New Book Talk: Ghost Nation: In Conversation with Chris Horton

Chris Horton event graphic TERP (2160 x 1080 px)

New Book Talk:

Ghost Nation:

In Conversation with Chris Horton

Monday, February 23rd, 2026

4:00 PM – 5:15 PM ET

In-person Event

Room 602

1957 E Street NW Washington, DC 20052

Elliott School of International Affairs

RSVP

Taiwan sits at the crossroads of global power—an island democracy balancing freedom, identity, and geopolitical pressure. Perched precariously on the fault lines of global power, Taiwan is Asia’s freest democracy and a global tech colossus. Yet its remarkable people and their inspiring history are often overlooked and misunderstood in international affairs discourse outside of Taiwan. Ghost Nation draws from author and journalist Chris Horton’s decade of living and reporting in Taiwan, and is informed by interviews with everyday citizens, presidents and other key figures. Horton’s reporting brings together voices from all corners of the island—everyday residents, elected officials, activists, and innovators—to paint a panoramic portrait of this isolated but indispensable country that is both central to the Asian security order and the global economy.

Please join the Taiwan Education and Research Program (TERP) at the George Washington University for a special discussion with Ghost Nation author Chris Horton to unpack the major themes of the book as well as the human-centric historical narratives and sociopolitical dynamics threaded throughout. Whether you are new to Taiwan or have cultivated a longstanding interest in the island nation, we welcome you to participate in discussing this new and important addition to the field of Taiwan Studies!

About the Speaker

Chris Horton is a Taipei-based journalist and author who for the past 10 years has covered cross-strait politics, domestic politics, the economy, and culture in Taiwan. Horton has contributed extensively to The New York Times, Bloomberg News, The Atlantic, and Nikkei Asia. He has lived in Taiwan since 2015, after working in China and Hong Kong over the preceding 15 years.

January 6, 2026January 22, 2026

Tradition Technique and Transformation: Taiwan’s Contemporary Legend Theatre in Performance

Tradition, Technique & Transformation: Taiwan’s Contemporary Legend Theatre in Performance

Friday, January 16th, 2026

3:00 PM – 5 PM ET

In-person Event

University Student Center (USC) Room 309

800 21st Street Northwest

Washington, DC 20052

RSVP

Join us for an electrifying exploration of classical Chinese theatre through the artistry of three master performers in the GWU’s USC RM 309

Join us for an electrifying exploration of classical Chinese theatre through the artistry of three master performers from Taiwan’s renowned Contemporary Legend Theatre: Howie Po-Cheng Chu (wusheng/martial combatant), Yi Yuan Lin (hualian/painted-face warrior), and Wei Chuan Chang (wuchou/comic).

In this immersive performance and workshop, these internationally acclaimed artists will demonstrate the technical sophistication, physical precision, and cultural significance of classical Chinese opera performance—from acrobatic combat sequences and intricate facial painting conventions to comedic timing rooted in centuries of theatrical tradition. Participants will have the opportunity to learn foundational movement techniques and gain insight into how Contemporary Legend Theatre’s innovative approaches to classical forms have earned recognition worldwide.

Whether you’re interested in performance studies, martial arts, visual culture, Asian theatre, or simply experiencing one of the world’s most captivating performance traditions, this event offers an accessible yet rigorous introduction to a living classical art form. All are welcome—no prior experience necessary.

About the Performers

Howie Po-Cheng Chu is the troupe leader of Contemporary Legend Youth Theatre. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in cross disciplinary performance arts at the National Taiwan University of the Arts. Specializing in laosheng (mature male roles) and wusheng (martial male roles) in Chinese theatre, Chu was a direct disciple o Wu Hsing-Kuo, the founder of Contemporary Legend Theatre, for seven years before formally becoming his student at age 26. In 2023, he received the Golden Melody Award for Best Young Performer in the Theatre/Opera category, and in 2025, he was recognized as an Asian Cultural Council award recipient. His performance credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Faust, Water Margin 108, an The Woman of Loulan.

Yiyuan Lin specializes in the chou (clown) role, with particular expertise in martial chou performance (wu chou). In 2019, he formally became a disciple of Shi Xiaoliang, first-class chou role master with the Tianjin Youth Beijin Opera Troupe. His repertoire includes: Qibu Wenttan Shiqian Dao Jia, Da Gua Yuan, San Cha Kou, Dao Yin Hu, Dang Ma, Jie Shan, Nao Long Gong, among others. Performance credits include: Taiwan tour of Water Margi 108 (2018-2019), Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Avigno Off Festival production of Hero Wu Song (2018-2019) Sibiu Arts Festival production of Faust, Shanghai production of Waiting for Godot, and other domestic and international performances.

