Taiwan Studies Centre

We cordially invite to attend the lecture of Prof. Gerald Chan (The University of Auckland, New Zealand) entitled: China goes OBOR: Whither Taiwan?,

Gerald Chan is senior joint-fellow at the Centre of Global Cooperation Research and the Institute of East Asian Studies, University of Duisburg-Essen (September 2017 to February 2018), while on leave from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, where he is professor of politics and international relations. He is a life member of Clare Hall Cambridge, U.K., and a senior research fellow in the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. His latest publications include an article entitled ‘From laggard to superpower: explaining China’s high-speed rail “miracle”,’ Kokusai Mondai [International Issues], Japan Institute of International Affairs, May 2017 (in Japanese and English); and a book entitled Understanding China’s new diplomacy: Silk Roads and bullet trains (Edward Elgar, forthcoming 2018). He is currently working on ways to theorise China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Prof. G. Chan profile.

China goes OBOR: Whither Taiwan?

The implementation of OBOR (the One Belt, One Road Initiative; or the Belt and Road Initiative) has increased China’s comprehensive power and enhanced its global image. The power gap between China and Taiwan has widened. What does that leave Taiwan? What are Taiwan’s options? In this presentation, I argue that Taiwan faces an enduring challenge but also a golden opportunity to narrow its gap with China, both physical and psychological, as well as political and economic. The opportunity to narrow the gap would require Taiwan to change its policy towards China. Apart from China’s pressure, domestic politics in Taiwan would play an important part in shaping its policy and response to China’s challenges and overtures. The U.S., on the other hand, would continue to play an important but now an increasingly uncertain part in relations across the Taiwan Strait.