A Taiwan Panorama article represents the up-close observations of contemporaneous social phenomena by a reporter. If the same subject can be pursued in depth continually for several decades, we may gain some understanding of the overall developments and trends in society.
Taiwan ranked No. 1 globally for the second straight year in the 2025 Numbeo Health Care Index. This performance is not a simple reflection of Taiwan’s advanced medical equipment and technologies; more importantly, it also reflects the fact that for a half century Taiwanese society has consistently pursued “the right to health” and “human-centric care.” During its 50 years of reporting, Taiwan Panorama has been a conscientious witness to this process.
“Taiwan warriors, hoooo, hoooo! Hero! Hito!” “Tell the world, Team Taiwan! Whose house this is, Team Taiwan!” During the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier12 baseball tournament, the world was rocked by waves of cheering for the Taiwanese team. For many foreigners encountering Taiwan baseball for the first time, this was a real culture shock.
In Greek mythology Zeus is majestic but emotional, while in Norse mythology Loki is cunning and capricious. In many cultures deities have human feelings, including joy, anger, sorrow, happiness and even desire. This likewise applies to the divine beings in Taiwanese temples. Not only does each have his or her own responsibilities, but also very human-like stories and personalities, making religion more accessible and interesting.
Over the past 40-plus years, shrimp fishing and related products have grown into a leisure industry worth NT$5 billion per year in Taiwan. More recently, this activity has developed into a sport, and Taiwan competitors have demonstrated world-class skills in international tournaments.
Taiwan has the world’s highest concentration of venues for shrimp fishing, a.k.a. prawn fishing. There are places where you can catch and eat prawns; businesses that combine shrimp fishing with diverse leisure activities including stir-fry, barbecue, and karaoke; and even 24-hour venues. The pleasure of hooking prawns, the lively socializing among friends and family, and Taiwanese-style stir-fry have made this activity into an essential recreational experience for visitors to Taiwan.
It’s hard to say how Taiwan’s rechao (“hot stir-fry”) style restaurants got started, but they emphasize high heat and the resultant “wok hei” effect. With the rise of industrial society, people in Taiwan began eating less at home and ate out with increasing frequency, or turned to low-cost traditional eateries that popped up in large numbers to meet the needs of blue-collar workers.
In September 2025, the 34th World Design Congress and General Assembly took place in London. Coinciding with these prestigious events in the field of industrial design, the Taipei Representative Office in the United Kingdom presented Revealing Taiwan Through Design in its new London premises from September 10 to October 9. Curated by pioneering Taiwanese designer Apex Lin, the exhibition invited Londoners and international visitors to look afresh at Taiwan through the lens of design.
The 2025 edition of the Taiwan Lantern Festival was held in Taoyuan in February. At its peak, over 270,000 people poured in to enjoy the shows within just a single day. Having to cope with more than twice the normal volume of passengers, Taoyuan Metro faced one of the most formidable challenges since its establishment in 2017. A contingency plan was swiftly activated, and orderly operations were gradually restored the next day, demonstrating the young corporation’s flexibility and adaptability.
How is Taiwan understood by the world? As a silicon chip island? As a model of pandemic response? As a gender-friendly society? Or as a symbol of democracy and freedom? There is no one single answer. This is because under the world’s gaze, Taiwan is continually being reexamined and reinterpreted.
