Taiwanology

Hosted by Common Wealth Magazine

Business News Society CultureInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

Latest episode

Sep 2026

Language

About the show

The Taiwanology podcast is produced by Taiwan’s CommonWealth Magazine, where we discuss Taiwan’s geopolitics, technology and culture, and why they matter to the rest of the world. Powered by Firstory Hosting

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 22, 202636 min

How France and Taiwan Became Interdependent, From Industrial Gases to Chip Design【Taiwanology Ep.65】

Frédéric Laplanche first came to Taiwan in 1995 as a graduate student. This year, he returned as the new director of the French Office in Taipei. In this interview, he emphasized the importance of building strong partnerships. Taiwan's chipmakers depend on French industrial gases, ultrapure water and silicon substrates, while Foxconn and ProLogium invest in France. What does a trusted partnership look like in practice? The answer involves a French chip designer, TSMC and a Statue of Liberty exhibition in Paris. Episode highlights: 00:10 A "son-in-law of Taiwan" returns, 30 years on 09:17 Why Taiwan matters more to France now 15:24 Sovereignty through an ecosystem of trust 19:54 Why Taiwan investment is flowing into France 26:13 Why French suppliers and startups came to Semicon 31:37 People-to-people ties and priorities ahead Host: Kwangyin Liu, Deputy Managing Editor, CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Frédéric Laplanche, Director of French Office in Taipei Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read more：https://english.cw.com.tw ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

August 25, 202628 min

Broken Chain: 1.8B Data Points Track China's Coast Guard in 1st Island Chain【Taiwanology Ep.64】

Why has China Coast Guard made it a routine to patrol the east of Taiwan? Why has retired US Air Force colonel Ray Powell called this a quarantine? CommonWealth's cover story details the reporting behind "Broken Chain," built on 1.8 billion vessel data points. Our reporters recount our exclusive interview with National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu. This episode traces a shared playbook across the first island chain, and why normalization may be the greatest danger. Episode highlights: 00:00 The quarantine warning behind Broken Chain 03:26 Su'ao fishermen grown numb to Chinese patrols 10:09 Mapping 1.8 billion vessel data points 14:38 Coast Guard SOPs and a Philippine warning 17:33 Exclusive interview with NSC SecGen 21:34 Indo-Pacific stakes, CSIS partnership, what's next Host: Kwangyin Liu, Deputy Managing Editor, CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Steven Yeo, Data & Graphics engineer; Hazel Hsu, Reporter Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read more： https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=4930 ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw 留言告訴我你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cledx9shs004801v3cmkogc7e/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

August 18, 202626 min

Why Semicon Taiwan Becomes a Beauty Pageant of Global Suppliers【Taiwanology Ep. 63】

Taiwan's biggest semiconductor trade show just got more international. This year, Semicon Taiwan marks its 30th anniversary with a record 18 national pavilions, from the US to Mexico and Finland. Veteran tech journalist Judy Lin explains why so many countries now want proximity to Taiwan's chip ecosystem. Plus: whether AI chip demand is real or a bubble. Episode highlights: 00:30 Why watch Taipei for the AI race 01:50 Judy's path from Reuters markets desk, and what Semicon is 06:33 A record 18 pavilions: Catalonia, Chihuahua, Finland, and Dresden's ripple effect 11:55 Why countries want in: complementary tech, reversal of roles, and China's absence 17:11 The legacy-chip risk, TSMC's dominance, and path dependency 24:55 Chip bubble fear and why everyone should care about Semicon Host: Kwangyin Liu, Deputy Managing Editor, CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Judy Lin, founder of TechSoda Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read more：https://english.cw.com.tw ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

July 28, 202635 min

Europe's Widening Case for Taiwan, From Chips to Information War【Taiwanology Ep. 62】

TSMC in Dresden. Foxconn in Bordeaux. A German chemicals giant in Kaohsiung. EU-Taiwan industrial ties are deepening fast, and it's mutual: EU states have invested more in Taiwan than the US and Japan combined. EETO head Lutz Güllner explains what Chips Act 2.0 changes, where Taiwan fits into Europe's industrial strategy beyond chips, and how Taiwan's civil society is countering foreign information manipulation. Episode highlights: 07:23 How EU-Taiwan relations reached their most active point yet 09:09 The EU Council's landmark Taiwan statement 17:01 The Industrial Accelerator Act and the EU Chips Act 2.0 24:15 FIMI: naming foreign information manipulation and interference 32:44 Why understanding Taiwanese politics matters for a diplomat Host: Kwangyin Liu, Deputy Managing Editor, CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Lutz Güllner, Head of the European Economic and Trade Office in Taipei Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read more：https://english.cw.com.tw ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

June 23, 202635 min

Canada's Envoy on Taiwan: When the World Fractures, Middle Powers Lean In【Taiwanology Ep. 61】

Canada's top trade envoy in Taipei, Marie-Louise Hannan, reflects on four decades of Canada-Taiwan ties, growing LNG and offshore wind cooperation, and why Prime Minister Mark Carney's case for middle-power democracies resonates with Taiwan's own search for agency in a fractured world. Episode highlights: 00:00 Launching a new diplomat interview series 02:44 Arriving in China in 1989, before the Tiananmen incident 09:31 Dr. Mackay and the roots of Canada-Taiwan ties 12:26 Taiwan as a top Indo-Pacific trade partner 15:05 Energy dependence and the case for Canadian LNG 20:37 Inside Canada's first ever Indo-Pacific Strategy 26:59 Carney's Davos speech and middle-power democracies 31:00 Life in Taipei: food, family, and safety Host: Kwangyin Liu, Deputy Managing Editor, CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Marie-Louise Hannan, Executive Director of Canadian Trade Office in Taipei Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read more： https://english.cw.com.tw ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

