Strait Forward

It's Taiwan's most famous export in a cup, but behind every chewy tapioca pearl is a global business story of culture, competition, and surprising technology. In this episode, host Channing Lee talks about all things boba with Greg Chen, CEO of International Business and Chief Investment Officer for the group behind Sharetea and Unique Green (UG) Tea, two of Taiwan's biggest bubble tea brands. The...

As the United States and Taiwan deepen their semiconductor partnership, can they build a talent pipeline resilient enough to sustain it? Recorded live in Orlando at the 2026 U.S.-Taiwan Semiconductor Higher Education Networking Event, on the sidelines of the NAFSA: Association of International Educators 2026 Annual Conference, host Channing Lee sits down with three university leaders shaping that...

Taiwan's Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs, Chia-Lin Yang, joins host Channing Lee live at the AI+ Expo for a conversation on Taiwan's ambitions to become an “AI island” grounded in democratic values. They discuss the mission of Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs (moda), the country's Ten AI Initiative, and the challenge of building a competitive software ecosystem to match Taiwan's already dom...

Channing Lee hosts a live conversation at the 2026 AI+ Expo Bookstore with historian Eyck Freymann, a Hoover Fellow at Stanford University. Drawing from Freymann’s new book, Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China, the discussion delves into the "deterrence stack," a multi-layered defense framework encompassing political, military, strategic, and economic pillars. Freymann explains...

At the 2026 AI+ Expo, host Channing Lee speaks with Doublethink Lab Founder and CEO Ttcat, Senior Analyst Jerry Yu, and Strategic Partnership Manager Dahyun Kim to expose the evolving tactics of PRC influence. From the alarming "GoLaxy Leak"—which revealed PRC state-backed AI profiling of Taiwan and U.S. citizens—to the "Borderless Group" content farms infiltrating social media, this episode pulls...

In this episode of Strait Forward, host Channing Lee sits down with Paul Chang, founder of the Morganhope Tea Shoppe in Taipei, to discuss the history and uniqueness of Taiwanese tea. As a "first-generation tea maker," Paul explains how his shop blends modern practices with ancient craftsmanship. He walks Channing through a tea tasting experience, exploring the spectrum of seaweed-like notes in Ta...

In this episode of Strait Forward, host Channing Lee is joined by Ken Moriyasu, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and former foreign correspondent for Nikkei Asia, to discuss how Japan is navigating its stake in Taiwan’s future. Drawing on decades of experience reporting from Beijing, Washington, and Tokyo, Moriyasu provides a sobering, pragmatic assessment of the Japan-Taiwan relationship and...

In this episode of Strait Forward, host Channing Lee is joined by Taipei-based freelance journalist Chris Horton to discuss his new book, Ghost Nation: The Story of Taiwan and Its Struggle for Survival. With over two decades of experience reporting for major news outlets from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, Horton offers an "outsider-on-the-inside" perspective on the island’s history and how Taiwan...

Strait Forward celebrates its first anniversary with a special crossover episode featuring SCSP’s in-person “Chipping In” event series! Host Channing Lee welcomes on stage Andrea Yang, Deputy Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), to discuss how Taiwan is engaging in subnational diplomacy across American cities and states. She provide...

On this episode of Strait Forward, host Channing Lee explores the rich tapestry of Taiwanese culture through the lens of its world-class cuisine. Moving beyond the "clichés" of beef noodle soup (牛肉麵) and xiaolongbao (小籠包), the episode highlights how food serves as a powerful unifier and a key component of Taiwan's global soft power.  Author and award-winning food journalist Clarissa Wei disc...

On this episode of Strait Forward, Channing Lee is joined by Lin Jin-Chang and David Kao, among the creators of Taiwanese TV series “Zero Day Attack,” to discuss the important role that film and television play in civilian preparedness. Released in August 2025, “Zero Day Attack” depicts the grey-zone threats that the PRC poses to Taiwan and the resilience of the Taiwanese people amid the pending t...

On this episode of Strait Forward, host Channing Lee sits down in Taipei with Puma Shen, a member of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, associate professor of criminology at National Taipei University, and co-founder of Kuma Academy and Doublethink Lab. Puma breaks down the multitude of threats that Taiwanese civilians face from Beijing, ranging from traditional military coercion to the invisible battlegr...

In this first episode of 2026, host Channing Lee rings in the new year with a look at recent events surrounding Taiwan, including a record-breaking $11 billion U.S. arms package and unannounced, large-scale PLA military exercises. Randy Shriver and Mike Kuiken, Chair and Vice Chair of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, join Channing to discuss the USCC’s 2025 Annual Report and...

