A chat with the Taiwan Celts GAA Team about the club history, the Asian Gaelic Games Tournament and life in Taiwan.

Taiwan Celts GAA

In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we explore Taiwan’s role in the Global Economy, and what impact a conflict in the Taiwan strait would have on the EU and beyond.

Our podcast features content from the Berlin Taiwan Conference which took place on December 5th and 6th last. The conference which was organized by Reinhard Bütikofer MEP for Alliance 90/The Greens, brought together academics, experts from business and politics, government representatives and members of civil society to discuss Taiwan's economic importance and its role as a partner in Indo-Pacific policy. It took place against a backdrop of ongoing discussions in Germany and in the broader EU on new approaches for dealing with China.

Taiwan's Role in the Global Economy

Perspectives with Neilo talks with Itamar Waksman of Radio Taiwan International about the ongoing PLAAF incursions into Taiwan's ADIZ and how this is raising tensions in the region.

Salami Slicing Taiwan

Perspectives with Neilo interview with Alex Davey of MERICS about China's ability to broker peace in Russia's war on Ukraine, the perception of China in Europe and Ireland's engagement with China.

The Beijing Straddle

Taiwan based journalist and author, Jojje Olsson, joins me on this episode of Perspectives with Neilo to discuss China's ability to be an impartial peace broker in the Russia - Ukraine war, the significance of wolf warrior Lu Shaye's comments about illegitimate Soviet states and the subsequent phone call by Xi Jinping to President Zelenskyy 14 months on from the start of the Russian invasion.

Wolf Warrior Peace Brokering

Interview with Taipei City Councillor Miao Poya on the upcoming Taiwan Presidential election, the difficulties of engaging with authoritarian regimes, the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Taiwan public opinion, and how her constituents perceive China’s unrelenting gray warfare attacks against Taiwan.

Taipei City Councillor Miao Poya Interview

As Ireland’s offshore wind industry marked a new milestone in May with the awarding of the first round of offshore wind projects we visit the Pacific island nation of Taiwan which has been deploying offshore wind generation since 2017. 
With a land mass half the size of Ireland and a population of over 23 million, the lack of space on land together with abundant wind resources means most major developments are offshore. Many EU states like Denmark are actively partnering with Taiwan for investment opportunities and technical expertise.
During my recent trip to Taipei, I spoke to Angelica Oung -  Energy Reporter specializing in Offshore Wind, the Grid and Nuclear Power, about the history of wind power in Taiwan, how the government there has engaged with the industry and the lessons so far.

Offshore Wind Power - Learning From Taiwan

At the end of June an Irish Parliamentary delegation visited Taiwan on a 5 day trip to exchange views on Taiwan-Ireland relations, economic resilience and the situation in the Taiwan Strait. They met with many of Taiwan’s elected representatives across multiple government departments.

Doctor Cathal Berry who is an independent TD for the constituency of Kildare South was among the delegation, and I sat down with him at his office in Portarlington upon his return to talk about Ireland-Taiwan relations, re-opening Ireland’s trade office in Taipei and China Influence Operations in Ireland.

Cathal Berry TD Talks Taiwan

Alexander Davey from MERICS discusses the latest ETNC report on China with special focus on Ireland-China relations including risks and challenges.

ETNC Report - Ireland China Relations

台灣選舉2024-結果
On Saturday January 13th, Taiwan went to the polls to vote in their 8th direct presidential election - an election that received unprecedented international attention and has been called the most consequential election in the country’s history. While the presidential election grabbed the spotlight, citizens also voted in the legislature elections.

In this Perspectives with Neilo Taiwan 2024 Election Results Special we present a short update on the election outcome, the acceptance speech of the winning presidential candidate as well as international reaction.

Taiwan Election 2024 - Results

In mid-January, China's Premier Li Qiang paid a two-day state visit to Ireland meeting with President Michael D. Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, and while Irish officials were keen to emphasize the 45th anniversary of Ireland-China diplomatic relations, little was said publicly about China's human rights abuses and ongoing aggression in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. And although Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheal Martin previously echoed support for the EU's decision to de-risk trade with China, the top message from the Irish government would appear to be that the economy takes precedence and that Ireland remains committed to free global trade.
My guest in this episode of Perspectives with Neilo is Alexander Dukalskis, Associate Professor in the School of Politics and International Relations at University College Dublin (UCD) and Director of the UCD Centre for Asia-Pacific Research. I sat down with him recently to discuss the takeaways from Li Qiang's visit, how Ireland is strategically equipped to engage with China, and the apparent lack of China competency when it comes to dealing with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Irelands Knowledge Deficit On China

After Taiwan's election in January, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party or DPP won the presidential vote, but failed to secure a majority in Taiwan’s Legislature or Parliament ending up with 51 seats.  The main opposition party - the KMT won 52 seats and the smaller TPP who they have begun to partner with, won 8 seats. In addition there were 2 independent seats which aligned with the KMT - all in all giving the KMT the majority and enabling them to secure the position of Speaker of the house.  We discussed the makeup of the new parliament and what it means in our Inauguration Preview Podcast with Brian Hioe of New Bloom Magazine if you want to check that out.

