Since his inauguration as president of Taiwan this May, Ma Ying-jeou has pursued a three-pronged strategy. First, he has attempted to improve relations with Beijing. Second, he has tried to secure a more meaningful international participation for Taiwan. Third, he has continued to seek arms from the United States to deter aggression and coercion from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Ma and his new government hope that setting aside discussions of sovereignty will coax the PRC into allowing Taiwan to have a greater international presence. Whether substantial concessions from Beijing can be achieved remains to be seen.

Will Taiwan be permitted to participate in United Nations (UN) specialized agencies, particularly the World Health Organization? Will Taiwan be able to deepen its economic integration with other nations in the Asia-Pacific region through the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation? Will Taipei be able to work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to achieve the objective of ASEAN+3+1? Will Taiwan be able to become more engaged in democracy promotion around the world? Panelists at this event will discuss these and other questions. AEI’s John R. Bolton, former U.S. permanent representative to the UN, will deliver the keynote address.