After fights broke out in Taiwan’s legislative yuan on May 17th sending several legislators to the hospital, the public gathered in protest outside of the legislative yuan. There have been over 30,000, 100,000 and 70,000 people gathered at three of the major protests which are being called the Bluebird movement. The name is a play on the name of the road nearby the legislative yean where protests began (青島東路).

I spoke with Taipei Times columnist Michael Turton and his son Sebastian on May 27th about the controversial bills that have caused such widespread dissent. Sebastian shared what he saw at the protests in Taipei on Tuesday, May 22 and Friday, May 24.

I also spoke with Sean Su after a set of the controversial legislative reform bills passed on May 28th.

[LISTEN to the Complete Episode HERE on APPLE PODCASTS or SPOTIFY]

There have been protests all over Taiwan in 15 different cities, and even globally. The New York Bluebird, a group of politically conscious New York City-based Taiwanese have worked with Keep Taiwan Free to raise funds for a billboard in New York’s Times Square to promote awareness of the Bluebird movement. The billboard will appear on Tuesday, June 4.

Related Links:

Legislature in chaos over legislative reform bills: https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202405170022

Taiwan’s ‘Bluebird Movement’ born from controversial measures: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/5878867

Taiwan’s parliament passes controversial bills seen as limiting government’s mandate: https://www.voanews.com/a/taiwan-s-parliament-passes-controversial-bills-seen-as-limiting-government-s-mandate/7630376.html

Third reading of major part of ‘legislative reform’ bills passed: https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202405280017

Bluebird Movement raises NT$2.6 million to post 'Stand with Taiwan' billboard in Times Square : https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/5880714

 

Ma Ying-jeou: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma_Ying-jeou

Kuomintang (KMT): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuomintang

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Progressive_Party

Taiwan People’s Party (TPP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_People%27s_Party

Puma Shen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puma_Shen

https://x.com/pumashen

Changhua: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changhua

Threads (Instagram app): https://www.threads.net/

Taiwan in political turmoil as China steps up military intimidation (Financial Times article): https://www.ft.com/content/5fdb360d-bdf0-4de0-acf1-c6e17f203cd6

Legislator Fu Kun-chi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fu_Kun-chi

Turton’s TT columns about east coast highway bill:

Notes from Central Taiwan: Taiwan’s construction-industrial money pit

Legislator Fu Kun-chi’s proposal to build a highway linking Hualien to Taitung is expensive and completely unnecessary — and it’s money that could be better spent on the nation’s defense: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2024/04/08/2003816100

Notes from Central Taiwan: Hualien needs you

Following last month’s magnitude 7.2 earthquake, tourism in the county has dried up. Now is the time to book a trip to the east coast: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2024/05/13/2003817775

Han Kuo-yu Recall: More Than Just About China: https://globaltaiwan.org/2020/06/han-kuo-yu-recall-more-than-just-about-china/

Lao Ren Cha blog: https://laorencha.blogspot.com/

Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huang_Kuo-chang

New Power Party: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Power_Party

Ko Wen-je: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko_Wen-je

Articles about the Sunflower Movement March 30, 2014 rally:

Protests over a Taiwan-China trade pact continued, with up to 350,000 attending a rally outside the Presidential Office: https://thediplomat.com/2014/03/hundreds-of-thousands-protest-against-trade-pact-in-taiwan/

TRADE PACT SIEGE: Rallies held across globe for Sunflower movement (an article from the Taipei Times): http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2014/04/01/2003587023

Taiwan’s Homegrown Submarine at the Center of Political Firestorm

Accusations of leaking sensitive information about the submarine program – including to China – have sparked a wave of lawsuits and counter-suits: https://thediplomat.com/2023/10/taiwans-homegrown-submarine-at-the-center-of-political-firestorm/

Chen Shui-bian: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Shui-bian

Inauguration of Lai Ching-te as the president of Taiwan: https://www.youtube.com/live/n3FqroOGG1Y?si=Uy5aXBJnffe5ntw5

Biking in Taiwan with Blogger Michael Turton Ep 138: https://talkingtaiwan.com/biking-in-taiwan-with-blogger-michael-turton/

Michael Turton: Taipei Times Columnist Talks About the 1992 Consensus Ep 257: https://talkingtaiwan.com/michael-turton-taipei-times-columnist-talks-about-the-1992-consensus-ep-257/

Eric Chang: On the Unfolding Situation at the Legislative Yuan during the Sunflower Movement (Episode 231): https://talkingtaiwan.com/eric-chang-on-the-unfolding-situation-at-the-legislative-yuan-during-the-sunflower-movement-ep-231/

Our Post Presidential Election Analysis 2024 with Courtney Donovan Smith (Episode 274): https://talkingtaiwan.com/our-post-presidential-election-analysis-2024-with-courtney-donovan-smith-ep-274/

Jiho Chang: His Thoughts about New Speaker Legislative Yuan and Taiwan’s Vice President-elect Ep 275: https://talkingtaiwan.com/jiho-chang-his-thoughts-about-new-speaker-legislative-yuan-and-taians-vice-president-elect-ep-275/

LISTEN to Episode 286: Bluebird Movement: 3 Experts Discuss the Controversial Bills Leading to Protests at the Legislative Yuan HERE

LISTEN to Talking Taiwan on your preferred podcasting platform!

Apple Podcasts: Click HERE to Listen

Audible: Click HERE to Listen

Spotify: Click HERE to Listen

Pandora: Click HERE to Listen

Google Podcasts: Click HERE to Listen

iHeartRADIO: Click HERE to Listen