Pan-Green parties have had more success in appealing to the youth in the past two elections but things are not as clear cut this time around

By Brian Hioe

Can Eric Chu revitalise Taiwan's largest opposition party and should we expect any changes in the party’s cross-Strait and economic policies?

By Brian Hioe

Addressing the fundamental demographic issues facing Taiwan will require drastic structural change

By Brian Hioe

The failure of the KMT and TPP to agree on a joint presidential ticket and the fallout from their televised spat is likely to hurt all parties involved, giving momentum to the DPP.

By Brian Hioe

With decisive wins in Taiwan's municipal elections, the KMT has demonstrated its continued power at the local level. However, a deeper analysis reveals a more nuanced picture and does not imply rising support at the national level.

By Brian Hioe

The invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces has sparked renewed concerns and debate about Taiwan's security, but will it lead to a shift in defence spending priorities and military preparedness?

By Brian Hioe

Campaign against legislator illustrates partisan divides

By Brian Hioe

Taiwanese journalists are not jailed or censored by the state, but media groups are vulnerable to foreign political interference, libel laws may be abused, and journalists are suffering from a polarised media environment dominated by sensationalism and the pursuit of profit

By Brian Hioe

Despite the loss of formal diplomatic allies, Taiwan's relations with the world continue to strengthen thanks to pragmatic leadership and shifting geopolitical priorities 

By Brian Hioe

Chinese president Xi Jinping has been confirmed for an unprecedented third term in power. What do Xi's remarks at the CCP's 20th national congress and the stacking of the standing committee of the politburo with his loyalists mean for Taiwan?

By Brian Hioe

Looking ahead to the November municipal elections, both the KMT and DPP have the advantage of incumbency in certain races. Taipei looks to be competitive, but the DPP may struggle in Taoyuan. With the memory of China's military drills still fresh, will party affiliation trump individual candidate appeal this time?

By Brian Hioe

With three candidates already in the race to be Taiwan's next president and the possibility of others joining, this election has echoes of the past

By Brian Hioe

Besides articulating the general pathos and anger of Taiwanese youth, indie is the preferred musical genre of many young political activists

By Brian Hioe

The rejection by Taiwanese voters of all four referendums is a setback for the opposition and signals internal disunity

By Brian Hioe

What the slew of plagiarism scandals in this election cycle says about the Taiwanese obsession with higher education credentials and how politicians take advantage of it, sometimes to their detriment

By Brian Hioe

The wave of #MeToo cases that has swept across Taiwan has gone on for over three weeks now. The influence of the wave of allegations has already been profound, though whether this leads to lasting social and political change regarding entrenched issues of sexual assault or harassment remains to be seen.

By Brian Hioe

Seven months out from the municipal elections, the DPP is currently in a strong position, but this could change if there are missteps in managing the pandemic situation or Taiwan's economy suffers fallout from the Ukraine war, high inflation or a recession in major export markets

By Brian Hioe  

Unless the pan-Blue camp finds a way to unite behind a single candidate, the DPP is the odds-on favourite to win the 2024 presidential election but the outlook for the legislative elections is less clear

By Brian Hioe

Could Taiwan become a regional hub for fighting disinformation?

By Brian Hioe

The legal tussle over CtiTV's licence renewal illustrates how difficult it is to balance regulating media, stemming Chinese influence, and avoiding allegations of politically persecuting political opponents.

By Brian Hioe

What do early moves by the Biden administration signal for future US-EU trade relations and where does that leave Taiwan?

By Brian Hioe

Vaccine nationalism in Taiwan touches on conflicted identity issues

By Brian Hioe

Lai Ching-te had a comfortable win in Taiwan's three-way 2024 presidential election but with no party winning a majority in the legislature, it is uncertain how Lai's policy agenda will fare

By Brian Hioe

KMT fails to replicate past successes in failed recall election of Taipei-based legislator Freddy Lim and Taichung by-election loss to the DPP

By Brian Hioe

It remains to be seen what the long-term implications of the visit to Taiwan by US House of Representatives' Speaker Nancy Pelosi will be, but for now, the aftershocks are being felt both regionally and globally

By Brian Hioe

The pan-Blue camp is calling for increased powers for the legislature. Besides facing a constitutional challenge, its proposals, if adopted, may reduce executive efficiency and judicial oversight and ultimately prove short-sighted.

By Brian Hioe

While Chinese tourists were once welcomed and ubiquitous in Taiwan, when numbers dropped, the impact was not catastrophic. The debate about whether or not to resume group tours is driven more by political than economic considerations.

By Brian Hioe

Taiwan's social media environment has characteristics in common with western countries but also has some unique generational divisions and dynamics related to the generation and spreading of disinformation

By Brian Hioe

Despite touching on universal and contemporary themes and achieving popularity at home, Taiwan’s recent televisions shows and films have struggled to gain much traction with international audiences

By Brian Hioe