comparative political economy and welfare states of Asia. | Assistant Research Fellow at IPSAS @AcadSinica via @FandMCollege, @ohiostate, @Yale, and @NTU_TW
Joined April 2014
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Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
Public Statement Regarding Reporting by The Atlantic
Regarding the article titled "Will Taiwan Just Give Up?" authored by Mr. Simon Shuster in The Atlantic, this public statement is hereby issued to clarify and address the selective quotes taken out of context and the decontextualized framing of Taiwan's defense reforms and Legislator Puma Shen:
Legislator Puma Shen was interviewed by Mr. Shuster on April 23 of this year, and a full audio recording of the interview has been retained for verification.
1.
To serve a narrative aimed at highlighting "Taiwanese draft-dodging," the article decontextualizes, exaggerates, and misrepresents Legislator Shen’s past experience of legally fulfilling his alternative civil service based on his professional expertise. Equating the legal and compliant alternative service system with "draft-dodging" is not only factually inaccurate, but also seriously misleads the international community's understanding of Taiwanese citizens' participation in national service.
2.
The article's quote stating that "people think it's a waste of time" is completely stripped of its original context. At the time, Legislator Shen explicitly referred to the outdated, ritualistic military training of the past—riddled with chores like cutting grass prior to recent defense reforms—rather than dismissing the intrinsic value of military service or suggesting a lack of public resolve to defend the nation. This framing dismisses the efforts of the government and Taiwanese society in addressing past systemic inefficiencies, as well as the MOD’s ongoing commitment to defense reforms and the conscription system, making it highly misleading.
Journalistic professionalism and ethics must be built on objective, complete, and contextually grounded reporting, particularly when addressing critical issues such as regional security and democratic resilience. We call on international media outlets to respect factual context when reporting on Taiwan's national defense and will to defend itself, and to refrain from using decontextualized techniques to shape biased narratives.
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
Dear @TheAtlantic @shustry
If I wanted to teach a class about why people dislike foreign journalists, I’d show them your piece on Taiwan. It pays no attention to our rich, complex, multilayered, local struggles. Not one ordinary person or family is portrayed. 1/
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
New project: "Build Your Academic Website in 15 Minutes" for new grad students or established academics (including my new site, "GaryKing.org"). To get one yourself, see GaryKing.org/mysite. It's easy, free, customizable, & fast.
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
Taiwanese academics who were invited to attend an ocean forum in Kenya were denied entry. Yet another case of PRC pressure. This strategy of isolating Taiwan from the international community is counterproductive.
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
NEW: China arrested a US citizen after Trump met with Xi in Beijing and accused him of endangering national security — a rare charge against an American. The detainee, U Min Zin, is a grad student at @UCBerkeley who researches Myanmar. This adds a new strain to US-China ties.
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
KMT leader Cheng Li-wun has publicly egged Trump on to oppose Taiwan independence.
KMT politicians “could frame Trump’s comments as referring to de jure independence and then associate that position with the DPP,” commented Wei-ting Yen @poscwty. 3/4
asia.nikkei.com/politics/int…
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
What, exactly, does “Taiwan independence” mean? Trump’s comments about independence threw a rhetorical grenade onto Taiwan’s political battlefield.
@NikkeiAsia’s explainer about what this term means (hint: many things), w/ input from @poscwty & others 1/4
asia.nikkei.com/politics/int…
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
Our ISR/intel shows that the #PRC has deployed over 100 vessels around the #1stIslandChain over the past few days, so soon after the #Beijing summit. In this part of the world, #China is the one & only PROBLEM wrecking the #StatusQuo & threatening regional peace & stability.
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
1/ Sharing part three of trilogy of reports by @lnachman32 and @poscwty on Taiwan public opinion on politics, cross-Strait relations, the US, and China. Recommended reading. Taken together, the reports reveal Taiwan's polarization. brookings.edu/articles/how-p…
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
Next, lets look at perceptions of the USA versus perceptions of the PRC. The DPP see's the very positively and the PRC negatively. The KMT does not have the same positive perceptions of the US. But, it importantly does not have overwhelmingly positive perceptions of the PRC.
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
Let's start with support for Lai's $40 billion USD special defense budget. It is deeply partisan. But, the story becomes more nuanced when we assess whether attitudes toward the defense budget are related to perceptions of how increasing defense spending impacts deterrence.
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
What do Taiwanese voters think of Trump?
Does Taiwan see America as a trusworthy ally?
Would voters support more defense spending?
Have attitudes changed over time? All of this & more w/@poscwty in our final piece for our @BrookingsFP 3 part series:
brookings.edu/articles/how-p…
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
What do Taiwanese voters think of Trump?
Does Taiwan see America as a trusworthy ally?
Would voters support more defense spending?
Have attitudes changed over time?
All of this & more w/@poscwty in our final piece for our @BrookingsFP 3 part series:
brookings.edu/articles/how-p…
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
My argument in this piece is simple: Beijing is pressing foreign leaders to describe Taiwan in China’s language, while also keeping Taiwan’s own leaders from being heard on the world stage. The result is a dangerous distortion: Taiwan’s desire to preserve its democratic way of life is treated as a provocation, while China’s military and diplomatic coercion is treated as normal. But peace cannot be built on a narrative that blames the threatened for the threat.
China wants the world to hear only one version of Taiwan’s story: Beijing’s. And much of the world is listening to this version. buff.ly/owyKlSj
The key finding, in my view:
Many Taiwanese appear to see the “1992 Consensus” as a tool for maintaining dialogue and the status quo — not as support for unification.
But Beijing increasingly treats the “1992 Consensus” and “One Country, Two Systems” as inseparable.
"92 Consensus, oppose Taiwanese independence" - the slogan Xi & Cheng see as foundational for Cross-Strait relations.
But what do Taiwanese think of the phrase? What about support for "One Country, Two Systems?"
@poscwty and I's latest for @BrookingsFP:
brookings.edu/articles/will-…
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
The more important contradicion, however, lies with blue/TPP/independent voters who support "92 Consensus, oppose Taiwanese independence" but reject "One Country, Two Systems."
Wei-Ting Yen retweeted
"92 Consensus, oppose Taiwanese independence" - the slogan Xi & Cheng see as foundational for Cross-Strait relations.
But what do Taiwanese think of the phrase? What about support for "One Country, Two Systems?"
@poscwty and I's latest for @BrookingsFP:
brookings.edu/articles/will-…
台大國發所的南樂老師 Lev Nachman 跟我在鄭習會結束後一週內（四月16—22日），透過台大的網調平台收了民調資料，分析台灣民眾對於鄭習會、軍購、美國相關議題的看法。分析結果分成三篇透過 The Brookings Institution 刊登。
brookings.edu/articles/how-d…
第一篇對鄭習會的看法，提供一些亮點發現：
3️⃣ 另一個一個有趣發現是：越關心政治的人，越高比例回答「不知道」！這與政治學認為「對政治最不關心」通常最高比例回答「不知道」的規律相反。在鄭習會評價上，反而是最關心政治者最不知道怎麼評價鄭麗文訪中。