In Looking towards Chiayi (1934), Chen Cheng-po (1895–1947) gazes lovingly at his hometown, capturing a highly charged moment of meteorological change. Familiar though it may be to locals, the volatile weather depicted in this oil painting is actually very rare in other places on the Tropic of Cancer.
Early in 2025, a Taiwanese convenience store rolled out a new ice cream swirl product featuring a subtly bitter Belgian chocolate complemented by rich dairy ice cream. It scored a big hit immediately upon reaching the stores, and eager consumers formed long lines to get a taste. Meanwhile, classic Belgian comics such as Hergé’s Adventures of Tintin and the Smurfs have enchanted people of all ages for many decades. Also, a joint venture between Taiwan’s CSBC Corporation and Belgium’s DEME Group has built the Green Jade, the world’s second-largest heavy lift installation vessel for offshore wind farms. I hadn’t known until interviewing Director Matthieu Branders of the Belgian Office, Taipei just how close the ties are between Belgium and Taiwan.
