Ep. 2: Crossing the Taiwan Strait w/  

As an American who studied and worked in Taiwan, China and Japan similar to Zoe's experience I have naturally connected to the Chinese language, people and culture. Japan is nice but it rarely pulls on my heart strings like China does.

The only thing I'd add is the BBC is state-run as well... I thought that's obvious

As an overseas Chinese living in Southeast Asia, China is always the head of the dragon; the land that all Chinese people originates.

Just want to say there are certainly differences between Chinese people in different regions of mainland China, that is fine and expected, I don't think that really present any true divisions among Chinese identity as a civilization state and there is the concept of Zhonghua minzu.

I'm an ABC born-raised in NY, but spent 2yrs middle school in Hsinchu Science-Industrial Park, and the general vibe of nationhood was to patriotically "reclaim the mainland from commie bandits"; the idea of TW-independence seemed absurd/out-of-the-question since nothing beats regaining the mainland, and TW was going to get the latest air-superiority fighter the F-20 Tigershark, which will run rings around anything the communists had, and it'dbe a matter of time before the ROC take down the PRC....I returned back to the USA in time to finish-off high school and really didn't keep track of stuff going on in TW for next couple of decades... I've become much-more left-leaning in the idea of people vs power/equality vs elitism, grassroots vs pink/purple/red/whitewashing... and now it seems the whole dynamics in Xstraights relations have completely changed, and US' hand in the whole situation seems quite insidious; not interested in peaceful reunification, but willing to fight China down to the last Taiwanese like they're doing against Russia w/last Ukrainians... and worse yet, utter dehumanization and genocide against the native-Semitic people themselves; the Palestinian people... whom the West so cynically and so dystopian-ly display to the world their ideological despotism under their misuse and abuse of terms like "freedom", "democracy", "human rights", etc bs, etc bs. I think so as long as the US don't succeed in coaxing the Mainland into war w/TW, then the process of peaceful reunification will happen, and will ultimately culminate into the KMT invited back into Mainland politics, although probably under the condition that they, the KMT rejoin forces with the RCCKmt - Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomingtang.

It's amazing how I arrived at a lot of the same conclusions as you just from two trips to China and having some chinese friends ! I really feel attracted to Chinese culture, I hope I can live there someday... Thanks for this video, very interesting ! Also, good luck with you new channel, I think it's a good initiative :)

A deeply thought provoking conversation, a heartfelt thank you to you both. Learned a lot just walking to work this morning.

both Mainland China and taiwan province of China are a BIG Chinese family.

Regarding Westerners pick sides over China for Taiwan and vice versa, it doesn’t seem to be happening at all with foreign RU-vid vloggers who live in China. Instead, they are all against the US for taking Taiwan puppet government faction hostage. Taking sides should probably happen among specific groups of young people who live in highly propaganda environments with both mainland and Taiwanese populations such as Los Angeles, NYC or Vancouver.

Beautiful conversation with Zoe..🎉🎉

Hell yeah. Loving this podcast.

To substantiate Zoe Discovers comment regarding media perceptions, there is an old Soviet joke (applies to ALL former and current Marxist countries) which goes: 3 Soviet journalists are invited to the USA for a visit. After some time the host asks the guests what they think of America. The host was expecting praise like, "America...great, freedom, rock n roll, coke a cola" but instead the guest says, "we didn't expect so much propaganda in the USA". Shocked by the answer the host asks, "BUT...don't you have more propaganda in the Soviet Union?" Yes, the guest replies, but nobody believes it.

I thought this was a good video! Sure, there's a couple of things I'd disagree with, but at least Zoe seems to be a genuine person who didn't refrain from saying this or that because she thought you/the audience wouldn't like it.

Interesting conversation 👍

In the chinese period movie, "Beauty and the Kingdom," starring HK superstar Lindai, there is a scene where a street performer was rapping, using wooden clappers. Wow.

Zoe’s an interesting person, not many people like her.

Fantastic! You and Zoe have great conversation chemistry!

US said Taiwan is part of China, so how can US say Taiwan Strait is international water?

This is a fun episode. Definitely Zoe could visit the Mainland again and go to all other places to see the huge diversity of the land. For any linguaphile, a trip to Yunnan is a must, just to listen and see all those different languages from the Dai, Wa and Jingpo songs to the Yi, Lisu and Nashi Scripts....and many more.

Nice interesting talk.

April recording‼️❓‼️🤯❣️

Yesterday (28.6.2024) I listened to an interview with Dmitry Orlov on the Dialogue Works YT channel ... This may interest Zoe -- After the RUS-NK signing & recent Svestopol beach attack, he said Russians may be interested in holidaying on NK beaches which are definitely better protected ... It looks like NK tourism may reopen soon ...

Hotels in Taiwan have a strong KMT established protection scheme.

My spidy senses are tingling with this one.😂

"Perfidious Albion"....familiarize yourself with this pejorative phrase. The American Empire is an offspring of the British Empire. It prefers to colonise the World using International Finance Capital based out of the "City of London" but will not hesitate to use force and violence when necessary (WW1, WW2, Yugoslavia, Iraq, Syria, Ukraine etc..). There are "managers" that branch out like a spider's tentacles to maintain the Empires control like BIS (Bank of International Settlements), Wall Street, MIC (military industrial complex), Westernised academic institutions (i.e. Neo-liberal economics), Western foundations and think tanks (i.e. Ford, Rockefeller, Chatham House) mainstream media, NGO's etc. The purpose of Imperialism is wealth extraction (land, resources, labor, human mind etc..) from the World for the benefit a Racist Elite minority (they do nothing and live in a garden while the slaves do everything and live in the jungle). Imperialism keeps and forces countries to stay under-developed and dependent. Finally, the Imperialists will "lie, cheat and steal" (as per Mike Pompeo ex US secretary of state and CIA director) to maintain their grip over humanity; just like "Perfidious Albion".

"Average 周s on both sides of The Strait" 😉

What is the ethnicity of Taiwanese?

Do know the History of the countries you are talking about?

To answer your question: there was an Aussie who studied and then worked in NK, named Alek Sigley. But Alek left in 2019. (His old man, Dr. Gary Sigley, was at Asian Studies at University of Western Australia - my alma mater! - for a long time. I never met him, but my colleague - from here, funnily enough - did some work with him back in 2010.)

we are not allow to pro certain side but only approved by them.

"Cringe" 😬