Since the introduction of the New Southbound Policy during President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) first term in 2016, there has been building momentum toward increasing people-to-people exchanges between Taiwan and the policy’s 18 partner countries. While the government’s attempt to improve relations with these countries is admirable, there is a significant gap in Taiwan’s cultural knowledge of them. To narrow the cultural literacy gap, Taiwan needs to start cultural education as early as kindergarten.

New residents and migrant workers from these target countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia are particularly vulnerable in Taiwan.

In his inaugural address, US President Joe Biden declared that Americans “will be judged” for how they “resolve the cascading crises of our era.” He expressed confidence that the country would “rise to the occasion” and pledged that the US would lead “not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.”

The contrast with former US president Donald Trump’s divisive, isolationist rhetoric could not be sharper.

People would expect the political parties in their country to uphold the security and prosperity of the nation, regardless of political affiliation. One exception might be fringe parties, such as the New Party, which explicitly seeks to surrender Taiwan to a hostile government.

However, major parties — whether in opposition or in government — should be completely above suspicion. Yet, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) at times makes this extremely challenging.