Dr. Andrew Yang, the first person of Taiwanese heritage to seek the Democratic Party nomina­tion for US president, is the son of immigrants from Taiwan. Yang has a background in law and the tech industry. What ideals for social transforma­tion is he bringing to American politics?

It’s late fall in Hsinchu, and the November winds are bringing news of the harvest. At Fu Le Fishing Village, the fishponds stretch into the distance, but there’s not a person in sight and the only sound is the susurration of the wind. The local fish farmers are having a big day elsewhere, gathered at a nearby fish processing facility.

Shows from Hakka TV have been nominated for Best Television Series at the Golden Bell Awards every year since 2008. Hakka serial dramas cover a variety of topics from adaptations of Taiwanese literature to life and death, mental illness, and rural school closures. Over time, Hakka TV has improved on the choice of subject matter, the scriptwriting, and the casting, enabling one quality story after another to make their way onto the screen.

Who loves Taiwan the best? Farmers who cultivate jelly figs and researchers who study fig reproduction will all reply: “The jelly-fig wasp!” The fig wasp that pollinates the jelly fig can only survive and reproduce in Taiwan, giving Taiwan a unique product—the jelly fig, from which we make aiyu jelly.

Cai Rongxing was born into a famous Yilan woodcarving family. His father, Cai Huotu, was the winner of a Folk Art Heritage Award, and Cai learned his superb craftsmanship directly from his father and elder brothers. Besides sculpting temple furniture like his father and brothers, Cai is especially skilled at making cake molds and rice-cake molds. He insists on carving them by hand, and hopes to pass down cake-mold making far into the future.

DEBE faces a wall on a street in Long Beach, California, pointing a can of spray paint at it. A graffiti artist from Taiwan, he was invited to participate in the annual street art festival POW! WOW! Long Beach, which sees some two dozen walls across the city decorated by artists from around the world.

Taiwanese society has long put academic education on a pedestal, while undervaluing voca­tional skills. This bias is not only evident in the education system, it also appears in all corners of the job market. But in truth people with professional skills are the foundation and central pillar of society. From baking to plumbing to electrical installation to welding, each profession requires its own special skills.

While many people make a living from the sea, there are few who speak out on its behalf. Many people know how to exploit the sea, but don’t understand the problems of overfishing and marine trash that are making the once beauti­ful oceans a scene of devastation. Wang Ming-hsiang loves the sea with a passion. He is both fisherman and diving instructor, but also a great spokesperson for the sea.

Cars whiz past Tiaoshi in New Taipei City’s Jinshan District, on the coastal highway linking Jinshan with Danshui. Beside the road, a desert-­colored, anthill-shaped home draws the eye.
Viewed from above, the unusual structure looks a bit like a sea turtle crouched near the shore. Neither cafe nor B&B, owner Hoch Ho calls the home “dugu wu” (“dugu house”).

Taiwan made history in May 2019 when it became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. Governments and media around the world praised Taiwan for its pioneering role in defending human rights, freedom and democracy.