Favorite News Cliches that Inaccurately Describe Taiwan

Serious journalistic interest in Taiwan among the western media typically ebbs and flows with Taiwan’s presidential election cycle, unless it is an issue of immediate military or economic importance to China or the US. Yet though the stories may differ, the language that’s used to describe key details often rehashes some well-established clichés.

By Stuart Hill

It’s not unexpected that journalists will write from and appeal to the perspectives of their readership. So when writing about Taiwan, the key themes often concern regional military stability and freedom of trade (in which the US and China have a huge vested interest), various forms of territorial competition and, more recently, the beacon of light that Taiwan represents for all Chinese people.

Taiwan’s history is dominated by a narrative of economic exploitation from opportunistic powers from within Asia and Europe. At the same time, there is a pattern of cultural colonialism that has seen the dispossession of Taiwan’s aboriginal inhabitants and the domination of local elites by multiple waves of more powerful external forces.

It’s in this context that today’s reporting about Taiwan is heavily framed by the last big influx of settlers to Taiwan, who happen to have fled the Chinese Communist Party after World War II and secured an ally in the United States, especially leading up to the Second World War, then later the Cold War.

Looking back at the large landmass it had escaped, Taiwan’s KMT could be excused for its description of China as the Mainland. Less than 14 kilometers separates China from Taiwan’s most outlying islands of Kinmen and both the KMT and CCP have held dreams of unifying the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. It’s still China’s key goal for any concessions it makes to Taiwan’s business and political leaders.

 

The language used around these events, and the wording used to define these relationships, still heavily influences the way Taiwan is described in the media today.

Here are some examples.

Mainland China

It’s almost impossible to hear or see something written by a journalist concerning Taiwan without this cliché appearing somewhere. It really is a lazy term that appears almost by default as the journalist’s only adjective to describe China, notwithstanding the classic “Red China”.

This term is a politically loaded way of differentiating between a China run by the Chinese Communist Party – what everyone today would understand to be China – and the part of “China” under the control of the Chinese Nationalist Party (the Kuomintang or KMT) that fled from China and imposed itself on the remnants of Japan’s relinquished colony (with US help) which we know as Taiwan. After the Second World War, Chiang Kai Shek’s “Republic of China on Taiwan” had plans to take back “mainland China” by force, but it never eventuated.

Today, the possibility of a China that includes a mainland and “islands” is still justified by early Chinese imperial maps that ascribe ownership of these islands to China. Meanwhile the ongoing use of this language is a convenient point of difference for the US government’s support of a Free China (on Taiwan). Yet, in the context of a world where Taiwan and China are both separate political entities, there is no “non-mainland China”, there is only China.

To see how easy it is to get confused about which China is really China, take a look here:

 

1992 Consensus

Forget that the original consensus never existed between KMT and CCP delegates over the statement “there is only one China and that each side has its own interpretation”. Let’s also forget that the existence of any consensus was actually a huge KMT fib to make the same meeting appear to have achieved something of importance.

Fast forward a few years down the track to find the Chinese Communist Party clinging to its own definition of the KMT-inspired “1992 Consensus” as a non-negotiable pre-condition for any dialog about the future of Taiwan.

As with many discussions about Taiwan, it boils down to a patchy reconciliation between two Chinese adversaries dating back to the Chinese Civil War, with only President Ma Ying-Jeou and his KMT and President Xi Jinping and his CCP deciding that they had reached a new consensus on a lie about something that never even happened.

Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rejects the “consensus” on the basis that it does not effectively represent the beliefs or aspirations of all Taiwanese. In this dramatic love triangle, there really is no consensus.

“Communist Party chief Xi Jinping yesterday told honorary Kuomintang chairman Lien Chan that the mainland would respect Taiwan’s choices so long as both sides negotiate under the “one China” principle. ‘We respect Taiwan people’s choices of their social system and lifestyle,’ Xi told Lien at their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse yesterday. But he also warned that cross-strait ties would be affected if both sides were not willing to adhere to the ‘one China’ principle under the so-called 1992 consensus.” (South China Morning Post, 19 Feb, 2014)

Read the article from the South China Morning Post where it refers to the 1992 Consensus and one-china principle.

Taiwan, the Renegade Province

You could imagine this phrase to be lifted straight from the Terms and Definitions pages of Xinhua News Agency describing Taiwan in the 1950s, but today’s repeated use in respected publications like The Washington Post surely does little more than denigrate the legitimacy of Taiwan’s long-standing self-government. Given that all hopes of “retaking the mainland” died along with KMT leader Chiang Kai Shek in the 1970s, and with borders that are clearly defined by the surrounding sea, it’s hard to imagine Taiwan as a provocative rebel base ready to stage an imminent take-over of China.

It wasn’t so during the 1950s to 60s, and Taiwan’s outlying islands are evidence of the huge battles that took place between the communist and nationalist forces over the right to command China. In China’s defense, Taiwan does have smaller islands in extremely close proximity to its coast which can be reached by fairly conventional cannons, and could be some justification for the hundreds of missiles China has deployed to “defend” its borders and get ready to take back this “breakaway province”.

But to continue describing Taiwan’s democratically elected president and parliament, its legal system, military system, education system, and economy as that of a renegade province is a bit of a dramatic stretch. As Issac Stonefish says, even the Chinese just call the place Taiwan, Province of China.

“China has protested to the United States after Taiwan’s de facto embassy in Washington hoisted a Taiwanese flag on New Year’s Day, and urged the US to respect the ‘One China’ policy. The US State Department said it had not been notified in advance of the ceremony and it was inconsistent with US policy. China deems Taiwan a renegade province and has not ruled out the use of force to take it back, particularly if the island makes a move towards independence. The One China policy holds that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of it.” (Stuff.co.nz 16 Jan, 2015)

Read the full Stuff.co.nz article.

Read Issac Stonefish’s plea to today’s media: “Stop Calling Taiwan a Renegade Province”

Taiwan Strait Status Quo

A decade or so ago, the status quo between Taiwan and China was still being dominated by the notions of Taiwan as a stateless entity, with sovereignty to be resolved. Taiwan was a place, not a nation, and as long as the ROC “authorities” did not redefine Taiwan as a nation, the question of ownership could remain a topic for future discussion between the KMT and CCP.

What complicated all this theory was the fact that the Republic of China (ROC) was established in China in 1911 with its own constitution, army and governmental structures, and these were imported with the KMT when it fled to Taiwan. Yes, it brought national institutions with it and then set about governing people – through military dictatorship initially.

That’s also why Taiwan has China Airlines, China Steel, “Chinese” Telecom, “Chinese” Post, China Petroleum Corp, etc., all government established businesses. This is why Taiwan today, still officially the ROC, operates as a fully functioning social and political entity; albeit without the recognition of many other nations.

At the political level, an uneasy, unofficial truce between both sides of the Taiwan strait held together an atmosphere of delicate peace, that allowed economies to prosper and each society to evolve. As Taiwan’s society and political dynamic gradually transformed into something less authoritarian and more democratic, the status quo slipped into a feeling of “keeping things the way they are” – though no-one ever dared elaborate what that actually referred to.

