Time:2013/6/18

On the morning of January 14, 2013, a group of five U.S. think tank scholars specializing in cross-Taiwan Strait relations led by Prof. Steven M. Goldstein of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University visited the Center for International and Strategic Studies (CISS) and participated in a discussion with researchers from CISS. Participants included Alan D. Romberg, distinguished fellow and the Director of the East Asia Program at the Stimson Center; Robert S. Ross, Professor of Political Science at Boston College and Associate of Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies; and Joseph Fewsmith, Professor of International Relations and Political Science, Boston University. In the past seven years, a group of senior associates from the Fairbank Center has visited Taipei and Beijing every January, and is usually called the “Harvard Group” of cross-Taiwan Strait relations. 

The Executive Deputy Director of CISS, Prof. Yuan Ming and Deputy Director Prof. Zhu Feng warmly welcomed the American guests. In the following discussions moderated by Prof. Zhu Feng, scholars exchanged dialogue on cross-Strait relations, Taiwan-U.S. relations, Sino-U.S. relations, Sino-Japanese relations and the security situation in Asia-Pacific region. American scholars discussed their recent trip to Taiwan. They believe the leaders of Taiwan are now most concerned about how to revitalize the economy, then the issue of Diaoyu Islands and the U.S. “Pivot to Asia” strategy. There is no specific schedule yet for the Ma Ying-jeou Administration on opening cross-Strait summit political dialogues and negotiations of the peace treaty, though it is predicted that cross-Strait relations will remain stable and develop constructively in the second term of Ma Ying-jeou. However, American scholars admitted frankly that since the consciousness of a “Taiwan identity” continues to grow and strengthen in Taiwan, time is not on the side of mainland China regarding the future of unification or maintain of the status quo. Meanwhile, they were relatively more optimistic about the future interactions among mainland China, the U.S. and Taiwan, holding that there would be no substantial upgrade in the U.S. arms sales to Taiwan in the short term.

Prof. Zhu Feng introduced five major trends of thoughts influencing the perceptions of the Chinese public. He also analyzed the main cause of the tension between China and Japan on the issue of the Diaoyu Islands, pointing out that the dispute over the Diaoyu Islands has permanently broken the previous unilateral Japanese administrative control of the islands.  He also suggested that Asian countries must be aware about the future direction of Japanese defense and security policies with an ultra-right administration. Scholars from both countries openly exchanged their ideas on issues including the diplomatic and domestic policies of the Abe administration, how to avoid an escalation of the Diaoyu Islands dispute, and the U.S.’s role on the Diaoyu Islands dispute.

Present at the discussion were also academic members of CISS Prof. Wang Yong, Associate Prof. Yu Wanli and Associate Prof. Wang Dong. Graduate and undergraduate students of the School of International Studies (SIS), PKU also attended the event.