The KMT and the TPP are using their majority control of the parliament to push new legislation through. On the Friday before the inauguration, their zeal to succeed resulted in formal parliamentary process being thrown to the wayside as the KMT-TPP alliance attempted to ram through four bills, including legislation that would add a contempt of parliament offense to the criminal code and strengthen the legislature's investigative powers. Also included were a number of east coast infrastructure projects which many worry could facilitate a Belt and Road style engagement with China.
However, the Friday attempt was thwarted after strong objections by the  DPP triggered a brawl between elected representatives inside the chamber, ending with at least three officials being sent to the hospital. 

All of this caught the attention of the public as parliamentary proceedings are broadcast live on television and an estimated 1000 or so democracy protesters quickly gathered on the street outside the parliament to show their disapproval.

The parliament resumed on Tuesday with the KMT and TPP re-energized in their quest to push this legislation through. However, the Taiwanese public were also re-energized and they showed up in their thousands throughout the day outside the parliament with the crowd swelling to well over 10,000 by the evening time.

We spoke to a cross section of the people protesting on the streets around the Legislative Yuan on Tuesday May 21st to get their reaction to these latest events happening in Taiwan's parliament.

Perspectives with Neilo

Parliamentary Pandemonium and Public Protests

Earlier in June, following months of investigation, the European Commission announced new tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles in response to massive state subsidies in the forms of research and development grants, sales tax exemptions and supply chain support being provided to Chinese EV makers by Beijing.
Although countries such as the US and Turkey have already introduced tariffs on Chinese EVs, support among EU states for this move has been divided.

The EU's provisional duties (which have been revised slightly since out interview) are set to apply by July 4th, 2024, with the investigation set to continue until November 2nd when finalized duties could be imposed for up to five years.

In this episode, we welcome back Swedish journalist Jojje Olsson who shares his insights on the EV tariffs and the reactions within the EU. We discuss how Beijing is already finding ways to circumvent the tariffs, and we also examine how China's ongoing support for Russia in the Ukraine war is impacting EU decision making, and much more.

#EVs #ElectricVehicle #Tariff #EU #ChinaSubsidies #EUTariff #ChineseEV #BYD #SAIC #Tesla

Subsidy Showdown - EU Tarrifs on Chinese EVs

In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, I chat with Fr. Sean O'Leary who is originally from Togher in Cork City but has been a missionary priest in Taiwan for the past 19 years. I visited him in his parish of Dongshih (東勢) near the city of Taichung and spoke to him about living in Taiwan, the similarities with Ireland, Taiwanese identity, the church in China and why he spoke out about Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's statement on Taiwan during the Chinese Premier's visit to Ireland back in January (2024).

#Taiwan, #Taichung, #CatholicChurch, #China, #ChurchinChina, #LeoVaradkar, #Ireland, #TaiwanisTaiwan, #DefendDemocracy

The Shepherd of Dongshih

Perspectives with Neilo podcast brings you news and analysis on politics, sport, culture and technology from an Irish perspective.

#Podcast, #Defenddemocracy, #Taiwan, #Ireland

Music from TELL YOUR STORY music by ikson™
Voices: ElevenLabs.io, Neilo

Perspectives With Neilo Podcast Trailer

Regular listeners to Perspectives with Neilo will be aware that China and the behavior of its government, the Chinese Communist Party or CCP, have been the subject of many of our past episodes, from their aggression against Taiwan and its neighbors in the South China Sea, to their questionable trade practices and the many dubious tactics they employ in their quest for global influence.

In this episode, we dig a little deeper into the background and hear the perspectives of Dr. Niall Duggan, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government and Politics at University College Cork. We discuss the origins of the party, the political framework and institutions, and how things have changed under leader Xi Jinping, plus lots more.

#China, #CCP, #PRC, #XiJinping, #Mao, #DengXiaoping, #Wholeprocessdemocracy, #Nationalcongress, #CentralCommittee, #PLA, #BeltandRoad, #onebeltoneroad

China 101 - Interview with Dr Niall Duggan UCC

In today's digital age, data centers have become the backbone of our interconnected world. From streaming our favorite shows to conducting complex financial transactions, these high-powered facilities are the engines driving our digital revolution. But as our reliance on technology grows, so does the energy consumption of these data centers.
This increasing energy consumption is driving data center operators and tech entrepreneurs to explore new ways to power these energy-hungry facilities more efficiently and sustainably.
In this episode, we talk to Yuval Bachar, Founder and CEO of Edge CLoud Link.  Yuval and his team are pioneering the development of off-grid sustainable hydrogen powered data centers - and they have created a proof-of-concept colocation site in Mountain View  California.

#Datacenters, #Datacentre, #Hydrogen, #ECL, #Greenhydrogen, #Nuclear, #SMR, #AI, #ML, #Datacentrepower #HydrogenPower #GreenDataCenters #CleanEnergy #SustainableTech #FutureOfInternet

Hydrogen Powered Data Centers

Earlier in May and June of this year, we reported from Taipei on the massive street protests which became known as the Bluebird Movement. These protests were the largest Taiwan had seen in the decade since the 2014 Sunflower Movement. 

The protests voiced the public’s concern with new amendments to the Law governing the Legislative Yuan or parliament's power and in particular, new investigative powers including the power to subject public officials to fines or jail time if they refused to attend hearings or provide information when asked to do so by Legislators. 

The Democratic Progressive party or DPP subsequently took a case to Taiwan’s constitutional Court contesting these new legislative powers and in late October the court struck down most of the expanded powers sought by the KMT.