And here we are today, where “keeping things the way they are” means maintaining the institutions of a normally functioning democratic nation. Thus today’s status quo means a society where free choice is the norm, where society is run by an elected government, where law is adjudicated by (hopefully) an independent judiciary. Winding all that back could only be described as altering today’s status quo, which is not the same status quo the CCP desperately wants to protect.

“The summit between the mainland’s Xi Jinping and Taiwan’s Ma Ying-jeou created a new status quo – one that lets leaders on both sides talk on an equal footing under the ‘one China’ principle, experts say. The summit not only set a precedent for the two sides to have high-level talks but also set an example – and restrictions – for the future ruling party and president of Taiwan to accept the one-China principle if peace was to be maintained.” (South China Morning Post. 9 Nov, 2015)

See the full article from the South China Morning Post about how the KMT and CCP have shifted the definition of the status quo.

The Diplomat warns about the shifting and multiple Taiwan Status Quo definitions.

Taiwan Independence

To hear China and the US talk about Taiwan’s independence, you’d think that Taiwanese were living under an undemocratic regime, one that frequently stifles the media and book publishers, locks up lawyers and human rights proponents, places strict controls on access to social media, the internet, and foreign movies, and threatens students and academics with defunding. If we were talking about the “Republic of China on Taiwan” in the 1970s – or the People’s Republic of China of today – you would be spot on.

So what does it mean when a DPP leader is described as “pro-independence”? As if somehow the KMT welcome other people to tell them what to think and do. In fact, all Taiwanese are in support of independent thought, choice, and movement. Certainly no leader on either side of the domestic political spectrum has advocated submitting themselves to the Chinese Communist Party or any other party as the way of the future for Taiwan (though a quickly dumped presidential candidate on the KMT side did start to go there).

Indeed, the KMT is known to be “pro-unification”, but this notion stems back to their core delusion of taking back the motherland after their loss in the Chinese Civil War. In those days, unification was to be enacted with the KMT in control, and no doubt a triumphant return to the halls of power in Beijing, or Nanjing, or Chongqing, or Shanghai…wherever they felt the capital ought to be located.

Instead, Taiwanese today suffer other modern tyrannies: the tyranny of consumer choice, the tyranny of the people’s right to vote, the tyranny of bans on their national symbols (and country’s name) appearing at international events, the tyranny of unfair representation on international bodies. But they are hardly lacking their independence.

“I will not declare independence, I will not change the national title, I will not push forth the inclusion of the so-called “state-to-state” description in the Constitution.” Quoted from Chen Shui-bian in 2000 (BBC News, 2009)

Read about Taiwan independence as reported by the BBC in 2009

A typical response to Taiwan’s presidential and parliamentary elections: “China’s Taiwan Affairs Office warned it would oppose any move towards independence and that Beijing was determined to defend the country’s sovereignty.” (CNBC via Reuters)

 

President Ma’s Easing of Tensions with China

UK Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s claim to fame was that he had negotiated peace with Hitler. That was before Germany began sweeping across Western Europe. It didn’t stop the blitzkrieg on London either.

You get the echoes of the past every time “peaceful relations” and “the easing of tensions” and Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou are mentioned in the same sentence. The over-arching media narrative is that since Ma was elected in 2008 (after 8 years of “trouble” caused by former President Chen Shui-bian), relations between China and Taiwan and the US have never been better.

You can definitely say that relations between the Chinese Communist Party (China’s CCP) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (Taiwan’s KMT) have never been better. The result of which has been less trouble and more cooperation. The easing of tensions has been heralded in much the same way obedience is applauded in a slave. President Ma’s trade and transport and communication deals, and his historic meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping in Singapore, reflect a renewed alignment in the ambitions and interests of the former adversaries.

So yes, at the regional level President Ma has reduced the headaches of the US, and made the Chinese feel that their unification strategy is working, but as Taiwan’s frustrated youth have highlighted through protest, and as Taiwan’s recent election results have reflected: what’s the ultimate risk and cost of Taiwan’s continued compliance?

“Relations between the two sides have improved since Taiwan’s independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party under outgoing president Chen Shuibian was roundly defeated by the more mainland-friendly Kuomintang. ‘KMT Chairman Wu’s visit will be conducive to strengthening communication and dialogue of the two parties and will push forward the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations,’ the mainland’s Xinhua news agency reported” (AsiaNews 19 May, 2008)

To see the article about post-2008 easing of tensions in the AsiaNews.

Discover Taipei: Evergreen Maritime Museum

For shipping buffs, the Evergreen Maritime Museum should be a treasure trove of all things nautical, covering the history of shipping world-wide. Featuring a collection of maritime themed art, interactive exhibits, and no doubt the biggest collection of model ships – modern and ancient – in all of Taiwan, a half-day visit represents an intriguing and enjoyable adventure.

By Stuart Hill

The first floor lobby provides model replicas of Asian, European and aboriginal vessels. This floor includes a gift shop and ticket counter.

The Evergreen Group is not just a well know shipping and airline brand, the ebbs and flow of its yearly revenue performance provide a bellwether for the Taiwan economy in general.

While the company itself started with a small second-hand ship in 1968, and has now become one of the world’s leading shipping fleets, the Maritime Museum only opened at its current location in 2008.

In addition to modern examples of shipping equipment, uniforms, maritime flags, and knots, the Evergreen Maritime Museum includes artwork, and detailed replicas of military, cargo, and transport vessels.

Evergreen’s buccaneering founder Dr YF Chang has amassed an enormous collection of maritime themed art and models, and his foundation has created an educational experience that provides a lot of interesting content that appeals to all ages.

The museum now occupies the old headquarters of Taiwan’s KMT party on ZhongShan South Road, located directly opposite the Presidential Office Building , which was sold to an Evergreen trust, with 5 floors converted into galleries and exhibition space.

Evergreen Maritime Museum features interactive displays that provide practical information about sea trade and ship navigation.

After buying tickets on the first floor, visitors begin their journey on Floor 5 and gradually descend back to the lobby.

Floors 3-5 prohibit photography, explore the history of naval exploration, the technological development of modern shipping and an exhibition of nautically themed paintings and other artwork.

Floors 1-2 cover the equipment used for modern and ancient sailing, which covers tools for navigation, as well as new technology for communication and safety at sea.

Meanwhile tucked away in the basement is a modest restaurant/cafeteria where you can get discounts on simple meals if you also buy a ticket to the museum. The food provides the familiarity of dining on an EVA Air flight.

More Information:

• Evergreen Maritime Museum Website in English
• Evergreen Group Official Website in English

The Evergreen Maritime Museum covers the world history of naval exploration, travel, and transportation. You can spend half a day browsing its 5 levels. There is a cafe on the first floor and a restaurant in the basement.

Chiang Kai Shek’s Legacy at Rest

Former ROC president and Taiwanese dictator – Chiang Kai Shek – rests in his mausoleum in Cihu, a picturesque part of TaoYuan. In order to pay their respects, most visitors must pass by the Cihu Memorial Sculpture Park, a surreal resting place for effigies of the generalissimo.

