Taiwan Salon Season 4 Episode 7: Ipa Chiu on Building Democracy through Open-Source Technologies

As the Taiwanese government increasingly invests in its space capabilities, civil society is doing what state programs alone cannot: cultivating relations with international space communities which are often closed. With global competition in space technology heated, civil society organizations like Taiwan Space Generation (TSG) are playing an important role in building a resilient and sustainable space sector.

Taiwan’s space capabilities are taking off. From developing indigenous satellites to strengthening communication resilience, Taiwan is building its own space industry and seeking more cooperation with international actors. In this episode, former GTI Communications Associate Yuchen Lee and Research Associate Jessica Shiao interview Andie Wang, President of Taiwan Space Generation (TSG). She explores the evolution of Taiwan’s space programs and the policy ecosystem behind it. Andie discusses Taiwan’s satellite program, the role of the Taiwanese government, academia, and civil society, as well as opportunities to deepen US-Taiwan cooperation in this field. As space is an increasingly strategic domain, Taiwan has opportunities and challenges ahead in participating in international space cooperation. Listen to this episode to learn how Taiwan is building its place in the global space community and how space technology can be an avenue for Taiwan’s international engagement and soft power.

In the fourth episode of Taiwan Salon Season 5, former GTI Communications Associate Yuchen Lee and GTI Ya-Hui Chiu Summer Fellow Cara Bilson interview Margaret Yun-Pu Tu, a PhD candidate in Law at the University of Washington and co-founder of the Seattle-based NGO Pacific Alliance for Autonomous Traditions, Indigenous Sovereignty (PAFATIS). Ms. Tu explores the impact of AI on indigenous cultures and how maintaining data sovereignty is essential for indigenous groups globally and within Taiwan. Ms. Tu discusses how unauthorized data collection through large language models (LLMs) and careless AI-generated content undermines the autonomy Indigenous communities have fought hard to achieve. Moreover, such exploitation extends beyond technology into broader diplomatic practices when it comes to Indigenous cultural diplomacy. However, she also highlights how solutions may be found in grassroots tech initiatives and responsible legislation that elevate Indigenous perspectives in the crafting of public policy.

“Taiwan is not only a geopolitical hotspot—it's part of a much longer Indigenous history across the Pacific.”

“When we saw Leeteuk from Super Junior speak Hakka at his concert, I was really moved because at that moment I realized this was no longer just a television program. It has become a sincere cultural exchange.”