In this episode we report from a Nov 4th gathering of the Taiwanese American Federation of Northern California where we spoke to a number of the attendees as well as to the special guest Wang Yi-chuan (王義川) of the Democratic Progressive Party about recent political events in Taiwan as well as how the outcome of the US presidential election may affect US-Taiwan relations moving forward.

#Taiwan, #DPP, #KMT, #TPP, #TAFNC

Taiwan In NorCal

Earlier in August, we reported on China's Maritime Aggression against the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea and also on how China's aggression was uniting nations in the region. In the intervening months, this aggression has increased in frequency and severity and expanded further afield to include Vietnam and Japan.

In late October, I had the pleasure of meeting Ray Powell (@GordianKnotRay) who is the Director of SeaLight, a project of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University in California. We spoke about the background to the current tensions, the origins and validity of China's so-called 'Nine Dash Line', the role of China's maritime militia and deep sea research ships, why what happens in the South China Sea matters to the rest of the world and much more.

Image Credit: Facebook Online Maps Blog

#Taiwan, #Philippines, #SouthChinaSea, #SecondThomasShoal, #China, #CCP, #ChinaCoastGuard, #SierraMadre, #SCS, #Ninedashline, #BRPSierraMadre, #UNCLOS, #CabbageTactics, #LittleBlueMen, #SouthChinaSeaDispute, #ScarboroughShoal, #SouthChinaSeaConflict, #Russianspyship, #IrishSea

Shining A Light On China's Gray Zone

Data Centres contribute significantly to Ireland's GDP. The Irish data centre market amounted to over 3 Billion Euros of investment in 2023 with key opportunities to capitalize on future growth being driven by the AI revolution. However, its a competitive industry and while Ireland may have once been the EU pioneer of data centres, planning hurdles and electricity supply issues are forcing global technology companies to reconsider Ireland's role as a data centre hub.

In this episode, we report from the Data Centres Ireland Conference which took place at the RDS in Dublin in mid November. This was the 14th year of the event and it featured over 70 leaders and experts as well as 120 exhibitors showcasing the latest in data centre technology products, services and information.

I am grateful to the following industry leaders and experts who graciously shared their insights with us.

Garry Connolly, Founder, Host in Ireland
Bobby Smith, Head of Energy Storage Ireland
Dermot Costelloe, Associate Director, Fingleton White
Mark Moloney, Sustainability Director, CyrusOne

#Ireland, #datacenter, #datacenters, #AI, #renewables, #windpower, #solar, #netzero, #EUgreendeal, #energystorage, #energystorageireland, #datacentresireland, #EU, #EED, #CSRD, #IDA, #sustainability

2024 Data Centres Ireland Report

Two subsea cables, one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden and Lithuania were damaged in less than 24 hours on November 17th and 18th prompting German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to say - he assumed it was sabotage.

The suspected culprit is a Chinese registered bulk carrier - the Yi Peng 3 - which was traveling through the area after departing the Russian port of Ust Luga west of St Petersburg on November 15th.  Reuters news agency have quoted Western Intelligence officials from multiple countries as saying that they are confident the Chinese ship caused the cuts to both cables but, they have expressed different views on whether these were accidents or could have been deliberate.

This is not the first time a Chinese vessel has been suspected of damaging subsea infrastructure in this region and it raises concerns of a wider pattern of hybrid warfare.

My guest in this episode is Eoin McNamara who is a Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in Helsinki. I spoke to him about recent events, the reactions in the region and the implications for countries like Ireland and the broader EU.

#Baltic, #YiPeng3, #Cablesabotage, #China, #Russia, #EU

Cable Sabotage In The Baltic

With the promise of a new year comes the anticipation of new horizons, and for many, this is the time to plan travel for the year ahead.

In 2024, the Chinese Government unilaterally extended visa-free entry to citizens of 38 countries and has broadened a policy of offering visa-free entry for transit travelers who plan visits of 10 days or less. That currently applies to 54 nations.

In a number of past episodes we've talked with experts about how China differs from Western liberal democracies (see below) and in this episode of Perspectives with Neilo we take a closer look at what you should know if you are thinking of travelling to the People's Republic of China (#PRC) in the year ahead. 

Topics covered in this episode include:

ChinaTravel - brief introduction,
The one-party authoritarian state (listen to China 101),
Freedom, Media, Surveillance,
Exit bans and the case of Irishman, Richard O'Halloran,
Phone inspections, mobile payments and the Great Firewall,
Propaganda awareness,
How successful is China's visa-free entry so far?
Flights and transiting in Hong Kong.

Be sure to check your government's Travel Advice website for the latest advice for citizens of your country.

Date of Recording; January 12th, 2025

See blog at www.pwneilo.com for music credits

#ChinaTravel, #Beijing, #BeijingTravel, #ExitBan, #TravelAdvisory, #TravelAdvice, #RichardOHalloran, #Ireland, #China, #HongKong, #GreatWall, #GreatFirewall, #Visafree #Podcast

China Travel - Red Flags And Exit Bans

On February 16th and 17th, China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi visited Ireland. Mr Wang is the second senior Chinese official to visit Ireland in just over a year, following a visit by Premier Li Qiang in January of 2024.