By Stuart Hill

If the era in which you are born reflects the kind of person you eventually become, then early 20^th Century China must have been a ruthless and precarious time to be alive. From the collapse of the Qing Dynasty, and the opportunistic encroachment of the Japanese in North-East China, to the vying of influence over China among the European powers, America and Russia, Chiang Kai Shek represents one of the period’s fiercest and longest survivors.

“One day when former president Chiang Kai Shek taking his vacation in Daxi, seeing this place was so similar to his home country, he decided to design a courtyard house called “Guesthouse of Dungkou”…Chiang Kai Shek passed away on April 5th, 1975. His son asked Mrs Chiang for permission to place the coffin here on April 7th, and the name was turned into “Cihu Mausoleum.” – on site sign at the Cihu Mausoleum.

Yet his vision for China – which eventually narrowed down to the parameters of the world he created for his political followers in Taiwan – ultimately reflected a distant reality to the world created by his long-time political opponents, and some-time allies, the Chinese Communist Party in China.

As a competitor in the Chinese race of big ideas as the basis of a reformed national government, Chiang Kai Shek was the clear loser. Despite what is echoed among those that inherited his political achievements, his “China legacy” has long been swamped by the propaganda and social development of the Chinese Communist Party. The core of his desire to free China from foreign domination and bring modernization to the country – once reinforced by the democratic ideals of his mentor Sun Yat Sen – was abandoned for the more pragmatic pressures of political exile and personal survival.

The CKS legacy deconstructed? The deliberately incomplete remains of an 8m statue of Chiang Kai Shek is a work of art by artist Guo shao-zong called Wounds and Regeneration, one of the thousands of “relocated” statues from around Taiwan, and is now located in the Cihu Memorial Sculpture Park.

In uniting disparate factions against foreign invaders, Chiang Kai Shek had maneuvered his way to lead significant sections of China’s provincial leadership and merchant classes to resist Japanese colonialism. He and his equally capable wife – Madam Chiang (Song Mei Ling) – had successfully navigated the agendas of the world powers to generate financial and military support throughout the chaos of the years between World Wars I and II and beyond. Yet his inability to lead the masses of peasants to revolutionize the way their government was run, ultimately failed in establishing a society that delivered on the dream to enfranchise the majority of Chinese. Instead he was left to impose this dream on the people of Taiwan.

Literally fighting for their lives, Chiang Kai Shek and his defeated KMT, fled to the Chinese/Japanese colony of Taiwan. With the backing of the US, he maintained his own version of China, a construct of diminishing relevance to world affairs – if international recognition was anything to go by.

Among the many faces of Chiang Kai Shek reflected throughout the Cihu Memorial Sculpture Park are several stern and unimpressed-looking representations of his mentor –  and the father of the Republic of China – Dr Sun Yat Sen.

To a large extent the Taiwan of today owes its character and existence to the political tenacity, ego-centrism, and out-right avarice of Chiang Kai Shek and his closest followers.

It’s a humbling and poignant experience to see the resting place of this once-feared and revered leader become a post-modern grave site to the fallen imagery and rejected idolatry of the man’s own painful past.

“In April, 1975, the entire nation mourned the passing of President Chiang Kai-shek…In response to suggestions from all sectors, the funeral committee members decided to build the CKS Memorial Hall in Taipei, in order to commemorate the memory of our great leader.” – CKS Memorial Hall website. The CKS Memorial Hall was opened on April 5,1980 to mark the fifth anniversary of Chiang Kai Shek’s death.

Taiwan Earthquakes and Tips for Survival

It can come as a real shock to experience an earthquake for the first time. The world starts to spin, and even after a few minutes pass, your body still feels as if it’s in motion. Taiwan’s precarious location on the geologically unstable ring of fire – pressed between the Philippine and Eurasian tectonic plates – makes earthquakes a common part of daily life. It helps to be prepared for them in every way you can.

By Stuart Hill

Shoddy construction work and illegal modifications to buildings we blamed for the collapse of buildings across Taiwan in 1999. (Image sourced from internet)

It started in sleep as an uneasiness that rapidly intensified into a nightmare-like response that prodded me to semi-consciousness. My flatmate was already shaking me to wake up. “Are you okay?” she said. She sounded worried.

“Yes, what’s wrong?” I replied.

The lights were out. I pulled back the sheets and tried to get up. Books and other things were scattered across the floor beneath my feet. I moved carefully, sleepy and blind, out into the living room. My other flatmate was asking if I was okay as he fumbled for something in a drawer.

“What happened?” I asked, still not clear what was going on.

“There’s been a big earthquake.”

It was almost 2am, September 21, 1999. We’d just been hit with a 7.3 magnitude earthquake, the biggest in over 30 years, and the most damaging since the BaiHe Earthquake in 1964.

Taiwan’s 921 Earthquake saw the collapse of key infrastructure such as roads, bridges and electricity towers. (image sourced from internet)

There were no lights on anywhere down the street. Power had been completely cut off. We checked the phone and surprisingly it was still working. My friend called her family who were living across town – they seemed to be okay. We sat in the glow of a single candle stuck to the kitchen table. A friend of mine called on the phone and asked if things were safe. “Yes, fine.”

And then it came; an aftershock that was extremely unnerving and was later measured to be 6 on the Richter scale, not quite as powerful as the original earthquake that shook Taiwan less than 30 minutes before.

It was then I understood that dread in the voices of my friends.

In the days that followed what is now known as Taiwan’s 921 Earthquake I met up with Australian friends who also had no previous experience of tremors, especially of this size and impact.

One was living around MinSheng West Road near the Mackay Hospital. She and her mother, currently visiting from Australia, moved out on to the park that is located above the Danshui MRT line. “We couldn’t go back inside.” But there was nowhere else to go.

In cities like Taipei it was hard at the time to visualize the full extent of the devastation and the severity of the earthquake across the entire country. (image sourced from internet)

Another friend, in town on business and staying at the Hilton opposite the Taipei Main Station, was shaken out of bed on the 11^th floor of his hotel. A colleague staying a few floors above was still in shock when I met her the next day. Guests of the hotel were driven by fear to carry blankets out onto the street opposite the hotel, worried that the building might fall down. There was news of a hotel collapse in one end of town and with so many old concrete buildings crammed together, nowhere really seemed safe. The hotel’s power generator meant that the Hilton was operating on its own soon after everywhere else went dark. That next day, sitting in the bar, watching CNN reporting on the disaster with endless “no new news” updates, we followed every scrap of information with acute interest, reliving our anxieties in 15 minute loops.

Even days after surviving the multiple shocks that literally rocked and shocked the nation, Taipei’s manic vibe had been reduced to a dull stillness. It was a kind of stupor. Our world had stopped. The flat cement pavement outside my apartment building now featured a crack along the full length of the four shops located there. It was its own fault line that had shifted a few centimetres apart, a kind of architectural imperfection left as a reminder of what we’d experienced. It eventually became a nuisance to pedestrians, making you decide which side of the pavement you wanted to walk on.

