Taiwan’s National Health Insurance system began implementing a major reform in December 2024 that eliminates the suspension-and-resumption mechanism for overseas residents.
They are not soldiers, and Matsu is no longer Taiwan’s frontline as the frontline of anti-communist resistance.
History fades easily if its stories aren’t kept alive. But how do we truly grasp and connect with history— be it personal, local, national, or global?
While the so-called “Taiwan Miracle” created a wealthy class of elite engineers, “Taiwanese culture” has struggled to establish a distinct and compelling presence in the fiercely competitive global market—one that fully expresses the island’s unique beauty and sorrow.
Here, “battle” extends far beyond war, encompassing the everyday struggles for survival.
The vivid stories of Pingpu youth in the book compel readers to confront the history of Taiwan’s Indigenous peoples and the cultural transformations embedded in that context.