China and Taiwan Cross-Strait Relationship after Power Transitions

An International Symposium on issues in the cross-strait relationship hosted by UCLA Center for Chinese Studies.

What are the most critical and urgent issues in the cross-strait relationship after the reelection victory of Ma in Taiwan and Obama in the US and the dramatic yet successful power transition to Xi Jiping in China? With China’s continuing assent to global power and its new leadership’s ambition to set a new political image, will China aim to make new moves in reaching the ultimate goal of unification?  Will Ma’s current policies function well under the new circumstance?  What role will the US play in dealing with Taiwan and China in the larger context of its recent strategic move of “pivot to Asia”?  Equally important, given the increasing importance of public opinions and nationalism, especially the collective will expressed through the Internet, in China, what will likely be the new challenges to all three sides in managing the cross-strait relationship?

To address these and other important issues in the cross-strait relationship, the UCLA Center for Chinese Studies will organize and host an international symposium at UCLA on April 25, 2013.  The conference is co-chaired by Professors Minxin Pei and Yunxiang Yan.  Better communication leads to better understanding, which will in turn open up the possibility of better solutions.  It is therefore crucial to hear the voices from Taiwan, China and the US as stakeholders in the evolving relationship across the Taiwan Strait. From each of the three sides, two internationally acclaimed scholars or experts of international security will share with the public their observations and insights in their presentation, and they will also participate in discussions with the audience.

Confirmed speakers:

Professor Szu-yin Ho (National Chengchi University)

Professor Lo Chih-cheng (Soochow University, Taipei)

Professor Shen Dingli (Fudan University, China)

Professor Zhu Feng (Peking University)

Dr. Richard Bush (Brookings Institute)

Dr. Tom Fingar (Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford)

Dr. Bonnie Glaser (Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington DC)

Professor Minxin Pei (Claremont McKenna College)