Before power had been restored to our section of Neihu, I had nights eating at my local ma and pop restaurants, often to candle light and blanketed in an unusual quiet created by blacked out TVs and the muted whispers of other patrons. One creative shop owner had lit up his store with the single beam of his motor scooter parked outside. Inside we ate basic stir-fry dishes cooked in the shifting shadows created by the light of gas burners in his kitchen.

In addition to commercial and residential buildings, Taiwan’s 921 Earthquake caused extensive damage to temples, dams, parks and other public spaces. (image sourced from internet)

Over the weeks and months that followed, power was gradually restored to Taipei, while the rest of Taiwan slowly got back to a half-hearted life. There were announcements of huge donation drives for the people down south most affected by this national disaster. People were giving up blankets, food, and daily essentials so they could be sent to more needy people. Companies announced their employees were donating cash to the rescue and recovery effort. Meanwhile rescue crews arrived from around the world, while Taiwan’s central government seemed to be in disarray.

My Chinese classes had resumed after a postponement of two weeks. We were now moved from the basement of our language institute to the upper storey of our school. It was hot; there was no artificial lighting or air conditioning. The mood of the students was diligent, but we missed the enthusiasm of previous semesters. Our teachers did what they could to keep the routine of vocab drills going, but considering what we had survived neither teachers nor students were much interested in abstracted learning at this point.

One week after the 921 earthquake, the BBC reported on the poor response of the central government.

*

Earthquakes are an extremely common occurrence in Taiwan. The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) is responsible for reporting on them, and their website lists recent earthquake events.

In fact, it is very common for 3-4 magnitude earthquakes to be felt each month, especially off the coast of Hualien. Fortunately, shakes of greater scale and impact are rare, with only a few in the last few centuries causing extensive loss of life and property.

Some of the most notable events include:

• 1792 centered on Chiayi, killed over 600 and destroyed over 24,600 buildings
• 1848 centered on Chiayi, killed over 1,000 and destroyed over 14,000 buildings
• 1906 centered on Chiayi, killed over 1,200 people and destroyed over 6,700 buildings
• 1935 centered on Hsinchu, killed over 3,000 people and destroyed almost 18,000 buildings
• 1964 centered on Chiayi, killed over 100 people and destroyed almost 11,000 buildings
• 1999 hit Taiwan-wide, killed over 2,400 people and destroyed over 51,000 buildings

Here is a longer list on Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_earthquakes_in_Taiwan

Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau provides some advice for dealing with earthquakes on their website. Some of their key tips include:

• Turn off gas, water and electricity
• Keep objects firmly secured, be aware of the potential for objects to fall (inside and outside)
• Do not rush out of buildings during a quake, and don’t use elevators
• After a major earthquake, be aware of the potential for tsunamis along coastal areas

To that I’d suggest the following for preparing for earthquakes in Taiwan (which you could apply to typhoons also):

• Always have a torch and radio available with fully charged batteries.
• When the earthquake starts, don’t stand near windows or shelves or anything that can fall on you or you can fall from (like a balcony)
• Have a home phone that does not require electricity to operate
• Keep a few food supplies at home that don’t require heating or water to eat
• Keep a few bottles of water at home

A humorous look at what you can do to survive an earthquake (found on youtube):

 

More information:

• Taiwan 921 Earthquake Museum
• Time Asia – The Day Taiwan Crumbled

Book Review: The Islands of Taiwan by Richard Saunders

Richard Saunders’ book The Islands of Taiwan provides a comprehensive backgrounder for anyone thinking about exploring Taiwan’s distinct island environments. It’s a valuable manual for how to get around and get the most from these exciting parts of the country.

Book review by Stuart Hill

Stepping off the boat you can feel like you’ve arrived on a mysterious tropical island in the Pacific Ocean — and you basically have. Despite its beauty, Orchid Island reflects the realities of modernity and decades of colonialism by various external cultures.

It’s always quite hard to believe how Taiwan can have any areas of landmass NOT occupied by people. Famous for the severe density of the population of its cities, it might be a logical extension to assume that the whole country is teeming with people.

The opposite feeling is exactly what you get in the mountains of Taiwan and to a large extent the islands of Taiwan. In fact the islands’ distance from Taipei, their physical and psychological remoteness, compounded with the circumstances of their recent history, makes these places a dramatic contrast to the bustle of Taiwan’s major cities.

QinBi Village could be a small town on the side of a mountain in the Mediterranean, instead it is an old pirate holdout just off the coast of China. Matsu’s mix of local architecture and KMT military history is a key attraction for many visitors.

While travel books from the key publishing houses tend to highlight Taiwan’s islands as a “must see” for any Taiwan itinerary, their broader focus on Taiwan’s most famous sites and cultural features leaves them little room for much specifics or local detail.

Richard Saunders fills in the gaps of where these other travel guides leave off. His locally produced and nicely written The Islands of Taiwan should be a compulsory “how to” manual for anyone getting off the Taiwan “mainland” and heading out to these relatively unknown outposts.

Within Taiwan, Penghu is famous as a holiday destination during the pleasant weather of late spring to summer. As well as some beautiful beaches and spectacular rock formations, Penghu also offers the most urbanized lifestyle of Taiwan’s outer islands for those tourists bored by the layed-back seaside lifestyle.

As the sub-title of Saunders’ book explains, this is a guide to the islands of Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, Lanyu (Orchid Island), Ludao (Green Island), Xiao liu qiu, and Taiwan’s smaller north-east coast islands.

Saunders provides explanations for transport to and from these parts – by sea and air – and the best and most likely times you can visit during the year. As you can imagine for any small land mass surrounded by water, the weather plays an important part in gaining access to and enjoying the islands at their best.

The author provides a few choices for accommodation and perhaps more importantly advice for lining up places to stay. He also throws in a smattering of places to eat, and you get the distinct impression many of these are his favorite hangouts.

Taiwan’s historical frictions with greater regional powers — both Asian and European — are recorded for visitors to see across many of Taiwan’s outlying islands, most notably on Matsu and Kinmen.

Saunders’ information reflects the thorough research that comes from personally experiencing the places he talks about. No doubt his years of hiking across all corners of Taiwan and the many books and articles he has written about these adventures are ample evidence of his passion for exploring places he’s never been to and then writing about them.

The Islands of Taiwan is divided into a section on each major island group, which is then subdivided into smaller islands, cities/towns, or geographic areas. What appear to be hand-drawn maps include essential points of interest labelled in English (and pinyin) – though maps you can get from a tourist center on arrival might help to provide even more specifics about streets and other local details.

Beyond the natural beauty of many of Taiwan’s outlying islands, the evidence of past prosperity is another great feature to learn about and appreciate.

Saunders imbues his friendly writing style with an obvious enthusiasm for the places he’s visited, and he provides his own list of “Don’t Miss” items at the beginning of each major chapter. That said, he also comments on those places or things he feels aren’t that great; ugly modern architecture being one of them.