May 26, 202643 min

Are We in an AI Bubble? AMD’s Lisa Su speaks out in Taiwan 【Taiwanology Ep.60】

Is the AI boom a bubble? AMD Chair and CEO Lisa Su joins Commonwealth Magazine to share why the AI revolution is just getting started, and why Taiwan remains the center of this universe. Find out why she believes open ecosystems and "AI everywhere" are reshaping our future. Episode highlights: 01:45 What's behind AMD's $10B investment in Taiwan and 2nm partnership with TSMC? 06:12 Why is Taiwan the only place that can pull off this level of tech manufacturing? 11:00 "Coopetition": How can supply chain rivals stay friendly with each other? 13:00 Who actually makes money in AI? 22:00 What is "Physical AI" and why is it the next technological wave? 27:00 Open vs. Closed: Which tech ecosystem will grow the fastest? 32:00 – Are we in an AI bubble? Host: Yishan Chen, Editor-in-Chief of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Lisa Su, CEO of AMD Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read more：https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=4791 ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

April 28, 202637 min

Is Taiwan’s bike industry losing its luster? 【Taiwanology Ep.59】

For decades, Taiwan has been known as the “Bicycle Kingdom.” But it is now under mounting pressure. From the rapid rise of China’s e-bike giants to a growing push in Europe to reshore manufacturing, Taiwan’s bike industry is entering a period of change. How can it navigate this new landscape? Episode highlights: 04:20 How Taiwan became the “Bicycle Kingdom” 07:20 Why China is not the only challenge facing Taiwan’s bike industry 12:30 Bridging traditional manufacturing with ICT capabilities 21:35 How Taiwan should respond to Europe’s reshoring push 25:10 Why more Taiwanese companies are becoming open to change 27:05 Adapting to the emerging e-bike ecosystem 33:20 Why Anchor Global is launching an Industry Lab with Walmart as the pilot case Host: Kwangyin Liu, Deputy Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Elisa Chiu, founder of Anchor Global Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read more：https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=4684 ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

March 23, 202631 min

Why Audrey Tang Has No Fear for AI Agents and the OpenClaw【Taiwanology Ep.58】

Is artificial intelligence a threat to human agency, or an opportunity for civic innovation? 2025 Right Livelihood Laureate and Taiwan Cyber Ambassador Audrey Tang discusses the shift from algorithms to symbiotic "local Kami" AI. Find out why she has no fear for AI agents and OpenClaw. It’s a masterclass in staying human in a world of synthetic intimacy, with one life hack that will help you sleep better. [05:46] How Audrey "translated" the Taiwan model to be adopted in California [09:40] How her book inspired Anno to run for Tokyo Governor [12:05] What do "Civic AI" and "6 Pack of Care" have to do with AI anxiety? [14:20] How Civic AI principles played out in Taiwan's combat on fraud [20:50] Why conflict is not a bug but a power source [24:15] When AI agents do all the jobs, what's left for humans? Host: Kwangyin Liu, Deputy Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Audrey Tang, Taiwan Cyber Ambassador Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read more on Audrey’s take on AI: https://civic.ai/ ＊Read more on Audrey’s take on AI: https://civic.ai/openclaw/ ＊Read more: https://english.cw.com.tw ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

March 2, 202636 min

Watching the Dragon: How Taiwan Decodes China’s Internal Fragility 【Taiwanology Ep.57】

As China becomes increasingly opaque, how can Taiwan maintain a clear-eyed perspective? We are joined by Professor Tao to dissect the China Monitoring Report by Thinking Taiwan Foundation. They move past the headlines to analyze 50 indicators across economy, finance, and society, revealing a dual-speed reality and rising systemic social unrest. [03:00] Thinking Taiwan 2.0: Former President Tsai Ing-wen’s platform for policy analysis [05:53] The 50-Indicator Framework [16:16] Dual-Speed Economy: Record exports vs. trapped savings [20:30] How China’s low consumption triggers global de-industrialization [22:05] Record-low birth rates and the rise of "systemic unfairness" grievances [30:50] Why Xi prioritizes military/tech over social welfare stimulus Host: Kwangyin Liu, Deputy Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: Yifen Tao, Associate Professor of National Taiwan University Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read more: https://english.cw.com.tw ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

January 27, 202641 min

U.S. Skepticism in Taiwan: From Shared Values to Protection Fees【Taiwanology Ep.56】

Is Taiwan’s biggest ally still reliable? For years, the U.S. and Taiwan were "best friends" because of democracy. But now, the conversation has changed to "protection fees" and business deals. This shift is creating a wave of U.S. skepticism across the island. We look at why people in Taiwan feel anxious and what happens to Taiwan’s security when friendship becomes a transaction. [00:34] Why Taiwan’s mood is a global warning sign. [01:43] The "might makes right" dynamic at Davos. [07:33] The shift from "shared values" to "protection fees." [11:43] Understanding the gap between anxiety and trust. [18:24] Is moving chip capacity to the U.S. a dangerous move? [34:47] The U.S. warning: Pay more to be "worth defending." Host: Kwangyin Liu, Senior Managing Editor of CommonWealth Magazine Guest: William Yang, Senior Analyst of the International Crisis Group Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang ＊Read more: https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action ＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting