Brian Hioe

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Brian Hioe was one of the founding editors of New Bloom, a freelance writer on social movements and politics, and an occasional translator.

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2016/10/09 | Brian Hioe

OP-ED: Nuit Blanche, A Half-Hearted Attempt At Making Taipei Look Like An 'Artsy' City?

'Taipei’s hosting of Nuit Blanche seems like a half-hearted, commercialized attempt to make Taipei look like an artistic city when the actual creative centers of the city are at risk.'

2021/02/01 | Brian Hioe

What Does a Trending T-shirt Say About Taiwanese Identity and Politics?

りしれ供さ小, pronounced lí sī-leh kóng-siánn-siâu, would be a Taiwanese Hokkien phrase meaning “The heck are you saying?” Here’s what its ubiquity signals about Taiwan’s youth culture.

2021/02/08 | Brian Hioe

Is the Success of PUI PUI Guinea Pig Cars Because of Capitalism?

The appeal of the children’s show PUI PUI Guinea Pig Cars cannot be denied. It may be a sign of discontent with capitalism in Taiwan.

2016/11/10 | Brian Hioe

Demonstrations in South Korea Calling on Park to Step Down

It is to be questioned whether Park’s Saenuri Party will be able to survive the scandal, and South Korea’s political future, not only internally but regionally, remains unknown.

2021/04/28 | Brian Hioe

KMT Divided Over God-Status of Founder Sun Yat-sen

A KMT central standing committee member said Sun Yat-sen was deified after death. Other KMT politicians don't think so.

2016/10/07 | Brian Hioe

OP-ED: Joshua Wong's Detention in Thailand May Not Be The Last of Its Kind

Countries like Thailand which already share with China a record of poor human rights and are ruled by authoritarian governments are probably more likely to cooperate with China on extraterritorial detentions because such regimes have less to lose from international condemnation.

2021/06/11 | Brian Hioe

The KMT’s Twitter is a Dumpster Fire

Taiwan’s main opposition party, the KMT, accused Singaporean dissident Roy Ngerng of being an “extreme white supremacist” on Twitter. Patently false and absurd as it is, the charge adheres to the logic of a moribund institution.

2019/03/25 | Brian Hioe

Daguan Residents Remain Threatened Despite Temporary Halt to Demolition

A temporary halt to the demolition of Daguan Community, a military dependents village in New Taipei, has not answered the question of what comes next for its residents.

2022/02/24 | Brian Hioe

Reading Putin’s Speech From Taiwan

Putin’s speech on the war’s eve expressed an incoherence that leaves China in an awkward position vis-a-vis its claims on Taiwan.

2022/11/02 | Brian Hioe

The Tsai Administration Is Silent on Lula’s Victory. What Would It Take for That To Change?

The Tsai administration’s passing on an opportunity to demonstrate support for democracy in Brazil is disappointing. All the more so because in 2018, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued immediate congratulations to Bolsonaro on the day of his presidential election.

2016/11/05 | Brian Hioe

The Hung-Xi Meeting, Largely A Pointless Affair?

The Hung-Xi meeting has not revealed anything new we did not already know, but it may be that a poor response from the DPP or a failure of the DPP to manage international perceptions of the meeting can still be a threat to maintaining Taiwan’s de facto independence.

2019/03/18 | Brian Hioe

OPINION: Taiwan Must Discuss Migrant Worker Safety After Fatal Factory Fires

Taiwan must seriously address unsafe work conditions for migrant workers after its third fatal factory fire in 14 months.

2019/03/07 | Brian Hioe

Daguan Residents Clash With Taipei Police After Receiving Eviction Notices

Residents of Daguan Community in New Taipei say the Tsai administration has not helped them in their fight against forced eviction.

2022/04/07 | Brian Hioe

Taiwan’s Political Culture As Expressed in an Absurd Ad

As old political slogans and tropes lose their cache, viral fame has become the coin of the realm for politicians and politically-minded comedians alike.