TAIPEI (TVBS News) — International correspondents and scholars from the United States gathered to analyze Taiwan's politics and media landscape at the Fulbright Hays Seminar Abroad Program at the Grand Hyatt Taipei on Monday (June 12).
International correspondents tackled issues such as the shift in supply chain and power of the global economy, Taiwan's role in the semiconductor industry, cross-strait tension, and the upcoming Taiwan presidential election in mid-Janurary.
Although Taiwan is becoming more and more relevant in the global economy, Taiwan in international politics is still "almost unseen," as Fan Chi-fei, a TV host and former international correspondent, puts it. "I think this is why we should project ourselves to the world," she added.
She hopes that through the discussion, the scholars could have "an impression of what Taiwan is," which is "democratic [...] dynamic, and [...] very different from China."
Taiwan's upcoming presidential and national parliamentary elections also drew significant interest among foreign media and scholars, as Thompson Chau, President of the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents' Club, pointed out the significance of the Fulbright Program, showing that "it is a crucial year for Taiwan."
Chau also highlighted how more and more "foreign correspondents are moving to Taipei in the last few years." And they are hoping that the presidential candidates and political parties can "outline their policies on China, defense and other key issues [...] ahead of the elections."
John Wagner Givens, associate professor in the International Studies Department at Spelman College, stated that the Fulbright Program is an excellent opportunity to "expose people that don't know as much about Taiwan to Taiwan." He highlighted how "Taiwan is at the center of almost every story," more often in media.
The Fulbright Hays Seminars Abroad Program is an exciting four-week research program during which 16 distinguished scholars exchange their insights on issues related to Taiwan and bring them back to the U.S. for their future curriculum and research content, according to Fulbright Taiwan's Public Affairs Officer Astin Chang.