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Dive deep into the Taiwan Strait, a pivotal battleground of the clash between Western hegemony and Eastern resistance, as well as the transition from a fading unipolar world to an emerging multipolar order. Uncover the complexities of cross-strait relations between Taiwan and mainland China, contextualizing them within the broader landscape of global politics. Gain a fresh perspective on Taiwan and beyond, distinct from what is typically portrayed in mainstream media.
Episodes
Dec 4, 2025
Dec 4, 2025
1hr 35 min
In this episode, Ezra and I dive into the debates surrounding UN Resolution 2803 and the intense online reaction that followed China's abstention. We explore why so many Western leftists (baizuo) default to a universalist worldview that ends up upholding the existing world order in practice, especially when they assume their values should apply uniformly across all civilizations. The conversation moves beyond surface-level ideology as we unpack how many commentators mistakenly interpret China solely through the lens of communism, ignoring the deeper philosophical foundations that have shaped Chinese statecraft and thinking for thousands of years.
Ezra and I get into the Chinese philosophical traditions that inform China's decision-making, offering a perspective that helps make sense of China's policy of non-intervention and why China acts the way it does on the global stage. If you're looking for a grounded discussion that cuts through Western noise and digs into the civilizational logic behind China's choices, this episode has you covered.
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Nov 25, 2025
Nov 25, 2025
43 min
Help Guangfu Recover: The town was devastated, and families need support. Please donate or share the GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-guangfu-township-after-typhoon-ragasa
In this episode of Strait Talk, we examine the "ROC" territorial map—a symbol that frequently surfaces in online debates about Taiwan. Both pro- and anti-China voices invoke it for different purposes. Anti-China netizens highlight how the PRC lost territories far larger than Taiwan, while pro-China commentators point to the map as evidence that Taipei still harbors ambitions of reclaiming the Chinese mainland. In reality, the DPP administration today would prefer to abandon these territorial claims entirely, as the map and the "ROC" framework under which it exists function as structural safeguards against "Taiwan independence." This is precisely why Beijing, unlike "pro-China" westerners, does not comment on the map at all.
We then trace the long and complex history of Mongolia: how it became part of China, why it remained integrated for centuries, and how China ultimately lost it due to national weakness and foreign interference.
For anyone seeking to understand the hard lessons the Chinese people have learned about national strength, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, this episode provides essential historical context.
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Oct 14, 2025
Oct 14, 2025
1hr 25 min
Help Guangfu Recover: The town was devastated, and families need support. Please donate or share the GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-guangfu-township-after-typhoon-ragasa
In this episode of Strait Talk with Xiangyu, I sit down with Angelica, who joined me in disaster relief efforts in Taiwan's Guangfu Township, Hualien County after Typhoon Ragasa. We share firsthand accounts of the widespread destruction, and discuss how government inaction and neglected infrastructure worsened the crisis.
We cover:
- The overflow of the barrier lake at Matai’an Dam
- The situation we saw on the ground
- Challenges faced by the people of Guangfu
- The local community's resilience and cooperation
- Lessons for disaster preparedness
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Sep 30, 2025
Sep 30, 2025
2hr 5 min
Support my upcoming on-location documentaries and vlogs about Taiwan and the Chinese mainland: https://gofund.me/990ab390
In this episode of Strait Talk with Xiangyu, I sit down with Wang Ping-chung (王炳忠 Wang Bingzhong), one of Taiwan's most outspoken voices for Chinese identity and cross-strait reunification. Together, we break down U.S. foreign policy toward Taiwan under Trump and Biden, shifting public opinion on Washington's role, the opportunism of the DPP, and Wang's personal journey as a defender of Chinese identity in Taiwan.
We also discuss in detail how separatist forces in Taiwan systematically altered the education system to breed identity confusion, deliberately undermining Chinese consciousness to make reunification more difficult — even while knowing that "independence" is impossible. This erosion of Chinese identity, as we examine, serves the interests of U.S. hegemony at the direct expense of the people on Taiwan, who are left more divided, more vulnerable, and less able to pursue real long-term prosperity.
Topics discussed include:
- U.S. shifting attitudes toward Taiwan under Trump and Biden
- Why Taiwan is treated more like Ukraine than Israel
- Growing skepticism of the U.S. among the people of Taiwn (疑美論)
- The DPP's propaganda, opportunism, and power motives
- How the de-Sinicization curriculum reshaped identity in Taiwan
- Wang Bingzhong's personal political development and fight for Chinese identity
If you want to understand Taiwan's politics beyond Western headlines, and how identity itself has been weaponized, this is an STXY episode you won't want to miss.
Follow Wang Ping-chung on YouTube and Facebook
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Sep 23, 2025
Sep 23, 2025
33 min
Support my upcoming on-location documentaries and vlogs about Taiwan and the Chinese mainland: https://gofund.me/990ab390
With the exception of hardline Taiwan separatists, most would not argue that the culture in Taiwan is Chinese at its core. But if that's the case, why has Chinese identity in Taiwan seemed so fragile in recent decades?
In this episode, I trace how Taiwan's identity has been shaped and reshaped: from its early feudal Chinese consciousness, through Japanese colonization, the KMT's project of promoting Chinese patriotism, the rise of a Taiwan-centered consciousness, and finally the DPP'’s curriculum reforms and "desinicization" campaigns. We'll explore how history and politics together have contributed to Taiwan's ongoing identity confusion.
If you've ever wondered how Taiwan’s identity struggles became what they are today, this episode connects the history, the politics, and the narratives that continue to shape the island.
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Aug 19, 2025
Aug 19, 2025
1hr 20 min
We sit down with Angelica Oung to discuss Taiwan's changing political landscape, her personal journey from DPP supporter to advocating for the status quo, being a born-again Chinese, and what recent events—from mass recalls to legislative drama—reveal about public sentiment. We explore phony grassroots movements, government corruption, and the evolving conversation around identity and reconciliation with the Chinese mainland.
Follow Angelica on X
Read Angelica's Taipology
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Aug 8, 2025
Aug 8, 2025
1hr 14 min
Scott was born in Taiwan and raised in a pro-DPP household before moving to the U.S. at age 10. Over Taiwan Beer, we trace his political journey from identifying with Taiwan separatism to supporting Chinese reunification and questioning liberal democracy itself. We talk about what triggered his shift in perspective, how his views evolved over time, and how his experience relates with broader political trends in Taiwan today.
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Jul 22, 2025
Jul 22, 2025
35 min
The First Sino-Japanese War is often overlooked, but in many ways, it mirrors the Korean War that would erupt 56 years later. A declining regional power clashed with a rising empire over Korea, setting off events that would reshape East Asia. In this first episode of the series, we examine the mistakes of China's Qing Government, the crises shaking Korea, and Japan's growing ambitions—all of which set the stage for a war that ended in China's humiliating defeat, which included the cession of Taiwan Province to Japan.
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Make a one-time donation to Strait Talk through Buy Me a Coffee, CashApp, or Venmo