Hi!
It’s been a while. This is the first newsletter of the year, and we are hoping the new year is treating you well so far. I’m enjoying the nice Texas weather as Eric and Jess are bearing the snow, rain and sleet of the Northeast.
Meanwhile with the new year, we also have a new look. Our website has been updated to improve navigation and overall readability.
Stay tuned for our next newsletter about the Lunar New Year and Taiwan’s celebrations!
Newsworthy
Growing start-up culture: though not quite Silicon Valley (yet), Taiwan is starting to invest resources into entrepreneurial pursuits.
Response to Xi’s declaration on unification: President Tsai Ing-wen rejects Xi’s one-country-two-systems model. Prior to Xi’s statement, Tsai had asserted that the two countries should maintain peace under the status quo.
An identity without borders: five new Taiwanese citizens from around the world led the singing of Taiwan’s national anthem on New Year’s day.
Cool Stuff
Upcoming children’s book set in Taipei: the author of Hey Taipei explains her motivation behind her newest picture book (written in English, set in Taipei). The book is available for pre-order.
Chrysanthemum – Volume II: back for round two, the anthology of Taiwanese heritage and identity is now calling for submissions.
– www.heytaipeibook.com
Fun Fact
Blast from the past: Taiwan won 17 Little League Championships from 1969 to 1996, which is still currently the most number of wins from any country, excluding the US. What happened since then? The Diplomat suggests possible reasons, primarily looking at Taiwan’s declining national need to play on the global stage. Since their last win, Taiwan only appeared in the 2009 championships, where they lost to California. (I remember going to watch the game with my parents — while I, a Taiwanese-American, felt torn between the teams, I secretly rooted for the little guys.)
OFTaiwan 