Raymond Burghardt

Update on US – Taiwan Relations: Prospects After Two Mid-Term Elections

Relations across the Taiwan Strait have been relatively stable for the past six years. But in the past few months, student demonstrations in Taiwan against a new cross-strait trade agreement, widespread sympathy in Taiwan for student demonstrators in Hong Kong and mid-term elections in both the U.S. and Taiwan are all developments which have complicated relations between Mainland China and Taiwan. Beijing is already worrying about Taiwan’s 2016 elections, which could bring the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) back to power.

Taiwan Presidential Election: Is the Cross-Strait Honeymoon Over?

In January 2012, Taiwan voters will choose their president and legislators. The election is being watched anxiously in Beijing, where leaders fear that a victory by opposition party candidate Tsai Ying-wen will bring an abrupt end to the remarkable progress in cross-strait relations that has taken place under President Ma Ying-jeou. But a second presidential term for Ma could also bring new tension to relations between Taipei and Beijing. Creating trade, transportation and tourism links after 60 years of estrangement has been a spectacular success, but both sides acknowledge that their remaining differences will be much more difficult to resolve.

20th Anniversary of Tiananmen Demonstrations: An Eyewitness Account

20 years ago during the massive Tiananmen demonstrations, Raymond Burghardt, who was the Acting Deputy Ambassador at the U. S. Embassy in Beijing, spent many hours witnessing the demonstrations, talking with the participants, and on the night of the attacks, personally witnessing the killing of some demonstrators. He was also very involved in the American Embassy’s interaction with the Chinese government after June 4th, including the response to the Chinese military’s firing on the diplomatic compound and the asylum in the embassy of dissident Fang Lizhi.

Prospects for Peace in Cross-Strait Relations

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.

U.S.-China Relations in the Bush Administration, With a Focus on Taiwan Policy

Prior to joining the East-West Center as Director of Seminars in 2005, Mr. Raymond Burghardt served as U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam (2001-04). His distinguished career saw postings as Director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) from 1999-2001, as Consul General in Shanghai (1997-1999), as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassies in Manila (1993-96) and Seoul (1990-93), and as Political Counselor in Beijing (1987-89). During the first six months of the Clinton Administration in 1993, Ambassador Burghardt served as Charge d’Affaires at the U.