Of course, the situation across the Taiwan Strait today is different than it was 30 years ago. In light of this, the General Association of Chinese Culture is today changing its official English name to the National Cultural Association of Taiwan. The move is part of an emerging international consensus: Taiwan is, clearly and concretely, its own political and social entity. For younger Taiwanese, military service as an obligation is about contributing to national development. The 1996 Taiwan Strait crisis proved that intimidation alone cannot rock Taiwan’s democracy.

Source: Taipei Times March 16, 2026 16:38 UTC