EVENTS

Abstract        

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has won a sweeping victory in Taiwan's presidential and legislative elections early this year. President-elect Dr. Tsai Ing-wen announced that the new government would re-formulate Taiwan’s foreign policy by strengthening relations with ASEAN states and India. Corresponding to India's ‘Act East Policy’, this ‘New Southbound Policy’ aims at building closer economic and even strategic cooperation with Taiwan’s neighbors in South and Southeast Asia.   

The first half of presentation (by Dr. Mumin Chen) will first introduce the developments of India-Taiwan relations in past decades, achievements and limits at present stage. The second half (by Dr. I-chung Lai) will further analyze why President-elect Tsai’s ‘New Southbound Policy’ signifies DPP’s new strategic outlook towards South Asia and how the policy offers a window of opportunities for cooperation between India and Taiwan.

About the Speaker

Dr. Mumin Chen is associate professor and Chair at the Graduate Institute of International Politics, and Director of the Center for Strategic Studies on South Asia and the Middle East, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan. Chen joined International Affairs Section of Taiwan Thinktank in 2008, and has served as advisor to TTT since 2013.

Dr. I-chung Lai is Assistant Professor at Mackay College for Medicine and Management, Taiwan. He has served as the Vice President of Taiwan Thinktank since 2013 and as Executive Director of International Affairs Committee of the Taichung City Government, Taiwan since 2015.