Chiang Wan-an's 'hot pot' analogy criticized; Wang Hao says 'don't cook Taiwan into a great unified hot pot'

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an's recurring "hot pot" analogy, used to describe the city's diverse character during international engagements, has sparked significant criticism. Chiang has repeatedly likened Taipei to a hot pot brimming with various ingredients and flavors. However, this metaphor has been perceived by some as overly simplistic and potentially problematic, especially given its repeated use across multiple speeches.

Critics, including author Wang Hao, argue that the hot pot metaphor, by suggesting all ingredients are cooked in the same broth, risks homogenizing Taipei's distinct identity. Wang contends that this approach echoes Beijing's rhetoric of "great unification," which seeks to assimilate diverse ethnic groups into a single national identity. He believes such a metaphor erases local characteristics and imposes a singular, uniform flavor, drawing a parallel to the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to suppress the unique identities of regions like Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong.

“

Taiwan is at a critical juncture of connecting with the world. We need "light shields and protective mountains" that highlight our subjectivity, not a political hot pot that blurs Taiwan's irreplaceable key advantages into a "unification" into the red dye vat.

Wang suggests that Taiwan, at a crucial juncture of international engagement, needs metaphors that highlight its distinctiveness and resilience, rather than one that implies a "unified" identity. He contrasts Chiang's metaphor with the "shaved ice theory" proposed by Shen Po-yang, which emphasizes how individual components like taro, red beans, and condensed milk can coexist harmoniously, each retaining its unique flavor. This alternative metaphor better reflects the idea of diversity within unity, a concept Wang believes is essential for Taipei and Taiwan on the global stage.

“

The core of both the spicy hot pot and great unification is 'erasing local characteristics and creating a unified taste.' The characteristic of spicy hot pot is to use strong spiciness and heavy oil to cover and tame the original sweetness and personality of all ingredients; whether it is high-grade wagyu or ordinary frozen tofu, after entering the pot, it ultimately only has a single spicy taste. This is exactly like the CCP, in the name of 'great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,' forcibly erasing the historical context and subjectivity of Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and even Taiwan, and forcibly formatting 1.3 billion people into obedient single symbols.