was to set a long-term goal for course development, resource promotion and talent cultivation, but it was then shelved for eight years due to political transition.
Founded last year, the Center for Native Education integrates educational resources across Taiwan and publishes journals such as Newsletter of Taiwan Studies (台灣學通訊), Research in Taiwan Studies (台灣學研究) and ChaiTe Homeland Education (在地).
These journals serve as instructional references for teachers to engage with and inspire the next generation to identify with Taiwan and the values of democracy.
To consolidate the foundations of native cultural education formed by the Taiwanese Cultural Association a century ago with the support of Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui (蔣渭水), the ministry invited experts and academics to attend a conference intended to be a retrospective of 30 years of native cultural education and to look to the future.
The ministry also launched a collaborative project with seven public institutions for the first time this summer. Utilizing the collections and resources of each institution, it organized 37 workshops for teachers, helping them integrate native materials into their teaching so that they can enhance the connection between students and Taiwan during their lectures.
It is expected that there would be further collaborations between private institutions and experts in history or literature, thereby facilitating the formation of local networks of knowledge.
Language is the medium through which culture is transmitted and recorded. Taiwan went through a linguistic dark age when native languages — such as Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese), Hakka and indigenous languages — of different ethnicities were suppressed.
After the passing of the Development of National Languages Act (國家語言發展法) in 2019, the Executive Yuan announced in May that it would invest NT$30 billion (US$971 million) over five years to promote national languages.
Starting this month, the curriculum would also be launching native language learning to promote language revitalization.
The late writer Yeh Shih-tao (葉石濤) famously said: “No land, no literature.” Made by a private team, the documentary Yeh Shih-tao, A Taiwan Man was shot with heartfelt enthusiasm and appreciation for Taiwanese literature.
The documentary He’s Still Young movingly depicts the renowned poet Wu Sheng (吳晟), showing its sincerity and passion for this nation.
The Taiwanese Cultural Association has also teamed up with Ju Percussion Group to perform a musical production that seeks to enable more Taiwanese to understand Chiang’s legacy and heritage, while continuing the nation’s mission of cultural enlightenment that began a century ago.
Chuang Wan-shou (莊萬壽), a professor dedicated to establishing Taiwan’s cultural autonomy in relation to China’s threats and intimidation, published the book Taiwan Spirit: The Foundation for Taiwan to Thrive, to encourage Taiwanese to develop an appreciation for historical memory. The book aims to cultivate national identity and a sense of patriotism to pick up arms should the country need defending.
The government aspires to cultivate modern citizens with a humanistic spirit through the implementation and promotion of native cultural education.
With voluntary support and participation of civilians, Taiwan could shape a communal, democratic society that highlights the Taiwanese spirit, inspires patriotism, safeguards universal values and defends our homeland against aggressors.
Lee Chuan-hsin is a member of the Northern Taiwan Society and chairman of the Taiwan Society.
Translated by Rita Wang
In the US’ National Security Strategy (NSS) report released last month, US President Donald Trump offered his interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine. The “Trump Corollary,” presented on page 15, is a distinctly aggressive rebranding of the more than 200-year-old foreign policy position. Beyond reasserting the sovereignty of the western hemisphere against foreign intervention, the document centers on energy and strategic assets, and attempts to redraw the map of the geopolitical landscape more broadly. It is clear that Trump no longer sees the western hemisphere as a peaceful backyard, but rather as the frontier of a new Cold War. In particular,
When it became clear that the world was entering a new era with a radical change in the US’ global stance in US President Donald Trump’s second term, many in Taiwan were concerned about what this meant for the nation’s defense against China. Instability and disruption are dangerous. Chaos introduces unknowns. There was a sense that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) might have a point with its tendency not to trust the US. The world order is certainly changing, but concerns about the implications for Taiwan of this disruption left many blind to how the same forces might also weaken
As the new year dawns, Taiwan faces a range of external uncertainties that could impact the safety and prosperity of its people and reverberate in its politics. Here are a few key questions that could spill over into Taiwan in the year ahead. WILL THE AI BUBBLE POP? The global AI boom supported Taiwan’s significant economic expansion in 2025. Taiwan’s economy grew over 7 percent and set records for exports, imports, and trade surplus. There is a brewing debate among investors about whether the AI boom will carry forward into 2026. Skeptics warn that AI-led global equity markets are overvalued and overleveraged
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday announced that she would dissolve parliament on Friday. Although the snap election on Feb. 8 might appear to be a domestic affair, it would have real implications for Taiwan and regional security. Whether the Takaichi-led coalition can advance a stronger security policy lies in not just gaining enough seats in parliament to pass legislation, but also in a public mandate to push forward reforms to upgrade the Japanese military. As one of Taiwan’s closest neighbors, a boost in Japan’s defense capabilities would serve as a strong deterrent to China in acting unilaterally in the
RSS