Although elected with a clear mandate to decrease Taiwan’s trade dependence on mainland China, President Tsai Ing-wen met with limited success in her attempt during the first term of her presidency. Indeed, China’s proportion of Taiwan’s overall exports reached an all-time high (43.9 percent) in 2020. However, even without a large-scale government intervention since then, … Read more
Since Taiwan’s first democratic presidential election in 1996, national elections have centered on national identity and the island’s future relationship with China. At present, however, the majority of Taiwan’s population largely identifies as Taiwanese, contrasting sharply with less than 3 percent identifying as Chinese only. This shift in identity, among other factors such as China’s … Read more
Magazine Taiwanese voters have made their choice. Now it’s up to President-elect Lai Ching-te – and the reactions from Washington and Beijing – to shape the future. Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-te, also known as William Lai, left, celebrates his victory with running mate Bi-khim Hsiao in Taipei, Taiwan, Jan. 13, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Louise … Read more
International pundits’ attention has turned to cross-strait relations and potential storm from China since Vice President Lai Ching-te (also known as William Lai) of Taiwan emerged victorious in the 2024 presidential election, leading the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to a record-breaking third consecutive term in office. But while foreign analysts focus on geopolitics, all … Read more
Taiwan’s population is expected to rapidly age over the next five years. Currently, more than 20 percent of the population is over the age of 65. By 2060, the elderly will encompass more than 41.4 percent of the population. This demographic shift poses a major question: how will Taiwan manage its impending labor shortage? To … Read more
Advertisement Taiwan’s recent economic troubles are looking increasingly likely to affect the prospects of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and its presidential candidate, Vice President William Lai, in Taiwan’s 2024 elections. In the first quarter of 2023, Taiwan’s economy entered a technical recession as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted by 3.02 percent compared to the … Read more