The Trump administration has revoked Taiwan’s semiconductor giant TSMC’s authorization to export American chipmaking equipment to China without a license, further curbing Beijing’s access to American technology.

On July 26 and August 23, Taiwanese voters faced a stark choice: recall 32 opposition lawmakers—or keep them. Voters chose to keep them, dealing a surprise blow to recall organizers and resetting the island’s political calculus for the next three years. What do these results say about Taiwan’s democracy, its security debates, and the risks of turning recalls into a partisan weapon? In this episode, political reporter Josh Hoang-Wilkes unpacks what actually happened, why it surprised so many, and what it means for Taiwan’s politics in 2026 and beyond

The Reader_010925_Coltrane Program Introduction A poem for Coltrane, the melodist poet Three years ago, City Light Books published Will Alexander’s poetry collection titled “Divine Blue Light: for John Coltrane” It was a must read for fans of Coltrane and radical poetry. For Will is never the kind of poet to write for popular accessibility. He challenges and explores, just like what Coltrane exemplifies in his playing. This episode of The reader begins with a live rendition of Coltrane’s most popular Rogers and Hammerstein classic “My Favorite things”, a live recording of a performance in Belgium back in 1965; and ends with another live recording made in France the same year, one of his more progressive iconic work “Ascension”. The two pieces marked nails a paradox of human artistic desire to advance in the substantial sensibilities of art, in Coltrane’s case, modern jazz. We have included a clip of his explanatory quote on music, at the beginning of “My Favorite ...

In the final episode of Oh, I didn't know that, we continue to explore the critical situation of the Taiwanese white dolphin, a unique subspecies facing imminent extinction. Through insights from John Wang (王愈超), the leading expert who has been researching these dolphins for many years, this episode touches on the various threats these dolphins face, including habitat loss, pollution, and the impact of human activities, and also what can be done to help the dolphin population. 

Welcome to Status Update! I am once again joined by David and Thao, who will share about their life in Taiwan and help me read some of the letters and emails from our listeners.  If you want to contact us and have your message read on air, you can send a letter to P.O. BOX 123 199 Taipei, Taiwan English@rti.org.tw or reach us on social media, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, @Rtienglish 

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One Formosan macaque made the headlines this week for stealing across Beitou. Finally, after a three-month chase and countless robberies, he was apprehended. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. On today's menu for your mind to feast on:  – Formosan macaque burglar  – Lanternfish  – Taiwan's animal-related news  – Dogs who chew too much Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to tristan@rti.org.tw! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

In this episode, we explore the journey of Wenwen, an artist who evolved from studying illustration to creating music. We discuss early inspirations and the transition from illustration to music, highlighting the influence of both Taiwanese and English artists. The episode also covers Wenwen's transformative experience studying in New York and how it shaped her artistic and musical perspectives. We delve into her creative process—from writing songs in her bedroom to producing demos with Logic Pro. Additionally, we examine her path to signing with a record label, the challenges she faced, and the crucial support from her family during this pivotal time. Wenwen is an artist and singer-songwriter from Taichung, Taiwan. She is passionate about integrating her ideas into the work she creates, such as making books and writing songs. In June 2025, she released her first EP, Wa kah i li, which is written in both Taiwanese and English. Wenwen writes about her personal experiences and r...