Weiquan Zhang specializes in the jing (painted-face) role an is a graduate of the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts. His extensive repertoire includes both classical pieces and experimental works. He won first place in the youth division of the Meng Xiaodong Beijing Opera Competition in 2022. His performance credits include starring roles in Contemporary Legend Theatre’s productions such as Water Margin 108: Tale of Quelling the Bandits, The Woman of Loulan, The Quee Mother of the West, and Caesar, as well as immersive theatre productions and the Legendary Theatre: Art Decides Heaven series.

September 23, 2025October 8, 2025

Representing Taiwan in DC: How Taiwanese Americans Can Bridge Culture and Policy

Representing Taiwan in DC: How Taiwanese Americans Can Bridge Culture and Policy

Monday, October 6th, 2025

5:30 PM – 7:00 PM ET

Hybrid Event

Lindner Family Commons

1957 E Street NW Washington, DC 20052

Elliott School of International Affairs

RSVP

For Taiwan, cultural promotion and political recognition are deeply interconnected, yet are rarely talked about in the same room. Taiwan policy spaces rarely include Taiwanese community centers, while Taiwanese cultural organizations often downplay pathways towards civic activism and political mobilization. This event highlights how “cultural organizations,” which build community by hosting Taiwanese cultural events, can engage with policy spaces in Washington DC and tangibly facilitate closer US-Taiwan relations. This event brings together local Taiwanese American leaders whose work integrates both cultural visibility efforts and policy initiatives. They demonstrate that Taiwanese Americans, here in the nation’s capital, can help build long-lasting friendship between Taiwan and the United States. This event will feature panelists Tim Chng (Co-Founder of ITASA and President of Maryland FAPA Chapter), Adam Peir (Head of Civic Engagement Committee on TAP National Board), and David Tang (Principal of the Washington DC Taiwanese School). It will also feature Richard Haddock, Assistant Director of the Sigur Center for Asian Studies, as a discussant. This event will be moderated by Carissa Cheng, the 2025 Ya-Hui Chiu Summer Fellow at GTI.

Limited boba will be offered at the event!

The event will be held at George Washington University’s Lindner Family Commons, located on the sixth floor (room 602) of the Elliott School of International Affairs at 1957 E Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20052. Doors will open at 5:00 PM, and the event will begin at 5:30 PM. If you plan on attending in-person, please RSVP by October 5, as seating is limited. Please direct questions or concerns to Senior Programs Manager Adrienne Wu at awu@globaltaiwan.org.

Schedule:

Introductions from GTI and Opening Remarks (10 minutes)
Speaker presentations (15 min each = total 45 minutes)
Discussant remarks (10 minutes)
Q&A (20 minutes)
Conclusion from GTI (5 minutes)

About the Panelists:

Tim Chng is a Principal Software Developer at Yahoo
Inc. and a longtime advocate for Taiwanese American
and Asian Pacific American communities. He is a co-
founder of ITASA (Intercollegiate Taiwanese American
Students Association) and a volunteer at TANG
(Taiwanese American Next Generation). A Baltimore
resident since 1999, he serves on the Board of
Trustees for the Baltimore School for the Arts, the
Maryland Governor’s Commission on Asian Pacific
American Affairs, and as the President of the FAPA
Maryland Chapter.

Adam Peir is a data professional and community leader based in the DMV area. He works in data analytics for the federal government, where he develops tools to support law enforcement investigations. Within the Taiwanese American community, Adam has served as a board member and president of Taiwanese American Professionals–DC and was Director of Civic Engagement with the Taiwanese American Citizens League through 2024. He has organized voter outreach campaigns, cultural programs, and community events to strengthen Taiwanese American civic participation and representation.

David Tang has been dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Taiwanese culture since 2008. As Principal of the Washington DC Taiwanese School since 2019, he has led period of rapid growth in student enrollment for Taiwanese language, Mandarin, and cultural studies. In 2021, he founded the Mandarin Learning Center to emphasize the importance of traditional Chinese characters in mainstream education. David currently serves as a board member of Rockville’s Siste City Corporation in Maryland, helping to promote Taiwanes culture within the City of Rockville. He is an advisor to the Formosa Association of Student Cultural Ambassadors and Co-Founder of Millennial Global Youth (MGY). Since 2024, he has successfully hosted Taiwanese Heritage Day events wit the Washington Wizards and Nationals, elevating public visibility for the Taiwanese American community.

