2022-02-24
DPP’s Feifan Lin and Peifen Hsieh Talked about their “International but Local” Experiences
“Tsai Ing-wen & DPP”’s Podcast channel (耳朵出遊不出油) uploaded a special episode for Lunar New Year today (4th), featuring DPP Deputy Secretary-General Feifan Lin and Spokesperson and deputy director of DPP International Affairs Peifan Hsieh to talk through their study abroad experience, work experience, and experience of youth participation in politics. Both of them indicated that they had learned to cook abroad. By making Taiwanese cuisine, they reminded themselves of home. According to the two, scrumptious local food is not the only gem of Taiwan, but its democratic atmosphere is even more worth cherishing. Deputy Secretary-General Lin and Spokesperson Hsieh gained a sense of mission for Taiwan’s democracy and decided to invest in its work within the political system.
Deputy Secretary-General Lin mentioned that during his studies in the UK, he inspected many social movements, had conversations with local social movement workers and gained lots of inspiration. At the same time, he explained the political situation of Taiwan to his friends from around the globe and let more people learn about the current state of Hong Kong through such exchanges.
On the other hand, Spokesperson Hsieh stated that she has always been concerned about issues related to human rights and democracy. When she was studying in the United States, the Sunflower Student Movement broke out. She worked and attended classes during the day and spent the night keeping up with the situation in Taiwan via the Internet. By fate, she then entered the political field. Since starting her career at DPP’s Department of International Affairs, she has hosted numerous camps to interact with local and international students.
Talking about both of them being young political representatives that are “younger than the DPP,” Deputy Secretary-General Lin believes that the process of policy communication requires the embrace of diverse values between generations, while Spokesperson Hsieh expresses that having different opinions is normal, but it is necessary to understand each other. She believes that the DPP is willing to offer young people space and opportunities to act.
Since the launch of the DPP Podcast, many guests have been invited to foster conversations around topics including politics, policies, and international situations. Beginning this year, in addition to Deputy Secretary-General Lin and Spokesperson Hsieh, episodes in January feature interviews with Hsinchu Mayor Chih-chien Lin and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu. The Director of the DPP Center for Social Media and Digital Engagement, Kanghao Fan, stated that the DPP hopes to reach more people through Podcasts and communicate complex political issues with emerging platforms and methods. People that are interested are welcome to subscribe to the Podcast and listen to exciting content while driving or commuting over the Lunar New Year.
