Monocolumn: Forecast 2011: Taiwan Looks on the Bright Side
Monocolumn is Monocle’s daily bulletin of news and opinion. Catch up with previous editions here.
It’s been a rough 100 years for one of Asia’s pioneering democracies, but the Taiwanese are commemorating their centennial birthday with a “little-country-that-could” mindset.
Growing up as an island in the shadow of two world superpowers hasn’t been easy. Taiwan is still licking its wounds after bouncing between Chinese and Japanese rule for much of the 20th century. Its sovereignty is currently disputed by China and the crystal ball is murky on whether the future will bring independence, reunification with China or more of the same ambiguity.
Always determined to look on the bright side of things, the country will hold a year-long birthday celebration in 2011 aimed at processing its past, praising its present success and hoping for the best in the future.
Centennial concerts, athletic events and exhibits across the island are meant to highlight the country’s perseverance, said Nick Liang, manager of the Republic of China Centenary Foundation, which is hosting the campaign. (In a nod to just how complicated the country’s political situation is, the government-sponsored foundation uses the name that is disputed by China).
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