In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we dive deep into China’s growing interest in Ireland and how this dynamic intersects with broader EU-China relations. We examine how the rise of protectionist policies under US President Donald Trump coupled with China’s desire to reshape the international rules-based world order creates challenges for Ireland who find themselves navigating a complex geopolitical terrain.

We examine the ripple effects of these global power dynamics on frontline democracies like Taiwan and Ukraine and analyze whether Ireland could become a new battleground in this struggle for global influence.

Tune in to this episode of Perspectives with Neilo as we take a closer look at the circumstances surrounding the latest Chinese visit to Ireland and what factors could be prompting this uptick of interest in a turbulent geopolitical landscape.

#China #Ireland #EUChinaRelations #Geopolitics #Democracy #Taiwan #Ukraine #InternationalRelations #ForeignPolicy #USChinaRelations #WolfWarriorDiplomacy #Podcast #News #Politics #WangYi #ChinaIrelandRelations

Wolf Warrior Visits - Unpacking China's Interest in Ireland

In mid-February, the communities of Uyghurs and Hong Kongers living in Ireland wrote an open letter to the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris highlighting concerns for their safety and drawing urgent attention to the pattern of Chinese state surveillance and harassment of members of their diaspora communities.

The letter was written in advance of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Ireland and requested the Irish Government to adopt a human-rights-based approach in their discussions with Chinese officials, as well as demanding concrete actions with respect to acts of transnational repression, genocide and politically motivated imprisonment perpetrated by the People's Republic of China (PRC).

We spoke to Nuria Zyden, the Director of the Irish Uyghur Cultural Association about the Uyghur community in Ireland, the pain and longing of being separated from family and what lies behind her community's concerns for their safety which she outlined in the recent letter to the Irish Government.

#UyghurRights #HumanRights #TransnationalRepression #ChineseSurveillance #DiasporaVoices #GenocideAwareness #HongKongersInIreland #UyghurCommunity #PoliticalPrisoners #ChinaRepression #IrelandHumanRights #MicheálMartin #SimonHarris #WangYiVisit #UyghurCulture #PoliticalFreedom #GenocidePrevention #UyghurSolidarity #ChineseOppression #RightsForUyghurs #UN #UNHCR #OHCHR

Exile in Ireland - Uyghurs Speak Out Against Transnational Repression

Recently, international headlines have been dominated by US President Donald Trump's trade tariffs and his challenge to the rules-based international order.

Trump has made bold threats, including seeking control of Greenland, the Panama Canal, and Gaza, while aligning with Russia and withdrawing support for Ukraine. His escalating tariff policies are raising doubts about long-standing alliances and the future of the global trading system, leaving many allies—including the EU—unsure of what comes next.

Meanwhile, China's position in the global economy remains crucial. As the world's second-largest economy, how does China view these recent developments?

In this episode, we speak with Alexander Davy, Research Analyst at MERICS, about:

- China’s perspective on the shifting geopolitical landscape,
- The potential impact of recent events on China’s relationship with the EU,
- How China’s struggling domestic economy may shape its future path.


#Geopolitics, #TradeTariffs, #USChinaRelations, #GlobalTrade, #DonaldTrump, #ChinaEU, #InternationalRelations, #GlobalEconomy, #ForeignPolicy, #EUPolitics, #ChinaEconomy, #GEOpoliticalLandscape, #TradeWars, #USPolitics, #ChinaPolitics


Scaring the Monkey - Decoding China's Response to Trump

According to data gathered by the European External Action Service (EEAS), last year over eighty countries and over two hundred organizations were targets of attacks from Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference - or FIMI. These attacks targeted everything from major international events like the Paris Olympics, to national elections, regional conflicts and local protests.

The main instigators of these influence operations were China and Russia and they use FIMI to manipulate public opinion, fuel polarization and interfere with democratic processes within the EU and worldwide. They employ a multi-layered strategy using both state and non-state actors to exert long term influence.

According to the EEAS report, "their aim is to destabilize societies, damage democracies, drive wedges between different groups and undermine the EU's global standing". The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas says "FIMI is not merely a tool for disseminating deceptive narratives. It is an integral part of military operations used by foreign states to lay the way for kinetic action on the ground," and "is a major security threat to the EU."

And it would appear that no country is immune. Even a small neutral country like Ireland was mentioned thousands of times by Russian and Chinese influence networks during a monitoring period from September 2023 to September 2024 according to an in-depth study carried out by Norway's Defense Research Strategy.

In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we chat with Eoin McNamara, Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in Helsinki to unpack some of the key findings in these reports. We discuss what motives lie behind these manipulation and interference campaigns as well as some examples of recent case studies and their impact. In addition we talk about the vulnerability of western society to such interference and what democracies can do to protect their citizens from such nefarious interference in the future.

