Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-11-24
An international symposium on modern Taiwan and Southeast Asia is underway in Taipei.
Scholars are focusing on exchanges between Taiwan and Southeast Asian countries from the 19th to the 20th century. (CNA photo)
The two-day event opened on Friday. It is jointly sponsored by the Taiwan Study Research Center of National Taiwan Library and National Taiwan Normal University.
Scholars from Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore are focusing on exchanges between Taiwan and Southeast Asian countries from the 19th to the 20th century.
One organizer, Chen Shi-rong, said National Taiwan Library has a large collection of related historical documents. Chen said that’s because Japan was not quite familiar with Taiwan and Southeast Asia when the island was under its colonial rule from 1895 to 1945. The Japanese authorities conducted systematic research into various subjects during the colonial era. These ranged from local language and customs to folk culture and the natural environment. [FULL STORY]