OVERVIEW

Introduction

In 2005, the People's Republic of China passed an anti-secession law which legally formalized Mainland China's policy towards Taiwan, mandating the use of force if the latter formally declares independence. In January 2007, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the People's Republic of China's State Council said that 2007 is a crucial period for opposing“ Taiwan independence” and safeguarding peace across the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese government meanwhile has repeatedly pointed to the People Liberation Army's continuous buildup and modernization as a growing threat to the island's security as well as the democratic values it represents.

The issue of cross-Strait relations has been further complicated by a difference of opinion among the Taiwanese political factions - between those who advocate cross-Strait reconciliation and those who lean towards independence.

It is clear that unilateral action by either party to change the status quo is one of the most worrying issues facing the Taiwan Strait today. This workshop seeks to discuss the security situation in the Taiwan Strait through the lens of conflict prevention and management. It aims to focus on the challenges and opportunities facing the two sides with a view to address the following questions:

• What are the present issues that divide both sides?
• What are the means to bridge such a divide in the short and medium term?
• From a long term perspective, what are the barriers to the issue of peaceful resolution to the reunification issue?

The workshop is an opportunity for the three presenters – General (retd) Fu Liqun, Professor (General retd) Peter Tzeng and Professor Alan Wachman to share their expert views, in their personal capacities, on this topic from the political, military as well as geostrategic perspectives.

Aim and Structure

This workshop is a continuation of a series of conferences and workshops on Conflict Prevention and Management (CPM). The floor will then be open to comments, questions and discussions. Please note that the workshop will be held under Chatham House Rules.

Time and Location

The workshop will be held on Wednesday, March 21 2007, between 13.00 and 17.00hrs at:

City Conference Center (Norra Latin)
Drottninggatan 71 B,SE-107 26
Stockholm, Sweden
(Click here for map)

Auditing Partners

This workshop is open to the general public and auditing participants with an interest in these issues are most welcome to participate but kindly note that Chatham House Rules apply.

Due to space limitations kindly RSVP via email with your name, affiliation and telephone contact details to workshop coordinator, Christopher Len ( clen /a/silkroadstudies.org ) by Friday, March 16 2007 at the latest.

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SCHEDULE AND PARTICIPANTS

13.00-13.15 Opening of workshop by Ambassador (retd) Ingolf Kiesow

13.15-15.00 Presentation of Papers, Chair Dr. Niklas Swanström

The following researchers will present their work:

FU Liqun, Major-General (retd)
Academy of Military Science, PLA,
People's Republic of China
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Peter TZENG, Professor (Major-General retd)
Tatung University, Taiwan
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Alan M. WACHMAN, Professor
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy,
Tufts University, USA
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15.00-15.30 Coffee Break

15.30-17.00 Questions and Discussion

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BIOGRAPHY (Alphabetical Order)

FU Liqun

Fu Liqun is a retired Major-General from the People Liberation Army's. He is now serving in the Military Science Academy of the PLA as a research fellow and a doctorate-teacher. He joined the Army in 1963, and served in a ground division for more than ten years after his graduation from an army institute in 1968. In the campaign of counter operation in 1979, Fu won honour on the battle ground for his braveness. From then on, he has been working in the Military Science Academy, and engaged in studies of several aspects, including studies on Mao Zedong Military Thought, comparative studies on Chinese and foreign military theories, and studies on security of China's national defense and other practical issues on hot spot. He was the chief of the Institute for Mao Zedong Military Thought Studies, Deputy Director of the Department for Strategic Studies, Deputy Director of the Department for Foreign Military Studies of the Academy, and the executive editor-in-chief of the branch of Marxist military theory and Mao Zedong Military Thought of the Chinese Military Encyclopedia. His works mainly include <On the Methodology Guiding China's Revolutionary War>, a number of consulting reports, and more than one hundred of published thesis.

Peter TZENG

Peter Tzeng retired as an Air Force Major General in Taiwan last July, 2006, and is currently an associate professor in the Department of Information Management at the Tatung University in Taipei. He has a PhD in R&D Management from George Washington University in 1995. He finished the Command and Staff College education from the USAF Air University in 1990 and the War College education from National Defense University in 1999 in Taiwan. In addition, he obtained the EMBA from National Taiwan University in 2006. Peter Tzeng started his military career as a fighter pilot and retired as a vice commander of the Joint Information Operations Command. In his 30 years servicing in the military, he has experienced in joint staff, commanding and education assignments among the areas of operations, planning, military education, acquisition, information, defense and strategic studies. His military career ended with 18 medals.

He started his academic involvement from his post as the Director of the Institute of Strategic Studies and the CEO of National Institute for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University . He is the author of a textbook entitled “Introduction to the All-out Defense” as well as chapters in co-authored textbook and other journal articles in the filed of defense and strategic issues. He has also been the editor-in-chief for books entitled such as “2003 Strategic Assessment across the Taiwan Strait” and “Conflict Management across Taiwan Strait ,” etc. Currently, he also plays the CEO role in the Center for Strategic and Industrial Studies and continues the interests in the defense and strategic studies.

Alan M. WACHMAN

Alan M. Wachman joined the faculty of The Fletcher School as an assistant professor of international politics in 1997 and was promoted to associate professor in 2003. Formerly, he served in New York as president of China Institute in America (1995-1997) and, before that, was the American Co-director of The Johns Hopkins University–Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies, in Nanjing , People's Republic of China (1993-1995). He earned an A.B. in Fine Arts and an A.M. and a Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University . In addition, he is an alumnus of The Fletcher School, from which he received an M.A.L.D. in 1984.

Professor Wachman is the author of two books as well as chapters in multi-authored texts and journal articles pertaining to Sino-U.S. Relations, Taiwan and cross-Strait relations. His book, Why Taiwan? Geostrategic Rationales for China 's Territorial Integrity will be published by Stanford UniversityPress in 2007 as part of the Studies in Asian Security series in association with the East West Center . That work reframes the conflict between Beijing and Taipei in terms of the PRC's geostrategic concerns about Taiwan , concerns that reflect a view China 's rulers have had in the past about the island as either a buffer or bridgehead. His first book was entitled Taiwan : National Identity and Democratization (M.E. Sharpe, 1994).

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Contact Person:
Christopher Len (Workshop coordinator)