S4-E20 – Democracy Fighter and Taiwan History Professor Gerrit van der Wees

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files · Aug 22, 2024 · 29m

Did you know that all the water buffalo in Taiwan are the descendants of a group of these bovines from Indonesia (formerly the Dutch East Indies)? These poor water buffalo were put on a sailing ship by the Dutch in 1648 and sent to Taiwan! Who knew? Well, former Dutch diplomat and current George Mason University Taiwan history professor Gerrit van der Wees does… and that’s not all he knows. It was a genuine pleasure to chat with a person who's not only studied Taiwan extensively but who also played a big role in Taiwan’s fight to become a democracy. The day before former President Tsai…