Taiwanese businesses began blazing a trail to Cambodia in the 1990s, and Taiwan’s business relationship with Cambodia has flourished in the years since. Evidence of this can be seen both in the membership of the Taiwan Commercial Association in Cambodia, which now exceeds 400 companies, and in our trade with the country, which according to the ROC’s Bureau of Foreign Trade was worth US$700 million in 2017.
NGOs from Taiwan have also become active participants in a variety of humanitarian aid programs there. Taiwanese volunteers can be found all over Cambodia, doing everything from digging wells to providing education and delivering medical services. For this month’s Cover Story, we have compiled in-depth, firsthand reports that paint a new picture of Cambodia, by talking to Taiwanese doing business and humanitarian work in the country, as well as others involved in its arts and culture community.
When government agencies give artists and designers free rein to apply their expertise, it unleashes their creative capabilities. The recent openings of the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts at Weiwuying, and the Taichung World Flora Exposition, enabled curators and artists in various disciplines to introduce their design concepts to visitors. The hard work of the public and private sectors on the venues and events fully demonstrates Taiwan’s outstanding capacity for planning and executing exhibitions and performances.
Meanwhile, the Public Television Service (PTS) drama On Children has become the first Taiwanese show to be made available simultaneously on Netflix. The program has drawn an enthusiastic domestic and international response since it began airing in July 2018, and has shown the international community just how good Taiwanese television can be.
In other articles, Tony Thamsir, PTS’s Indonesian-language news anchor, shares his journey; and we celebrate the Academia Sinica’s 90th anniversary with a look at how Taiwan’s premier research institution is using innovative methods to bring its work to the public.
Following the recent passing of crosstalk master Wu Zhaonan, Wu’s former student Liu Zengkai, director of the Wu Zhao Nan Xiang Sheng & Theater Association, shared stories with us about Wu and his interactions with his students. These fond recollections highlight Wu’s teachings and pass on the flame he ignited, ensuring the continuation of an art form that hides wisdom within its humor.
From crosstalk, theater, and broadcasting to academia, a major exposition, and non-governmental exchanges with Cambodia, Taiwan Panorama always keeps you abreast of the exciting moments in Taiwan’s development.
