China Seminar | 12 March 2009

Prospects for Peace in Cross-Strait Relations

Raymond Burghardt

Raymond Burghardt has served as Chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) since February 2006. AIT is the private corporation established in 1979 to manage U.S. relations with Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties. This month’s China Seminar, therefore, will be richly informed.

Long involved with Taiwan/China affairs, Ambassador Burghardt was Director of the American Institute in Taiwan from 1999-2001, representing U.S. interests in Taipei during the period Chen Shui-bian’s presidency. Prior to his arrival in Taipei, Burghardt was Consul General in Shanghai (1997-99), a position in which he served as the U.S. Government’s chief interlocutor with the late Wang Daohan, the People’s Republic of China’s lead negotiator with Taiwan. 

A leading Asian specialist in U.S. Foreign Service, Burghardt was Ambassador to Vietnam (2001-2004), Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassies in Manila (1993-96) and Seoul (1990-93) and Political Counselor in Beijing (1987-89). Besides Asia, Burghardt’s career has included an assignment on the National Security Council as Special Assistant to President Reagan and Senior Director of Latin American Affairs, and foreign service in Honduras and Guatemala. He speaks Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, and Spanish.

Concurrent with his position as AIT Chairman, Ambassador Burghardt is Director of East-West Seminars at the East-West.