About the Discussant

Richard J. Haddock is the Assistant Director of the Sigur Center for Asian Studies at the George Washington University, where he leads the Center’s robust Taiwan affairs programming, outreach, and curriculum development. He is also a member of the UC Berkeley U.S.-Taiwan Next Generation Working Group, where his research focuses on U.S.-Taiwan education diplomacy and exchange. Previously, he has held positions at the GW East Asia National Resource Center, the National Democratic Institute’s Asia team, the American Institute in Taiwan’s Public Diplomacy Section, and the U.S. Department of State. Mr. Haddock is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Policy and Public Administration at The George Washington University, focusing on digital democracy and e-governance development in the Asia-Pacific. He holds an MA in Asian Studies from the Elliott School, with a concentration on domestic politics and foreign policy of East Asia. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BA in Political Science and minors in Asian Studies and Diplomacy.

About the Moderator

Carissa Cheng is the 2025 Ya-Hui Chiu Summer Fellow for the Global Taiwan Institute and a recent graduate of Stanford University, where she majored in International Relations with a focus on Asia. At Stanford, she served as the Co-President of Stanford’s Taiwanese Cultural Society (TCS), where she enthusiastically spread awareness of Taiwan’s vibrant culture. Through her studies on Taiwanese history and politics, she also connected with local Taiwanese organizations to learn about how Taiwanese Americans can support Taiwan in its unique geopolitical struggles. She completed her senior thesis on Taiwanese American intergenerational storytellin and perceptions of China as a threat. She hopes to use her degree to help the US buil stronger alliances in Asia through deeper cross-cultural understanding in order to collaboratively solve global challenges.

July 31, 2024October 1, 2025

Empowering Teachers to Empower Learners: Exploring AI Tools for Teaching Chinese

Saturday, July 27th, 2024

7:30 PM – 10:30 PM ET

Virtual Event via Zoom

About the event:

This workshop will guide teachers step-by-step in using large language models (LLM) to generate Chinese teaching materials. It will utilize backward design to create innovative teaching strategies and lesson plans, and discuss how to use user-friendly generative AI tools to facilitate students’ autonomous Chinese learning. We will focus on the following areas:

-Fundamental principles and application examples of generative AI tools.
-How to design and generate Chinese teaching materials suitable for different language proficiency levels.
-Specific applications and case studies of the backward design method in teaching.
-Strategies to enhance students’ autonomous learning abilities through generative AI tools.
-Hands-on practice sessions allowing participants to experience the practical application of AI tools.

Speaker:

Yujen Lien (連育仁 Lian Yuren) is currently the Dean of ViewSonic Academy and an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Chinese Language and Literature at Chung Yuan Christian University (中原大學). He has previously served as an Associate Professor and Director of the Chinese Language Teaching Center at the same university. Due to his work experience, educational background, and interests, Professor Lian is highly familiar with teaching tools, online services, and hardware and software related to the integration of digital technology into international Chinese education. Since 2007, he has lectured on digital Chinese teaching techniques and strategies in over 40 countries and has his own teaching channel and community on the internet. His digital teaching training channel has over 50,000 subscribers, with total views exceeding 6.5 million. These educators continue to discuss and actively integrate emerging technologies into both physical and online classrooms. (YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@lienlaoshi)

The Sigur Center for Asian Studies and GW Institute for Korean Studies (GWIKS) together received the highly regarded designation of National Resource Center (NRC) for East Asian Studies. The designation — the first time these two centers have received NRC status — enhances the institutes’ ability to engage the broader public community, including students, K-12 educators, HBCUs, policymakers, military veterans, journalists and the general public on regional and global issues of importance. With this award, GW joins a handful of other world-leading universities with this honor, including Stanford, Columbia, and the University of Chicago. Additionally, the Sigur Center and GWIKS have been awarded funding for Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships which support undergraduate and graduate students studying modern foreign languages and related area or international studies.

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures (EALL) focuses on teaching and research on the languages and cultures of China, Japan and Korea. We offer undergraduate majors and minors in all three language tracks, as well as a unique master’s program in Chinese. Our internationally published faculty are experts in the languages, culture and literature of East Asian peoples, from ancient civilizations to modern times. In today’s global economy, knowledge of East Asia can provide a crucial stepping stone to careers in academia, business, diplomacy, government, medicine, law and much more.

The Taiwan Education and Research Program was established in 2004 to promote and support both academic and policy-related study and research on the history, international relations, and the contemporary political, economic and social development of Taiwan. The Taiwan Education and Research Program operates under the Sigur Center for Asian Studies at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. The program is directed by Liana Chen, Associate Professor of Chinese Language & Literature, and Alexa Alice Joubin, Professor of English, Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies, Theatre, International Affairs, and East Asian Languages and Literatures.