China Seminar | 8 September 2016

The Foreign Affairs and Cross-Strait Relations of the Republic of China (Taiwan)

Wallace Minn-Gan Chow

The Republic of China (Taiwan) maintains its own national defense and conducts its own foreign affairs. Currently it has diplomatic relations with 22 countries and substantive ties with many others, full membership in 36 intergovernmental organizations (IGO). Taiwan is fully committed to fulfilling its international obligations and contributing to the world community. Taiwan’s new President Tsai Ing-wen has taken office since May 20, 2016 and adopted the “steadfast diplomacy” – meaning acting in the spirit of “steadily moving ahead, unwavering and firm in purpose, to overcome Taiwan’s various diplomatic challenges.” As for the cross-strait relations, President Tsai said that maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is a collaborative effort that is the responsibility of all parties, and not one borne by Taiwan and mainland China alone. So she hopes all regional stakeholders will join together and help foster peaceful cross-strait relations. As a career diplomat for more than 25 years, Wallace Chow has been posted to New York, Kiribati, and now in Honolulu. Before becoming the Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Honolulu, he was the Deputy Director General of the Department of International Information Services, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2014-2015). Director General Chow received his M.A. of International Relations at National Taiwan University (1994), and was recommended by MOFA to be the fellow of Foreign Service Programmer, Oxford University, UK (2003-2004).