Joyu Wang
đŸ§” 1/ For Taiwan – and those of us who cover Taiwan as a journalist – 2022 has been a rollercoaster year. Here’s a look back at some of the @wsj coverage of the year on Taiwan:
Dec 30, 2022 at 9:43amWeb
Show threadJoyu WangDec 30, 2022
2/ The year in Taiwan began with a string of recall votes, fueling a debate about whether its constant state of political mobilization has created a damaging situation in which “elections never end.” (Spoiler alert: There were more elections ahead) https://t.co/15D6YyGqEq
‘Revenge Recalls’ Spark Debate in Taiwan: How Much Democracy Is Too Much?

Metalhead lawmaker Freddy Lim is the fifth politician to face a recall in the past year; some see benefits for China in elections that ‘never end’

The Wall Street Journal
Show threadJoyu WangDec 30, 2022
3/ Early in the year, Taiwan’s TSMC, the world’s largest contract chip maker, had powered past China’s Tencent to the top of Asia's market-value list https://t.co/hEDwC3JvVT
TSMC Overtakes Chinese Tech Giants to Become Asia’s Most Valuable Stock

Taiwan-based company is the world’s largest contract chip maker

The Wall Street Journal
Show threadJoyu WangDec 30, 2022
4/ In February, the Ukraine war broke out. Despite the initial push back of a Ukraine/Taiwan comparison, the battlefront some 5,000 miles away has spurred – and still spurring – an unprecedented amount of interest in civil defense among Taiwanese people https://t.co/zBZE6n7HpE
In Taiwan, Russia’s War in Ukraine Stirs New Interest in Self-Defense

Self-ruled island is now paying more attention the possibility of a Chinese invasion, as U.S. seeks to reassure; ‘Ukraine is a revelation for Taiwan’

The Wall Street Journal
Show threadJoyu WangDec 30, 2022
5/ The war in Ukraine was also leading Taiwan to rethink how it would defend itself in the event of a Chinese invasion. What we wrote back in March: “A major potential change
would be extending conscription.” And guess what, it happened. https://t.co/1GL2RZKpqp
Taiwan Looks to Ukraine War for Ideas to Defend Against China

A major potential change for the island democracy would be extending conscription

WSJ
Show threadJoyu WangDec 30, 2022
6/ On the pandemic front, Taiwan had finally, and gradually, removed restrictions in May as it contended with Omicron outbreaks. That, at the time, drew a distinction between China’s zero-covid approach. https://t.co/ssPjxS5IUq
In Covid-19 Battle, Taiwan Finds Alternative to Chinese-Style Lockdowns

Taiwanese health authorities gradually remove restrictions even as cases climb to record highs; ‘The closer the virus is, the calmer we have to be.’

The Wall Street Journal