You’re hopeful for that. You think that the replenishing next generation will not be necessarily two Taiwanese parents, a Taiwanese child, born and raised in Taiwan. It’s going to be innovators from around the world that are just encouraged to come back, because Taiwan makes it a haven for innovation?
That’s actually an interesting point I was going to bring up. In terms of scope, you mentioned your region. You mentioned…
Yeah. Japan, East Asia, and I know through the New Southbound Policy, there’s been integration with ASEAN as well. Not to suggest your scope is small, because I know that’s just not the case with anything you talk about.
Are you keeping that scope regionally, or do you think people will come from Germany, come from Ukraine, come from Latin America, all over?
Are you a proponent of that, of the English working…?
It’s just that small language, English.
Of course, the language of business and the language of technology.
To make it more turnkey, obviously, would make it more encouraged. I would love to say diplomacy would be enough to bring everyone, but no. If you’re moving to business, the language barrier, cultural barrier, all of these things would obviously make this an easier turnkey to encourage someone to up and move from Berlin that here.
I’m running up against my time, and I don’t want to keep you. This is returning back to happy type of conversation. Moving to the future, could you explain in detail, or talk about in detail, the Taiwan Open Government National Action Plan?
I know that you stated it will take place immediately following the reelection, and for anyone listening…
Yes. For anyone that happens to be listening or reading this, the National Development Council has a really good outline of what it is. I just want to hear – again, if anyone is reading this – to hear you explain it, you showcase it, and pitch it, what exactly it is.
You can have your opinion. That’s fine, but really…
Taiwan Can Help™.
Put that #TaiwanCanHelp.
Yeah, of course.
Is that a hot take here? Japan going to be on board? [laughs]
You perceive it as being more…For example, those AIT joint cyber efforts and whatnot with…
You just see more of that happening, and so bilateral, trilateral…
That makes my China studies brain a little itchy. Are you hopeful of a willingness of something like this? This is obviously a new and more innovative push, but in the past, for example, things like the World Health Organization – there’s these roundabout…where Taiwan could enter, but…
Yes, of course, and this is also areas where the PRC has a say, has a pressure. I’m sure, not to take a more pessimistic side, but I’m sure pushing open-government forms like this, China will still not – PRC will still not…
I know they don’t have a seat.
That’s why I’m trying to word this favorably, but there’s still levers and pressures. They can discourage other members from joining this. Do you think…?
…this’ll be something that they could pressure, like say if Japan wants to be more open and do a…
Yeah.
OK, that’s fine. You quickly mentioned a democratic, like a litmus test. You said, if they show democratic values, they’ll be invited and open to this.
Freedom, yeah, OK. You would just defer to these already-established “freedom tests,” if you will? Amnesty International and whatnot.
My, again, outsider brain, I was just like, “Oh, that sounds like power.” That sounds like something that could be abused, to be like, “Oh, under my democratic values, you don’t qualify, or you do qualify.”
Last question, hard question. [laughs]
Sorry, I think I’ve gone over a little bit.
Just real quick, again, revisiting my purpose of meeting with you today. Now that we’ve felt each other out, and you understand where I’m looking at, what I believe to be a threat and whatnot, tell me why I’m stupid.
Tell me what is wrong about things that, as an outsider, I believe are a threat, I believe are valuable, or I believe are not valuable. Is there something I’m missing as an outsider?
Of course.
Mango, yeah.
When I see things like – just in quick academic writing, they’ll say Taiwanese identity – usually, what you’re talking about is Hakka, Minnan, Paiwan. You’re saying that should, while hold value for self-identity and who you yourself as, that should not as nearly as much value of these concepts of democratic openness and independence, versus…
It’s straight data, numbers. That’s not going to be, yeah.
Again, don’t let me put anything in your mouth. You’re saying that’s more than it means to be Taiwanese. Taiwanese doesn’t mean, “I’m Menon. My family came over in 1668. They all stayed in this area…”
[laughs]
They would probably agree. Certain people, aside from public.
I think I ran way over my time.
I’m really sorry, but thank you so much. This is a great way to start my Wednesday, because I’m going to meeting with suits all the rest of my day. That was amazing. Thank you so much.
Oh, I have my card here. If I could have yours.
I most certainly will. Thank you so much.