Music Credits:
Title music: Uplifting by Plastic3 used under Tribe of Noise license
Break: Shining Bright Dusk by FreeSoundServer via Pixabay

#FIMI, #InformationWarfare, #Geopolitics, #Cybersecurity, #Disinformation, #DigitalWarfare, #ForeignInterference, #Propaganda, #CyberThreats, #ElectionInterference, #ChinaInfluence, #RussiaInterference, #HybridWarfare, #ChinesePropaganda, #AuthoritarianInfluence, #EUDemocracy, #EuropeanSecurity, #EUPolitics, #EUForeignPolicy, #DefendDemocracy, #IrelandSecurity, #IrelandPolitics, #NeutralIreland, #SocialMediaManipulation, #DigitalPropoganda, #FakeNews, #CyberTactics, #Podcast, #PodcastEpisode

The FIMI Iceberg - Decoding Foreign Interference Threats

As the global economy continues to grapple with the roller coaster uncertainties of President Donald Trump's tariff war, trade relations between the world's two largest economies - the United States and China - have reached a breaking point. A series of tit-for-tat tariff escalations has pushed their economic ties to the brink, with ripple effects being felt far beyond their borders.

While many smaller nations scramble to shield themselves from the fallout of this high-stakes trade conflict, China is positioning itself as a stabilizing force - seeking to capitalize on global dissatisfaction with U.S. trade policy and promote its own image as a force for stable trade in the world.

But how does China's claim hold up under scrutiny ?

In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we unpack China's performance as a global trading partner, explore its engagement with the World Trade Organization, and examine whether its claims of being a stabilizing force in global trade hold any water or just mask deeper strategic ambitions.

Date of Recording: April 21st, 2025

Music Credits:
Title music: Uplifting by Plastic3 used under license 
Certificate number: 463851b2-7fe3-486b-aabf-64f4dea6047f/4827
Audio transition: Sound Soul (This Logo Reveal) by Diamond_Tunes via Pixabay


#geopolitics, #globaltrade, #china, #USChinaRelations, #Tradewar, #Trump2024, #ChinaPolitics, #worldEconomy, #CCP, #EconomicPower, #Taiwan, #Taiwanstrait, #military, #WTO, #Podcast, #Podcastrecommendations
#台灣海峽, #貿易戰

A Strait Blockade is not Stable Trade

May 9th marked the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Russia also celebrated their version of Victory Day - an event steeped in national pride and symbolism - with a military parade in Red Square in front of an audience which included 29 visiting world leaders.

As U.S. President Donald Trump seeks a deal to end Russia's war in Ukraine, the U.S. and Europe were watching closely to see if President Putin would offer a different message this year after resisting White House efforts to secure a ceasefire so far.

In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we explore Russia's recent Victory Day celebrations. We review the increased attendance of foreign leaders at this year's military parade in Moscow as well as key moments from President Putin's speech.

We also examine the growing alignment between China and Russia, including Xi Jinping's attempt to connect the Victory Day commemoration to what he calls "the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's return" to China.

And finally, we unpack how this year's events are being interpreted across Europe and beyond, especially against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine and increasing international calls for a ceasefire.

Music Credits:

Title music: Uplifting by Plastic3 used under license 
Certificate number: 463851b2-7fe3-486b-aabf-64f4dea6047f/4827

Audio transition: Sound Soul (This Logo Reveal) by Diamond_Tunes via Pixabay

Tags:
#geopolitics, #china,  #CCP,  #Taiwan, #VictoryDay2025, #RussiaParade, #PutinSpeech, #RussiaChinaRelations, #UkraineWar, #WorldPolitics, #XiJinping, #TaiwanTensions, #DonaldTrump, #CeasefireCalls, #MoscowParade, #EUResponse, #InternationalRelations, #GlobalSecurity, #ColdWarEchoes, #AuthoritarianAlliance, #RedSquare2025, #MilitaryParade, #Podcast, #CurrentAffairsPodcast, #PoliticalPodcast, #GlobalNewsPodcast


Friends of Steel

Computex 2025  took place during the week of May 20th in the vibrant tech hub of Taipei, Taiwan. Widely regarded as one of the world’s premier computer and technology expos, Computex continues to set the stage for what’s next in the industry.

This year’s theme, “AI Next,” highlighted the growing reach of artificial intelligence—from the cloud, to the edge, and into everyday devices and applications. There was particular focus on AI & Robotics, Next-Gen Tech and Future Mobility.  Areas like Gaming, Drones, Datacenter Technology and Business Solutions also featured strongly.

With over 1,400 exhibitors from 34 countries, the event featured the biggest names in tech with industry leaders taking to the stage for keynote announcements, while the exhibition halls buzzed with the unveiling of their latest products. There was also a big emphasis on Innovation and Startups with the InnoVEX 2025 startup showcase celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

In this episode, we bring you the pulse of the event. You'll hear directly from entrepreneurs and innovators shaping the future of technology.  We also take a look at some of the new devices and gadgets from across the 80 thousand square meters of exhibits, sample some of the keynotes and examine why an increasing number of European companies and countries are forging strong ties with Taiwan.

Music:
Uplifting by Plastic3 used under license 

Tags:
#COMPUTEX2025  , #InnoVEX2025 , #TechEvents2025 , #TaiwanTech , #COMPUTEXTaipei , #AIInnovation , #StartupShowcase , #SemiconductorTech , #TechTrends2025 , #HardwareStartup , #DeepTech , #FutureOfAI , #TechCollaboration , #SmartTech2025 , #GlobalTechHub

Computex 2025 - AI Next

Since the start of President Trump’s second term—and especially following the unprecedented Oval Office confrontation last February between Trump, J.D. Vance, and Ukrainian President Zelensky—Washington’s policy on Ukraine has undergone a dramatic shift.
While this realignment has alarmed many of America’s traditional European allies,  the ripple effects have been felt far beyond Europe, including in Taiwan. Despite the absence of a formal treaty, U.S. support has long been a cornerstone of Taiwan’s security strategy in deterring invasion by China who claim Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory despite having never controlled or occupied it. 
In this episode, we speak with Marcin Jerzewski, Head of the European Values Center in Taipei about how Taiwan is interpreting Washington’s evolving stance on Ukraine. We explore whether President Trump’s territorial rhetoric and trade initiatives are fueling skepticism in Taiwan—and how the Chinese Communist Party is leveraging the current situation to erode Taiwan’s trust in the US.