This extract gives you a sense of the author’s witty and evocative writing style:

“…a few meters further steps lead down to a far more spectacular place, the Suicide Cliff, rightly Dongyin’s most famous site. It’s just a few meters from the road to the end of the natural, diving board-like tongue of land that extends into this fearsome ocean-eroded chasm, but the view down the sheer cliffs to the rocks a hundred meters below is spectacular and is guaranteed to give vertigo sufferers a severe case of the willies.” (Page 172, The Islands of Taiwan)

The book is illustrated with color photos of the main attractions on each island, while an even larger selection of black and white photos depicts many of the other things you will see at each location. Saunders’ own website provides the color versions of these photos and is well worth a look if you haven’t yet visited these places. http://taiwanislands.wordpress.com

Available from bookstores like Eslite and Caves for around NT$500, the 2013 version of the book has an eye-catching shot of Matsu’s picturesque QinBi Village on the front cover.

If there is any criticism to be made of the book it is the very serious attempt to create a bible for travelling around Taiwan’s islands and thus the fairly familiar “traveller’s guide” format of the publication. Without impacting the value of the information, the book may have been structured in other ways, such as according to things of interest (cultural, historical, gastronomical, ecological, etc). All these things are touched on and referenced, but never dealt with as topics on their own. The focus of the book remains practical and logistical throughout.

As stepping stones for maritime travel along the coast of China and between China and other places, Taiwan’s outlying islands feature lots of historical evidence reflecting the wealth and sophistication of the societies that once lived there (and still do).

The hand drawn maps should have provided a stylistic clue as to how the rest of the book might have been designed – which again isn’t helped by the disappointing over-reliance on grayscale images to provide visual evidence for the beauty and curiousness of these wonderful places. It’s probably a result of being published to a tight budget without the guarantee of a large international audience and a big marketing machine to promote it.

Despite these quibbles, The Islands of Taiwan is a useful and often insightful exploration of some of Taiwan’s best kept cultural, historical and ecological gems. In the words of the author himself:

“Whether you’re looking for history, culture, natural beauty, wildlife, a beautiful sandy beach, or simply a few day’s break away from the fast pace of life in Taiwan’s big cities, the outlying islands have a great deal to offer.”

For someone who has also visited many of the places mentioned in this book, I can’t agree more.

Hundred’s if not thousands of years of migration both from China and regional islands have created interesting pockets of human development throughout Taiwan’s island groups. Whether its the Tao on Orchid Island, the remnants of Xiamen merchants on Kinmen, or new immigrants from Taiwan proper, each of the islands has their own unique historical flavor and modern predicament.

Taiwanese Abroad: From Aussie Outback to the Cold of Downunder

Tzy-yun Liu, who goes by the English name Mars, first traveled to Australia on a working holiday visa. Leaving behind his marketing role at the Taiwanese brand BenQ, Mars landed in Australia to do all manner of part-time and casual jobs. Despite recent media reports highlighting the exploitation of Taiwanese on working holidays, Mars’ experience has been different and his opinions on the topic quite contrary. He is now studying at the University of Tasmania for a Masters in Social Work, and works part-time at a child care center. Here he provides his own insight into his experiences after leaving home on his Oz adventure.

by Stuart Hill, with Mars Tzy-yun Liu 

Like many under-30 year olds that qualify for a working holiday visa, Tzy-yun Liu (Mars) traveled to Australia looking for new experiences. What he found was a whole new vocation in child care. (Photo provided by Tzy-yun Liu)

SH: Do you think Australian’s take advantage of foreign students or foreign workers?

TYL: Take advantage? That’s a strong comment. I don’t think so. Foreigners have disadvantages, but having said that, Aussies don’t try to manipulate foreign workers — as far as I am aware.

Most Australian companies still follow the rules of work health and safety and there’s an ombudsman that has certain rights to investigate them if any issues emerge. Most illegal employers are non-Caucasians, which is known by most backpackers and international students (possibly some Aussie citizens could be aware of this too). It’s usually said by experienced backpackers that you should never work for an Asian boss if you want to pursue reasonable wages and expect reasonable treatment in the work place!

SH: So why would people work under these unfair conditions?

TYL: As an Asian, I feel some Asian backpackers and students just don’t want to adapt themselves into the Australian culture but would rather work in unfair conditions as they are aware of their own shortfalls.

Some people — such as Asians working on non-permanent visas — prefer to work at $10 per hour, while staying with their Asian peers. I guess that brings them a sense of belonging as they are located in an overseas place. They just physically live in Australia but emotionally and psychologically they are living in their mother country. They never watch local news or TV. Even at $8 per hour they can still make savings due to the relatively strong Australian currency.

However in these cases, they are following the old routines and not the Aussie way to behave in this new society.

SH: It sounds like you have chosen NOT to be like this, why?

TYL: It depends on the individual. I just keep trying…There’s always a chance. I’ve had about 10 different jobs. Some people just don’t want to try if the road is less (or never) travelled by his/her countrymen and women.

My first job was working as a kitchen hand 20 hours a week in Circular Quay. I also worked cash-in-hand at an Asian restaurant in Sydney’s Manly. I was a waiter, but I only did it for a month. I’ve worked as a construction worker for 1 day. I have Australia’s “white card” which lets me do construction work, but I quit because it was too hard and there was no insurance covering me for work injuries — which is highly possible to happen in that industry. It was cash-in-hand, in Canberra. The employer was Chinese.

After that, I realized how important it was to work legally and fairly to secure the best interests for myself as an employee. I feel people have to keep that awareness in mind regardless of what their status is in Australia. Once you are working, you are entitled to certain rights that are protected by law. This awareness will push you to be strong and eventually you will get what you should get.

Bomber and Charlotte, two kids who became good friends with Mars while he was working with their mother at an outback roadhouse. They were the inspiration for Mars’ pursuit of child care as a profession. (Photo provided by Tzy-yun Liu)

SH: Where have you lived in Australia, what was special about these places, and how are they different to where you have lived in Taiwan?

TYL: I’ve lived in Sydney and Northern Territory and am now located in Tasmania. They all have different characters and charms and they are absolutely very different to anywhere in Taiwan.

The Emerald City of Oz

TYL: Sydney is said by some people to be like any other metropolis in the world. It’s big, packed, hectic and with distance among its people. They could be right, but there’s still a sense of community that exists among suburbs.

I used to live in the eastern suburbs and they are quite socioeconomically advantaged. It’s hard to deny that it has a superior vibe over there; however, through the time I was there I saw different walks of life as I worked in local day-care centers, which allowed me the opportunity to witness part of the local family life.

Apart from the richness in the east of Sydney, people there hold a sense of community as we usually talked about local shops, eateries, weather, etc. It could be about a nice cheap eatery form the corner, biking on the weekend on Bondi beach (well, that could be interpreted as tourism but it’s actually part of local life), or who’s mum gave birth to a new baby. The longer I worked there, the more people I became familiar with and the more that kind of community sense was emerging. And I reckon once you start to get yourself involved in community, there will always be some nice people to drag you in even deeper.

