The team is conducting an academic field study in Palau from August 11 to 20, 2025, covering a wide range of topics, including agriculture, language, domestic affairs, and diplomacy.
Organizer: Austronesian Studies Chair Office, NCCUFor years, the office has been promoting annual research trips to Palau, inviting professors from various disciplines to strengthen NCCU’s Austronesian studies capacity.
Team Members:
Prof. Chen Yi-Hsuan, Department of Ethnology — Research on taro agriculture, food security, and sustainable farming
Prof. Chen Nai-Hua, Department of Ethnology — Research on the Belau National Museum and cultural preservation
Prof. Yang Wen-Chi, Department of Diplomacy — Research on the Digital Resident ID program and its diplomatic implications
Prof. Hsueh Chien-Wu, Institute of East Asian Studies — Study on Palau’s role amid U.S.–China strategic competition
Prof. Tai Chih-Wei, Graduate Institute of Linguistics — Research on the Palauan language and Austronesian dictionary compilationDuring the meeting, Ambassador Lee and the team engaged in in-depth discussions on various topics, including the work of Taiwan’s technical mission in Palau, taro agriculture (variety selection, drought resistance, genetic sequencing, and processing), aquaculture and food self-sufficiency, agri-food education and NCD prevention, and the development of livestock farming (pigs, chickens, feed supply, and subsidy policies). The conversation also covered Palauan cultural features, energy development (solar PV and Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, OTEC), diplomacy and China’s influence, as well as language preservation and cultural heritage. Both sides also shared observations on Palau’s political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental landscapes.
We sincerely thank the research team for their valuable insights, which have deepened our understanding of Palau’s society, economy, and culture, and helped lay a solid foundation for future Taiwan–Palau cooperation and exchanges.
