Joy Yu-Tzu Chang | journalist & producer
Kinmen: living on the frontline between Taiwan and China (English subtitles), RFA via Wainao
February 28, 2022
About two kilometers away from Xiamen, China, Taiwan’s Kinmen county (Quemoy) is the last place the Communist and Nationalist forces fought each other in the Chinese Civil War. Since 1949, residents had seen numerous battles and gone through decades of shelling.
With the rising tensions across the strait, some on the frontline islands are worried about their future. The story features three generations of locals, who talk about Kinmen’s military past, how they see the growing media attention, and what they want for their home. The video is part of Radio Free Asia’s special project on Kinmen.
(Producing, interviewing, shooting, scripting and editing)
New York City streets empty amid Covid-19 lockdown
March 31, 2020
New York City streets are empty as residents follow stay-at-home orders and Covid-19 cases increase. Coronavirus infections have surpassed 43,000 in the city, making it the epicentre of the US outbreak.
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As U.S.-Taiwan Trade Strengthens, Tensions With China Complicates Business, WSJ
Hong Kong transgender activist's legal fight
February 2, 2022
Many made-in-China goods are now produced in Taiwan, creating an export boom to the U.S. as tensions rise between Washington and Beijing. WSJ visits a Taiwanese factory to see how geopolitics are complicating the business environment.
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January 20, 2023
In 2017, Henry Tse lodged a lawsuit to challenge Hong Kong’s policy requiring people to undergo full sex reassignment surgery before changing their ID gender.
He has already undergone mastectomy, hormone therapy and received a gender recognition certificate in the UK. Born and raised in Hong Kong, he said he wants to be legally recognized as male in the city and that advocating for trans rights is his way of giving back to his home.
(Producing, interviewing, shooting, scripting and editing)
VOA Asia Weekly: Taiwanese Prepare for Possible China Invasion, VOA
Is Latin America the new route for Chinese migrants to enter the US?
August 25, 2022
January 19, 2023
Malaysia upholds former PM's corruption conviction. How some Taiwanese are preparing for war. U.S. and South Korea begin joint military drills. More than 27 million schoolchildren in the Philippines return to classrooms.
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After Covid-19 began, an increasing number of Chinese migrants are making their way to the US via South and Central American countries. Many trekked through rainforest, among them were Yang Xin and Ah Long.
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Asian-Americans in New York among those joining US protests after George Floyd’s death
Hundreds join London protest in solidarity with China's demonstrators
June 2, 2020
November 28, 2022
Protests spread across New York City on June 1, 2020, as unrest hit dozens of cities in the United States days after the death of George Floyd. Asian-American communities in the city are among those joining the protests in solidarity. Floyd was killed while he was being arrested by police in the state of Minnesota. Onlookers filmed a white police officer, who has since been dismissed, kneeling on the African-American man’s neck for more than eight minutes before he died on May 25.
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Hundreds of people gathered outside the Chinese embassy in London on November 27 to mourn Xinjiang's fire victims and show support for the ongoing demonstrations in China.
Chanting “I want freedom, not PCR tests” (「不要核酸要自由」) and “I’d rather die than live without freedom” (「不自由，毋寧死」), the protesters also called for freedom of speech and the press.
(Producing, interviewing, shooting, scripting and editing)
US universities vacate students from dorms to slow coronavirus spread
March 16, 2020
February 28, 2023
'I want to let people know that transgender community exists': Taiwan's trans woman taxi driver, Deutsche Welle
228 massacre anniversary: how Taiwan tells the stories of its authoritarian past
Universities across the US are asking students to vacate their dorms to slow the spread of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19. Some students were left stranded with nowhere to go after being asked to move out on short notice. Harvard University’s undergraduate students were given five days to pack and leave. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) students were told to leave within one week.
As Covid-19 cases increase in the US, universities across the country are taking preventative measures, including cancelling study-abroad programmes, moving classes online and limiting the size of on-campus events. Some schools have closed indefinitely.
