The majority of the nation’s students do not know how many diplomatic allies Taiwan has, according to a poll released by the King Car Education Foundation.
Only 35 percent of respondents identified the correct answer: “Between 21 and 30,” according to the poll, which surveyed junior and senior high-school students and university students.
A total of 65 percent of respondents either got the answer wrong or said they did not know, the results show.
The top three countries that students believe have the biggest influence on Taiwan’s politics and security are the US with 82 percent, China with 65 percent and Japan with 54 percent.
Japan was voted the friendliest country toward Taiwan for the fourth consecutive year, followed by the US, and Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in Africa and Central and South America.
Only 11 percent of respondents said that China is the friendliest country toward Taiwan, but 77 percent said they believe China has the biggest influence over Taiwan’s economic development, followed by the US, Japan and South Korea.
Meanwhile, the international issues that Taiwanese students care most about are climate change (63.6 percent), ecological conservation (44.9 percent), human rights (36.9 percent), the European and Southeast Asian refugee crises (30.5 percent) and cultural preservation (24.8 percent).
The respondents were asked which country — Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia — did not participate in a May meeting held to address the Rohingya refugee crisis.
Only 15 percent of respondents identified the correct answer of Singapore, according to the poll.
Soochow University political science professor Liu Bih-rong (劉必榮) said that a rising Southeast Asia could present opportunities for Taiwan, but the survey shows that Taiwanese students have a poor understanding of the region.
The lack of motivation to learn more about the region, coupled with fragmented reports in the media are the main reasons, he said.
The poll collected a total of 2,352 valid samples. It had a confidence level of 97 percent and a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Friday laid out the Cabinet’s updated policy agenda and recapped the government’s achievements ahead of the one-year anniversary of President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration. Cho said the government had made progress across a range of areas, including rebuilding Hualien, cracking down on fraud, improving pedestrian safety and promoting economic growth. “I hope the public will not have the impression that the Cabinet only asked the legislature to reconsider a bunch of legal amendments,” Cho said, calling the moves “necessary” to protect constitutional governance and the public’s interest. The Cabinet would work toward achieving its “1+7” plan, he said. The
RSS