Except for that, Sydney undoubtedly has some awesome natural beauty which is witnessed every day and everywhere. They have (mostly) beautiful weather and a handful of beaches (well at least for the east and inner west, taking prob 30 mins to get there). Imagine passing by the Sydney Harbour Bridge commuting every day or doing breathtaking coastal walks not far from your doorstep. I believe it’s worthwhile to spend a period of time living in this city.

The Outback of the Northern Territory of Australia

TYL: Northern Territory is another kind of authentic Aussie experience. Most people might get confused when hearing of moving to outback Australia. It could be hard to live there in the first place, but things get settled down once you get familiar with the surroundings.

You can imagine the heat, wilderness, and possibly the danger there. People can’t imagine living in a roadhouse with just 6 residents while the closest town is 300 km away (regardless of a village with 60 residents which is 60 km away; well they are lucky to have a police station!).

No mobile reception, no supermarket, no daily newspaper, with only TV channels 7 and 9 available. I could only spend 5 bucks per week to get an ice cream, with nothing else to spend my money on (which could be nice in terms of savings!).

I reckon it’s all about a sense of connection and belonging. People did feel that I was strange, as I am possibly the first or only Asian they have seen in their lifetime. I couldn’t even communicate with them, which brought up conflicts in the beginning. Having said that, they are people with a true Aussie spirit as they are genuine, and once they know you they will gradually include you and share life with you. That can be really fun as the lives of cattle station people, truckies (truck drivers), and national wanderers are so unbelievable.

These moments in the outback not only empowered my physical skills, such as language and working skills, but also enhanced “soft” perspectives such as reflecting on myself and my life journey. Eventually I become good mates with all my customers and they jokingly said I didn’t have to leave as the Immigration Dept. wouldn’t find me in the middle of nowhere!

I was also invited to visit a massive thousand-hectare cattle station, which felt like walking into a movie scene; and trust me, not just any tourist would have that chance! I am proud of being a Territorian, and that does change me as a person.

Australia’s Southern Isle of Tasmania

TYL: Tasmania is totally opposite to Northern Territory (NT) as it’s seriously freezing weather-wise. It has some similarities to NT as most mainland people feel awkward if someone is moving to the Apple Isle with Australia’s highest unemployment and possibly more corresponding socioeconomic problems.

However, I love it here for being compact enough but always picturesque at every corner. Meanwhile because of the small scale of the capital, it owns this strong sense of community as you can meet anyone somewhere always unexpectedly! I reckon that helps for new comers to build a sense of belonging, as you realize that this is where you will always have someone. And certainly people are still or way more friendly than mainlanders!

I am invited by local families to have parties or meals with them, either with my colleagues or church friends. Though we don’t have much fancy stuff like in Melbourne or Sydney (well, we can do seasonal shopping in Melbourne by an hours flight away if you want!) but we do possess awesome people and a ridiculously arty vibe (many gigs happening around town all the time and MONA!), not to mention we have a 24hrs Kmart; Sydney doesn’t!

We have heaps of lovely tiny markets with proudly Tassie produce. Ignoring the terrible weather (could be an advantage as we are Snowbart!), Tassie is a wonderful place once you can support yourself — at least you won’t be starving!

SH: Coming from Taiwan, how do you feel about the cost of living in Australia? It must feel like a very expensive place to live…

TYL: I think you know everyone feels it is expensive here. But when compared to (what you can earn on) a legal and regular income, Australia is not really expensive, especially if you buy groceries and cook at home. Most people cook. Food is cheap when compared to a reasonable hourly income rate. Clothing as well.

When he first arrived in Australia, Mars held a number of part-time and temporary jobs before finding more regular work in child care. (Photo provided by Tzy-yun Liu)

Discover Taipei: The Taipei Guest House

The luxurious residence of the Japanese Governor-General offers a glimpse into Taiwan’s past under Japanese rule, a great place to visit for a few hours exploring Taipei on foot.

By Stuart Hill

The Taipei Guest House, built as the official residence of the Japanese Governor-General, is an impressive Renaissance building designed by Japanese architects and completed in 1901. The building was expanded around 1911-13, at which time the appearance of the building was transformed into a more opulent Baroque style.

The European south garden of the Taipei Guest House front entrance.

Gardens on both the south and north sides of the building reflect a western and Japanese aesthetic, respectively. In additional to being the formal residence of the Governor-General, the grounds and interiors were used to host foreign dignitaries and local government-sponsored events – and this function was continued by both the KMT and later DPP governments in more recent years.

The ornate walls above the staircase leading to the Taipei Guest House second floor.

As an example of European-inspired Japanese-built architecture key details and features include roof tiles, wall paper, stained glass windows, fireplace tiles, wooden paneling and many other flourishes.

Extensive renovations made between 2003 to 2006 saw the building closed but today the intriguing building and its grounds are open to tourists on the first Saturday of each month – as is President House on Ketagalan Boulevard – from 8:30am to 4:30pm. No bookings are required.

As a venue for hosting foreign dignitaries, Taipei Guest House features several opulent meeting rooms, featuring crafted fireplaces, intricate wallpaper and carpets.

The only disappointing aspects of the interior displays relate to the role that the building played in Taiwan’s more recent history – specifically the Treaty of Taipei in 1953 – with the description written in Chinese deceptively claiming it represented the return of Taiwan to the Republic of China.

The Taipei Guest House underwent extensive restoration between 2003-2006, which is evident in the beautifully preserved details of many of its rooms.

Is Taiwan Really Gay Friendly?

By Stuart Hill

Read right to left: “Equality”. Taiwan’s LGBTQ community has been relentlessly pushing for marriage equality and other civil rights, despite conservative resistance.

In 2013 American-educated Christian pastor Guo Mei-Jiang (郭美江) spoke about contagious homosexuality and the need to burn the temptation from Taiwan’s youth. Her preaching – which she uploaded to YouTube as a way of educating the public – could have represented the beginning of more vocal intolerance towards Taiwan’s LGBTQ community.

Yet in typical Taiwanese style, within days the righteous pastor was being parodied on YouTube, her colorful speech of intolerance transformed into the backing track of a humorous and catchy dance beat that became a hit across Taiwan’s gyms and clubs. The technique of sampling her sermon was used in a series of copycat tracks that attempted to outdo each other in terms of comedic value, creativity, and technical brilliance.

In October that same year, the annual Taipei Pride saw an historic turn out of people marching for marriage equality and a range of other issues affecting the LGBTQ community. In contrast, less than a month later tens of thousands marched to promote family values and oppose changes to the marriage act.

Yet in 2014 almost $4 million NTD (roughly $130,000 USD) was raised in one night by individual donations to support the Taiwan Tongzhi LGBT Hotline Association, raising money for projects designed to help LGBTQ people and their families.

So what is to make of Taiwan’s attitude to those defining themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer?

Is Taiwan really that gay friendly?

Taiwan’s Tourism Bureau seems to think so. In response to questions about how safe and accommodating Taiwan is to gay travellers, a representative of the bureau was effusive in stating how friendly Taiwan is. “We have no doubt that Taiwan is a safe place for gay travel, especially in the capital city of Taipei.”

