There is a story in India about a boy called Prahlad who was an ardent worshipper of Lord Narayana, whom his father considered an enemy. His son’s devotion vexed the father to the extent that he asked his sister, Holika, who could not be burned by fire, to sit with the boy in her lap and burn him to death. Prahlad knew about this evil plan, but sat in his aunt’s lap anyway. His faith won, as he remained unscathed by the fire, while his aunt was devoured by the flames. In some small way, Prahlad reminds me of Taiwan and its people: Radiating resilience, patience and courage in the face of a debilitating and looming adversarial presence.
Leaving home almost feels like a rebirth in some ways. Until you find your feet, you feel vulnerable and diffident, unsure of how much your life would change, what you might have to give up to be accepted and integrated. While my family and I have had to make adjustments and sacrifices during this move, I was pleasantly surprised at how far kindness and tolerance can be instrumental in soothing this anxiety. Wherever we went, despite the language barrier, we were met with a warm smile and a gentle curiosity. While the entire world is trying to build barriers and enforce boundaries, I found that the Taiwanese seem to be sure-footed and confident in their own identities, making them more accepting of outsiders. This comes as a true breath of fresh air.
Something else that has endeared us to our new home is how we, too, come from an ancient culture in which the basic essentials of life, that now stand alarmingly diluted, still matter. Faith, respect, sincerity and tradition are not just words thrown around here. They are reflected in everyday life — they are in fact a way of life. It was also interesting to note that Indian and Chinese cultures are closely integrated with nature, with many rituals and festivals dictated by the movement of the sun, moon and planets. This is clear acceptance that we must live in harmony with our environment.
Mandarin is a tough language to learn. My husband, daughter and I are all trying our best. Our study is not only for the purpose of convenience and ease of communication; I believe that language is a bridge that connects people. There are times when I want to interact with the people I see every day. I want to hear their stories and share my own. I know the day will come when I shall be able to build this bridge. As an author, one of my objectives is to gain access to the invaluable and vast treasure of Taiwanese literature so I can return home filled with infinite stories.
When I visited Taipei almost 15 years ago, the only place I managed to see outside of the city was Kenting (墾丁). I had no idea about the myriad of breathtaking views and landscapes Taiwan has to offer: from endless coastlines to magnificent mountains. Despite being here for less than a year, we have already made trips to several enchanting destinations and have invited our family and friends to come and discover Taiwan with us.
What can I say about the food that has not already been said? I used to associate Taiwan with Din Tai Fung, which is still delicious, but the night markets have my heart. From Raohe (饒河) to Shilin (士林) and even Keelung, we can always be spotted in one or the other.
I often travel for work, but when I am returning to Taiwan, I do not feel anxious. I think of the neighborhood dumpling shop where the owner would be waiting for us with a big smile, the long queue outside the ice shop that moves very fast, the old people who would greet us in the park as they exercise, the endless drives discovering another forest or magical waterfall, my pantry invitingly filled with mooncakes, pineapple buns and milk breads.
My heart fills with gratitude with the realization that we can experience another wonderful culture where politeness and humility rule over politics and hatred. Beyond the realms of semiconductors and geopolitics, pineapples and shorelines, Taiwan has a heart. I love this place. I hope the New Year brings the people of Taiwan even more resilience, courage and good fortune. We promise to root for the nation that has become a home away from home.
Richa S Mukherjee is a former journalist and author now based in Taiwan.
The conflict in the Middle East has been disrupting financial markets, raising concerns about rising inflationary pressures and global economic growth. One market that some investors are particularly worried about has not been heavily covered in the news: the private credit market. Even before the joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, global capital markets had faced growing structural pressure — the deteriorating funding conditions in the private credit market. The private credit market is where companies borrow funds directly from nonbank financial institutions such as asset management companies, insurance companies and private lending platforms. Its popularity has risen since
The Donald Trump administration’s approach to China broadly, and to cross-Strait relations in particular, remains a conundrum. The 2025 US National Security Strategy prioritized the defense of Taiwan in a way that surprised some observers of the Trump administration: “Deterring a conflict over Taiwan, ideally by preserving military overmatch, is a priority.” Two months later, Taiwan went entirely unmentioned in the US National Defense Strategy, as did military overmatch vis-a-vis China, giving renewed cause for concern. How to interpret these varying statements remains an open question. In both documents, the Indo-Pacific is listed as a second priority behind homeland defense and
Every analyst watching Iran’s succession crisis is asking who would replace supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Yet, the real question is whether China has learned enough from the Persian Gulf to survive a war over Taiwan. Beijing purchases roughly 90 percent of Iran’s exported crude — some 1.61 million barrels per day last year — and holds a US$400 billion, 25-year cooperation agreement binding it to Tehran’s stability. However, this is not simply the story of a patron protecting an investment. China has spent years engineering a sanctions-evasion architecture that was never really about Iran — it was about Taiwan. The
After “Operation Absolute Resolve” to capture former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, the US joined Israel on Saturday last week in launching “Operation Epic Fury” to remove Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his theocratic regime leadership team. The two blitzes are widely believed to be a prelude to US President Donald Trump changing the geopolitical landscape in the Indo-Pacific region, targeting China’s rise. In the National Security Strategic report released in December last year, the Trump administration made it clear that the US would focus on “restoring American pre-eminence in the Western hemisphere,” and “competing with China economically and militarily
RSS