Asia's 'peak polarization' is yet to come, says Taiwan's Audrey Tang

TOKYO -- Audrey Tang, Taiwan's cyber ambassador, warned that the peak of Asia's political polarization is "yet to come" and that the region must use digital technology to bolster public trust in democracy.

The former digital minister of Taiwan, speaking to Nikkei Asia on the sidelines of the Nikkei Global Digital Summit on Tuesday, said Asia "did not succumb to the first wave of polarization" that hit Western democracies in 2024, due to the region's cultural tendency to prioritize personal relationships over individualism. This means, however, that Asia "may not be yet over peak polarization," she said.