Dear Editor:
Hello! Sinorama's monthly reports-especially those on the land and people of Taiwan-are fascinating and deserve high marks. Your esteemed magazine relays in-depth information in accessible terminology; its elegant writing always leaves a deep impression on me. The Fujianese compatriots of Taiwan island are-in culture, language, and customs-completely identical to the Chinese people of Penang. I hope that one day Taiwan will engage in greater cultural exchange with Penang, as it does now with Xiamen, so that we may better understand one another.
I was especially interested in the report on youth sexuality in the January 1999 issue (Southeast Asian edition). I would like to say a few words on this topic, which has become a key focus of attention for families and society.
In today's rapidly deteriorating society, many young people act without restraint and treat sex as a recreational activity. They only discover how serious it is when something bad happens. They regret their behavior, but by then it is too late. If this unhealthy tendency continues, serous social problems will result. Thus families, schools, and society must pay close attention to this issue. Schools must begin sex education early and teach children a proper outlook on sexuality, and lead them away from the distorted perspective of pornographic films and publications.
By way of closing, I would say that one shortcoming amidst your many fine qualities is that there are not enough stories introducing Taiwan's entertainment industry, including films, TV dramatic serials, and popular music. Stories on Taiwan drama serials (both Mandarin and Taiwanese) would be greatly favored by many readers, who would then be more likely to watch and enjoy these programs. Also, I am confident that if you introduced more Taiwanese pop music, its popularity would spread around the world. We readers who are also pop music fans look forward to seeing this dream come true.
Editor's reply: We previously had a regular feature introducing pop songs. Recently we have not carried it because of a lack of space, but we will remedy this as soon as possible.