In fact the spokesperson was quick to highlight that same-sex couples can record their partnerships at household registration offices in Taipei. This unofficial registration process started in June 2015, following introduction of a similar initiative by the City of Kaohsiung, in Taiwan’s south.

And then this from a friend of the bureau’s representative: “Being a gay man, I think gay life in Taipei cannot be easier, compared to other cities of Taiwan or other major Asian cities. I have never had any verbal or non-verbal attacks from strangers while being intimate on the street. Though every once in a while people stare at you when two men hold each other, most of the time they don’t mean any harm.”

Juan Mei-ying, the director of marketing at the non-profit Taiwan Tongzhi LGBT Hotline Association agrees: “Although same sex marriage is not legal in Taiwan, there are no other restrictions generally. It is not a problem for LGBT people holding hands, hugging and kissing on the street.”

Despite this openness, neither the Taipei City nor Taiwan central governments have actively done anything in recent years to promote Taiwan as a gay-friendly travel destination. While Taipei Pride is reported to be the largest LGBT parade of its type in Asia, the event fails to attract the kind of government or business support that similar events in other cities worldwide can muster. According to Juan Mei-ying from the Tongzhi Hotline, “We can see effort from the government but they can always do more.”

Taiwan’s national Republic of China flag reinterpreted in support of a rainbow coalition of universal rights and freedoms.

On the issue of legal rights, a bill to amend the marriage act was before the parliament for years and was stalled further by obstruction from the Ministry of Justice. A key player in discussions of the bill, Deputy Minister of Justice Chen Ming-tang, has said there was still a lot of debate in the community and now was not the time to make changes to legislation.

However, film director Barney Cheng, director and actor of the movie Baby Steps, cites his own experience as a way of indicating that Taiwan is ready for change. Exploring the themes of same sex marriage, gay surrogacy, parental disproval, and familial duty, his film is a potential lightning rod for many of the issues affecting Taiwan’s LGBTQ community today.

“From a filmmaker’s perspective, I believe that Taiwan is a pretty liberal place. When we were promoting Baby Steps, we got messages from every corner of the island asking us for posters – from cafes, restaurants, bookstores, offices, schools, and organizations. These are gay-friendly places that wanted to help us promote the movie. We ran out of posters!”

When asked to imagine the things in his movie happening in real-life Taipei, Cheng could not see any cultural obstacles, as Taiwan’s diversity of opinion means that fewer people really care.

“I’m very proud of the enthusiastic support for the movie. Sure, not everyone is gay-friendly; that’s a given. But overall, I feel that Taiwan is a pretty open-minded place. Most of the cultural prejudice comes from lack of understanding or lack of exposure to gay people. The LGBT community in Taiwan is becoming more visible, and that will make Taiwan a friendlier place.”

Tony Thamsir, who moved to Taiwan from Indonesia over 20 years ago, sees things in another light. While he says Indonesia is far less friendly to gays than Taiwan, Taiwan is still not so open about gays and homosexuality. “Most Taiwanese people who live in a big city can accept they have a gay friend, but I don’t think they can accept the reality of their kid is gay,” he said.

He wants the government to do more for the rights of foreigners – both gay and straight – in Taiwan.

It wasn’t too long ago that it was possible for foreigners to contract HIV in Taiwan then be compulsorily deported if they were discovered to be HIV+. Despite blood tests required of foreigners seeking work, studying or immigrating, the approach to dealing with foreigners reflected a fairly intolerant attitude to managing health issues affecting non-citizens. The law could create a lot of issues for those married to Taiwanese spouses. The laws were finally changed in January 2015 so that foreigners who were found to contract HIV were treated the same way locals would be.

A recent safe sex education poster produced by Taiwan’s Center for Disease Control. A reminder to have safe sex, and to use condoms with water-based lubricant.

Doctor Stephane Ku (Ku Wen-wei, MD), a specialist in infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, admits that even the medical profession has undergone a lot of cultural changes. “We heard a lot of jokes against gay men while receiving medical education in college. Kind of sad when you heard these discriminating and insulting words from medical professionals.”

These days things are improving, if gradually, says Ku: “Doctors of my generation in general have a rather tolerant attitude towards gay people, which doesn’t automatically translate into [tolerance] of people living with HIV and AIDS, unfortunately.”

For same-sex couples, the inability to marry and the absence of a right to form a legal partnership, continues to provide a tough environment for Taiwanese wanting to live in Taiwan with their foreign-born partners.

Says Ku: “The partnership of gay couples should be respected and acknowledged substantially by the law, for sure. People can lose their jobs because of discrimination. Despite that, we do have some laws to protect people from sexism at work, but they should be implemented and enforced more extensively.”

Tongzhi LGBT Hotline director of social work Cheng Chiwei echoes those thoughts: “Taiwan already has several progressive gender equality laws that relate to work and education, but the government should implement these instead of compromising to conservative forces.”

Asked about his expectation for how governments handle the rights of the LGBTQ community, Cheng Chiwei pessimistically responds: “I don’t dare think of when the Taiwan government will deliver on this.”

That said, Cheng Chiwei admits that things have changed: “Compared to when Taiwan was under the martial law period, today’s young gays can’t comprehend the kind of oppression and stigma that gays experienced then. When we talk about the differences in these generations, it’s really important to include the political, legal and social environment.”

Dr Stephane Ku agrees: “More (especially younger) gay men actually come out openly at work and at home. That’s something unimaginable in Taiwan 20 years ago or even now in Asian countries such as Japan and Korea.”

Despite the government’s apparent lack of action on the issue of marriage equality, for many in the LGBTQ community, daily life goes on. From Taiwan’s Bureau of Tourism: “We have a great gay area (HongLou, the Red House in Ximen) where open air bars serve not only the LGBT community but also straight couples; the ambience is very nice and this is a must-do in Taipei, like visiting le Marais in Paris, but more relaxing.”

The Taiwan Tonghzhi LGBT Hotline Association — which runs support groups and education programs for the LGBT community and their families — holds its annual fund raising night on July 18 this year.

Meanwhile, the Taiwan Tongzhi LGBT Hotline Association is gearing up for its annual donation drive, a performance night on July 18, which last year attracted 1,500 attendees. “Last year we raised almost NT$4,000,000 so this year we expect to raise above that, with all the money used for our [LGBT community] services,” according to Juan Mei-ying.

And on the importance of marriage equality, first Dr Ku: “Absolutely, yes! It grants a legal status and right for all gay couples.”

A sentiment supported by Tony Thamsir: “Yes, for me marriage is important. Marriage is about love. Love is responsibility. I won’t say ‘I love you’ if I cannot take the responsibility.”

By all accounts, Taiwan’s gay community has been ready for this responsibility a long time.

*  *  *

More about Taiwan’s LGBTQ community can be found at:

• Taiwan LGBT Hotline Association
• Taiwan Pride Facebook page

6 Things You Will Miss About Taipei

You only have to be in Taipei a few days to realize the city has some adorable characteristics. What’s not to miss about the following?

