Why has a little-known figure known as "Professor" Jiang suddenly become a viral presence online? And why are completely different camps attacking him for opposite reasons? In this episode of Strait Talk, we use the controversy surrounding Jiang Xueqin as a starting point to explore something much bigger: the competing intellectual currents and elite networks inside China itself.

Zhenming, the author of the viral investigative thread examining Jiang's background, joins us to connect the dots. How can the same person be portrayed as both a Western NGO activist and a mouthpiece of the Chinese system? And what does this reveal about the different circles, institutions, and ideological tendencies that exist within China's upper echelons?

Rather than focusing solely on Jiang, this conversation examines the broader landscape of power, influence, and ideas shaping contemporary China, from globally oriented elite networks to the competing visions of China's future emerging from within the system itself.

Follow Zhenming on X "Who is 'Professor' Jiang" thread: https://x.com/zhen_ming_/status/2035083436860612639

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Taiwan separatism is often presented as a simple struggle between "democracy" and "authoritarianism." Others continue to view cross-strait politics through the lens of the struggle between the CPC and the KMT despite the reality that history has since moved on. Regardless, most people simply do not understand Taiwan separatist ideology and therefore do not know how to argue against it, because they only see the tip of the iceberg.

In this episode, we break down the identity politics iceberg, and explore the deeper layers that shaped modern separatist narratives on the island.

At the top of the iceberg is the familiar rhetoric: claims that Taiwan has "never been part of China," and attempts to place Qing and Kuomintang rule in the same category as Dutch, Spanish, and Japanese colonialism. This narrative often frames both the KMT and the Communist Party of China as equally illegitimate simply because they are "Chinese" (from the mainland).

But beneath that surface lies a more complicated story.

The middle layer reveals a paradox: modern separatist ideology is both a rejection of the KMT and a continuation of some of its Cold War foundations, particularly anti-communism. What once served as justification for reunification under the "Republic of China" now serves as justification for permanent separation. Whereas the KMT claimed to be the true representatives of Chinese culture and framed Taiwan as a bastion of Chinese culture, Taiwan separatists reject the idea of belonging to Chinese civilization.

Deeper still is a factor that rarely gets discussed openly: Hoklo chauvinism and identity politics. While Taiwan is often described as 98% Han, the island's Han population is itself diverse, including Hoklo, Hakka, and Waishengren. The political dynamics between these groups played a major role in shaping modern identity narratives.

Understanding these historical and social foundations is essential if we want to understand how Taiwan's political identity debates developed in the first place.

In this episode, we go beyond the slogans and examine the ideological iceberg beneath Taiwan separatism.

If you want to understand Taiwan's politics beyond the surface narratives, this episode is for you.

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In this episode, Ezra and I dive into the debates surrounding UN Resolution 2803 and the intense online reaction that followed China's abstention. We explore why so many Western leftists (baizuo) default to a universalist worldview that ends up upholding the existing world order in practice, especially when they assume their values should apply uniformly across all civilizations. The conversation moves beyond surface-level ideology as we unpack how many commentators mistakenly interpret China solely through the lens of communism, ignoring the deeper philosophical foundations that have shaped Chinese statecraft and thinking for thousands of years.

Ezra and I get into the Chinese philosophical traditions that inform China's decision-making, offering a perspective that helps make sense of China's policy of non-intervention and why China acts the way it does on the global stage. If you're looking for a grounded discussion that cuts through Western noise and digs into the civilizational logic behind China's choices, this episode has you covered.

Follow Ezra on X

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Help Guangfu Recover: The town was devastated, and families need support. Please donate or share the GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-guangfu-township-after-typhoon-ragasa

In this episode of Strait Talk, we examine the "ROC" territorial map—a symbol that frequently surfaces in online debates about Taiwan. Both pro- and anti-China voices invoke it for different purposes. Anti-China netizens highlight how the PRC lost territories far larger than Taiwan, while pro-China commentators point to the map as evidence that Taipei still harbors ambitions of reclaiming the Chinese mainland. In reality, the DPP administration today would prefer to abandon these territorial claims entirely, as the map and the "ROC" framework under which it exists function as structural safeguards against "Taiwan independence." This is precisely why Beijing, unlike "pro-China" westerners, does not comment on the map at all.