#Trump2025 #Taiwan #UkraineWar #USForeignPolicy #Geopolitics #ChinaTaiwan #IndoPacific #TaiwanStrait #PodcastEpisode #PoliticsPodcast



Trump Taiwan and the Ukraine Pivot

On June 4th 1989, student-led demonstrations which had been brewing across China for a few months were violently crushed by the Chinese Communist Party who declared martial law and sent their troops onto the streets of Beijing to end the protests

Estimates of the death toll vary from several hundred to several thousand, with thousands more wounded.  While the massacre has been downplayed and deleted from public record in China, it has been commemorated outside of China in the intervening years. 

Prior to 2020 the biggest Tiananmen Commemorations used to take place in Victoria Park in Hong Kong. However, after the introduction of the National Security Law on June 30th, 2020 and the subsequent CCP clamp down on democracy - any hint of remembrance has been rigorously stamped out and forbidden.

In nearby Taiwan where freedom and democracy prevail, the Tiananmen Square Massacre is commemorated each year on June 4th. However, this year, even Taipei was not free from threat.

A number of Taiwan’s news outlets reported that eight government offices, including the Presidential Office and Executive Yuan received bomb threats by email on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. The messages warned of attacks if memorial events were held. Police traced the sender’s IP address to the U.S.but it is expected the real location was masked through a VPN and searches of government buildings did not yield any suspicious devices.

Despite the threats and the inclement weather, the Tiananmen commemoration still went ahead in Taipei. According to local media, about 3,000 people gathered for a candlelight vigil organized by the New School for Democracy and other human rights groups. The event took place on Democracy Boulevard outside Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, with the theme "Resist Transnational Repression, Defy Totalitarianism." It featured brief speeches by human rights advocates from Taiwan, Tibet, China and Hong Kong, as well as other nations.

This is our report from the event.


#TiananmenSquare  #TiananmenMassacre  #June4thMassacre  #1989Protests  #BeijingMassacre  #CCPViolence  #TiananmenCrackdown  #RememberJune4  #HumanRights  #FreeSpeech  #DemocracyNow  #FreedomMatters  #TransnationalRepression  #StandWithHongKong  #StandWithTaiwan  #ChinaCensorship  #NeverForgetTiananmen  #HistoryPodcast  #HumanRightsPodcast  #ChinaPodcast  #PoliticalPodcast  #PodcastEpisode  #TrueStoriesPodcast  #FreedomOfSpeech



Resist Transnational Repression, Defy Totalitarianism

These are challenging times for many world leaders, and no less so for the democratically elected leader of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te (賴清德). Lai Ching-te or William Lai was inaugurated as the President of Taiwan on May 20th, 2024. He succeeded Tsai Ing-wen and his election to the presidential office marks the first time for his party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)(民主進步黨) to hold this office for three consecutive terms.

While the DPP won the presidential vote, they failed to maintain a majority in the Legislative Yuan or parliament. As a result, the parliament has been controlled by the Chinese Nationalist Party (中國國民黨) or Kuomintang (KMT) and their smaller ally the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) (台灣民眾黨) who have sought to block Lai’s agenda, freeze or cut budgets including defense programs and  interfere with operations of the country’s top court.

While the KMT insist that they are seeking to strengthen and protect Taiwan’s democracy, the general public would not appear to agree and a mass recall effort is well underway which could unseat up to 20 KMT lawmakers and change the balance of power for Lai’s administration. This is a topic we will deal with in more detail in upcoming episodes. 

In the area of cross strait relations, President Lai has adopted a stronger rhetoric that characterises Taiwan as a de facto sovereign state, and has moved away from the more cautious tone of his predecessor.  In a speech on March 13th, 2025, President Lai publicly characterized China as a "foreign hostile force" trying to "annex Taiwan and stamp out the Republic of China," a phrasing unprecedented for a Taiwanese president.

In response Beijing has repeatedly described Lai as a dangerous "separatist" and increased Military Drills and Grey-Zone Operations around Taiwan -  including conducting  large-scale "blockade-style military exercises" in response to his major speeches. 

In this episode, I chat with William Yang, Senior Northeast Asia Analyst at the International Crisis Group — an independent, non-profit NGO dedicated to preventing and resolving deadly conflict.  We dive into William’s recent article on President Lai’s first year in office, and examine how his administration has responded to mounting pressure from China. We also look at Taiwan public opinion and the challenges President Lai faces in navigating political tensions with the opposition KMT and TPP.


