Taiwan Report

DPP chose late appeal to make local elections about democracy and China threat, handing propaganda win to those who argue Taiwan isn't worth defending, and it was DPP Chair Tsai who undermined her own administration.

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Taiwan Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

Winning the tight Hsinchu City race is critical for the DPP, but possibly existential for the TPP, the only party posing any challenge to the KMT as an alternative to the DPP.

Plus predictions & some headlines not making English press.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/taiwanreport

Taiwan Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

The DPP had a golden opportunity to own a substantive issue relevant to local elections but only offered slogans and grandstanding, and they may pay the price at the ballot box. Plus some news not in the English press.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/taiwanreport

Taiwan Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

The DPP had a golden opportunity...

The KMT’s epic Taoyuan primary battle ends with Lo Chih-chiang finally giving up, but what’s next for Lo? Eric Chu in America calls the 1992 Consensus a “Non-Consensus Consensus,” and says KMT isn’t pro-China. Also Kaohsiung, Enoch Wu & minimum wage.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/taiwanreport

Taiwan Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

Eric Chu announces the KMT Taoyuan mayoral candidate will be Simon Chang, and everyone immediately goes into shock. Outrage in the KMT is spreading across Taiwan, and Chu has managed to infuriate almost everyone with this move.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/taiwanreport

Taiwan Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

Part 2 of this series on the stability of party-state rule in Xi’s China looks at how long-standing issues could erode public tolerance of the Chinese Communist Party regime and building pressure that has been mounting for years.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/taiwanreport

Taiwan Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

Part 1 of this series on the possibility of party-state collapse in China examines public confidence in the Chinese Communist Party's competence in their abilities to handle crises based on events over the last few years.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/taiwanreport

Taiwan Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

In this part two, I go way beyond the original proposal for a territorial defence force featuring armed “young men and women”, and explore whole-of-society needs and requirements and propose further cadres or auxiliaries to prepare for war

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/taiwanreport

Taiwan Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

Forget the reserves, a territorial defense force is needed to prepare for a civilian insurgency. In this two part series we explore a recent War on the Rocks proposal for just that: An armed & trained group of “young men & women”

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/taiwanreport

Taiwan Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

With Taiwan’s media completely Taipei-dominated, it’s no surprise that Taipei mayors often become president … and they obsess over the Taipei mayoral race. Chen Shih-chung and Lin Chia-lung are the two most widely tipped candidates, but a dark horse has just joined…

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/taiwanreport

Taiwan Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

Recent polling has the TPP overtaking the KMT, leading many to speculate they’ll outmuscle the KMT to become the #2 political party. Not so fast: They won’t in 2022, and in 2024 it is a long shot, but still possible.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/taiwanreport

Taiwan Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

Hou Yu-ih targets a national audience, bucking party & politics with a personal & political manifesto, to the fury of many in the KMT. He clearly intends to get his name known for a different brand of politics before 2024’s presidential race.

Associated Article: (Coming Later)

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

Comparisons to the Chen Po-wei recall abound, but Lim has some key differences that may see him through. He’s less combative & there is no Black Faction mobilizing votes against him like in Taichung. However, more support recalling him than don’t.

Associated Article: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4392123

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and...

In spite of Changhua’s plans to upgrade to special municipality are far more advanced, the Tsai administration’s enthusiasm is focused on Hsinchu. What is going on here?

Associated Article: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4388228

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

A crucial by-election could fell the most famous political patronage factional family in the country, or not–but shockingly, the press is going after the clan with abandon like never before.

Associated Article: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4387267

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

The factions still exist and influence politics, but their power is on the wane. But what are these patronage factions, what do they do and how did they come into being?

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

In spite of the narrative, the KMT actually did well in the referendums–but Eric Chu will take the blunt of the blame for losing all four. Hou Yu-ih used this issue to finally stake his place on the national stage.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

The referendum votes are Saturday, & we explore the political context in which they arose & the deep ironies in all of this. We also examine the potential fallout for the DPP & KMT, & why the KMT probably has more to lose.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

An ostensibly left authoritarian state switched diplomatic recognition to China. Surprise, surprise. It’s not a bad thing for Taiwan, in spite of reducing diplomatic partners to 14. It better aligns Tsai’s vision of Taiwan’s place in the world with reality.

Article: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4376645

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreig...

"Boston" Paul Davis has been a trailblazer in Taiwan's art & music scene. Previously a cop, today, he is known for founding LUVstock, organizing parties, as a musician, as co-owner of the live music venue The Refuge, and as a photographer.

All our podcasts from now on are at https://anchor.fm/taiwanreport

As always, follow along with the news and get the latest shows, and more at our website Report.tw

Taichung, Changhua and Yunlin are run by first-term KMT women, and Nantou’s KMT has chosen a woman for their candidate for commissioner, meaning in 2022 all of central Taiwan’s KMT candidates will be women. Why are they so dominant?