We then trace the long and complex history of Mongolia: how it became part of China, why it remained integrated for centuries, and how China ultimately lost it due to national weakness and foreign interference.

For anyone seeking to understand the hard lessons the Chinese people have learned about national strength, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, this episode provides essential historical context.

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Help Guangfu Recover: The town was devastated, and families need support. Please donate or share the GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-guangfu-township-after-typhoon-ragasa

In this episode of Strait Talk with Xiangyu, I sit down with Angelica, who joined me in disaster relief efforts in Taiwan's Guangfu Township, Hualien County after Typhoon Ragasa. We share firsthand accounts of the widespread destruction, and discuss how government inaction and neglected infrastructure worsened the crisis.

We cover:

• The overflow of the barrier lake at Matai’an Dam
• The situation we saw on the ground
• Challenges faced by the people of Guangfu
• The local community's resilience and cooperation
• Lessons for disaster preparedness

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Support my upcoming on-location documentaries and vlogs about Taiwan and the Chinese mainland: https://gofund.me/990ab390

In this episode of Strait Talk with Xiangyu, I sit down with Wang Ping-chung (王炳忠 Wang Bingzhong), one of Taiwan's most outspoken voices for Chinese identity and cross-strait reunification. Together, we break down U.S. foreign policy toward Taiwan under Trump and Biden, shifting public opinion on Washington's role, the opportunism of the DPP, and Wang's personal journey as a defender of Chinese identity in Taiwan.

We also discuss in detail how separatist forces in Taiwan systematically altered the education system to breed identity confusion, deliberately undermining Chinese consciousness to make reunification more difficult — even while knowing that "independence" is impossible. This erosion of Chinese identity, as we examine, serves the interests of U.S. hegemony at the direct expense of the people on Taiwan, who are left more divided, more vulnerable, and less able to pursue real long-term prosperity.

Topics discussed include:

- U.S. shifting attitudes toward Taiwan under Trump and Biden

- Why Taiwan is treated more like Ukraine than Israel

- Growing skepticism of the U.S. among the people of Taiwn (疑美論)

- The DPP's propaganda, opportunism, and power motives

- How the de-Sinicization curriculum reshaped identity in Taiwan

- Wang Bingzhong's personal political development and fight for Chinese identity

If you want to understand Taiwan's politics beyond Western headlines, and how identity itself has been weaponized, this is an STXY episode you won't want to miss.

Follow Wang Ping-chung on YouTube and Facebook

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Support my upcoming on-location documentaries and vlogs about Taiwan and the Chinese mainland: https://gofund.me/990ab390

With the exception of hardline Taiwan separatists, most would not argue that the culture in Taiwan is Chinese at its core. But if that's the case, why has Chinese identity in Taiwan seemed so fragile in recent decades?

In this episode, I trace how Taiwan's identity has been shaped and reshaped: from its early feudal Chinese consciousness, through Japanese colonization, the KMT's project of promoting Chinese patriotism, the rise of a Taiwan-centered consciousness, and finally the DPP'’s curriculum reforms and "desinicization" campaigns. We'll explore how history and politics together have contributed to Taiwan's ongoing identity confusion.

If you've ever wondered how Taiwan’s identity struggles became what they are today, this episode connects the history, the politics, and the narratives that continue to shape the island.

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We sit down with Angelica Oung to discuss Taiwan's changing political landscape, her personal journey from DPP supporter to advocating for the status quo, being a born-again Chinese, and what recent events—from mass recalls to legislative drama—reveal about public sentiment. We explore phony grassroots movements, government corruption, and the evolving conversation around identity and reconciliation with the Chinese mainland.

Follow Angelica on X Read Angelica's Taipology

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