座談會
The Current State of China Studies in Taiwan: Challenges and Opportunities
The Current State of China Studies in Taiwan: Challenges and Opportunities
【IIR NEWS】
On March 17, the Institute of International Relations (IIR) hosted its first session in a discussion series titled “The Current State of China Studies in Taiwan: Challenges and Opportunities.” Hosted by IIR Director Wang Hsin-Hsien and Associate Research Fellow Tzeng Wei-Feng, this session featured NCCU Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies Professor Chung Yen-Lin, NTNU Department of Civic Education and Leadership Director Huang Hsin-Hao, and Academia Sinica Research Fellow Tsai Wen-Hsuan.
The discussion highlighted shared issues facing China scholars today, including the difficulty of conducing field research in China, restrictions on data access, and resource constraints. Each participant offered insights on the impact of these challenges and how Taiwan’s China studies field can adapt:
- Professor Huang Hsin-Hao noted that under Xi Jinping, research agendas have shifted to focus on China’s external influence, with quantitative social science research methods gaining prominence. He emphasized that in this era, text analysis is a strength of Taiwanese scholars.
- Professor Chung Yen-Lin discussed remaining opportunities for research to deepen through data integration, international collaboration, and online exchanges, also noting text analysis as a strength of Taiwan’s China studies field.
- Professor Tsai Wen-Hsuan highlighted the importance of publishing in high-quality international journals to strengthen the global influence of Taiwan’s China studies, as well as the importance of maintaining appropriate distance from research subjects.
- Professor Tzeng Wei-Feng suggested that rather than a unitary paradigm shift, China studies is undergoing decentralization, in which interdisciplinary approaches drive research diversification.
The session closed with discussion on the boundary between academic and policy-oriented research, as well as the need to translate research outcomes into more broadly accessible knowledge. Professor Wang emphasized the importance of connecting China research to the broader needs of Taiwan’s society. He concluded that Taiwan’s China studies field should leverage its linguistic and cultural strengths while pursuing additional channels to enhance its global visibility and policy influence. IIR will continue to promote and deepen Taiwan’s China research through relevant discussions and research exchange.
