Should foreigners in Taiwan care about Taiwan if Taiwan doesn't care about foreign residents?

I voted yes because things are improving compared to the past.

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They definitely are, but it’s still at a pace that is understandably frustrating to people living in it, and completely unnecessary.

I care about Taiwan quite a bit, I care about the preservation of its democracy, about the future of its people, and as you say it’s moving the right way.

Would I fight for someone who doesn’t have my back though?

That’s a question Taiwan needs to ask itself, in reference to how they reciprocate both on micro, and macro levels. You can’t have it both ways forever.

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I remember from the vaccine discussion here, foreigners with new style ids were trying the mobile authentication for the NHI express app, and it didn’t work. Am I correct? So the gov had to carry out special work to get the ARC IDs working…

If my assertion above is correct, the author of the article linked by @DesiInTaipei is just placidly repeating lines fed to him.

The author should read this first.

I find it VERY hard to believe he was not aware of ANY of the issues regarding the new ARC format by Mar 2021.

The article feels like a press release with a signature on it. Some of the statements such as matching a Taiwan ID format are plain wrong and should be deleted.

But now it’s published the Taiwan officials can just point back to it and say …See…The Americans think it’s great.

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This is what’s really galling. I previously lived and worked in China. I had to live with discrimination and it was made very clear that the ‘government’ wouldn’t have my back in any dispute…BUT I was paid well, so dealing with constant bs was the job. In Taiwan the government makes a big dance about being a free open country but acts much the same way. Same bs but with miserly pay.

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OMG a new system introduced and it didn’t work perfectly from the start and had to be fixed? Only in Taiwan!

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Before obnoxiously quoting me, read the article, government mouthpiece said the new ARC IDs are essentially the same as local IDs.

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Yes but in Taiwan online services not working for foreigners at the start is a default setting .

And it is a big deal if you lose your place in the queue due to a default setting.

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Like it was stated somewhere above, I would not go Braddock or Rambo too, the only thing that really bothers me the most here in Taiwan is BANK. The banks here are the worst, especially when you want to get a simple credit card, does not matter how much money you have or what job you have. For the rest, I learned to sort of accepting the outcomes.

In most cases I have two options, take it or leave it. Stay in Taiwan is a matter of personal decision, of course, if things get improved for foreigners, it would facilitate more our lives, but in most cases, me as a foreigner can live my life without much trouble here.

But I have seen in the past weeks my fiance (local) fighting to obtain the subsidy as she is not able to work now because of level 3, and even for her, it is not an easy job to apply for it.

I’m sure other countries in Asia like Japan, South Korea, and let me include China is not foreigner-friendly as much as Taiwan.

Is Taiwan a paradise? Certainly not! Is it hell? I personally don’t think so.

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Good post.

Guy

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Taiwan supporters have now taken a very narrow lead in the referendum with 51:49 for supporting Taiwan no matter if they get pie rubbed in their faces.

It seems morning voters are more optimistic.

However the community is split down the middle and there are now real fears of a civil war breaking out I.e every thread ever here.

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Maybe lack of coffee? :smiley:

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It’s an interesting balance isn’t it.

Too much coffee and we get piles of aggressive angry posts.

The key to find the right balance. :rofl:

Guy

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What do you mean by support though? If you mean fight for Taiwan then no. They don’t give no shits I won’t either. But if you mean buy Taiwanese products instead of Chinese then hell yes, no hesitation even if I have to pay slightly more.

I deliberately didn’t define it. Just take it as a Yes or No reaction and define it as you like.

Yeah, but in all fairness, some of us are losers. I am or I definitely wouldn’t be here.

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Ahh…the legend Richard Hartzell. My own personal Jesus. Love that guy. It was an honor to help him out one time.

Legend

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some people just like getting railed.

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Sums it up perfectly

“Some limitations are based on completely outmoded regulations, which public officials often abide by simply because they can not be bothered to make changes,” said Hartzell

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So for what duration do we foreigners get a driving licence now?