Meet the Author:

Samantha Jiang

Because of the prevailing misunderstandings surrounding China and Chinese-speaking regions, my focus has consistently gravitated towards topics concerning Hong Kong and Taiwan throughout my studies. This is why I made planned to write my seminar paper on Taiwan during my participation in a language and cultural program there in 2022.

That was the first time I visited this beautiful country, and I got to meet many of Taiwan's extremely kind-hearted people, as well as learn about the fascinating culture. Needless to say, during that time I was not only able to find valuable resources for my paper, but also a new place to feel completely at ease and that is now dear to my heart.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Isabella and the entire Next Generation Political Science team for collaborating with me. It has been a great honor to write this article and to inform and educate other people about current issues related to Taiwan. Finally, I would like to thank all the readers and hope that I could spark your interest.

To read Samantha's blog post, click here.

大家好! My name is Samantha Jiang and I am currently pursuing an MA in Translation while working and tutoring at the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Vienna. Prior to this, I obtained my BA in Sinology in the summer of 2023. Over the years, I have developed a deep-rooted interest in cultural and social issues in East Asia, which was first sparked after witnessing the 2019 Hong Kong protests with my own eyes. These events as well as my curiosity about my own ancestry eventually solidified my decision to study Sinology back in the winter of 2020. During my studies, I traveled to many places, including Taiwan, to immerse myself in the cultures, retrieve resources, and gain a better understanding of the research.