By Stuart Hill

Allocated Cinema Seating

Taiwan’s approach to designated seating makes a movie experience like a trip to the opera. Which makes it easy to imagine how uncivilized watching a movie can be anywhere else. Combine that with the ability to book online, and you quickly appreciate how organized and enjoyable the movies can be.

No-brainer Convenience

Sure, many places in Asia can make this claim to fame, but it’s still one of the things that makes Taipei such a great place to live. Yes, corner stores tend to epitomize the easy lifestyle, but the size of the city, the hours of business trading, the relative ease of getting around, make it a paradise for spontaneous city adventure. Any time of the day.

Taipei Cafes Galore

It’s not that everyone does burnt diner coffee these days — like you find in the US — it’s that everyone wants to run a quirky eco-friendly, retro-chic, fair-trade coffee shop. That the barista is also an expert froth artist just makes it even better.

Taipei Politeness

For a city with a population density that’s one of the world’s highest, and given how easy it is to literally be in someone else’s face, it’s surprising how orderly and low in angst everyone is — until they get on the road, that is…

Taipei’s Chinese Breakfasts

Taipei might still have a little way to go for innovative western food, but it’s hard to compete on the variety of locally made traditional Chinese and Taiwanese breakfast treats — from warm soy milk, to steamed buns and egg-filled pastries, radish cakes, fried bread sticks, rice porridge, and more, Taipei has the lot.

Reasonable Cost of Living

Imported foreign goods like branded clothes, phones or cars don’t necessarily come cheap, but day-to-day living expenses can be kept pretty low. From rent, gas and electricity, to taxis, food, taxes, the MRT, dental and doctor visits, Taipei is by no means a costly city to live in. Just don’t try to buy any property.

Taipei Escape: 4-5 Days in Japan’s Kyushu

Literally 2 hours away by plane, the south island of Kyushu is a great escape from Taipei and can be enjoyed throughout the whole year.

by Stuart Hill

The smaller cities and rural countryside make for a relaxing trip to Kyushu, with most of the travel to key locations easily accessed by train. Kyushu is a holiday destination for many Japanese, so it is a good idea to avoid long public holidays in order to make bookings easier. While there are many hotels available around most Japanese railway stations, prices and availability can be impacted by local festivals and events. It pays to book ahead.

Travel around Kyushu, whether from the Airport in Fukuoka, further south to Sasebo or Nagasaki, can be easily done via a combination of rail and local bus. A multi-day JR pass and local city day passes for buses, are an economical and hassle-free approach to travel, especially if you a settled in a city for a few days.

Kyushu is an important place in Japanese history for the role it has played in interacting with the outside world, for good or bad. The port city of Nagasaki was the first city designated by the Japanese government as an import and export trading hub, triggering a new era in exchanges — technological, commercial, and cultural — with Western nations and China.

Shimonoseki was the site of the signing of a Chinese-Japanese peace treaty in 1895, the peace conference being delayed by an assassination attempt on the Chinese delegation. The conference saw the surrender of Taiwan and Korea by the Qing Dynasty.

Taiwan and China’s connection with Nagasaki goes back even further, as it was the home town of Zheng Cheng-Gong’s (Koxinga) mother and the base of his father’s shipping business. Sun Yat Sen would visit Nagasaki several times to drum up financial support for his national revolution. He had enthusiastic and well-placed connections there.

With the opening of Nagasaki to Western trade, the Dutch created a trading route between Nagasaki, TaiNan in Taiwan, and their colony in Indonesia. Trading routes also stretched to Shanghai and other Chinese ports, Russia and Europe.

More recently, Nagasaki was also one of the sites the American’s and British chose as targets to drop the two atomic bombs designed to cripple and demoralize Japan’s forces to bring a decisive end to World War II.

While there are many things to do — and any travel guide will  provide no shortage of ideas — here are some suggestions for a short 4-5 day trip around the island state. You could easily add an extra day or two to really give justice to Nagasaki, and another 2-3 days for exploring other cities, volcanic springs, and the rural countryside.

Glover Garden, Nagasaki

Sitting on top of a hill overlooking Nagasaki harbor, Glover Garden consists of the residences and school (photo above) of several key foreign families that exploited the opening of Japan to overseas trade. Today the houses and surrounding gardens allow a glance back to the lives of how these western merchants lived from the 1860s up until World War II.

The Waterways of Yanagawa

The old castle city of Yanagawa is still a maze of canals. You can take an easy tour along the waterways. Much of the trip is in the open, and while the barge company rents straw hats for a small fee, it might be worth bringing your own long-sleeve shirt in the summer months. The end of the trip dispatches you at the Okihati punt dock. A famous steamed eel on rice restaurant is near the disembarkation point, and sits on the edge of the canal. The Ohana Villa of the local clan includes a small museum of family relics — including armor, swords and toys.

Kujukushima, Sasebo

One claim to fame of Kyushu’s “99-islands” is that a shot of the islands appears in Tom Cruise’s The Last Samuri movie. The islets and rocky outcrops create a calm inland sea that can be enjoyed best on the water, whether a rented kayak, jet ski, or boat cruise such as on the Pearl Queen (above). A walk to the top of the hill behind the Sasebo Zoo provides the same vantage point near the Ishidake Observatory enjoyed by Tom Cruise’s film crew.

Shimonoseki Fish Market, Kyushu

Fish markets everywhere are best observed in the early morning, but no matter when you go, Shimonoseki’s fish market buzzes with the enthusiasm of fish traders and eaters alike. The area is famous for its preparation of puffer fish or “fugu” sushi (if you are game).

Night Lights of Nagasaki

Many of Japan’s cities offer spectacular night views, typically from the top of a tower or department store building. But the Mt Inasa Observation Platform provides a bird’s-eye 360 degree panorama of Nagasaki and its surrounding mountains. No doubt the daytime view is impressive, but the night view is mesmerizing, and was reportedly designated as one of the word’s top 3 locations. It is best to arrive after 8pm when the sun has well and truly set. The platform closes at 10pm.

The Hot Springs of Beppu, Oita

The Beppu region of Oita Prefecture in Kyushu is famous for its volcanic geography, and is Japan’s leading area for various types of hot springs. Whether you are soaking in them or just viewing/photographing the color and steam, the hot springs are much better appreciated during Autumn to Spring.

Other Travel Ideas for Kyushu:

• The Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, Memorial, and Peace Park
• Anywhere in Kyushu during cherry blossom season (April)
• Eat authentic local ramen noodles or buy Portuguese Castella sponge cake in Nagasaki

Travel Tips:

• Book accommodation online via sites like Booking.com, such as at JR Hotel
• Cathay flies between Taipei’s TaoYuan airport to the Fukuoka airport
• Buy a multi-day JR Kyushu Rail Pass at the Fukuoka JR railway station. The ticket office is opposite the tourist information office. Ticket info and timetables are available in English
• Catch a local subway train from Fukuoka (Tenjin) to Yanagawa. If you have time, change at Futsukaichi for the connection to Dazaifu to check out nearby shrines and temples
• There is a free shuttle from outside the Aquarium within Kujukushima’s Pearl Sea Resort that can take you to the Sasebo Zoo