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On the 76th anniversary of the 228 massacre, we look at the discussions around movies on Taiwan’s authoritarian past — including “Untold Herstory 流麻溝十五號” (2022) and “A City of Sadness 悲情城市” (1989) — and transitional justice in Taiwan.
Professor Chou Wan-yao (周婉窈) talks about how the progress of transitional justice has had an impact on people's views towards the authoritarian ROC regime and director Zero Chou (周美玲) shares her thoughts on the storytelling of “Untold Herstory” with us.
This story also features Tsai Chieh-feng (蔡杰峰), owner of Nantou Theater (南投戲院), a local, independent cinema. He talks about their mission as the only movie theater in Nantou city and being attacked online for showing “Untold Herstory” last November.
(Producing, interviewing, shooting, scripting and editing)
Taiwan hosts biggest Canada Day event outside Canada, CBC News
June 21, 2022
July 1, 2022
‘Mother Pigeon’ on mission to change New Yorkers’ perception of the birds
October 31, 2021
Pigeons are widely regarded as flying pests the world over, especially in major urban areas. But in New York, performance artist Tina Piña is trying to change that. Calling herself “Mother Pigeon”, Piña creates pigeon art installations to display in parks across the city. Through her work, she hopes to change the general perception of the birds as vermin and convince people to view them as beautiful creatures that deserve adoration.
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Taiwan museum holds 'wartime response drill' after Russia invades Ukraine
November 15, 2022
The National Palace Museum (國立故宮博物院) in Taipei arranged a wartime response drill after Russia invaded Ukraine.
With China stepping up military pressure on Taiwan, the museum started preparing for the situation many Ukrainian cultural institutions found themselves in: they had little time to hide or evacuate the artifacts.
Wu Mi-cha, director of the National Palace Museum in Taipei, said it’s not always necessary to move the treasures as it’s not safe to travel during wartime, but the museum would evacuate them to an undisclosed location if instructed. The staff showed us how they pack up artifacts.
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Chiu Hsin-yu (邱芯妤), 25, is a taxi driver in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. As a trans woman, she hopes her LGBTQ+ friendly taxi can be a safe space for not only the queer communities but also everyone else.
Taiwan is often considered one of the most progressive countries in Asia when it comes to LGBTQ rights, but many in the trans community still experience discrimination in their day-to-day life. Chiu says one of the obstacles she has faced when looking for a job is that her gender in official documents does not match her gender identity, expression, or appearance.
But in Taiwan, those who’d like to legally change their gender are required to have their reproductive organs removed — many say they cannot afford the costs /and the risks of such a surgery.
(Producing, interviewing, shooting and editing)
CBC News: The National | Canada Day, Ontario gas tax break, Damian Warner
Canada Day brings in-person celebrations and freedom convoy protests back to Ottawa. Ontario gets a gas tax break for six months. Plus, Damian Warner on life since winning decathlon gold.
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New York City Uber driver struggles amid the coronavirus pandemic
Taiwan midterm: cannabis legalization gains attention in local elections
April 30, 2020
Rideshare drivers in New York are trapped between their fear of contracting the coronavirus and need to earn a living. Most drivers have stopped working to avoid Covid-19 infection, but some cannot afford to lose the income.
Ke Jun, an Uber driver in New York, is back on the road after a one-month pause in March 2020. Since his work as a driver is the only source of income for his family, he is struggling to make ends meet.
(Producing, interviewing, shooting, scripting and editing)
‘I sleep counting bodies’: New York funeral home grapples with pandemic death toll
November 25, 2022
With Taiwan’s midterm elections coming up, we followed lawyer Zoe Lee 李菁琪 and singer Hsieh Ho-hsien 謝和弦 and documented their campaigns. The two joined Taipei’s city council election in the same constituency, both supporting legalizing cannabis. Hsieh was later disqualified due to a previous sentence on illegal drug use.
