Strait Forward
by Special Competitive Studies Project - SCSP
Latest episode
What Taiwan Brings to the Robot Race
What Taiwan Brings to the Robot Race
About this podcast
Strait Forward is a podcast series from the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), where Channing Lee takes a deep-dive into Taiwan, the island at the forefront of technological innovation and the global fight for democracy. Hear Taiwanese experts discuss geopolitics, technology, and culture.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 44 episodes
- What Taiwan Brings to the Robot Race · 37 min · Episode 43In this episode of Strait Forward, recorded at the Taiwan Expo USA in Dallas, Texas, host Channing Lee explores how the United States and Taiwan can partner on robotics. She sits…
- Why Taiwan’s Tech Firms are Betting on Texas · 34 min · Episode 42In this episode of Strait Forward, host Channing Lee goes to the Taiwan Expo 2026 in Dallas, where more than 150 Taiwanese companies are showcasing Taiwan’s latest innovations in…
- Inside Taiwan’s First Sovereign AI Benchmark · 47 min · Episode 41In this crossover episode with our “Chipping In” event series, host Channing Lee takes the stage with Taiwan's Minister of Digital Affairs, Lin Yi-jing (林宜敬), one year into his…
- Made in Wisconsin: Inside Foxconn's American AI Manufacturing Boom · 55 min · Episode 40In this episode of Strait Forward, Channing Lee tours Foxconn's Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin campus with Robert Schlaeger, Head of U.S. Region Public & Government Affairs at…
- Why Taiwan Didn’t Steal America’s Chip Industry (Pt. 3: Industry & Culture) · 51 min · Episode 39Building advanced semiconductor foundries — and serving as the world’s trusted semiconductor supply chain capital — requires far more than purchasing multi-million-dollar…
- Why Taiwan Didn’t Steal America’s Chip Industry (Pt. 2: Institutional Ecosystem) · 29 min · Episode 38In this episode, Channing sits down with Stephen Su, Senior Vice President at ITRI, to trace how a single 1974 breakfast meeting between Taiwanese officials led to a pivotal…
- Why Taiwan Didn’t Steal America’s Chip Industry (Pt. 1: Geoeconomic History) · 51 min · Episode 37Political rhetoric often relies on simple villains, and few narratives are as convenient — or as fundamentally flawed — as the claim that Taiwan "stole" America’s semiconductor…
- Assessing PLA Military Readiness · 42 min · Episode 36China's military is testing Taiwan in new ways — fewer dramatic air incursions, and far more Coast Guard ships crowding Taiwan's waters in a slow, deliberate squeeze. In this…
- Sharing Boba Tea, Sharing Taiwan · 36 min · Episode 35It's Taiwan's most famous export in a cup, but behind every chewy tapioca pearl is a global business story of culture, competition, and surprising technology. In this episode…
- The U.S.-Taiwan Semiconductor Education Alliance · 48 min · Episode 34As the United States and Taiwan deepen their semiconductor partnership, can they build a talent pipeline resilient enough to sustain it? Recorded live in Orlando at the 2026…
- How Taiwan is Building an AI Island · 26 min · Episode 33Taiwan's Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs, Chia-Lin Yang, joins host Channing Lee live at the AI+ Expo for a conversation on Taiwan's ambitions to become an “AI island”…
- A Strategy for Defending Taiwan · 43 min · Episode 32Channing Lee hosts a live conversation at the 2026 AI+ Expo Bookstore with historian Eyck Freymann, a Hoover Fellow at Stanford University. Drawing from Freymann’s new book…
- Defending Against PRC Doublethink & Information Manipulation · 43 min · Episode 31At the 2026 AI+ Expo, host Channing Lee speaks with Doublethink Lab Founder and CEO Ttcat, Senior Analyst Jerry Yu, and Strategic Partnership Manager Dahyun Kim to expose the…
- How to Brew Taiwanese Tea · 25 min · Episode 30In this episode of Strait Forward, host Channing Lee sits down with Paul Chang, founder of the Morganhope Tea Shoppe in Taipei, to discuss the history and uniqueness of Taiwanese…
- Japan's Stake in the Taiwan Strait · 53 min · Episode 29In this episode of Strait Forward, host Channing Lee is joined by Ken Moriyasu, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and former foreign correspondent for Nikkei Asia, to discuss…
- A Ghost Nation’s Struggle for Survival · 59 min · Episode 28In this episode of Strait Forward, host Channing Lee is joined by Taipei-based freelance journalist Chris Horton to discuss his new book, Ghost Nation: The Story of Taiwan and…
- Why Taiwan Matters to Every U.S. City & State (Subnational Diplomacy Explained) · 1 h 1 min · Episode 27Strait Forward celebrates its first anniversary with a special crossover episode featuring SCSP’s in-person “Chipping In” event series! Host Channing Lee welcomes on stage Andrea…
- How to Cook Taiwanese Cuisine · 40 min · Episode 26On this episode of Strait Forward, host Channing Lee explores the rich tapestry of Taiwanese culture through the lens of its world-class cuisine. Moving beyond the "clichés" of…
- Civilian Preparedness Through Film & TV · 55 min · Episode 25On this episode of Strait Forward, Channing Lee is joined by Lin Jin-Chang and David Kao, among the creators of Taiwanese TV series “Zero Day Attack,” to discuss the important…
- Cognitive Warfare & Civilian Defense · 42 min · Episode 24On this episode of Strait Forward, host Channing Lee sits down in Taipei with Puma Shen (沈伯洋), a member of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, associate professor of criminology at…