On this episode of Strait Forward, hosts Channing and Libby wrap up the year in Taiwan news, reflecting on a turbulent but ultimately optimistic 2025. They discuss major geopolitical and defense developments, including Japan's assertive comments on Taiwan's security, Taiwan's increased defense budget, and recent U.S. arms sales and legislative assurances. Following a special announcement, Libby re...

On this episode of Strait Forward, recorded live at SCSP’s AI+ Space Summit, Channing and Libby speak with Holmes Liao, Senior Advisor at the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), about how Taiwan is rapidly building its space capabilities. The discussion covers Taiwan's latest FORMOSAT satellite launch, its efforts to leverage existing strengths in electronics and manufacturing, and how both private and pu...

On this episode of Strait Forward, Channing and Libby are joined by KJ Chang, founder of Mizo Games, to discuss the studio’s board game, 2045, which simulates a PLA invasion of Taiwan 20 years in the future. KJ explains that his games are inspired by real-world events and Taiwan's history, aiming to use the "pressure of the play" to help players understand the difficult choices made at the edge of...

In this episode of Strait Forward, Channing and Libby delve into Taiwan's energy security, a critical issue due to the island’s high import dependency and vulnerability to geopolitical risks. They open with a segment featuring Caleb Barnes, Associate Director for Fusion at SCSP, to discuss the most common concerns about nuclear energy in Taiwan, then welcome Tsaiying Lu, Research Fellow & Director...

In this episode of Strait Forward, Channing and Libby move beyond the U.S.-Taiwan conversation and dive into the evolving relationship between Taiwan and Europe. They highlight the shared democratic values and significant economic ties that are driving deeper cooperation. In this episode, they welcome Jonas Parello-Plesner, Executive Director of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation and author of...

In this episode of Strait Forward, hosts Channing Lee and Libby Lange are joined by three young Taiwanese leaders — Fanny Chao, Alaze Lin, and Joyce Chiang — who bring unique experience from Taiwan's three major political parties. As grad students in Washington D.C., the guests discuss how the U.S. capital fosters common ground and nuance that is often missing in domestic Taiwanese politics. The c...

In this episode of Strait Forward, hosts Channing Lee and Libby Lange explore the evolving role of drones in modern warfare and their importance for Taiwan's defense. They discuss the shift from large, expensive military drones to more affordable, mass-produced systems, and the impact of the War in Ukraine on drone development and deployment.  The episode features Lorenz Meier, founder and CEO of...

In this episode of Strait Forward, hosts Channing Lee and Libby Lange welcome Lev Nachman, an assistant professor in the Graduate Institute of National Development at National Taiwan University (NTU) and author of Contested Taiwan: Sovereignty, Social Movements, and Party Formation . They discuss how public opinion and polarized politics shape perceptions of recent events in Taiwan. Lev Nachman sh...

In this special catch-up episode of #StraitForward, co-hosts Channing Lee and Libby Lange return to the studio to "spill the tea" on the latest from Taiwan. Channing shares insights from her trip to the Taiwan Expo USA in Dallas, detailing Taiwan's strong economic ties with Texas and the innovative technologies on display, from intelligent manufacturing to smart healthcare. The hosts also dive int...

In this episode of Strait Forward, recorded in June at the AI+ Expo, hosts Channing Lee and Libby Lange are joined by Emily Feng, an international correspondent at NPR and author of Let Only Red Flowers Bloom. This conversation explores the role of storytelling and reporting in understanding complex geopolitical landscapes like China and Taiwan. Emily shares her unique experience as a foreign corr...

In this episode of Strait Forward, recorded on the final day of the AI+ Expo, hosts Channing Lee and Libby Lange welcome Audrey Tang back to the show.  Audrey delves into her new role as Cyber Ambassador, discusses the groundbreaking ROOST initiative (Robust Open Online Safety Tools) – a decentralized, open-source defense against online harms – and shares her thoughts on the state of AGI. The disc...

In this episode of Strait Forward, recorded at SCSP’s AI+ Expo, hosts Channing Lee and Libby Lange are joined by Dr. Yuh-Jye Lee, Senior Advisor at Taiwan's National Security Council. With a background in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and applied mathematics, Dr. Lee offers a unique perspective on how Taiwan can leverage emerging technologies for national defense. Welcome to Strait Forwa...