Remembering Taiwan: Looking back on 2014

To commemorate Taiwan's national day, I want to take the opportunity to look back on Taiwan in 2014. Only thing is, none of it is happy or great news (guess that's the media for you). Maybe I'll write a positive post on Taiwan somewhere down the line to make up for all the pessimism, we'll see!

Looks like my hopes for 2014 to be a smoother year for Taiwan were in vain. Although our national day often means a public holiday (win!), and relates to festivity and celebration, I also know that our "independence" is hard won (and still an unresolved, much heated, and sensitive topic). While I thought last year was pretty tough - what with protests here and there that fell on deaf ears, this year was extra tough, with - alright - more protests, but also tragedies and deaths =(

Which were either the result of government and corporations not taking the people into consideration when they made decisions, or otherwise. So here are the ones that stuck for me (or caught Western media attention for a little bit):

Sunflower Movement (March 18 to April 10)

Source: 天下雜誌

This student-led movement was a significant one, both for me personally and for Taiwan. This is considering that the majority that led, organised, and participated in this movement were Taiwanese youths. Although I'm in agreement with J. Michael Cole that someone would have step up, take charge, and delve in to what is the very heated Taiwanese political system to see any improvement, I do think this at least showed that politicians, regardless of position, need to know that Taiwanese citizens, especially the youths, are not as passive and unaware of the corruption and accusations KMT and DPP throw at each other as they would think.

Knife attack on Taipei MRT (May 21)
I was very shocked and shaken up by this even though I'm here in Australia. Actually, this blog is on the whole quite weird as I'm in Australia yet writing news about Taiwan... Anyway, moving on!

I made the Facebook note nearly as soon as I saw news and videos relating to it on my FB news feed the day it happened.

My sentiments are still the same as what I had up on the FB Note, but this case is the first of its kind in Taiwan. I don't remember we ever having an incident, or a perpetrator quite as extreme as this. What's even scarier is he planned the whole thing, he chose to start attacking between the two specific stations because it was the longest time in which people are "trapped".

There have been copycats as a result, like a drunkie who was playing with scissors, but for a while the incident scared everyone, and WOULD NOT look at their phones, listen to music, or sleep on the MRT. Some even took umbrellas. By the time I went back home in lieu of finishing my Masters though (mid-June), the scare began to shook off.

GE222 plane crash (July 24)

Source: Confessions of a Trolley Dolly

A very unfortunate accident. We were in the midst of a typhoon, all classes and work were cancelled in some areas that day. Given the circumstances (delayed flight and weather conditions), it was a gamble lost, and at a very high cost =(

Kaohsiung gas explosion (August 1)
Just over a week from the tragedy that is GE222, we have gas explosions... I watched a few videos in order to write this post, and I must say... Damn, scary as ever! I had goosebumps just seeing the road go 'BOOM' and screams and cries from the neighbourhood...

More background and investigations into the case revealed that there was a leakage in the gas pipe (owned by LCY Chemical Corp.) that was possibly the cause. It is also not the first time said company's been involved with environment disasters.

'Gutter oil' scandal (September)
So after the scandal with Top Pot Bakery (胖達人), and with Uni-President Enterprise (統一企業) last year, Taiwan has another food scare. Only this time, it's much worse. GUTTER OIL. Chang Guann is a major food oil company, and given that Taiwan's famous for its food, this is definitely another tarnish to Taiwan's supposedly hygienic, safe, and cheap food. Many products that contained said oil were recalled, though I do think more needs to be done than simply responding to these food scares. Is there no one up in government implementing changes or improvements?

Has been one hell of a year! Won't promise or wish for anything in case it's jinxed... But besides Taiwan, 2014 has been full of tragedies and atrocities everywhere... The two Malaysian airline flights, ISIS, US with the Ferguson case, and of course, Australia too (but when has it not since Abbott became PM?).