Chilly Weather in the Taiwan Strait: assessing the cross-strait relationship under Tsai Ing-wen

Since May 2017, when the new DPP government under President Tsai Ying-wen was inaugurated, official cross-strait relations are stalled. An uneasy relationship has replaced intensive communication between government officials of both sides throughout the previous Ma Ying-jeou era (2008-2016), which saw more than 20 bilateral agreements, including a quasi-free trade deal, the Economic Framework Agreement (ECFA). Under Tsai, Taiwan now tries to reduce its economic dependence on the Chinese mainland by a new “Southbound Policy” targeting Southeast Asia and by systematically developing its relations with Japan and the West. On the other hand, more and more Taiwanese migrate to the mainland to make a career and settle there, indicating rising social integration across the Taiwan Strait over time. Against this background, where are cross-strait relations headed to? How does the DPP government intend to safeguard Taiwan’s long-term interests? How does the international community look at the China-Taiwan relationship and what leeway is there for its broader engagement in maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait?

This round table is joined by