If you ask ordinary people in Taiwan about their impressions of the Pacific Islands, the following points will definitely come up: "Melanesia: Black Island", "Micronesia; Small Island", "Polynesia" taught in the geography textbook of National High School There are three major sub-regions of "multi-island"; Hawaii as a tourist attraction; Easter Island with mysterious stone statues; finally, there may also be a perception that "Pacific Islanders migrated from Taiwan".

It is common to have some job email list stereotypes about an unfamiliar cultural geography, but whether from a prehistoric, historical, or contemporary point of view, or in the fields of diplomacy, art, and academic education, our relationship with the Pacific is actually stronger than imagined. It is also close and profound, and when our understanding of such a close area is still in a flat imagination, we will ignore the abundant energy contained in it, and even cause substantial damage.

I know a Kiribati girl in Taiwan who is a relative of a classmate who did Kiribati research when I was in my doctoral program in the United States. Like many Pacific Islanders, she has lived in the Solomon Islands, New Zealand, and then came to Taiwan to study at university. I met her for the first time at Taipei Main Station many years ago, and I was concerned about her situation in Taiwan. At that time, she was looking for a job shortly after graduation. I asked her what her deepest feelings about living here were, and she responded without hesitation: " racism". In September 2019, Kiribati broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and I saw the facts revealed by her answer again in the online message area of ​​related news.