(Producing, interviewing, shooting, scripting and editing)
Love under lockdown: staying in Wuhan together
May 7, 2020
February 19, 2020
Covid-19 drawn as cartoon character in Taiwan to help teach public how to fight the coronavirus
January 22, 2021
The way back home: Taiwanese student flees Covid-19 outbreak in the US
April 7, 2020
April 6, 2020
Since the coronavirus outbreak began in the US, funeral home workers have been grappling with a surge in demand that many describe as “overnight” and “unexpected”. While most people are aware of the frontline battles health care workers are fighting against Covid-19, few understand the grim reality faced by those handling the bodies of victims as the US coronavirus death toll surpasses 74,000.
Arsenio Lopez, a funeral home director in Brooklyn and a Vietnam War veteran, showed the South China Morning Post what it is like to work during one of the largest health crises that he has seen.
(Producing, interviewing, scripting and editing)
US prepares for widening coronavirus outbreak as Covid-19 epidemic spreads
February 28, 2020
As coronavirus cases surge worldwide, US President Donald Trump said his administration has done an “incredible job” preventing the spread of Covid-19 in the country. A US health official from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has meanwhile warned it is not a question of “if” but rather “when” America will face a community spread of the virus. California has been monitoring 8,400 people for signs of infection after it reported a coronavirus case of “unknown origin”, potentially the first instance of community transmission in the US.
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New York mourns coronavirus whistle-blower doctor Li Wenliang
February 9, 2020
Hundreds of people in New York commemorated Dr Li Wenliang, the coronavirus whistle-blower who died from the disease last week, in a tribute at Central Park on February 9. Li was detained and silenced by Chinese authorities after he warned fellow medics about the outbreak in late December. His death has sparked public anger and united many in China to call for freedom of speech.
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Tsai Ing-wen wins her second term as Taiwan’s president with most ever votes
January 11, 2020
Piecing together Taiwan’s past in the US
December 26, 2019
Every month, a group of Taiwanese in the United States visit the US National Archives to search for historical records about Taiwan. They photograph these documents and upload them to an online database they created called, “Taiwan National Treasure”. The researchers said the foreign records offer fresh perspectives on Taiwan’s past.
Co-founder Abraham Chuang took South China Morning Post along for one of their monthly sessions at the National Archives and Records Administration in Maryland.
(Producing, interviewing, shooting, scripting and editing)
How ‘Grandma Zhu’ survived social isolation in New York during the Covid-19 pandemic
March 20, 2021
After senior activity centres in New York City shut down because of Covid-19 pandemic, many elderly citizens who normally used the facilities each day were suddenly faced with extreme social isolation. Zhu Shunliu, an 83-year-old who lives alone in Queens, found ways to use technology to stay connected and survive months of social-distancing.
(Producing, interviewing, shooting, scripting and editing)
Chinese students find their voices on US college campuses
May 29, 2020
Liu Ting turned down a seat on a February 3, 2020, flight that evacuated 247 Taiwanese and their family members from Wuhan, the Chinese city that is the epicentre of the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
Her wife Yang Xi, who is from Wuhan, repeatedly urged Liu to escape without her. But because of a loophole in Taiwan’s same-sex marriage law, only relationships between people who are both Taiwanese are fully recognised. Since they do not have legal marriage status on the self-ruled island, Taiwan citizen Liu could not bring her Chinese partner with her onto the evacuation flight.
In Wuhan for almost a month under a citywide lockdown meant to halt the spread of the coronavirus and the Covid-19 disease it causes, the couple spoke with the South China Morning Post about life under quarantine and their decision to stay together.
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In an effort to help teach the public about how to respond to epidemics, Taiwan’s Centres for Disease Control (CDC) has created disease-related cartoon characters including one modelled on the coronavirus that causes Covid-19. The health agency recently introduced a calendar featuring 12 anime-style epidemic “characters”.
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As the number of Covid-19 cases rises sharply in the US, many international students are returning home and fleeing a growing outbreak where more than 337,600 infections have been confirmed so far.
Jenny Chang, a Taiwanese student at Johns Hopkins University, was one of many who think it is safer to be back home than remaining in the States. She shared her journey from the US to Taiwan with the South China Morning Post from Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
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Wang Newton: a drag king in a world of queens
November 25, 2019
Wang Newton is a drag king and comedian based in New York City. She is one of the very few Asian-American “kings” in the United States.
