Rijksmuseum Exhibition Explores 400 Years of Taiwan-Netherlands Ties

TaiwanPlus News

At the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, a special exhibition delves into 400 years of shared history between Taiwan and the Netherlands. Featuring rare 17th-century artifacts, the event revisits a colonial past and its enduring legacies.

Transcript

00:00Maps, newspapers and illustrations from the 17th century transport visitors back to the Dutch colonial era in Taiwan nearly 400 years ago.

00:11The exhibition at Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam showcases 16 artworks and archival documents, offering a rare glimpse into these shared histories.

00:30The most important thing is the situation after 1661, when Zheng Chenggong besieged the city.

00:38European powers began travelling to East Asia in the 15th century, seeking trade opportunities and setting up colonies.

00:45For nearly four decades in the 1600s, the Netherlands used Taiwan as a key transit hub, boosting the exchange of goods across Asia.

00:55The southern part of Taiwan was ruled by the Dutch East India Company during this time.

01:00However, most people in the Netherlands know little about this shared history with Taiwan.

01:06If you would have asked anyone about the Netherlands and Taiwan, say 20 years ago, people wouldn't have known what you were talking about.

01:15People were completely unaware.

01:17Now, the exhibition offers a fresh perspective on the intertwined histories of the two countries.

01:23While this connection is still unfamiliar to many in the Netherlands, interest has been gradually growing.

01:30And it has sort of slowly changed, I suppose.

01:34I don't think it's a topic that a whole lot of people know about now, but at least there has been this steady stream of publication.

01:41Today, conversations around transitional justice are raising deeper questions about the Dutch colonial legacy.

01:48These reflections extend beyond historical documents.

01:52Exhibitions like this encourage a more nuanced understanding of the era, examining the colonial past and its lasting connections to Taiwan.

02:11The relationship between Taiwan and the Netherlands has evolved from colonial encounters to a dynamic partnership in culture, economics, and diplomacy.

02:26These exhibitions serve as a powerful reminder of how history shapes the present and the conversations we have about it.

02:35Klein Wong and Billy Wu for Taiwan Plus

02:41www.kleinwong.com

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