#Taiwan #TaiwanPolitics #Geopolitics #InternationalRelations #LaiChingTe #WilliamLai #TaiwanPresident  #DemocraticProgressiveParty #DPP #TaiwanSovereignty #CrossStraitRelations #ChinaTaiwan  #TaiwanSovereignty  #ChinaMilitaryDrills #Kuomintang #KMT #TaiwanPeoplesParty #TaiwanPolitics2025  #TaiwanRecall #TaiwanElections #TaiwanProtests 
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Sovereignty and Stalemate - President Lai's First Year

In this episode we kick off the first part in a series of podcasts on Taiwan’s Great Recall in which we aim to bring you perspectives from all sides of the debate at this important crossroads in Taiwan’s democratic journey.

As we explained in our previous episode on President Lai’s first year in office, while his party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidential vote in January of 2024, they failed to maintain a majority in the Legislative Yuan or parliament. As a result, the parliament has been controlled by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and their smaller ally the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) who according to opponents have sought to block the DPP’s agenda, freeze or cut budgets, undermine Taiwan's constitutional order and weaken efforts to bolster defense capabilities against growing Chinese military threats.

According to a report by Citizen Congress Watch (CCW), a Taiwanese NGO engaged in parliamentary monitoring, in the first session of the current parliament only a fraction of legislative proposals successfully passed the readings, reflecting low legislative efficiency as a result of the divisive partisan infighting that has taken precedence over advancing policies for public benefit.

The KMT insist that they are seeking to strengthen and protect Taiwan’s democracy and say these recalls are politically motivated. They accuse the ruling DPP of using recalls to eliminate the opposition. However, not all of the electorate would  appear to agree and a mass recall effort led by civic groups has been underway for months.

On June 20th, Taiwan’s election commission announced a recall vote for 24 KMT lawmakers - that’s around one quarter of the parliament's members - all from the main opposition party. 
The date for the recall vote has been set for July 26th.

In this first episode in our series on Taiwan’s Great Recall, we talk to Professor Chen Fang-Yu (陳方隅) from the Department of Political Science at Soochow University (東吳大學) in Taipei to understand;

- The history of recall elections in Taiwan and the recall process,
- What factors have led to this latest and unprecedented mass recall effort,
- How Beijing's military pressure on Taiwan and relationship with individual lawmakers is influencing attitudes on the recall,
- Plus much more!


Photocredit: Instagram: double_lucky_

#TaiwanPolitics, #TaiwanRecall, #GreatRecall2025, #DemocracyInAsia, #TaiwanPodcast, #PodcastSeries, #PoliticsPodcast, #CrossStraitRelations, #ProtectDemocracy, #大罷免

Taiwan's Great Recall - Ep1 - Interview with Prof Chen Fang-Yu

Welcome to the second installment in our series on Taiwan’s Great Recall in which we aim to bring you perspectives from all sides of the debate at this important moment in Taiwan’s democratic journey. 

As we explained in our first episode, since the last election in January of 2024, Taiwan’s parliament or Legislative Yuan has been controlled by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and their smaller ally the Taiwan People’s Party who according to opponents have sought to block the ruling party’s agenda, freeze or cut budgets, undermine Taiwan's constitutional order and weaken efforts to bolster defense capabilities against growing Chinese military threats.

The KMT insist that they are seeking to strengthen and protect Taiwan’s democracy  and say these recalls are politically motivated. They accuse the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of instigating the recall campaign, of mobilizing civic groups and attempting to use recalls to eliminate the opposition.  

On a Friday afternoon in early June, I met up with members of Public Collaborative Tactics, a grassroots pro-recall group based at Jinan Presbyterian Church—just steps away from the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.

I was really interested to find out how the group came together and what motivates their cause. I also wanted to hear their thoughts on the Chinese Nationalist Party or KMT and if they had particular concerns about the party’s behavior. I also asked if they had connections with any political parties and how they were funded - but to begin the group introduced themselves and then told me how they all came together.


Subscribe to Perspectives with Neilo for upcoming episodes featuring interviews with KMT officials, protest leaders, and more.

Follow us on Instagram and YouTube for exclusive behind-the-scenes content, short clips, and lots more.

#TaiwanPolitics, #TaiwanGreatRecall, #DemocracyInAsia, #KMTvsDPP, #CivicActivism, #Taiwan2024, #PerspectivesWithNeilo, #PwNeiloPodcast, #TaiwanNews, #RecallMovement, #TaiwanCivicGroups, #JinanChurch, #Geopolitics

Taiwan's Great Recall - Ep2 - Interview with Jinan Church Civic Group

Welcome to the third installment in our series on Taiwan's Great Recall (大罷免) in which we aim to bring you perspectives from all sides of the debate at this important moment in Taiwan's democratic journey.

As the days count down to July 26th, campaigning by both the pro and anti recall groups in Taiwan is gaining momentum. These recall campaigns are a result of a power struggle between different branches of Taiwan’s government  - the Legislative Yuan which is controlled by the Chinese Nationalist Party or KMT with their smaller ally the Taiwan People’s Party, and the Executive Yuan which is controlled by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party or DPP.

In the last election back in January of 2024, the KMT won 52 seats in the Legislative Yuan and combined with the 8 seats of the smaller Taiwan People’s Party as well as two independents, they command a clear majority over the DPP who currently hold 51 seats. 

The KMT and TPP have, according to critics, used this majority to assert and boost legislative power and have sought to block the ruling party’s agenda, freeze or cut budgets, undermine Taiwan's constitutional order and weaken efforts to bolster defense capabilities against growing Chinese military threats.