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

Taiwan Statebuilding Party’s Chen Po-wei sacked in a recall, but how? And why was the turnout so massively high? What happens next in that district with the Yen clan in disarray? Finally, what about Freddy Lim, whose recall is next?

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

Shopping is often done without much thought in spite of the money often going to repressive activities by the PRC. Co-founder Colin-Kirk Hodge and the Snowball Community are building a website letting consumers know what ties products have to China.

Please support Snowball for Good at www.snowballforgood.com

Note: An audio fix was made where Donovan came in a bit low in the latter half of the episode. We apologize for the inconvenience.

3 have been arrested for “deepfake” porn targeting local celebrities...and local politicians like Huang Jie and Kao Chia-yu. Though these weren’t political, in today’s highly polarized political climate, this could be weaponized in frightening and unpredictable ways.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

KMT chair race ends, & the winner is off to an abysmal start, rejecting his own stances & issuing a direct insult to Taiwan’s voters. If this is a sign of things to come, he and the KMT are in serious trouble.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

The KMT chair race has been totally upended as Chang Ya-chung roars into contention! The KMT had their second debate, which was wild, unpredictable, chaotic, weird, informative, entertaining and downright shocking on many levels. The race is now totally unpredictable.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

In a bit of a change of pace, in this episode we look into a lighter subject: The role of social media in local politics, and the amusing handles some politicians have taken.

Last show examined the KMT candidates, and this show looks at the state of the race, what polling shows, endorsements, hints of direction change and what might be key to winning--and who has the best chance of pulling it off.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

Part Three: We now know the candidates for KMT chair. To spare you the suffering, I watched both candidate registrations and presentations, the debate and scoured local media and their social media accounts to bring you a deep dive on the candidates.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a Taiwan political news show with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

Felicia Lin is the Canadian/American-Taiwanese host of possibly the longest-running Taiwan-related podcast who has interviewed a powerful lineup of interesting people. She is also working on a biography of Su Beng, revolutionary, lifelong Taiwan independence activist and author.

This is a part 1 of Radioactive Taiwan, a People's Choice Podcast Awards Finalist for 2021 (we may still win, who knows?).

When President Jimmy Carter de-recognized Taiwan, the American military radio station that broadcast to American soldiers and thousands of Taiwanese had to leave Taiwan. American businessmen demanded that the Taiwan government authorize an English-language radio station … and International Community Radio Taipei (ICRT) was born. ICRT became an active, community minded radio station, that worked with the people of Taiwan, to internationalize the country. Taiwan's youth were experiencing a cultural, economic and political awakening that coincided with ICRT's bi...

Part two: we look at three candidates rumoured to enter the race: Sean Lien, Dan Han Kuo-yu and Eric Chu. Also three other players who might join: Hau Lung-pin, Chou Hsi-wei and Ma Ying-jeou. And who CCP might prefer.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a show of news with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

This KMT chair race is hugely consequential, and will impact the future of not just the party, but Taiwan’s democracy. In part 1, we look at why it’s important, and the already declared candidates.

More Podcasts at www.report.tw or anchor.fm/taiwanreport and consider sponsoring us on Patreon.

Taiwan Report News Brief is a show of news with analysis and context, providing the listener with a better understanding of Taiwan, especially in politics and foreign affairs.

NOTE: This episode was recorded 6 days ago and was only published now due to technical problems.

Taiwan is to establish a “Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania” and CCP flips out. Halifax defense and security forum to meet in Taipei. US military plane lands with package for new AIT head Oudkirk, and CCP flips out again.

Three KMT-run counties and KMT want to buy vaccines, government says no. What’s curious is who is behind it, and who isn’t. KMT also suing Health Minister and CECC head Chen and head of the FDA over local vaccine approval.

Neither the DPP nor the CEC are doing the KMT any favours. Polling shows DPP and KMT continue to lose support, but lost supporters aren’t to ‘no party’, but other parties--and TPP is now less than 3% behind the KMT.

Michael Turton and Donovan Smith both arrived as young lads in the late 80s, when Taiwan was a one-party state under the KMT. They discuss their early impressions of Taiwan politics & life in a key transitional period in Taiwan’s history.

A recent My Formosa poll showed the demographic with strongest “faith in” Ko P came from...deep blues! That’s striking considering Ko pitches himself as a centrist. However, a just-released video suggests Ko may now be pitching himself to those voters.

New information has surfaced on subject of yesterday’s show: warring over elections. EY absentee voting proposal is only for referendums, and KMT & DPP appear to be politicking on whether it will apply in December. Chen’s recall date is now “tentative”.

Important people involved: Jessica Chen (陳玉珍), Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文), Chen Po-wei (陳柏惟)

The third “revenge recall” is set for Taiwan Statebuilding Party lawmaker Chen Po-wei for Aug. 28--but the Aug. 28 referendums were bumped to December. KMT continues to push for absentee ballots, and shockingly the Executive Yuan will propose a draft.