In collaboration with the Asociación Taiwanesa de Hispanistas, the Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences at the National Tsing Hua University, the Institute of Taiwan History at Academia Sinica, and the Department of Social Sciences at the National Taiwan University, the National Academy of Marine Research held a conference titled "Formosa in the Spanish Era" today (the 17th) at the National Taiwan University. People with particular interests in Taiwanese history, Hokkien languages, and Spanish-related topics were invited to explore the history of the Spanish in Taiwan.
The President of the National Academy of Marine Research, Chen Jiahn-horng, stated that the Spanish referred to Taiwan as "Formosa." Although they only stayed in Taiwan for less than 20 years, the time spent on the island had a great impact on many achievements made by the Spanish during the Age of Discovery. People have been interacting through the sea for a long time, resulting in an intimate dependency between marine activities and human cultural development and history. By examining official and non-official historical records left by the Spanish people in the peripheral regions of East Asia, one can better understand the diversity of maritime culture and the importance of the ocean to human society.
  This conference invites experts and scholars to share their research findings and insights in fields such as archaeology, linguistics, and history. The conference has also invited a special guest, Dr. Tsang Cheng-hwa, to give a keynote speech on his research for the Spanish-related ruins on Peace Island in Keelung. The goal of the conference is to come up with a solution to pass down the history and cultural heritage of Formosa during the Spanish era in a more comprehensive way through discussions and exchanges. With the integration of Spanish society and its role in modern Taiwan, one can better understand and face the challenges and opportunities brought about by globalization.