Wang, who moved to the US from Taiwan at the age of five, has also performed on stages across Asia, including Taipei.
She spoke with the South China Morning Post about life as a drag king in an industry dominated by queens.
(Producing, interviewing, shooting, scripting and editing)
Erena So: Hong Kong's first 'AV actress' in Japan
May 24, 2023
New York students square off over Hong Kong protests
Erena So is Hong Kong’s first AV actress to debut in Japan.
She’s got a lot of criticism since her film was released in March. “Some told me ‘go kill yourself’ or called me a whore.”
She said she hopes to change how people talk about sex and adult films.
“(Choosing this job) feels very lonely,” she said. “It’s hard to keep faith in yourself when you’re facing so much pressure… I want to keep on being myself.”
Erena also received encouragement from many Hongkongers — from within the city and abroad.
“Some people recognized me on the streets and came to tell me ‘ga yau/add oil’.” She said many overseas Hongkongers also showed their support by buying the film.
(Producing, interviewing, shooting, scripting and editing)
Chinese plus-size influencer in New York challenges stereotypes
November 19, 2019
Dozens of pro-Beijing students squared off with supporters of Hong Kong protesters during a tense stand-off in New York on November 18, 2019.
The confrontation happened at New York University, where pro-democracy activists Nathan Law and Jeffrey Ngo were attending an event on human rights in Hong Kong.
The pro-Beijing students chanted “peace to Hong Kong” and held up banners condemning protest violence while the other group chanted “stand with Hong Kong” and reiterated the five demands of Hong Kong protesters.
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Overseas Chinese students: how the coronavirus outbreak might change China in the long term
October 8, 2019
Scarlett Hao, a China-born fashion influencer based in New York, is redefining beauty of Asian women. One of the first Asian plus-size influencers, Hao is breaking stereotypes in the US as well as promoting the concept of positive body image in Asia.
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Lady M: the New York bakery taking Asia by storm
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is re-elected as the top leader of Taiwan with over 8 million votes. This is the highest number of votes a Taiwanese Presidential election candidate has ever received.
Tsai, of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has won a second term over Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu of the mainland-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) party and the perennial presidential contender James Soong Chu-yu, founder and chairman of the People First Party.
Election campaigning had focused on issues such as sovereignty, democracy and cross-strait issues between Taipei and Beijing – all of which have been amplified by Hong Kong’s anti-government protests which have resisted Chinese mainland influence. Beijing considers self-ruled Taiwan to be part of its sovereign territory.
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Chinese students studying abroad have taken advantage of the freedoms they have outside China to voice their political views.
In February, Hong Kong political activists Joshua Wong and Nathan Law were invited to speak at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
The event outraged some international students from mainland China. Inkstone joined them as they organized a protest on campus.
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February 21, 2020
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December 2, 2019
Lady M Confections is a New York bakery famous for its 20-layer crepe cakes and for using French techniques with a Japanese twist. With 35 branches in the US, Singapore, Hong Kong and on the Chinese mainland, Lady M has won the hearts of many Asians who are drawn to the subtle sweetness and “cloudlike” texture of their confections.
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Brian Leung Kai-ping: the Legco protester unmasked
HK singer Denise Ho’s concert draws fans in New York
September 20, 2019
In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Brian Leung Kai-ping, one of the demonstrators who stormed Hong Kong’s legislature in July 2019, talked about why he stepped up to be the face of the protest and how he felt justified and at peace about the use of force.
At least 12 protesters have been arrested for their alleged participation in the occupation of the legislature on July 1, and dozens of protesters fled Hong Kong.
Leung returned to the US and enrolled as a graduate student at the University of Washington.
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October 16, 2019
More than a thousand fans flocked to Hong Kong pop singer and human rights activist Denise Ho’s first concert in New York. The concert, dubbed “We Are Here, We Are Alive”, was held at the Town Hall and sold at a starting price of US$88. Ho has been blacklisted by the Chinese government for her active participation in the 2014 “umbrella movement” but has won more support from audiences overseas for her outspoken views.
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