New Bloom

09/11/2025

"'The Homeless' Offers Well-Intentioned But Meandering Look At China’s Unhoused" by Brian Hioe

Documentary "The Homeless" offers a valuable look at the lives of unhoused individuals in China, but with deficiencies in storytelling.

Documentary "The Homeless" offers a valuable look at the lives of unhoused individuals in China, but with deficiencies in storytelling

08/11/2025

"'As the Water Flows' Is a Warm Family Drama With Whiffs of 'Eat Drink Man Woman'" by Brian Hioe

Set in Yunnan, "As the Water Flows" offers a view across three generations of a family with humanistic warmth and strong character acting.

Set in Yunnan, "As the Water Flows" offers a view across three generations of a family with humanistic warmth and strong character acting

08/11/2025

Unite in Solidarity for Climate Disaster Victims in the Philippines and Taiwan. Stand together for Climate Justice!

In Taiwan, supertyphoon Ragasa in late September ravaged the town of Guangfu, Hualien, inundating neighborhoods with mudslide resulting in at least 18 fatalities, a hundred injured, and several still missing.
In the Philippines, the most recent Typhoon Kalmaegi claimed at least 200 lives, uprooted hundreds of thousands, and caused billions in damages---just the latest in a string of natural calamities that have rocked the country. It also exposed substandard flood control projects and the vast corruption within the Philippine government that have not only robbed the Filipino people but resulted in hundreds of deaths.

All of these are manifestations of the worsening climate crisis and inaction from global governments. Thus, we are inviting everyone to join in solidarity to help fundraise for climate disaster, featuring a talk by climate activist Krishna Ariola and indigenous activist Jing-Jie Chen Temelalj Kazangjilan from Taiwan.

Filipino food and snacks will be sold during the event and all proceeds will be given to charities in the Philippines and Taiwan aiding in their respective regions.

Join us on November 15, 2025, 7:00 pm at Daybreak Cafe
Bangka Boulevard, No. 110, Wanhua District, Taipei City

Unite in Solidarity for Climate Disaster Victims in the Philippines and Taiwan. Stand together for Climate Justice!

In Taiwan, supertyphoon Ragasa in late September ravaged the town of Guangfu, Hualien, inundating neighborhoods with mudslide resulting in at least 18 fatalities, a hundred injured, and several still missing.

In the Philippines, the most recent Typhoon Kalmaegi claimed at least 200 lives, uprooted hundreds of thousands, and caused billions in damages---just the latest in a string of natural calamities that have rocked the country. It also exposed substandard flood control projects and the vast corruption within the Philippine government that have not only robbed the Filipino people but resulted in hundreds of deaths.

All of these are manifestations of the worsening climate crisis and inaction from global governments. Thus, we are inviting everyone to join in solidarity to help fundraise for climate disaster, featuring a talk by climate activist Krishna Ariola and indigenous activist Jing-Jie Chen Temelalj Kazangjilan from Taiwan.

Filipino food and snacks will be sold during the event and all proceeds will be given to charities in the Philippines and Taiwan aiding in their respective regions.

Join us on November 15, 2025, 7:00 pm at Daybreak Cafe
Bangka Boulevard, No. 110, Wanhua District, Taipei City

08/11/2025

Unite in Solidarity for Climate Disaster Victims in the Philippines and Taiwan. Stand together for Climate Justice!

In Taiwan, supertyphoon Ragasa in late September ravaged the town of Guangfu, Hualien, inundating neighborhoods with mudslide resulting in at least 18 fatalities, a hundred injured, and several still missing.

In the Philippines, the most recent Typhoon Kalmaegi claimed at least 200 lives, uprooted hundreds of thousands, and caused billions in damages---just the latest in a string of natural calamities that have rocked the country. It also exposed substandard flood control projects and the vast corruption within the Philippine government that have not only robbed the Filipino people but resulted in hundreds of deaths.

All of these are manifestations of the worsening climate crisis and inaction from global governments. Thus, we are inviting everyone to join in solidarity to help fundraise for climate disaster, featuring a talk by climate activist Krishna Ariola and indigenous activist Jing-Jie Chen Temelalj Kazangjilan from Taiwan.

Filipino food and snacks will be sold during the event and all proceeds will be given to charities in the Philippines and Taiwan aiding in their respective regions.

Join us on November 15, 2025, 7:00 pm at Daybreak Cafe
Bangka Boulevard, No. 110, Wanhua District, Taipei City

07/11/2025

"China Steps Up Efforts Targeting Taiwanese Abroad?" by Brian Hioe

It proves notable that, according to the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), the number of Taiwanese detained by China has tripled this year. This follows up on previous statements by the MAC that nine Taiwanese go missing in China each month. Although some Taiwanese may have simply befallen unfortunate accidents and gone missing, such as while hiking, it is believed that these disappearances are primarily individuals held on political causes.

It proves notable that, according to the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), the number of Taiwanese detained by China has tripled this year. This follows up on previous statements by the MAC that nine…

06/11/2025

"Comments by New KMT Chair Justify Russia's Invasion of Ukraine as Defensive in Nature" by Brian Hioe

Comments by newly elected KMT party chair Cheng Li-wun have led to outrage, in an unusual case of the KMT foraying into the matter of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle, Cheng defended Russian President Vladimir Putin as a democratically elected leader, rather than a dictator. Cheng claimed that Russia had been a democracy for many years after the transition away from the Soviet Union.

Comments by newly elected KMT party chair Cheng Li-wun have led to outrage, in an unusual case of the KMT foraying into the matter of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with…

05/11/2025

"Ruptures and Splits: Challenges to Recall Group Solidarity" by Aleksandrs Gross

Thousands of strangers island-wide worked together with remarkable efficiency so that the Great Recall Movement would succeed. Despite its failure to recall any of the targeted politicians from office, the Great Recall Movement holds lessons for how to rapidly mobilize civil society in response to impending threats to Taiwan’s democracy.

Thousands of strangers island-wide worked together with remarkable efficiency so that the Great Recall Movement would succeed. Despite its failure to recall any of the targeted politicians from office…

04/11/2025

"Proposal Calls for Humane Euthanasia at Animal Shelters" by Brian Hioe

A new proposal calls for the implementation of humane euthanasia at animal shelters in Taiwan. Taiwan has not implemented culling in animal shelters since June 2017. The phasing out of culling took place due to a public outcry that ensued following the release of the documentary Twelve Nights. Twelve Nights detailed how animals faced euthanasia twelve days from the time of their arrival in shelters. As a result, it is estimated that between 1999 and 2015, 1.23 million dogs were euthanized in the Taiwanese shelter system.

A new proposal calls for the implementation of humane euthanasia at animal shelters in Taiwan…