Civil Society recall groups also express concerns with KMT lawmakers' frequent visits to China and meetings with senior officials in the Chinese Communist Party while the parliament was in session. They accuse the KMT of collusion with the CCP with some  - like UMC founder and chip tycoon Robert Tsao going so far as to say that “Beijing wants to use the KMT to annex Taiwan” and calling the KMT - “China’s Trojan Horse” - that’s according to a report by news outlet Nikkei Asia.

In this third episode in our series on Taiwan’s Great Recall, we speak with Chance Hsu (須予謙) who is the Assistant Director of International Affairs for the KMT. We sat down with him in Taipei in early July to hear the party’s official response to these recalls and understand why the KMT think they are politically motivated. We also wanted to hear the KMT’s response to the concerns raised by the different civic groups, talk about their controversial budget cuts and discuss the party’s connections with China.

Date of Recording: July 1st, 2025

Post Interview Update: Taiwan’s Central Election Commission announced on July 2nd that recalls for two more KMT lawmakers will take place on August 23rd. This brings the total to 26 KMT lawmakers now facing potential removal.

Subscribe to Perspectives with Neilo for upcoming episodes featuring additional content on Taiwan’s Great Recall.

Follow us on Instagram and YouTube for exclusive behind-the-scenes content, short clips, and lots more.

#TaiwanRecall, #TaiwanGreatRecall, #TaiwanPolitics, #KMTRecall, #TaiwanDemocracy, #DPPvsKMT, #TaiwanLegislativeYuan, #RecallMovement, #TaiwanNews, #TaiwanNow, #TaiwanPodcast, #July26Recall, #TaiwanVotes, #CCPInfluence, #RobertTsao, #TaiwanCivilSociety, #DefendTaiwan, #KMTChinaTies, #DemocracyInAsia, #CivicActivism
#GeoPolitics


Taiwan's Great Recall - Ep3 - Interview with Chance Hsu, KMT

Welcome to the fourth installment in our series on Taiwan’s Great Recall in which we aim to bring you perspectives from all sides of the debate at this important moment in Taiwan’s democratic journey. 

In our earlier episodes in this series, we spoke with a political scientist, a pro-recall grass roots organization and a Kuomintang or KMT (中國國民黨) representative. Feel free to go back and listen to those episodes which you can find on our blog at pwneilo.com or by searching for Perspectives with Neilo wherever you get your podcasts - and be sure to hit the Subscribe or Follow button as it would really help us a lot!

As we explained in previous episodes, this unprecedented KMT recall stems from a public backlash against months of legislative gridlock, budgetary obstruction, and interference with Taiwan’s highest court—including accusations of collusion with the Chinese Communist Party.  

While the recall effort is mostly organized by civil society organizations, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party or DPP (民主進步黨) has recently begun to engage more visibly as the first voting day approaches. Taiwan’s President and DPP party leader Lai Ching-te (賴清德) has also been conducting a series of 10 speeches at various civic centers around Taiwan which media reports indicate is a likely effort to boost DPP turnout in the voting.

Clearly, if enough KMT lawmakers can be unseated and the DPP can reclaim their seats in the follow on election, it would dramatically shift the balance of power in Taiwan’s parliament.

One of the KMT candidates on the recall ballot for July 26th is Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇).  She is the deputy secretary general of the KMT legislative caucus and was last elected to the single seater District 3 in Taipei in 2024 with over 52% of the vote. Prior to becoming a national politician she was a Taipei City councillor and before that worked in Journalism.

While Wang Hung-wei is no stranger to controversy, people we spoke to say they are most concerned about her close ties to China. They cite her visit to Beijing in 2024 with KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-Chi (傅崐萁) and their meeting with top CCP politburo official Wang Huning (王滬寧) - a meeting for which they were not able to obtain any readout. 
The reason many constituents worry about such meetings is because Wang Huning is credited with being the CCP’s leading ideologist since the 1980s and is also the leader of the organization tasked with what the CCP call the “peaceful reunification of Taiwan". 

At the end of June, I went along to a neighborhood gathering at a small cafe in the Songshan district of Taipei. It was organized by the Wang Hung-wei recall group. 

I was interested to find out more about the group, hear more about the concerns that were causing them to recall Wang Hong Wei and get their reactions to the questions and accusations from the anti-recall camp.

Subscribe to Perspectives with Neilo for upcoming episodes and updates on Taiwan’s Great Recall.

Follow us on Instagram and YouTube for exclusive behind-the-scenes content, short clips, and lots more.

#TaiwanPolitics, #TaiwanRecall, #DemocracyInAction, #KMTRecall, #TaiwanElections, #RecallVote2025, #CivicEngagement, #TaiwanDemocracy, #perspectiveswithneilo, #politicalpodcast, #TaiwanPodcasts, #GrassRootsMovement, #ProDemocracy, #ElectoralReform, #CivilSocietyVoices, #StopCCPInfluence, #TaiwanVotes, #PeoplePower


Taiwan's Great Recall - Ep4 - Interview with Wang Hung-wei Recall Group

☘️Irish podcaster diving deep into news, politics, sport and tech.
🎙️Exploring the state of democracy in a rapidly changing world. 
📕Blog at 👉 www.pwneilo.com
#Defenddemocracy, #Taiwan, #Ireland, #Podcast

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